[New Release] Skype 1.4.0.71 (update - 2.0.0.81)

http://www.skype.com

Skype is a little piece of software that lets you talk over the Internet to anyone, anywhere for free. And it just got even better — download the latest version of Skype:

• Our call quality is the best ever for talking, laughing and sharing stories.
• You can forward calls on to mobiles, landlines and other Skype Names.
• Make calls instantly from Outlook email or Internet Explorer with our new toolbars.
• Personalise your Skype — play around with sounds, ringtones and pictures to show the world who you are.

Updates:
08-02-2006 - New release: Skype 2.0.0.81
02-01-2006 - New release: Skype 2.0.0.79
26-01-2006 - New release: Skype 2.0.0.76
20-01-2006 - New release: Skype 2.0.0.73

QIP - the messenger of the Russians

http://qip.ru

QIP is a unique closed source computer program for immediate cross-Internet communication. The basic functionality of QIP enables its users to see who else is online and available and then easily contact them with text messages in real time sent through a public server. QIP development currently is in the Alpha stage therefore you should understand probability of facing some bugs.

Download here

Updates:
23-May-2006 - New release: Click to download QIP 2005 Build 7920
16-February-2006 - New release: Download QIP 2005a Build 7820 Alpha
12 January 2006 - New release: Download QIP 2005a Build 7810 Alpha
02 January 2006 - New release: Download QIP 2005a Build 7800 Alpha

[New Release] Skype for Linux 1.2.0.17

http://www.skype.com

A new version of Skype for Linux - 1.2.0.17 has been released.

The changes since 1.2.0.11 are:

• change: New multilingual EULA in Help.Licence
• change: Call quality improvements
• change: "Find in chat" engine rewritten
• change: Refreshing icons on start tab
• change: Cleaned up RPM packaging
• bugfix: Menu items not disabled when going offline
• bugfix: Crash when a new message was received
• bugfix: Crash when password changed
• bugfix: Crash when chat search string contained "+331234567"
• bugfix: Crash when chat search string contained emoticon
• bugfix: Auth requests from previous user being shown
• bugfix: Crash while history was loading
• bugfix: Find crash when searching for empty text
• bugfix: Auth request remaining on event panel after authorization

About previous changelogs, click here.

Download:
Choose the package for you here.

[New Release] Miranda v0.4.0.3 Alpha 34

http://miranda-im.org

A new alpha version of Miranda has been released.

Miranda is all-in-one chat client. It has many plugins, skins, etc.
It's open source and much lighter than other such applications.

Download It Here

Updates:
30-01-2006 - New release: Miranda IM 0.4.0.3 Build 46 Alpha
19-01-2006 - New release: Miranda 0.4.0.2 Final
02-01-2006 - New release: Download it here: Miranda IM 0.4.0.3 Build 43 Alpha

Trillian - All-in-one instant messenger

http://www.ceruleanstudios.com

Trillian is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports

• AIM
  
• ICQ
• MSN
• Yahoo Messenger
• IRC

The professional non-free version has even more capabilities.

Trillian provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings. Just everything you might want to use.

Without stealing your home page and with no other included software, pop-ups, or spyware, Trillian provides unique functionality such as contact message history, a powerful skinning language, tabbed messaging, global status changes (set all networks away at once), Instant Lookup (automatic Wikipedia integration), contact alerts, an advanced automation system to trigger events based on anything happening in the client, docking, hundreds of emoticons, emotisounds, shell extensions for file transfers, and systray notifications.

For Windows:

Download here: http://www.download.com/3001-2150_4-10367846.html

Screenshots from Trillian:
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Google Talk

http://talk.google.com

Is it something new or something already seen? Really it has many things common with messengers like Skype, ICQ, etc. But what I like in it are currently two main things – the integration with Gmail and the good quality of the sound. Maybe the simple and nice design (fx. not full of ads like Mirabilis’ ICQ) is also one of the things which make good impression.

Here are the main features (note that it’s still beta version):

You can contact your friends by email (Gmail), to call them or to write them an instant message. It’s always nice to have more possibilities.

You can import your Gmail contacts and to invite some people who still didn’t download Google Talk.

And… you can use another IM client (if it supports Jabber). A list of such clients are listed here http://www.google.com/talk/otherclients.html

As we know that every product of Google is different from other their competitors, we can expect many new and unique features soon.

Download (Win 2k/XP): http://www.google.com/talk/index.html

Screenshots:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Updates:
27-January-2006 - Google Talk 1.0.0.84 Beta

Stanaphone

StanaPhone.com

That's the most interesting calling service I have found. Here are some of the features which they offer for FREE!

• Everyone gets a free New York area phone number (for example, Skype are offering SkypeIn which is definetely not free).
• Everyone with a normal phone can call you and even leave you a message if you are out. Yes...the voicemail is free, too. You'll receive every message in your mailbox as an attachment. If you have an account in Gmail, just imagine how many messages can you save!
  
• You can receive fax for free. When a fax is sent to your number, it is converted in PDF format (TIFF also available) and is sent to your e-mail address as an attachment.
• Of course, all Stana2Stana calls are free.
• Nice: conference server! Also free. Max. 10 callers and max. 2 hours but that should be enough for most people.
• The calls from Stana to a normal phone is one of the few non-free things but the rates are normal.
• Calls to 911 are available but only for non-emergencies.
  

They are offering a program for Windows (about 3MB) which has a look like a phone.

You can sign up here and download the required software here.

Try it! It works!

Screenshots:
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