Flock 2.5 introduces Facebook chat and FlockCasting

Flock 2.5 has been released, and keeping with it’s “be social” mantra it introduces a few significant features for hardcore Facebook users. First, you get a native Facebook chat client that resides in the status bar where you can exchange messages and share links by simply dragging content to the widget. Also for Facebook fans, you can automatically notify your actions like posting pictures with Flock’s Photo Uploader, adding a blog entry, or contacting MySpace or Twitter users via the People sidebar.

For better Twitter integration, it now features replies, mentions, and direct messages in the sidebar, and also adds a widget to perform searches on Twitter.

Flock is based on Firefox 3.0.x code base and integrates with along lists of social web services including Facebook, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Twitter, MySpace, Bebo, digg, Flickr, Blogger, Picasa, Typepad, and a few others.

Flock 2.5 is available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.

Flock extension pushes OpenID adoption

Flock, the makers of the eponymous Firefox-based web browser, have released the first alpha version of OpenID for Flock, a Flock extension that provides the necessary user interface to add OpenID credentials and easily select one to identify in a growing number of services that already support it.

As you may know, OpenID is an open identification system that aims to deliver a unified way to access virtually any web service that supports it:  you just provide your OpenID to the web service, it recognizes who is providing your identity and will redirect you there to enter your password. The id provider then validates you and if everything goes OK it takes you back to the web service letting it know you have been identified.

Flock Gloss Edition makes a fashion statement

The Flock guys have just released a fashion oriented edition of its namesake Firefox-based browser labeled Flock Gloss Edition.

From People to Cosmopolitan to The New York Time’s fashion section, it comes with a thick bundle of fashion, health, and gossip links and feeds framed in a girlish lavender theme to please fashion lovers cravings (well almost).

Flock 2 Beta 2 available now

Flock has released the second beta of its forthcoming Flock 2, the Firefox-based web browser that features tight integration with most of the most popular social web services including Flickr, Facebook, digg, YouTube and many others.

Flock 2 beta 2 is based on Firefox 3 (3.0.1 actually) code base bringing along all the performance improvements and new features including Places, tagging, malware protection, the new location bar, web content and protocol handlers among others.

Other features include an option to manually update a web feed or group of web feeds and notifications when one is updated.

Flock 1.2 released, 2.0 beta to follow soon

Flock has released the second review of its eponymous Firefox-based browser.

As announced before, Flock 1.2 (actually and strangely 1.2.1)  brings added support for Digg, allowing users to share a web page by clicking a dedicated button in the location bar.

Flock 1.2 users are also able to set AOL Mail (in addition to Yahoo! Mail and Gmail) as their default mail client for email links and sharing links by email, and to get notifications when new messages arrive.

Flock is top browser in PC World’s 100 Best Products

PC World has published its 2008 list of Top 100 products as picked by readers and editors. In 6th place, we find Flock, the Firefox 2-based browser that integrates with several social networking sites and other web services:

Sick of having to surf to all your favorite sites and services? Flock integrates Facebook updates, Twitter feeds, YouTube videos, Flickr photo streams, Gmail and Yahoo Mail, and blogging tools into a single navigation (and browsing) interface.

Next Flock to integrate Digg, Pownce and AOL Mail

The latest beta of forthcoming Flock, 1.2 already features Digg, Pownce and AOL Mail integration, joining other supported web services including Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Picasa, Yahoo! Mail, and Gmail, among others.

Digg integration comes in the form of a new button added to the location bar users can click on to submit the current page to Digg. The People sidebar shows all Digg friends and their latest activity, while the Media bar displays your submitted stories.

Flock wins a Webby for social networking

Flock, the Firefox-based browser with a social flavor, has been awarded a Webby, one of the best reputed Internet awards, in the Social Networking category.

Flock integrates with several social networking sites including Flickr, Facebook, and Picasa, and other web services including Gmail and Yahoo! Mail.

Firefox, Thunderbird, Flock, Joost nominated for PC World Top 100 Products

PC World has opened the voting period for its annual Top 100 Products list, a simple survey where everyone can vote and score as many technology products (hardware, software and services) in as many categories as he finds relevant.

Flock 1.1 is out

Flock 1.1 has been released with a small set of nice and important improvements. Most notable integration with Gmail and Yahoo! Mail that lets you know when you have a new message in either service and send links and handle mailto: requests with the service defined as default or you can keep your current desktop application.