Microsoft is making its instant messaging program available for the Xbox 360 next month. That means gamers can send messages from the video game console directly to people using Windows computers and cellphones.

But the company isn't coming out with a custom keyboard for the Xbox 360 until this summer. So unless you have a USB keyboard that works with the machine, sending instant messages on the Xbox 360 will not be so instant -- probably similar to what it would be like to send an IM from your cellphone.