Starting today Yahoo Mail users will be able to use the instant messenger service (Yahoo Messenger) while checking the mail, just like what happens with Google Mail and Google Chat.

The only problem is that it took Yahoo a couple of months to achieve this, and they are doing it wrong.

I mean, if I can’t find this chat feature after logging into my Yahoo Mail account and searching for it for a couple of minutes, there must be something wrong.

When comparing to Google, the GChat implemented in Gmail is much easier to use - there is a login button on the left menu just below the normal folders. But in Yahoo Mail I can’t find one single word/feature/news related to how to use the chat. Maybe I’m doing something wrong? Or am I just blind?

I guess they spent all their time adding AJAX features to the email system and forgot the basics…

John Kremer, vice president of Yahoo Mail, comments:

By allowing users to jump between the two modes of communication, we are laying the groundwork for other types of communications.

Oh really? Now I just need to know how to jump…

[Source: YahooNews]