Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 – IM without a PC

The Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 does pretty much what you would guess judging by the name – it allows you to send and receive instant message without a computer. It supports the major IM services that you might want to use, including AOL< Yahoo and MSN. It also has a MyTunez media player that can access internet radio or plays music stored on a miniSD card. It’s available for $149.99 and comes with some solid credentials – it won the Best of Show award for portable gear at the 2007 DigitalLife.

The obvious market for this is for houses with only one computer and a heavy IM user or two that hog that machine. The appeal would be limited for some because you could do the same things and more on any number of phones, but then this device doesn’t need a service plan and comes with a manageable price tag.