Just bear in mind - as it is a beta, it's not final and could still be a little buggy. If you'd like to stick with the stable version, check out the standard Skype review instead!

Facebook integration has been improved in this version. Previously, you would have to create a Skype account and then log in with your Facebook account but now you can log in only using your Facebook account, which makes getting started with Skype much quicker.

Besides checking what your friends are up to on the Facebook Wall – which you could already do in the previous version – this new Skype lets you interact with their posts by liking or commenting on them, and more importantly, use Facebook chat right from Skype. In this way you can chat with your Facebook friends from a much more comfortable interface.

Skype Beta also offers a few details about your Facebook contacts, though if you want to check their complete profile you’ll need to open that up in the web browser. Also, if your friends have included their phone number in their Facebook profile, you’ll be able to call them via SkypeOut right away.

Besisdes Facebook integration, the new Skype Beta includes improved call controls, which are now larger, more elegant and easier to use, and the ability to share the screen in computers with more than one monitor. On the downside, this beta is quite heavy on system resources, and very unstable as well – we had lots of problems while making video calls during our tests.

In this newest version of Skype, users can log in with their Microsoft IDs and will be able to send messages to friends using Windows Messenger, Xbox, Hotmail or the new Outlook.com.

The new beta of Skype offers better call controls and an almost perfect integration with Facebook –but it’s still pretty unstable.

Download Skype 6.5.0.107 Beta in Softonic

Windows 8 Transformation Pack give you the look and feel of Windows 8 on older
Windows versions. The Metro design, themes, wallpapers, icons, sounds and other features can all be yours with this excellent free theme pack.

Features

Windows 8 Transformation Pack automatically installs several design changes and programs. The freeware comes with an imitation of the new Modern style and adjusts menus, cursors, screensavers and system sounds to emulate Windows' 8th version. You can also configure individual elements of Windows 8 Transformation Pack via the wizard.

Usability

Windows 8 Transformation Pack adds pizazz with its own Modern apps. By clicking on the tile store, you can manage programs and play mini updates or add extra apps. Standard elements include apps like Clock, Calendar, system settings, Gmail, Hotmail, Twitter, Facebook, Internet Explorer, Music and Photo Gallery.

Quality

Windows 8 Transformation Pack is a worthy successor to the popular Seven Transformation Pack. This early version of Windows 8 is a pretty impressive mimic. If Seven Translation Pack is anything to go by, as Windows 8 gets more advanced, so too will Windows 8 Transformation Pack, so keep an eye out for even more updates.

Conclusion

If you want a taste of Windows 8 on XP, Vista or Windows 7, download Windows 8 Transformation Pack asap!

Download Windows 8 Transformation Pack 7.0 (8TP) in Softonic

Messenger Plus! is a plugin for Windows Live Messenger that adds more features to the instant messenger like skins, tabbed conversations, custom sounds and more.

Messenger Plus! is the most popular MSN plug-in, collecting together all the extras users could ask for into one program. It's certainly an excellent pack of tools which heavy Messenger users consider as essential and which certainly improves your IM experience. Over all these years it has been able to adapt to every new Messenger version, including the name change and the new interface design. In fact, Messenger Plus! is now seamlessly integrated into Windows Live Messenger 2011: the only way you can tell it's there is by the tiny button on the top right corner of the main interface.

The Messenger Plus! tools can be divided into several groups, depending on the aim they're made for: you get tools to improve your chats, format text, change Messenger's appearance with skins, customize fonts and manage chat logs, among others. Messenger Plus! also lets you password protect your Messenger and includes support for scripting, so that you can add your own features to the plug-in.

The list of improvements Messenger Plus! brings to Windows Live Messenger doesn't end here. Tabbed chat windows, custom status messages, quick texts for frequently used expressions are just some of the new features you’ll be able to enjoy with Messenger Plus!. It can take a while to tweak all these settings, but fortunately a useful after-install wizard makes the basic initial configuration a lot easier.

All in all, Messenger Plus! is probably the only plug-in you'll ever need, especially if you like customizing every single detail of your Messenger.

Download Messenger Plus! 6.00.0.773 in Softonic

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.

Download Windows Live Messenger 2012 16.4.3503.0728 in Softonic

While previous versions supported both Firefox and Internet explorer, this latest version only supports Internet Explorer 7 and up. Once you have the tool bar installed, there will be a bunch of shortcuts to Microsoft's services. One nice addition is Facebook integration, which allows you to use Facebook Chat and to 'Like' webpages.

