Features

With Skype you can not only have voice chats on your computer – just like telephone, only for free – but also make real phone calls at much lower rates, using the SkypeOut service and paying with Skype credit. Besides voice chats, Skype also includes standard IM functionalities (written conversations, emoticons, user avatars and so on) and also lets you have group video conferences and share screens.

Usability

These video calls are precisely the main focus on Skype's latest version. The program's interface has been completely redesigned with video conferences on mind. This means it's been made wider so that video fits in perfectly with your written chat, your contact list and a toolbar to manage conversation.

The new interface is transformed when you make a call, getting rid of all the clutter, so you just see the video images, and controls. Group video is still being tested in this version, and it's pretty cool.

The other major development is Facebook integration. This is a pretty big thing, as not only does it give you your news feed in the app - anyone can do that - but adds call and sms buttons to any of your friends who share their contact numbers.

If you’ve paid for Skype minutes, you can call your Facebook friends, and if they’re also signed in to Skype you can call them for free. One of the best new features is the automatic call recovery - drop a call and it’s put in pause. Restarting it is now really easy.

Quality

The sound quality during our testing was perfect: loud and clear. Video sometimes appeared a bit pixelated, but nothing we couldn't really deal with. There was also one nice detail, and that's the ability to see your own video image built-in on your contact's video, and the option to take a snapshot of your own image.

Conclusion

Skype 6 features a complete interface overhaul that now focuses more on video chats, and also adds some handy improvements to the way you communicate online.

What's new

Log in with your Microsoft account
Select and pin your favorite contacts
Facebook and Skype contacts combined into one Contacts list
Easier to understand premium subscription notices
Possibility to control Skype video rendering technology for backward compatibility for people who have trouble with video calls

Download Skype 6.5.0.158 in Softonic

This is where Nimbuzz comes in really handy as it's a multi-platform instant messaging client. This enables you to chat with your contacts and keep track of your friends' updates on more than a dozen different social networks and IM protocols, including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, MSN, ICQ, Google Talk and Jabber, among others.

Nimbuzz is already quite popular among mobile platforms, where it has been around for a while. This port to PC has gone a bit unnoticed, I guess partly because Nimbuzz doesn't feature as many tools and options as other similar programs. The tool in itself is quite simple, very light on resources and does what it says on the tin. There are no custom backgrounds, animation effects or any other bells and whistles.

Besides basic text chat, Nimbuzz includes other interesting options such as the ability to organize contacts by groups and the possibility to share files with them, even if they're not online, thanks a to a temporary storage system. Being primarily a mobile IM app, Nimbuzz also allows you to keep contacts synced with your mobile phone.

Despite being simpler than other similar tools, Nimbuzz is still a great app to keep in touch with friends across many different social networks and IM platforms.

Download Nimbuzz 2.5.1 in Softonic

Picture the situation. You love Google Talk. Your family is stuck on Windows Live Messenger. Your friends in Poland all love Gadu-Gadu and, for some strange reason, your best friend insists on ICQ. You obviously have an IM crisis, and in the interests of peace and friendship, you need to sort it, fast.

When you install Pidgin, it will ask you for the details of the accounts you want to add. Pidgin can remember your passwords for you, but if you do not enable this option you'll have to sign in every time. Once you're set up, you can do all the things you would expect - change your icon, create groups, configure alerts, send files and even add bunches of Pidgin plug-ins.

For the more technically minded, one of Pidgin's best features are the configuration options. These are much easier to access than in other applications and allow you to manage certificates, toggle advanced settings for your accounts, individually or together, set up proxy servers and even join chat rooms. Sounds too complicated? Don't worry, that's the beauty of Pidgin - you can get as technical or as simple as you like. It's the perfect client for everyone.

Simple, effective and multi-protocol - what more could you ask for?!

Download Pidgin 2.10.7 in Softonic

Trillian supports multiple chat networks, such as Live Messenger, AOL Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, Facebook, MySpaceIM, Skype, Jabber, IRC, Twitter, e-mail accounts (POP3 and IMAP) and Bonjour, besides the Trillian proprietary network.

