Publisher’s description

Messenger Plus! Live is an add-on for Windows Live Messenger which adds lots of features and extras that make your instant messenger easier, more useful or just tons more entertaining.

Messenger Plus! has been re-created from scratch, from the ground-up. In the past 8 months, 128,000 lines of codes have been written for Messenger Plus! Live, making it the biggest project for me to realize so far. As you’ll see, every feature has been improved and re-thought for Windows Live Messenger. Also, for the first time in Messenger Plus!’s history, backward compatibility has been dropped. This means that this version only works with Windows XP and above and requires at least Windows Live Messenger 8.00 (final public version). You may notice that some previous features from Messenger Plus! 3 are missing. Some have simply been deprecated, others (like the emoticon panel) will be added back in a future update.

Messenger Plus! is now compatible with 64bits version of Windows and is Vista ready. It is compatible with Windows Live Messenger 8.00.787 and above (it won’t work with previous beta versions of Messenger).

Publisher’s description

Voice changing software for voice-overs, instant messaging and online games. MorphVOX Pro Voice Changer will change the way you play games and chat. Change your voice to enhance your online gaming experience or to disguise your age, gender or identity. MorphVOX is optimized for online games, but is also is great for prank calling friends via instant messaging and VoIP. Download free voice and sound packs adding hundreds of new voices and sounds to MorphVOX Pro.

Version 4.2.10 includes new professional interface using standard windows controls.

Confidently download, share and open files from friends, family, co-workers – and even total strangers. Protects against viruses and other malware using industry-leading technology. Scans all Web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic in real-time. Provides an unmatched detection rate of new threats based on two different proactive technologies. Blocks spyware programs that track your online activities. Protect your identity: shop, bank, listen and watch, privately and securely. Blocks web pages that attempt to steal your credit card data. Prevents personal information from leaking via e-mail, Web or instant messaging.

CNET Editor’s Note: The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download.

ESET’s Smart Security takes the structure built by their popular antivirus program NOD32 and adds on two wings: a personal firewall and a spam filter. Because much of Smart Security is the same as NOD32, this review will focus only on the firewall and spam filter.

The firewall’s advanced settings are Smart Security’s strength. Users can extensively customize the firewall’s behavior, but don’t have to. There are five default settings: automatic, automatic with user-defined exceptions, interactive, policy-based, and learning. You can set safe zones, configure remote desktop access, and manage intrusion detection, all from an uncluttered and easy-to-use menu. ESET chose usability over flashiness with its design, and users can jump between advanced options for any of Smart Security’s tools from the same pane.

The antispam filter is similarly effective and configurable. The program can automatically mark outgoing addresses as safe, as well as detect global address books. Smart Security is surprisingly light, consuming around 50MB of RAM when running, and users should note that NOD32 has consistently scored near the top of several independent antivirus testing organization ratings for finding the most malware while encountering fewer false positives than most. Uninstallation is still tricky, unfortunately, leaving behind residual system files and Registry settings. Still, for getting all your security tools in one box, Smart Security is an effective and well-respected choice.

Publisher’s description

Using advanced ThreatSense technology, ESET Smart Security proactively protects you from new attacks during the critical first hours when other vendors’ products are not even aware the attack exists. ESET Smart Security detects and disables both known and unknown viruses, trojans, worms, adware, spyware, rootkits and other Internet threats. Version 4.0.437 is a bug fixing release.

CNET editors’ review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

Your mother uses AOL Instant Messenger. Your spouse prefers MSN. Your office insists on Yahoo. What are you going to do? You could run all those chat clients at once, or you could use Gaim, now renamed Pidgin. Like Trillian, Fire, and other third-party IM clients, this open-source messaging application lets you access multiple IM networks from one window, including Google Talk and MySpaceIM as well as lesser-known protocols such as Jabber and Gadu-Gadu.

Pidgin’s biggest change is the redesigned interface. The Buddy List can be viewed in Basic or Advanced mode, and the most important features, including the Plug-in List, have been graduated from the Preferences window into their own panes. Twenty-two plug-ins come prepackaged as Pidgin repositions itself as a highly extensible chat client.

The IM features are unimpeachable: smileys (you can find tons of emoticons on the developer’s site), file transfers, and multiperson chats. The Buddy Pounce feature lets you automatically perform certain actions (play a sound, execute a command, open an IM window) when a contact signs on or off. Pidgin also gets lots of intangibles right: logging and time-stamping, for instance, are well-executed and easy to access. However, it lacks IP telephony and video conferencing, and there are still some bugs–most notably in the Help menu. Still, Pidgin remains a highly recommended text-only messaging app.

Publisher’s description

Pidgin (formerly known as Gaim) is a multi-protocol instant messaging client for BSD and Windows. It is compatible with AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and Zephyr networks. Pidgin users can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AOL Instant Messenger, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time. It also goes beyond that and provides many unique features. A few popular features are Buddy Pounces, which give the ability to notify you, send a message, play a sound, or run a program when a specific buddy goes away, signs online, or returns from idle; and plugins, consisting of text replacement, a buddy ticker, extended message notification, and iconify on away.

