We have always considered BloggingStocks to have an advantage over other financial content in that we are in a unique conversation between us, the writers, and you, the readers. This conversation takes place both on individual posts, where we hold forth and you respond; in posts in which two or more bloggers take on different sides of an issue; or in your tips and questions to us.

But today we bring a whole new level of intimacy and immediacy to that conversation with BloggingStocks chat. Sign in with your AOL or AIM user name (and turn on your webcam, if you have one and want to share your smiling face with us all), and jump in. Did you see some news you think we should be covering? Would you like to know one of our writers' takes on an earnings report, a new product, an analyst's point of view? Do you want to hear our buzz -- what stories about which we're gossiping or looking for coverage from one of our writers? Do you want to know who are the contrarians and who are the fanboys among us?

Come on in, chat us up. We look forward to meeting you. We'll talk to you soon!

As I mentioned in my post about Blogher, AIM is where it's at for the sorts of people who use instant messenger programs to communicate. Not only do teenagers love the product, with all the spiraling viral effects that has for AOL, but I use it for work -- and many other businesses are becoming IM-savvy.

AIM, however, may have come to a bit of an innovation plateau -- the unit seems to be focusing on cuteness and personality rather than functionality. AOL needed to get working if the company wished to expand into the nether reaches of instant communication and electronic networking. Today's announcement of the company's acquisition of Userplane (for an undisclosed sum) underscored Time Warner's dual strategies in this market, which are (1) dominate and innovate and (2) do it by acquisition, whenever possible.

Userplane CEO Mike Jones says the company will remain a separate unit, and the company's venture capitalist lauds Userplane for having been cashflow positive "for a long time." Userplane brings a very strong position in the dating and social networking market, and it's oh-so-Web 2.0. According to TechCrunch, Userplane "uses Flash and Ajax to offer video, audio and text chat in the browser, in single or multiple chat rooms. Those video and audio chats can be recorded using the company's Webrecorder application."