iMesh adds instant messaging to P2P service
One of the oldest peer-to-peer (P2P) services, iMesh, is offering instant messaging and an enhanced search function in its upcoming client. iMesh 6.5 will allow users to send messages and share songs with other users. In addition, friends can simultaneously listen to the same songs with the "Listen Together" feature.
Originally launched back in 1999, iMesh has had a checkered past. In the first several years, iMesh, along with other P2P services faced lawsuits from the RIAA. In addition, there were many complaints that files harbored spyware and viruses. The company has since cleaned up the files available and now allows users to legally download these files without fear of the RIAA serving them with a lawsuit. Version 6 of the service was the first RIAA approved P2P service. iMesh's website states that the service is "100% Clean" and free of virus, spyware and adware.
iMesh claims to have more than 15 million music and video files, along with two million licensed songs from major record labels. The service has both a monthly subscription plan and a per song download offer.
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Humphrey Cheung was a senior editor at Tom's Hardware, covering a range of topics on computing and consumer electronics. You can find more of his work in many major publications, including CNN and FOX, to name a few.