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Buying Guide: The Best IM Clients
Contents
- The Best IM Clients
- AIM 7.3
- Digsby
- Meebo
- Trillian Astra 4.2
- Windows Live Messenger 2011
- Yahoo! Messenger 10
Are you wasting time as efficiently as you could be? You've got plenty of choices when it comes to instant messaging, whether you want HD video, a Web-based client, or one that aggregates all the competing services.
The trend in this year's crop of instant messenger applications is clear: integrating social network updates. The latest releases of the major software companies' IM clients—AIM 7.3, Windows Live Messenger Wave 4, and Yahoo Messenger 10 along with independents Digsby and Trillian Astra, now include mechanisms for getting your Facebook, Twitter, and other social updates in their windows without requiring you to visit said social networks' site.
The updated IM client crop does more than simply notify you of social network updates; they also alert the arrival of e-mail in any account you've associated with them. I found that of all the apps, Digsby did the best job of managing and displaying all these.
Only the Web-based Meebo omits any social networking tie-ins. This makes sense, as you need an open browser to use it, so you may as well have a social network open in another tab. Meebo does, however, interface with Facebook IM, as do AIM, Digsby, Trillian, Yahoo, and soon, Windows Live Messenger.
Improved video chatting is another advance with this year's messengers. Windows Live Messenger alone has made the transition to HD—in this case 720x1280—though the efficacy of this is highly dependent on your internet connection. Skype is the only other personal communication app that offers HD videocalling, but unlike Live Messenger, which works with any HD webcam, Skype requires particular models that handle compression processing.
Whatever your priorities, you can certainly find an instant messaging client that suits you among this mature group of software products. Read on to find the one that best fits your lifestyle.
AIM 7.3
Free
AIM was one of the pioneers of instant messaging, and this latest release brings it up to date with social network integration. It lacks Yahoo IM's phone calling, Digsby and Trillian's total IM protocol interoperability, and Windows Live Messenger's slick design and HD video chatting.
Digsby (Summer 2010)
Free
Digsby's acceptance of nearly every IM protocol under the sun, and its excellent social network and e-mail notification earn it our nod as the top instant messaging client. One thing it lacks is group IM, but it should be getting this soon.
Meebo Messenger (Summer 2010)
Free
With its video calling, gaming, and pop-out buddy list, you may forget that Meebo is a Web-based application. It's a great lightweight way to get onto all your IM services, but it doesn't offer social network updates and is less customizable than installed clients.
Trillian Astra 4.2
Free. Pro, $25
Trillian is a full-fledged internet communication dashboard, but it's more cluttered than some competitors and the full version is too expensive.
Windows Live Messenger 2010
Free
Microsoft's attractive instant messenger adds social network feeds, tabbed windows, and is the only big-name IM service with HD video chatting. It goes way beyond the original mission of instant messaging with all the social feed connections in a main window that takes up a lot of screen real estate.
Yahoo! Messenger 10
Free
Yahoo has one of the richest IM clients around, with clear design, video chat, VOIP, and deep plug-in architecture. But its social integration is less functional than some, and it doesn't let you can't chat with AIM, Gmail, or Facebook users.