This means that the program's interface can get quite bloated with contacts from a dozen different IM platforms. Luckily, you decide which networks to load on Trillian startup, and also temporarily hide certain lists or merge contacts into one single entry per person, which may help organize things a bit.

The new version of Trillian has improved many aspects of the program. Initial setting is now much quicker and easier, and the interface has totally been redesigned not only for a better integration with Windows 7, but also to provide you with a more compact, easily manageable window.

In a way, Trillian is not just a multi-platform instant messaging tool anymore, but a complete social timeline where you can chat with your friends – either by text, voice or video - and also see what they’re up to on Facebook or Twitter.

Trillian is back with an even more powerful mult-platform IM client, featuring support for a dozen protocols and an attractive, intuitive design.

Download Trillian 5.3.0.7 in Softonic

Capturing sounds from your computer isn't as straightforward as it should be. Maybe there's an audio clip from a video you'd like to use or if you'd like to record part of a song to turn into a ringtone. Streaming Audio Recorder makes it easy and allows you to record any sound your computer produces.

The first thing most people will do with Streaming Audio Recorder is try to record streaming music from programs like Spotify and Pandora. While recording these songs "over the air" is illegal, Streaming Audio Recorder will work and captured streaming audio just fine. Streaming Audio Recorder limits users to 128 kbps recordings, which is on the low end of acceptable audio quality. Streaming Audio Recorder can also pick up sounds from your mic, if you have one connected.

There is a built in music search feature, which pulls up tracks and artists. This feature didn't work for us as we were repeatedly given "403 Forbidden" errors. While this feature is nice, it seems like an afterthought and it seems to pull tracks from all over the internet.

The trial version of Streaming Audio Recorder is pretty full featured but has a couple of limitations. There will be a five second nag screen you have to wait through before using the app and using some of its other features. Users will also be limited to recording a maximum of 3 minutes and can only download one track at a time.

Streaming Audio Recorder works well for recording system audio but its music search and downloading features are little more than an afterthought.

Download Streaming Audio Recorder 3.0.2 in Softonic

Yahoo! Messenger has long been one of the world's most popular IM clients, mainly because Yahoo! itself is such a large presence in the realms of web-mail, communities and so on. It now sits comfortably in second place to Windows Live Messenger in terms of user-base.

Among the new features in Yahoo! Messenger, the emphasis is very much on looks rather than functions. For example, the brand new IMVironment feature (which completely customizes your chat windows) looks pretty impressive at first until you realize that nearly all of them are simply complex advertisements or marketing campaigns from firms like Gatorade and Kleenex. Improvements to the way contacts' images are displayed, as well as new photo-sharing via the excellent Flickr are welcome additions but even they can't dispel the bad smell emanating from IMVironment.

New emoticons have been added to this latest version of Yahoo! Messenger, as have new skins for the main window. To me, these represent fairly minor aesthetic changes rather than important new functionalities, and as such aren't enough of a reason to upgrade. More handy features like improved handling of PC to PC calls, MP3 voicemail, and better integration with Yahoo! sites have also been included but again, none except for the Flickr tool seems really useful. Really, this Beta feels as if it's about matching Live Messenger for features and not much more.

Yahoo! Messenger probably isn't aimed at users like me who prize usability and simplicity above bright colors and lots of advertising. If you like the sound of branding every chat window you use with Kleenex or Axe deodorant then Yahoo! Messenger is for you. If you'd rather use a simple, elegant and uncluttered chat interface, switch to Google Talk and you'll never look back.

A bloated, brightly colored IM client packed with advertising and not much more.

Download Yahoo! Messenger 9 in Softonic

Yoono sits in a collapsible sidebar in Firefox. You can sign into Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, AIM, Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger.

Yoono will send little pop up alerts every time you have an update or message. You can decide what you get alerts for, and whether you want audio notification too. Yoono now supports multiple columns, like a desktop application.