For search, the Bing Bar auto-populates search terms as you type. The search bar can even be set to show answers within the pop-up window, rather than having to go to the results page. Other features in the Bing Bar, like weather, stocks, and news, can all be accessed without opening another tab. A window drops down when clicked, and you can interact with each section without loading a new web page.

There's much more to Bing Bar than just search. The toolbar can also be used to check the latest news, get weather forecasts, and watch the trending videos from the web. Bing Bar also integrates nicely with Microsoft's Live services, giving you notifications of latest Hotmail emails, and allowing you to access Windows Live features such as photos, calendar, groups, etc. There is also a new option to sign up for a rewards program for using the Bing Bar.

You can download additional apps for your Bing Bar in the settings. You can also enable and disable notifications for specific applications. Additional applications are limited, but a few cool ones include a translator and movie times app.

Microsoft has also gotten rid of the security features in the previous version of the Bing Bar. This makes sense as to why Microsoft now requires Internet Explorer be the only browser to run the Bing Bar, since security features built into IE are pretty good.

Users should also note that the Bing Bar is very focused on the United States so many news stories and features may not be relevant in every country.

The Bing Bar is surprisingly useful, especially with Facebook integration. There are enough applications bundled with the Bing Bar to make it a truly great productivity tool.

Download Bing Bar 7.1.362.0 in Softonic

All-in-one password recovery solution, no similar software can have so powerful function in such unbeatable price. It has very friendly easy-to-use interface and detailed operation guide, anybody can get back any forgotten or lost password and product key.

Ultimate password recovery solution to reset your forgotten windows admin password, find your lost windows and office key and recover your forgotten email password including hotmail, gmail, etc, outlook password, messenger password, etc.

Download Password Recovery Bundle 7.3.0.1 in Softonic

ToGo differentiates from similar Services by: OneMail. ToGo is open. You can choose the mobile phone you like You can choose the mobile operator that serves you better You can choose the Mail Program that meets your need OneMail.

ToGo supports wireless/internet enabled PDA running PalmOS, PocketPC 200X and Mobile Window. OneMail. ToGo supports mobile phones such as SmartPhone (XDA), Symbian Phones (Nokia and Ericcson etc) OneMail.

ToGo converts HTML Email/Webpage to Text. No Browser required and it saves you money and time. OneMail. ToGo is versatile. Corporate or Personal Service.

Value-Added Service for ISP Add-on Service for Mobile Devices Suppliers OneMail. ToGo is simple. It can be setup in less than few clicks.

OneMail. ToGo is expandable. More content will be consolidated e. g. News, Job Search etc Product Features:OneMail. ToGo reads YahooMail, Hotmail, AOL, MsnMail, ISP/POP Mail and Webpages in ONE ClickOneMail.

ToGo supports any mobile devices that has Internet access (3G, GPRS, WiFi, Bluetooth etc) and a Mail ClientOneMail. ToGo support Alias for ease of Account Setup and SecurityAccess of OneMail.

ToGo can be controlled by IP Address and/or Email accountHardware Support List (to be added)Sony Ericcson P800, P900, P910, T610, T68i or aboveNokia 3650, 6108, 3650, 6220 or aboveBlackberry 5xxx, 7xxxPalmOS 5.

0 and OS5. 2 Devices with Mail Client such as ClieMail, VersaMail, iamBic, EudoraMailPocketPC 2000/2002/2003, XDA, Mobile Windows Devices with Inbox Mail ClientSymbian Phones P800, P900, A925Motorola A9xx, T720GS Xplorer G18Siemens SL55Product OptionsOneMail.

ToGo Personal: An annual subscription- US$ 39. 95 per Annum for 2 accounts- US$ 10 per Annum for additional account- Maximum 10 accounts totalOneMail.

ToGo Enterprise: As a Corporate Service- US$ 4,995 for 100 accounts - license based on number of Accounts- One Time License Fee- 1 Year Support Service- Send us an email for additional license OneMail.

ToGo Community: A Service for Alumni, Community, University- Basic license Fee- Revenue Sharing-

Download OneMail.ToGo Mobile Email Service in Softonic

Hotmail Messenger Fix is a small handy utility that lets you turn Messenger’s auto-launch feature off and prevent it from running every time you log in to Hotmail.

The auto-launch feature makes the popular IM client load automatically every time you log in to your Hotmail account, even if you’re not signed in to Messenger. This feature may come handy for some, but most of the time it’s quite annoying: you have to wait until Messenger loads up before you can do anything else with your computer.

With Hotmail Messenger Fix the problem is over: simply click the button on the app’s interface to turn the feature on or off. Hotmail Messenger Fix doesn’t interfere with Messenger’s standard functionality and you can still manually log in and out whenever you want.

