The blog
Nostalgia, how-tos and chat tips, for everyone who misses signing in after school.
Nostalgia
Peak 2000s Kiwi: 20 things every New Zealander who grew up online remembers
Bebo, the Nokia 3310, Snake, burning CDs, dial-up, and racing home to sign in. A nostalgic list for New Zealanders who grew up in the 2000s.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
About us
Free vs Premium on Chatroom: what you get, and why it's free to try
Chatroom is free to join. Here's exactly what's free, what Premium adds (your own photo, unlimited contacts, Premium lounges) and how the free Premium months work.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
Safety
Online chat safety: 12 habits for chatting with people you've just met
Practical habits for chatting safely online in New Zealand: what not to share, spotting scams, blocking and reporting, and where to get help.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
How-to
Chat room etiquette in 2026: how to say hi without being weird
Better openers than 'hey', how to join a conversation that's already going, when to take it to a private message, and the unwritten rules of a good chat room.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
Nostalgia
What to put in your personal message: 50 ideas (cryptic encouraged)
The little line under your name on the contact list was an art form. Fifty personal message ideas, from funny to mysterious to very 2004.
29 October 2026 · 2 min read
Nostalgia
~*xX The great 2000s screen name Xx*~ and how to pick yours
Tildes, sparkles, xX and Xx, and your year of birth. A loving look at early-2000s screen names, with ideas for picking your username on Chatroom.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
How-to
The classic emoticon cheat sheet: every code from :) to (Y)
Every typed emoticon code that works on Chatroom, from :) and ;) to (Y), (L), (K), (8) and (pi). Old-school shortcuts that turn into faces as you chat.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
Nostalgia
The art of the nudge: a short guide to the most annoying button ever made
When to nudge, when not to, and how to win a nudge war. A tongue-in-cheek guide to the button that shakes someone's whole chat window.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
Nostalgia
What happened to MSN Messenger? (And where to get that feeling back)
MSN Messenger launched in 1999, became Windows Live Messenger, and was retired in 2013 when Microsoft moved users to Skype, which itself closed in 2025. Here's the short history.
29 October 2026 · 1 min read
Nostalgia
Remember MSN Messenger? 15 things everyone who used it will remember
Song lyrics as your personal message, appearing offline, nudge wars, the dial-up wait and the sign-in pop-up. A trip back to peak 2000s instant messaging.
29 October 2026 · 2 min read
About us
MSN-style chat rooms are back: a free old-school messenger for New Zealand
Contact lists, nudges, emoticons, personal messages and that sign-in sound. Why we rebuilt early-2000s instant messaging for Kiwis, and what you can do on Chatroom.
29 October 2026 · 2 min read
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