Research firm Jupiter Communications reports that 55% of Internet users say they mail e-greetings regularly, handily beating those who say they chat on-line (45%) or read classified ads (46%).

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Eurostar is already gaining a reputation as a first-class chat-up line.

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According to daily logs posted on NOAA's website, others followed the exploration remotely using e-mail, on-line chat rooms, video streams, and file transfer sites to exchange information.

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It works much like the video feature in the company's Poke app -- press and hold the red record button, speak your message and it'll appear in-line as part of your chat, represented by a clickable sound wave icon.

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The minimum rate for a call to any United Kingdom land-line number is 10p, which buys 55 seconds of chat, after which it is 1p for every 5.5 seconds.

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Its business has been built on chat-rooms for teenagers, e-mail, craftily packaged information and an unremitting quest to make its on-line services friendly to even the most technophobic web neophyte.

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