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"LiveJournal yesterday launched their LJTalk service, which allows users to integrate the LiveJournal experience into instant messaging.  As mentioned during the beta back in July, LJTalk is a partnership with the Gizmo Project, based on the Jabber protocol.  Once you've downloaded any Jabber-based IM client, you can log in with your Jabber ID and Password - this populates your buddy list with your LiveJournal friends, sets your LJ Buddy Icon as your user pic, and lets you post to your LJ blog from within the client itself.  I'm told it works for LJ's voice posting feature, too, which previously only allowed recording via a phone call and could have been expensive for international users.\nAmong other newly-announced features is TxtLJ, which launched earlier this week and lets you post entries and read your friend's pages via text messages on your cellphone.  This is currently available to paid and permanent account holders in the US, but access for free users is coming in the next few weeks, and support for international users is also being worked on.  Other new stuff includes a new set of themes - unlike the totally open economy for MySpace layouts, LJ offers standard themes to free users and tempts them to upgrade to gain access to better and more unique designs (you can also insert your own html and CSS).  The new themes follow the same system, with many of the designs restricted to paying users.  \nIn related news, LiveJournal is trying to create its own variation on MySpace marketing - they've rolled out sponsored communities like the Science of Sleep, a community for the Warner Bros movie.  Making the ads permission-based, rather than just selling banners, is a growing trend among social networks: it's something that Facebook has tried with offerings like the iTunes group, and something that YouTube is now trying by launching branded channels like Paris Hilton and DiddyTV.  What's more, LiveJournal's TxtLJ service is sponsored by Amp\u2019d Mobile.  They're treading carefully when it comes to commercializing LiveJournal, and that's probably a wise move. \n\nThe Science of Sleep, the first LJ Sponsored Community (via GigaOm)"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2006/10/13/livejournal-launches-ljtalk-txtlj/>