As well as social networking, Yoono will also sync with your Google reader account, and you can listen to internet radio from Last.fm. Unfortunately, you can't currently sign in to Last.fm, or listen to user radio stations.

Yoono is customizable in terms of functions, you can add or remove any of the services mentioned, choose the size of the side bar and one of seven color schemes. There could have been more skins, but Yoono collects together social network sites very well. The chat programs are OK but not perfect - the people you chat with in Windows Live Messenger won't know when you're typing, for example.

Hit the search icon, and you can get automatic content related to whatever you're viewing in the current tab. This can be related searches, videos, products or Wikipedia entries.

Yoono is ideal for people who want to be constantly connected and up to date with their social world.

Download Yoono Firefox Extension 7.7.0 in Softonic

You've probably heard of HootSuite or even Echofon. Yoono Desktop is very similar in nature and is a great alternative if you're still on the look-out for a great way to connect to multiple social network accounts at once.

Yoono Desktop supports many of the mainstream networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, AIM, Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger.

To set up Yoono Desktop, you must choose the networks with which you have an account and enter your log-in information. The feeds from each are then centralized in the Yoono Desktop interface, with each network represented by a tab across the top of the window. There is a general area, where you can see the status of all your friends and recent updates, regardless of what networks they are on. The remaining tabs in Yoono Desktop represent each of the accounts you have added.

Yoono Desktop offers you various options when it comes to interacting with your followers and friends on various feeds as well, which is a plus. If you want to click through to anywhere that displays more information than the summaries on Yoono Desktop, such as a friend's profile in Facebook, the page will be displayed in the default Yoono browser though. This can get annoying very quickly since it resists most attempts to resize it.

Yoono Desktop is the perfect tool for social networkers who don't have all day to spend checking their accounts.

Download Yoono Desktop 1.8.18 in Softonic

Simply choose the IM protocol that you'd like to connect to from a selection that includes SIP, Google Talk, XMPP/Jabber, MSN or Windows Live Messenger, AIM, Bonjour, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger and Facebook chat. In the main window, you'll find all your personal contacts.

In the Jitsi chat window, you can exchange IM messages or initiate video or audio chats, including group chats. There are a limited number of emoticons and Jitsi keeps a history of your chats. Although the interface isn't particularly intuitive, the fact that you can initiate audio and video chats gives it a serious advantage over many slicker IM clients.

Note that this download link takes you to the nightly build page because Jitsi is being updated so regularly, that you can choose the latest version more easily.

Jitsi might not be quite as slick as other IM clients but is a serious alternative to classics like Miranda.

Download Jitsi 1.0 Beta 1 in Softonic

SoliCall is an innovative software that will help you reduce unwanted noises on your part during an online conversation.

Ticking on your keyboard? The phone rings? Your kids play loudly in the other room and you just don't want the other party to be continuously disturbed by all these noises? SoliCall can help. Whether you use Skype, Yahoo Messenger or Google Talk, SoliCall will make you sound more professional.

Also, you can enjoy and hear SoliCall's performances yourself by using the Screen Incoming Audio feature, which minimizes background noises coming from the other end. In addition, you get an Automatic Recorder that allows you to record your calls and the files would be saved automatically under your name.

Download Solicall 1.6.9 in Softonic

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.

Download Windows Live Messenger 2011 2011 in Softonic

When the ""Remember my password"" or similar box is checked, this program reveals logins and passwords, regardless of their length and complexity.

With just one click, you can recover lost or forgotten passwords in any language (English, Chinese, Japanese, and more) that use any form of encoding, such as Unicode, UTF8, and ASCII.

Most home computers have some form of instant messenger program, and now, increasingly, businesses do too. When you use IM Password Unlocker, you can recover any password in all of the common instant messenger platforms, regardless of length and complexity, as long as the ""Remember my password"" box is checked.

