How to use Facebook’s new group chat feature (Yahoo! News)

Next steps
Facebook's new chat features open up a lot of possibilities for the world's largest social networking site — but there are some issues with the service. For example, the gear button does not yet show up consistently in chat windows across browser types. Even if you see the gear, you may not see the "Add Friends to Chat" option yet. This issue might be resolved as the feature fully rolls out to Facebook users in the coming weeks.

The full scope of who you can add to chat sessions is also currently unanswered — if you're adding friend #2 to a chat session with friend #1 and these two are not friends, will they be able to restart the conversation through the messages window? Or, if you've messaged someone before, but are not friends with them, can you add them to a chat session (or vice versa)? How will group chat and one-on-one video chatting stack up against Google+ Hangouts? Only time will tell!

Regardless, have fun while you explore Facebook's new chat options — go on, stretch your social web muscles and strike up a group conversation!

[Image source: khrawlings]

Post by Liz Patt

More from Tecca:

• First Impressions: Hands-on with Google+
• Facebook unveils Skype-powered video chat, new group chat feature, and chat redesign
• Meet Google's Facebook competitor, the Google+ project

Alibaba Group to launch mobile OS in Q3: report (Reuters)

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China's top e-commerce group Alibaba Group is preparing to launch a mobile operating system in the third quarter, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The mobile operating system, to be developed by Alibaba's cloud computing unit, will also provide mobile applications, the paper said quoting an unnamed source close to the matter.

An Alibaba Group spokesman declined to comment.

Chinese Internet firms have expanded their mobile presence by developing operating systems, games and applications to tap the high growth of the segment.

China's top search engine Baidu is also developing its own mobile operating system based on Google's Android platform, local media reported recently.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Home Retail Group buys Habitat UK (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Britain's Home Retail Group on Friday said it had bought the Habitat UK brand and three of its London furniture stores for £24.5 million from US private equity firm Hilco.

HRG, which owns catalogue chain Argos and home improvements chain Homebase, agreed to pay the equivalent of $39 million or 27.5 million euros after the upmarket Habitat chain was placed in administration to save it from bankruptcy.

"Home Retail Group (HRG) today announces that it has agreed to acquire certain rights to the Habitat brand, one of the UK's leading contemporary home retailers," it said in a statement.

"The rights are for the exclusive use of the Habitat brand, its brand designs and intellectual property in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

"In addition, Home Retail Group is also acquiring the Habitat UK website, three of its London stores and certain brand support functions."

At the same time, Habitat UK has applied to go into administration -- the process whereby a troubled company calls upon independent financial help in a bid to restructure the business and remain operational.

The announcement threatens the chain's 30 other British stores and around 900 jobs.

Separately, Hilco said it was in "advanced" talks over the sale of the Habitat business outside of Britain.

The profitable European division includes 27 stores in France, five in Germany and six in Spain, with franchise arrangements in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Habitat, set up by designer Terence Conran in 1964, epitomised London's young and trendy image in the 1960s with a range of pastel colours and products based on his designs.

"The style led credentials of the Habitat brand, with its strong heritage, will be a significant addition to the group's portfolio of own brands," HRG chief executive Terry Duddy said on Friday.

"In addition to operating the three London stores and the UK website, we will introduce Habitat products across the group, including a number of concessions in Homebase stores."

Home Retail Group buys Habitat UK (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Britain's Home Retail Group on Friday said it had bought the Habitat UK brand and three of its London furniture stores for £24.5 million from US private equity firm Hilco.

HRG, which owns catalogue chain Argos and home improvements chain Homebase, agreed to pay the equivalent of $39 million or 27.5 million euros after the upmarket Habitat chain was placed in administration to save it from bankruptcy.

"Home Retail Group (HRG) today announces that it has agreed to acquire certain rights to the Habitat brand, one of the UK's leading contemporary home retailers," it said in a statement.

"The rights are for the exclusive use of the Habitat brand, its brand designs and intellectual property in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

"In addition, Home Retail Group is also acquiring the Habitat UK website, three of its London stores and certain brand support functions."

At the same time, Habitat UK has applied to go into administration -- the process whereby a troubled company calls upon independent financial help in a bid to restructure the business and remain operational.

The announcement threatens the chain's 30 other British stores and around 900 jobs.

Separately, Hilco said it was in "advanced" talks over the sale of the Habitat business outside of Britain.

The profitable European division includes 27 stores in France, five in Germany and six in Spain, with franchise arrangements in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Habitat, set up by designer Terence Conran in 1964, epitomised London's young and trendy image in the 1960s with a range of pastel colours and products based on his designs.

"The style led credentials of the Habitat brand, with its strong heritage, will be a significant addition to the group's portfolio of own brands," HRG chief executive Terry Duddy said on Friday.

"In addition to operating the three London stores and the UK website, we will introduce Habitat products across the group, including a number of concessions in Homebase stores."