Zipit Wireless has announced a new text-messaging plan for its Zipit Wireless Messenger 2, a device that enables Instant Messaging (AOL IM, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger) using Wi-Fi wireless networks.

The only device of its type, the Z2 works on home Wi-Fi networks and on all open, or free wireless “hotspots.” The Z2 supports all the major IM platforms - AOL, Yahoo and MSN - so teens can have multiple, concurrent conversations with their friends, across all popular IM networks. In addition, the new Z2 includes a fully capable music player called “MyTunez™” for instant access to music played from an optional mini-SD card or streamed from the Internet, and the ability to view slideshows with the built-in “MyPhotoz™” photo feature. [Zipit Wireless]

The plan, starting in February, will allow users to contact both cell phone and Instant Messenger users. It will cost $4.99 a month for up to 3,000 messages.

The Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 (Z2) runs in Linux operating system and has a full color display, backlit keyboard, Mini-SD memory card slot, MP3 player and a photo viewer. Its current price is $149.99.

Startup social networking site imeem, which lets users listen to and share their favorite music online, said that it signed a deal to access the catalog of Universal Music Group. This makes imeem the first company to offer free unlimited songs and music videos from all four major record labels.

imeem is the leading social media network where users create, recommend and discover music, film/video, art, and pop culture media and connect directly with people with similar tastes. By offering innovative media expression tools and social discovery features, including custom music playlists, video channels, photo slideshows and blogs, the imeem community can share their tastes with friends and fans on imeem and across the Web.

imeem is the first social network to partner with all four major labels as well as thousands of indie labels and video providers to offer free, on-demand streaming of all music and video content on an ad-supported basis. Since the launch of its Web-based service www.imeem.com in March 2006, the community has attracted over 19 million unique users each month. imeem was the fastest growing social site in the U.S. in September and October 2007. [imeem]

Imeem allows users to stream, but not download, an unlimited number of songs and videos and makes money by selling advertising. It shares ad revenues with its label partners. This represents a big challenge for imeem, since the music industry is very hesitant about ad-supported business models due to labels not making as much profit per song from advertising as they make through downloads. However, the site includes links to both iTunes and Amazon in case users want to purchase the tracks.

Imeem will face several ad-supported competitors such as SpiralFrog, which lets users download free tracks, and Rhapsody, which lets users stream only 25 songs per month.

Yahoo is set to complement its successful Yahoo Finance site with the launch of a new program aimed at technology investors.

The site, to be called TechTicker, will report exclusively on technology stocks and will offer streaming video and blog posts covering breaking finance news on a daily basis.

Although TechTicker will face tough competition from television networks CNBC, Bloomberg TV and Fox Business Network, the initiative offers immense advancement opportunities for Yahoo, allowing the firm to move closer into content areas (which set it apart from its main competitor, Google) and to continue to develop strategies beyond just search.

An exact date of launch has not been revealed yet, but among the online staff considered for the project are Henry Blodget (editor in chief of Silicon Alley Insider), Sara Lacy (columnist at BusinessWeek) and Paul Kedrosky (CNBC Analyst).

The major search engines (with the exception of MSN) have released their lists of top search terms of the year. (The lists do not include adult-oriented queries).

The lists differ notoriously from engine to engine. Celebrity queries remained very popular on Yahoo’s list, while Google’s list reflects an audience highly engaged on social networks. Interestingly, Ask’s list includes competitor Google and presents very broad terms as the most searched.