WebProNews

Facebook is gradually launching its new chat feature, the social network announced over the weekend via the Facebook Blog.

Facebook’s IM application appears as a chat bar at the bottom of your browser and does not require installation.  The chat bar gives users access to current chat windows, online friends list, notifications, chat settings, and online status.

Josh Wiseman, a Facebook engineer writes,” We're working on pulling other features of the site into the real- time Chat world. Your notifications will now arrive in the Chat bar, and while chatting you'll see your friend's Mini-Feed activity thrown into the conversation, as it occurs.”

Facebook Chat allows users to appear offline if they don’t want to chat. The conversations are private and can be saved from page to page and between login sessions. Users can clear chat history using a link provided in each chat.

If users don’t want Mini-Feed stories embedded in their conversations, they have the option of turning the feature off from the Mini-Feed privacy page or the chat settings panel.

Facebook Chat will be available on more networks over the coming days.