Meebo just premiered a search "toolbar" in their web based IM app. The results page looks like it's Adsense for search.

This is an interesting way for a free app to make money on the web, without display advertising.

Could it be succesfull? I don´t think so, why would people use it?

Well Firefox has already been a financial success (It has a deal with Google about the searches) so Why not ?

Firefox is different case. For Firefox users is the search box place number one whem start with search. But Meebo? Why should people search through Meebo? OK, maybe sometimes somebody. But the amount of money from AdSense for search won´t be high, I bet.

But why did Yahoo and MSFT add search boxes in their IM?

Simple, to promote their own Search.

I disagree, My number 1 requested feature for Gtalk is a Search box (that works within Gtalk and doesn't open a new Browser Window)

It will work greatly for Meebo if it positions the Search correctly.

Right now it's at the bottom, would be nice to see it in the top right or someplace more noticable.

>> Simple, to promote their own Search.

Yeah, but if users didn't search from that boxes, they wouldn't include them.

Ionut: You are right. People probably use these boxes, but the main reason is really promoting. And also – they had a place in their IM, why to not add this stuff since it´s not very good place for commercial ads. They think, that people who start to search with them (through IM) will continue using them always. But the direct revenue stream only from IM searches wouldn´t be much heavy and for Meebo it has to be even less important – the true winner of AdSense for search is only Google.