Download IM Password Unlocker in Softonic

Paltalk includes access to hundreds of chat rooms on a huge variety of topics, and has also support for audio and video chat. The number of chat rooms and video conferences you can join, however, depends on the plan you subscribe to, from the free Basic one with very limited features to the VIP plan for $29.95 a month.

The interface in Paltalk is very similar to that of other IM clients. You have a personal area on top of the window with your avatar and nickname, and then a list of contacts. The bottom part displays the list of available chat rooms. Paltalk can also be used as a standard client for other popular IM networks such as Messenger, Google Talk, AOL Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, ICQ and the Facebook chat – as long as you install the necessary plug-ins.

An original feature in Paltalk is the creation of an online chat profile that you can share with your family and friends so that they can IM you at any time from their web browser, without having to install anything.

In general terms Paltalk feels a bit overwhelming because there are ads all over the place and more often than not, you enter a room only to hear music or ranting from a user. The messages exchanged in Paltalk's chat rooms are often so jumbled up that it's hard to be able to follow a genuine conversation.

Paltalk is a desktop IM client with support for audio and video chats, and with lots of chat rooms to meet people from all around the world.

Download Paltalk 10.0 in Softonic

Using Instant Messengers Password Recovery Master is very easy. Simply run the program and it’ll scan your system for any installed IM clients. Instant Messengers Password Recovery Master works with all popular services: Windows Live Messenger, Trillian, Yahoo! Messenger, GAIM, Google Talk, ICQ and more.

Logins and passwords are displayed on the program’s interface, from where you can copy and paste them to the Clipboard or save them to a text file. The only requirement for Instant Messengers Password Recovery Master to work is that the lost password needs to be saved in the IM client. If it is, the password is yours!

Use Instant Messengers Password Recovery Master to retrieve lost usernames and passwords from almost any IM client.

Download Instant Messengers Password Recovery Master 1 in Softonic

Coccinella is an open source jabber client with a nice set of features.

Coupled with a whiteboard, Coccinella becomes a useful tool to chat and work on projects with other people on a network. Although it won't let you use multiple accounts, the client is highly flexible, and will allow you to connect to any Jabber/XMPP server, including popular IM clients like MSN Messenger, ICQ and even Google Talk. However you won't be able to make use of the VoIP capabilities and webcam support of these IM services, as Coccinella does not handle them.

The client's interface is simple and uncluttered and you can keep all your messages in an inbox, making them easy to browse by subject, sender or date. Coccinella also offers file transfers, and you can choose your own avatars. Apart from the decent collection of emoticons, you can also import new ones if you have them in jisp format.

The whiteboard is really fun to use and easy to share with as many other users as you want. Coccinella also offers up connections to chatrooms, something we've never really been convinced of, but at least, for people interested, it's there.

Coccinella is a good open source jabber client with a whiteboard and loads of emoticons that can connect to any server. A recommended IM tool.

Download Coccinella 0.96.16 in Softonic

Available everywhere

Not only does Google Talk support Google accounts, it also supports a variety of other protocols and apps. In other words, you can log in with accounts from Jabber, Pidgin, Miranda, Psiand Trillian.

As well as supporting lots of protocols, Google Talk is also available for lots of devices, so even if you are chatting on your desktop, you'll be able to keep in touch with your friends on Android, iPhone and Blackberry. Even though not explicitly supported, you'll also be able to use Google Talk on Mac and Linux, as long as you use the browser version.

Simple but effective

Google Talk is an attractive app and very easy to use, although its bright, almost childlike appearance is looking a bit old-fashioned these days. There are various themes available from the Settings options, although they have more impact on the window layout and are not strictly "skins". You'll also be able to choose your status, picking from Available, Busy, and Idle, as well as custom messages and the option to show your current music track. Google Talk also notifies you when you receive new emails.

Adding and chatting with contacts with Google Talk couldn't be easier. Double click a name to start a conversation, and a new chat window will appear. If you see a little telephone or video camera icon beside the contact's name, they are also available for phone or video chats, but you'll need the Video and voice plug-in to do this.