With Hotmail Messenger Fix you can prevent Messenger from launching every time you log in to your Hotmail account.

Download Hotmail Messenger Fix 1.0 in Softonic

Both the menu and the toolbar allow you to record, pause, play back, save, compress and open voice recordings. You can use TalkingEmail TM in either the original (new) EMail message ora reply message.

You can email the voice mail and text to another person and TalkingEmailTM automatically attaches the recording to the message. TalkingEmailTM also allows recording of voice messages in the Contacts, Tasks, Calendar, and Notes sub-systems of Outlook.

With an optional TelbridgeTM, TalkingEmailTM allows recording of telephone calls within Outlook. Users of Apple Macintosh computers can receive and play a TalkingEmail message but cannot compose one since the software only runs on Microsoft Windows based personal computers.

TalkingEMailTMcan operate with Yahoo! Mail, MSN Hotmail, and AOL email. See the FAQ page for information on how you combine these other popular Email systems with TalkingEMailTM.

Download TalkingEMail 1.1.1 in Softonic

), deleting email on server, backup emails and attachments on disk, sending automatic reply or forward email, and much more? All this without downloading them in your email software (like Outlook, Pegasus, Lotus note,?

), the software run as a Windows Service and doesn't need a user interaction. Easy to use you can define rules which change the action(s) according to the email content, for example print to the secretary printer if email is an order.

This version can connect to all email box through POP3, IMAP4, Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, e-Fax provider,. Eco Mode is included, it is a new function to reduce the number of page printed, it can for example print on 1 paper page an email with 3 or 4 pages, simply by reducing it in 1 sheet.

Download Automatic Email Manager 4 in Softonic

When you run Password and Key Finder, you’ll see it is divided into two main apps: the Password Finder and the MS Key Revealer. The first one reveals all hidden passwords in online services, such as Hotmail, Yahoo!, Twitter, Facebook and Gmail, and also desktop tools like the Windows logon password.

The second app in Password and Key Finder is Ms Key Finder, helps you find the serial numbers for the software currently installed on your computer – though unfortunately it only works with Microsoft software.

Password and Key Finder features a nicely designed interface and is very easy to use. Besides the password revealing functionality, there’s really nothing more to it.

With Password and Key Finder you can easily find out forgotten passwords and misplaced serial numbers.

Download Password and Key Finder 5.1.3.0820 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

WebMail Notifier is very discreet on your browser - just a tiny little envelope indicating the number of new mails. Right-clicking on the icon will bring up your accounts and the number of new mails in each. Clicking on the account names will open them, either in a new window or a new tab.

This and other WebMail Notifier options can be changed in the Options area, accessible either via the icon context menu or Tools > Add-ons from the main Firefox toolbar. There are a few interesting options here, including the facility to add or remove accounts, change the schedule on which WebMail Notifier checks for new mail, as well as customizing the notification options.

WebMail Notifier is fast and functional. It's also very easy to configure and set up, but even so, it has no revolutionary features and isn't very slick looking. It does what it says it will, but nothing more and, for now at least, wouldn't convince me to give up my current method - notification via an instant messaging service.

If you need to use web-based email notification, WebMail Notifier will do the job.

Download WebMail Notifier 2.5.9 in Softonic

Recovery ToolBox for Outlook Password also recovers passwords for password-protected Microsoft Outlook data files (files with the pst extension) that the Microsoft Outlook mail client uses to store user data (contacts, messages, reminders, notes, tasks).

The tool recovers passwords and visualizes account settings of the Microsoft Outlook mail client for the following mail accounts and services: Microsoft Exchange Server, POP3 mail servers, IMAP mail servers, HTML mail servers (e.

g. Hotmail and MSN), Microsoft LDAP Directory, Microsoft Mail. Recovery ToolBox for Outlook Password can be used to recover passwords to mail accounts and also to display the mail and service settings of all versions of the Microsoft Outlook mail client: (starting from Microsoft Outlook 97 to Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007).

Recovery ToolBox for Outlook Password can also be used to recover forgotten or lost passwords for *. pst files created in various versions of the Microsoft Outlook mail client: Microsoft Outlook 97 - Microsoft Outlook 2002 and Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007.

As an additional feature, Recovery ToolBox for Outlook Password can save the configuration of Microsoft Outlook identities to a plain text file.

All settings of mail accounts, including the settings of IMAP and HTML mail accounts, will be saved to this file. Besides, this text file will contain the settings of data folders and personal address books, the main settings of the LDAP, Microsoft Mail and Microsoft Exchange Server services.

Recovery ToolBox for Outlook Password is compatible with all versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system higher than Microsoft Windows 95.

