So, if you fancy turning yourself into an alien or a talking dog, CyberLink YouCam is probably for you. The application works with most major messaging clients, including Windows Live Messenger, Skype, Yahoo Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger.

All the effects included in CyberLink YouCam are organized in different tabs, and their results can be applied in real time. They include original backgrounds, all sorts of clipart and comic-like effects, hats and fake beards for yourself and even a free-hand drawing tool. Besides the fun part, CyberLink YouCam also includes a video surveillance utility that can help you keep control of your property without spending a fortune in a surveillance system.

The most recent release of CyberLink YouCam features the amazing augmented reality technology, thanks to which you can interact with 3D virtual objects in the video preview window. Thanks to the support for HD video and TrueTheater, the effects in CyberLink YouCam are more realistic than ever.

CyberLink YouCam is a fun tool that will spice up any web chat, although some of the effects are more realistic than others.

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The new Windows Live Messenger 2012 comes as part of the Windows Live Essentials pack. It's an incremental development over Windows Live Messenger 2011, looking almost identical, while introducing a couple of changes.

When you install Windows Live Messenger, you have the option to install the rest of the Essentials pack, including Mail, Writer, Sync, Companion, Family Safety, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker.

You can choose to connect Windows Live Messenger 2012 to social networks Facebook and LinkedIn, making the app your social hub in Windows, if you want. Facebook is still much easier to use in your browser though, and integration into Windows Live Messenger 2012 is only really useful if your Messenger contacts are still really active and important to you.

The interface is almost unchanged; so if you were unhappy with the changes we saw in 2011, there is nothing here to make you happier! When you open a chat, there is a new Video call icon, and when you receive a video call, there is a new floating window, much like in Skype. A neat feature of this is the option to answer without showing your video feed - we're not always ready for a video call, after all!

Windows Live Messenger 2012 is no revolution, slightly improving on its predecessor. It's still a little bloated, and considering Hotmail's recent transformation to Outlook.com, which features a great messenger service right from your browser, it could be curtains for this venerable application.

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Windows Live Messenger 2011 is finally here. Far from being just a chat program, the all-new Microsoft instant messaging client is now a complete communications center with support for social networks.

As with previous versions, Windows Live Messenger 2011 is part of the Windows Live Essentials suite, which also includes other apps such as Mail, Writer, Sync, Companion, Family Safety, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker, as well as the Bing Bar. Luckily the installation process lets you choose exactly which apps you want on your system.

Windows Live Messenger features a revamped interface. Right after launching it, and thanks to new integration with other services such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, the so-called Social Highlights lets you check your friends’ latest news and status messages at a glance. If you still prefer the old style, worry not: Windows Live Messenger lets you switch to the traditional contact list by using the Contacts mode. Bear in mind though that if you use a different email account for your social networks, you’ll have to connect the services on the Windows Live website.

Besides the social element, everything else is pretty much the same on Windows Live Messenger 2011, only with a slightly fresher appearance. You can still do video and voice calls, play online games with your friends, share files, and of course customize the program’s appearance with skins and color themes. Emoticons have been revamped, and – finally! – you can have multiple conversations tabbed in one single window.

The main drawback to the all-new Windows Live Messenger 2011 is that it only works on Windows Vista and Windows 7. So if you still use Windows XP you’ll have to stick to the old version – or upgrade your system!

Windows Live Messenger 2011 is the long-awaited new version of Microsoft’s IM client, now integrated with social networks and other services.

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Windows Live Messenger Portable is a standalone version of Microsoft's popular IM client Windows Live Messenger that can be run from a USB key.

Being a portable app, Windows Live Messenger Portable doesn’t require installation or administrator privileges. Simply launch the .EXE file and you’re ready to go. It’s perfect for shared computers at school, cafés or libraries or anywhere you’re not allowed to install software.

Windows Live Messenger Portable looks exactly like the standard version. The program features a colorful interface with the menu bar hidden on the top right corner, and plenty of emoticons, winks and other elements to cheer up your chat sessions.

Chat conversations are not the only thing you can do with Windows Live Messenger Portable, though. You can also have video chats using your webcam, and make VoIP calls. Application settings and user data, such as display pictures and emoticons, are saved in the same location as the program’s EXE file.

Windows Live Messenger Portable lets you enjoy your favorite IM client anywhere, without installation or administrator privileges.

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Windows Live Messenger previously known as MSN Messenger, was renamed as part of Microsoft's move away from Hotmail, towards the Live online community. Now the most popular IM app in the world has finally reached version 2009.

Features

Windows Live Messenger offers plenty of emoticons and winks to cheer up your conversations. You can expand both collections easily by adding new sets which you'll find by the hundred on the Internet. Customization possibilities include changing the chat window background or even adding a personal message to your nickname, but not creating custom status messages. Also, Windows Live Messenger status messages have now been reduced to "online", "away" or "busy" – so no more "on the phone" or "out to lunch", for example.

Chat conversations are not the only thing you can do with Windows Live Messenger. There is also the possibility of having video chats using your webcam, and also make VoIP calls. Another great feature in Windows Live Messenger is the possibility to view and share pictures within the chat window, without having to send files over to your contact.

Regarding contact lists, the new Windows Live Messenger lets you create specific groups of users, different from the ones previously known as "groups" and which have now been renamed to Categories. These groups allow you to have multiple simultaneous chats with several contacts. Another new feature in the contact management system in Windows Live Messenger is Favorites, a special category that enables you to have the people you talk to most always to hand.

Usability

Windows Live Messenger 2009 includes many interesting new features, all conveniently built into a nice interface. I'm not sure that this handful of new functions is the reason why the program weighs in at almost 70 MB.

Quality

The most striking feature in the new Windows Live Messenger is an all-new interface with a colorful design, far from the traditional Windows application structure. You can customize it by choosing your own theme and color scheme.

In order to maintain the neatness of this design, the menu bar in Windows Live Messenger has been hidden under a few buttons on the top-right corner – though you can temporarily make the standard menu bar visible by pressing the Alt key. While I understand the reason why they did this, it makes menu options a bit uncomfortable to browse.

Conclusion

Windows Live Messenger reaches version 2009 with a renewed interface, loads of new features and a bit of extra weight.

Context

Windows Live Messenger will be discontinued on April 8. 2013.

Users will have to use Skype with imported contacts to continue messaging Windows Live Messenger contacts.

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MSN Messenger has been perhaps the biggest hitter of the IM software world for some time now and this update adds a range of cool new features designed to make your chatting experience even better.

Features

Additions in MSN Messenger include an interactive video conversation tool, winks - small animations that you can download and send to your pals - and dynamic display pictures that will change emotions based on the emoticons you send.

Of course, all the features that we've come to know (and in most cases, love) are still housed within MSN Messenger 7.5, such as a plethora of emoticons, the ability to check and send Hotmail directly from the client, and a slick contacts organizer.

Usability

Although MSN Messenger's version has improved video chat and contains the ability to send SMS messages, we can't help feeling that Microsoft has fallen behind in terms of technology. For instance, Skype allows you to perform most of the things that MSN Messenger does, as well as letting you make and receive PC phone calls. You also have the age-old problem of MSN taking over your client, as it's filled with even more ads, and a barrage of links to other areas of the MSN portal.

Discontinuation

While there are many MSN Messenger users, the program feels very outdated. It comes as no surprise that Microsoft has decided to kill MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger and replace it with the more modern and feature rich Skype.

Conclusion

MSN Messenger is a great IM client for beginners but it doesn't beat Skype for the more net-savvy user.

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