Works, but it's neglected

Google Talk has many of the features that you'd expect from an IM client. You can add, block, rename and remove contacts, send smileys, and customize the way you see your friends online. If you look under the more technical settings, you'll also be able modify notifications and connect to the service using a proxy. It's not overrun with options, but most people seem to appreciate the resulting simplicity and light resource use.

Even though Google Talk is the go-to IM app for thousands of people, long term users can't help feeling that Google Talk is pretty low on Google's list of priorities. It works perfectly and is a great app, but that's because it was well made and ahead of its time when it first came out.

Overall

Google Talk hasn't been updated in what seems like years and, with the exception of the VoiP features added in recent times, the program feels a little bit forgotten. This has no impact on usability for Gmail users, but it does feel like Google Talk could do with a little more loving care.

If you're a Google User who wants to IM, you'd be mad to use anything but Google Talk.

Download Google Talk 1.0.0.104 in Softonic

It's been such a long time without using your favorite IM client that you have forgotten your password. What to do now? Easy: simply use this little applications and you'll be able to recover your password immediately.

Here's what Messenger Key has to offer:

• All versions of Mirabilis ICQ starting with ICQ 99 are supported
• Mirabilis ICQ Lite is supported
• MSN Messenger is supported New!
• Google Talk Messenger is supported New!
• Yahoo Messenger is supported New!
• State of the art password recovery engine - all passwords are recovered instantly
• Multilingual passwords are supported
• Full install/uninstall support

Download Messenger Key 8.5.3062 in Softonic

How it works

Google Voice and Video Chat enables you to hold video-conferences with family and friends right on Gmail's interface, just like regular text chats. Google Voice and Video Chat's video window appears on the right side and although you can't move it, there's always the option to pop it out and place it anywhere you like.

Sound and image quality

Google Voice and Video Chat has an astounding quality both in image and sound. Video streaming runs very smoothly and sound is just crisp and clear. Besides there are no complicated configuration settings required, so you'll probably be able to have it set up and running in two minutes.

Requirements

Being a Google Talk plug-in, you obviously need a Gmail account in order to use Google Voice and Video Chat. Also, your contacts need the plug-in in order to be able to use video chats with them. Besides those two basic requirements, we can't honestly think of any other con about it! Also bear in mind that if you want to start a Google + hangout, this is the plug-in you'll need.

Google Talk has finally added the one featured it lacked: high-quality, responsive video chats!

Download Google Voice and Video Chat 1.0.2.0 in Softonic

Remember how Messenger used to be so popular only a few years back? Now it seems most people prefer to chat with friends on social networks like Facebook. Not only can you much more things, but most of them also include a built chat tool, that replaces the need for an IM client.

Gabtastik is a site specific browser (SSB) built so you can use these online chat services in a separate window. To translate: Gabtastik lets you use online chat services just like if they were separate applications.

The interface is clean and Gabtastik lets you open up multiple chats in multiple tabs. So far it only works with Google Talk, Facebook Chat and meebo. If you use an iPhone you'll probably be interested in learning that it also handles the Hahlo iPhone Twitter webapp.

Gabtastik uses very little RAM and its nice having all these online chat services in a separate window, instead of hidden away between various tabs of your browser. Obviously it's only limited to certain services, but if you use meebo, you'll have access to many more like MSN or ICQ.

Gabtastik lets you use online chat services in your very own browser window.

Download Gabtastik 0.21 in Softonic

Smooch allows you to keep in contact with your friends, adding your contacts from Yahoo, MSN and Smooch's proprietary network, but not others (Mirc, ICQ, Libero, Google Talk, etc.

), unlike its competitors.

Also, once opened, the program requires you to log in, without offering you the chance to register directly from the application and without providing a direct link to an online registration form.

. At present, the 'Feature' menu only contains a 'coming soon' message, while the 'Smooch' page is completely white! We can forgive them because it’s still a beta version.