Download Recovery Toolbox for Outlook Password in Softonic

It is possible to import email from Windows Address Book and a file. It has been tested HTML email outputted and sent by HTML Email Creator is compatible with major email clients and web based email such as Outlook, Thunderbird, Eudora, Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo!

Download HTML Email Creator & Sender 2 in Softonic

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.

Download Windows Live Messenger 2009 Build 14.0.8117.416 in Softonic

KlipFolio is an information awareness and notification application for Windows. It allows you to easily monitor a wide variety of real-time information services right on your desktop. These information services are called Klips.

Serence KlipFolio is a personal dashboard for Windows that saves you time and effort by using Klips to intelligently monitor remote data sources--like weather, stocks, Hotmail, news, RSS feeds and even auctions--right on your desktop.

Download Klipfolio 5.2 in Softonic

If you're the kind of person who likes to have a colorful signature in your e-mail messages, this program is for you.

WiseStamp is a Firefox add-on that lets you add a fully customizable e-mail signature to all your outgoing messages. The good thing about it is that it's compatible with the most popular webmail services on the web: Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! and AOL Mail.

WiseStamp is very easy to use: after installing it in Firefox, you'll see a tiny icon in the browser's bottom right corner from where you can enable or disable the extension, as well as choose between the two only available signatures: business or personal.

You can totally customize each signature: choose fonts and colors, add links to Internet sites, display a small image, link to your profile on a dozen different social networks… the choice is yours.

WiseStamp offers also a preview window to make sure your signature looks nice before saving your work. Pity it doesn't save and sync signatures across computers, which means you'll have to manually create and configure your signature in every single computer you access webmail from.

With WiseStamp you'll be able to create and use completely customized HTML signatures in your webmail system.

Download WiseStamp 1.1 in Softonic

Until now, only Windows Mobile users have really had any kind of standardized platform for transferring files and synchronizing contacts between a PC and a handheld device: using Microsoft ActiveSync. Not any more though, because Microsoft Phone Data Manger enables data sharing between Windows and a wide variety of different phones and PDAs.

Microsoft Phone Data Manger is specifically designed to transfer contacts, photos, music and video from your device to your PC, and to synchronize your phone's contacts with your Windows Live contacts. This is great for users of the service, as it ensures you have access to your phone book when you don't have it to hand, and means that your contacts are kept safe in the vent of you losing your mobile. Of course, this is only good if you use Windows Live, because Microsoft Phone Data Manager doesn't support GMail, Yahoo! or any other webmail provider.

The key to Microsoft Phone Data Manager lies in its simplicity. The application detects any device connected, provided it supports the SyncML standard - check the Microsoft website to see if your device does. You'll need to connect via Bluetooth or USB cable in order to perform syncs. Syncing in Phone Data Manager is a real breeze. You simply double-click on the device you wish to hook up to, then choose whether you want to sync your contacts or back up your files. Enter your Windows Live (or Hotmail) ID and the program will automatically share your contacts between your phone and the email service.

Microsoft Phone Data Manager is still in beta, so it isn't perfect. There are a few interface glitches, such as the screwy Live ID entry screen, and the fact that there aren't any advanced features like a proper file explorer.

On the whole, however, Microsoft Phone Data Manager provides a fast and reliable way of syncing contacts and backing up files.

Download Microsoft Phone Data Manager Beta in Softonic

If there's one thing I've just about had enough of, it's Windows Live Hotmail but with Microsoft Outlook Connector there is a way around it.

If you want to avoid Windows Live Mail's bloated, unintuitive, RAM sapping, vomit inducing interface you can use Outlook to access it instead using Microsoft Outlook Connector. Microsoft Outlook Connector allows you to access any Windows Live Hotmail (and Office Live Mail) account from the far more civilized Microsoft Outlook.

With Microsoft Outlook Connector, you can use Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 to access and manage your e-mail messages and contacts for free which is great although rather annoyingly (and typically Microsoft), management of calendar, tasks and notes requires a subscription fee. If you do pay for this, you can synchronize multiple calendars between different Microsoft applications such as Microsoft Outlook and Windows Live Calendar through Microsoft Outlook Connector.

Microsoft Outlook Connector also means you benefit from Outlook's spam filter which you can apply to Windows Live Hotmail's incoming mail so no more mails from fake political exiles requesting you to send your account details so they can deposit a million dollars in your account (I get these constantly and am starting to think that being a political exile must be extremely lucrative).

If you're an Outlook user, you'll never go back to using Windows Live Hotmail's own interface after trying Microsoft Outlook Connector.

Download Microsoft Outlook Connector in Softonic