Facebook launches Messenger for Windows

The social networking giant, Facebook, has now officially launched Facebook Messenger for Windows, which is a standalone app that lets you IM friends via Windows 7.

The newly introduced app lets you chat, receive notifications, and read your news feed from your desktop. In other words, the messenger lets you use Facebook without being on www.facebook.com. However, missing elements from the app are video chat (through Skype) and group chat, which are there inside its web interface.

Facebook has been testing this application since November, but an Israeli blog TechIT had leaked the download link in December, following which Facebook responded by making it publicly available. However, that was a test. It cannot be denied that Facebook is in the habit of testing its products on small percentage of its users before rolling it out, officially.

But now Facebook has officially announced to roll out this application. If you don't come across any "download" button yet, you need not worry as the app will be rolled out to users’ profiles over the next few weeks. However, if you are eager and can not wait, you can download the application - Facebook Messenger for Windows 7 - from here
If you use Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac or another operating system, you won't be able to install the app at this time, reported Facebok on its page, adding "we're working on making the app available for more operating systems."
According to Facebook, it is currently working on a version of this app for Windows Vista. The app does not do not currently support Windows XP.
Reportedly, a Mac version is on the way, but the company has not said anything as to when that version will be out.
Source - IBN7