QQ

Tencent Holdings Limited has many Instant Messaging Software. Some of the IM Messaging Softwares developed by this company are Tencent Messenger or Tencent QQ. TM and Tencent QQ is mostly referred to as QQ. One unique point about QQ is that is comes free of cost.

It is developed and maintained by a China based company known as Tencent Holdings Limited. You can download it without paying any amount to the company. It is one of the popular tool of China used in Instant Messaging service. It is also the world's third mostly used instant messaging service.

Features available in QQ :
Along with text messaging services, you are also offered with Voice Messaging facility. You can also find various other multiple features such as games, ring tone downloads, file transfer facility, video transmission and many more. It also helps to send messages to any cell phone user.

Development of QQ :
At the very onset, QQ was launched as a “Networking Paging” instant messenger. With time, various other features including chat rooms, Internet dating facility, interesting games, Internet storage option and personal Avatars (virtual identity) were added to the next versions. It very soon became a popular instant messaging tool used extensively in China.

QQ was previously known as OICQ. But the name was changed to QQ because it sounded similar to another instant messenger, ICQ.

The latest version of QQ is QQ 2007. The company launches new versions from time to time to with coincide with special events such as the Chinese New Year or Olympic Games.

QQ is supported by operating systems namely Microsoft Windows and Linux. Linux allows you to voice chat with your friends and dear ones.

All the major features of QQ can be accessed be applying for a free membership. The free membership facility was dissolved in the year 2002. However, pressure from different messenger services such as Windows Live Messenger and Sina UC begins to mount up. So finally, in the year 2003 Tencent was forced to reintroduce free membership. The company offers a premium membership scheme. The features offered in the membership scheme includes ring tone downloads, mobile QQ, SMS sending and receiving option and many more. Most people are subscribing to the scheme because they are supposed to pay a nominal price. If you subscribe to this scheme you need to pay 100 Yuan (Currency of China) or about $13 USD per month.

As per a survey in China held on 5th March in the year 2005, it is estimated that nearly 160 million people are using QQ. QQ has been drawn into immense controversies. It has been criticized several times and has been branded as a malicious Ad ware because it makes extensive use of advertisements and process related to advertisement. It has also been blamed for copying the features of it's competitors. Many have blamed that it looks like Windows Live Messenger. It has also been drawn into controversy because of Keyword filtering.