Free for Windows Mobile users, BeeJive is a chat client that lets you connect to various chat and instant messenger networks at the same time.
Similar to Palringo, BeeJive allows simultaneous connection to multiple instant messenger networks and multiple accounts on each network you're connected to.
It's free to use and is a useful chat client - while there's no voice chat or image/file sharing, BeeJive IM does retain conversation history and allows the setting of custom status messages and invisiblility, allowing you to appear offline.
However great all of that sounds, there's a distinct lack of support for the software...
Available from www.beejive.com/winmo, BeeJive IM for Windows Mobile is currently in beta testing. As such it's free - and will be permanently.
Getting hold of the right version is important - BeeJive has versions available for Windows Mobile Professional (touchscreen) and Smartphone devices, and for Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1.
The CAB file installer is 1.1 MB and must be copied to yoru Windows Mobile device to install. This can be done quickly and easily - if you have a generous data plan you could even download directly to your phone for a quicker installation.
Users of other platforms spend between $10-20 for a copy of BeeJive - evidently BlackBerry and iPhone users make the products more cost effective for BeeJive to support and provide upgrades for.
The BeeJive IM developers claim that the vast number of Windows Mobile devices make it impossible for them to release a version of their software for the platform.
Given the number of chat clients available for WinMo however, this particular argument seems flawed. Developing on the .Net Compact Framework - something BeeJive have ignored - would aid them in getting around this, as would targeting development for a particular release of Windows Mobile or a specific device.
Most freeware on Windows Mobile is good stuff - however BeeJive, for all of it's potential, is not. The fact that it is still available to download when questions persist as to whether the remote server that routes traffic from the various chat networks to the client app is still running is enough to start alarm bells ringing.
Usually software for the platform is free because the developer believes in freeware and donations, or because it is in beta with a view to a final release.
Sadly BeeJive IM is free because no one cares.