Spleak was a very popular bot for MSN/ Windows Live Messenger and AIM, focusing on celebrity news and gossip, before expanding into the likes of sports, gaming and television. She was noted for being a bot that attempted to be accurate in artificial intelligence while adding a personal and feminine touch to her answers with some success. Spleak's popularity was noted throughout its years, but now the IM bot is no where to be seen. When messaged she simply replies: "Time to say GOODBYE!"

So what happened to Spleak? Well back in April last year the Spleak Media Network expanded, which appeared to invest in a new business model concerned with better and richer advertising strategies that would expand into web widgets and user generated content through the media company Hearst. Clearly the company behind Spleak had expansionist plans for their wide user-base.

However, evidence suggests the company wasn't profitable and Spleak appears to have shut down without any press release or message from developers. Even when messaged, she gives no explanation. It appears Spleak Media Network has been closed, leaving all traces of Spleak and its content unavailable. Even their website is inaccessible.

So there is no direct explanation, but inductive reasoning suggests Spleak Media Network wasn't profitable and fell on its back. If anyone can provide any further details shedding light on this story I will be very grateful. It's a shame to see the end of such a popular and unique IM bot for its time, particularly with its huge popularity around the world.

The Spleak competition has now ended with one luckily winner from the UK. Apparently the popularity of the contest and the amount of guesses entered nearly crashed the server Spleak is hosted on so there must of been more than a few guesses. The winner will receive a brand new PSP from IMT Labs with the guess of 'Marie'.

However, Marie is not Spleak's real name, in fact no one guessed correctly (it's a con!) so I guess we will never know her real name:



View the competition page

News has been very slow recently, well then again it is summer here for me and most of my other admins and news about messenger, well there is none. However, I found something I can post about and what better than a chance to win a PSP.

Spleak, probably the most intelligent chat bot for MSN and Windows Live Messenger is hosting a competition for you to get in on winning a PSP. Basically, talk to Spleak and say "name competition" and she will ask you 10 questions about her and using her dairy entires and biography you need to guess the answers. Once you do that you need to guess her name, and whoever gets it right wins the PSP (hint, it's not Spleak).

Good luck, it does take some time to do the questions and the competition ends August 16th. I don't think there are that many entires so far so you could be within a chance of winning.

Visit Spleak's website
View the competition page