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eBuddy

eBuddy
Type of businessPrivate
Available inMultilingual
HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
Founder(s)Paulo Taylor
Jan-Joost Rueb
Onno Bakker
ServicesInstant messaging
URLwww.ebuddy.com
RegistrationOptional
Launched2003; 21 years ago (2003)
Current statusActive

eBuddy is a privately held Dutch software company that offers instant messaging services. As of 2011, eBuddy reported 100 million downloads.[1] The company's flagship service is XMS, a proprietary cross-platform instant messaging service.[2] After some changes of ownership, the company is now again owned by its original founders, Onno Bakker and Jan-Joost Rueb.

Services

XMS

XMS is a proprietary cross platform instant messaging service.[2] At one point, XMS was processing over 17 billion messages a month exchanged between more than 30 million unique users - 100,000 users were signing up daily and 1.5 billion banner ads sold on web.[3][4] In a 2011 review, the head of the BerryReview team mentioned that the service has many features in common with other cross-platform messaging services.[5] It does include some multimedia features: users can send images and videos and share their location. XMS is available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia Series 40, and Windows Phone 7 devices. There is also a web-based client, called "Web XMS", for computer users.[6]

Security

On November 4, 2014, eBuddy XMS scored 1 out of 7 points on the Electronic Frontier Foundation's secure messaging scorecard. eBuddy XMS received a point for encryption during transit but lost points because communications are not encrypted with a key the provider doesn't have access to (i.e. the communications are not end-to-end encrypted), users can't verify contacts' identities, past messages are not secure if the encryption keys are stolen (i.e. the service does not provide forward secrecy), the code is not open to independent review (i.e. the code is not open-source), the security design is not properly documented, and there has not been a recent independent security audit.[7][8] AIM, BlackBerry Messenger, Hushmail, Kik Messenger, Skype, Viber, and Yahoo Messenger also scored 1 out of 7 points.[7]

eBuddy Chat

eBuddy Chat was a line of multi-protocol instant messaging clients: it allowed users with Facebook Chat,[9] MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ and AOL accounts to chat free of charge in one aggregated interface.[10] eBuddy Chat supported a Web interface and also supported iOS, Android, J2ME and mobile Web-enabled devices. In 2010, it was named one of the five finalists for "Best Mobile App" in the Mashable Awards.[11]

With the move toward mobile, in 2013, the company announced that it was discontinuing development of its eBuddy Chat multi-protocol instant messaging clients.[12][13]

History

eBuddy was originally developed by Paulo Taylor. His idea was established as a consequence from a bet to develop MSN Messenger, as it was named in 2003, for a mobile phone. After several weeks he won the bet, and uploaded the application to a server.[14] A web version was soon developed following users' demands. As user traffic spurred, Taylor decided to take the idea further. Originally backed by Prime Technology Ventures and Lowland Capital Partners and headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with offices in Singapore and San Francisco, United States.,[15] after a successful partnership with Japanese-based GREE, eBuddy was sold via an acqui-hire to Booking.com.[16][17]

  • On September 9, 2003, Taylor, together with two partners Jan-Joost Rueb and Onno Bakker, created EverywhereMSN.com.[18]
  • On June 1, 2006, e-Messenger was renamed to eBuddy.[19][20]
  • On October 26, 2006, eBuddy received $6.33M (€5M) in Series A funding.[21]
  • On May 2, 2008, eBuddy received $9.55M (€6.5M) in Series B funding.[22]
  • On March 17, 2011, eBuddy launched its proprietary instant messaging app XMS.[2]
  • On September 21, 2012, Japanese gaming company GREE acquired a minority stake in eBuddy.[23]
  • However, GREE decided to leave the European market in 2013.[24]
  • On December 4, 2013, Dutch online booking portal Booking.com bought eBuddy in an acqui-hire agreement [16][15][17][25][26][27]

See also

References

  1. ^ "EBuddy XMS now available for BlackBerry and hoping to win you over". 14 September 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "SMS on Steroids – eBuddy Debuts Realtime, Cross-Platform Messaging App". 17 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Latest tech news - breaking technology news, leaks and updates". 15 August 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Jan-Joost Rueb – eBuddy: The cards to win the game @ LeWeb08 - video Dailymotion". 19 August 2009.
  5. ^ Halevy, Ronen (September 14, 2011). "eBuddy XMS is Yet Another Cross Platform Messaging Service". BerryReview LLC. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  6. ^ "EBuddy XMS webversie gelanceerd".
  7. ^ a b "Secure Messaging Scorecard. Which apps and tools actually keep your messages safe?". Electronic Frontier Foundation. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Only 6 Messaging Apps Are Truly Secure". PC Magazine. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Your Social Life as You Know It Ends Now: Facebook Chat Now Works on Mobiles". Mashable. 22 September 2008.
  10. ^ "EBuddy and eBuddy Pro for iPhone | Macworld". www.macworld.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  11. ^ ""Best Mobile App" Finalists Discuss Inspiration and the Future [INTERVIEWS]". Mashable. 13 December 2010.
  12. ^ "Support options for Nokia, Lumia, and feature phone devices". Microsoft.
  13. ^ "EBuddy Service Discontinued as Company Embraces an XMS Future". 23 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Retireat21 - #1 for Business Reviews, Costs and Recommendations".
  15. ^ a b "XMS. Unlimited messaging. Better. Free". Archived from the original on 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  16. ^ a b "Werknemers eBuddy naar Booking.com (update)". Emerce. Retrieved Nov 29, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Sawers, Paul (Dec 4, 2013). "Booking.com Acquires eBuddy". TNW | Insider. Retrieved Nov 29, 2022.
  18. ^ "EBuddy". 12 June 2013.
  19. ^ Kirkpatrick, Marshall (2006-06-21). "E-Messenger raises funds, relaunches as eBuddy.com". techcrunch.com. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  20. ^ "Messenger Stuff - eMessenger now eBuddy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2014-12-17.
  21. ^ "EBuddy Announces 5 Million Euros from Lowland Capital". 26 October 2006.
  22. ^ "EBuddy, the Meebo of Europe, Raises €6.5 million". 4 February 2008.
  23. ^ "EBuddy Blows Through 250 Million User Accounts, Android up 300%". 21 September 2011.
  24. ^ "Japan's Gaming Giant GREE Retrenches in Europe, Shuts Down All UK Operations". 8 July 2013.
  25. ^ "Booking.com acquires messaging service eBuddy". VatorNews. Dec 4, 2013. Retrieved Nov 29, 2022.
  26. ^ Prabu, Karthick (December 5, 2013). "Booking.com snaps up messaging app service eBuddy in acqui-hire deal". Phocuswire.
  27. ^ "Booking.com neemt chatdienst eBuddy over - update". Retrieved Nov 29, 2022.
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