Apple today announced the availability of a new messaging platform simply called Messages. The beta application is a new version of its desktop-based iChat client, but it adds the ability to send text, picture, and video messages, as well as locations data and contact data to iMessage users on iOS devices and vice versa. Messages can also be used on the desktop to initiate FaceTime sessions with iOS device users. Users of Messages can also transition conversations from the desktop to their iOS device. The beta is free for users of Apple's OS X Lion.


[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]