Version 2.6.2 includes a number of minor changes.

CNET editors’ review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

This outstanding tool helps you change your voice. AV Voice Changer Software lets you greet people entering your Web site or narrate an online presentation in whatever voice you choose. The trial version has some irritating aspects, such as the need to download a free key to open it and a nag screen three times bigger than the program window. Despite this, the software turns out to be really good. It provides male and female voices of various ages, as well as Ghost, Hall, Underwater, and Cave effects, among others. We’re not sure what the Troika effect is supposed to be, since that’s just the Russian word for “three.” Despite a slightly chaotic interface, AV Voice Changer Software is unique, making it worth a download.

Publisher’s description

AV Voice Changer Software is useful for users who want to have a fun time online. They can use it to create exciting conversation environments while doing voice chat in instant messenger programs, or to make humorous fun voice chat/voice calls with PC-to-Phone applications, or to do song remixes to renew your favorite songs. AV Voice Changer Software stands apart from other online or computer-based voice changing programs because of its unlimited ability to change and enhance voices and sounds, and its ability to produce high quality audio output. Version 7.0.14 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, and bug fixes.

Publisher’s description

IceOp is a software for Camfrog moderators that allows to control the room usage by an easy interface with actions shortcuts. IceOp contains many features to help moderators to communicate between each others and to maintain a structure inside Camfrog rooms. It also allows to users to add some features to Camfrog.

Version 5.1 includes new custom sounds for messagebox and freeze, stability enhancements, and Auto Open All Cams update.

CNET editors’ review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

Paltalk’s integration of video, audio and text chatting unified into one window makes for a strong chatware program that includes a wealth of features.

Parental controls employ a password to change settings or block groups; adult content is hidden by default and all rooms are moderated. Add in the room ratings of G, R and A, and safe chatting is a cinch. Right-clicking a person’s name gives a user-defined amount of personal information, with private room invite and file sending options. Sessions can be printed and saved, and buddy lists from other chat accounts can be automatically imported. Latest updates include screening rooms to share online vids, music feeds from Rhapsody and multiplayer games in case you get bored talking.

However, the abundance of pop-up ads, which strike even while you’re in the middle of joining a room, might motivate users to pay for a subscription or look elsewhere. Free accounts only can open Webcams for a few seconds, while paid users can open multiple video windows. The app crashed for us when closing, and the system slowdowns were disappointing. Uninstalling Paltalk left an icon on the desktop.

Still, the thousands of rooms for politics, karaoke, tech advice, and porn mean that anybody can find a connection on Paltalk.

Publisher’s description

Paltalk allows you to video chat, send IMs and join chat rooms with anyone in the world for free. Browse or search thousands of free chat rooms, or create your own. Paltalk works with AIM, Yahoo!, ICQ and MSN so you can chat with all your buddies using a single program. And with SuperIM from Paltalk, you can webcam chat – up to 10 people at once with rich video, audio and text. Now any PC or Mac user with internet access and a web browser can join Paltalk — even if they have never downloaded video chat software of any kind before. Paltalk’s rich feature set includes: *Free SuperIM – voice and video chat for up to 10 people simultaneously. *Free chat room – Every member within Paltalk is able to create their own chat room and invite anyone to join them. Top room categories include politics, karaoke, sports and religion. *A Bot-Free and Friendly Environment – Paltalk is a place for real people to connect in a friendly, trusted environment. Utilizing proprietary technology, Paltalk has created a “no-bot zone,” free of chatterbots or virtual chat partners. *PC-To-Phone – Call phones and cell phones for low rates via Paltalk.

Version 9.8 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.

CNET editors’ review

Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on May 27, 2009

AOL continues its push to stay relevant with the latest upgrade to its chat program. In version 6.0, we saw the incorporation of tools that were mostly old hat to other chatware. This time around we get Twitter support, two built-in plug-ins, expanded mobile messaging, an easier way to switch skins, and a new Status message feature.

The two plug-ins are the biggest upgrades, with mixed results. Neither the QQ Games nor the AIM Tunes plug-ins worked in Vista, although they were fine on an XP machine. They both allow full control from the Buddy window, which is especially useful for AIM Tunes and the integrated streaming XM Radio. The TXT Message mode was far more stable, functioning well regardless of OS. As of this writing, though, the AIM Short Code for accessing your Buddy list and other AIM chat features via SMS has not yet been rolled out.

The other features–Plaxo address book, telephony and a free local “dummy” number with free voice mail–are nice touches, but nothing that blasts AIM ahead of the pack. The buddy window has been largely unchanged, managing links to other services, extra features, and of course, ads. Whether these services can entice new users as well as those who have drifted to multi-chatware supporting apps remains to be seen.

Publisher’s description

AIM connects you with your friends and family instantly. The new Lifestream feature lets you stay on top of what your AIM buddies are doing by allowing you to add a variety of accounts such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. With AIM, you can follow your friends, post photos and status messages to stay connected in real time. With a great new look and feel, it’s faster and lighter than ever. AIM is available on Windows and Mac, your favorite mobile phones like iPhone and Windows mobile, or try it out on the web using AIM Express. What’s new with the latest AIM release: AIM Lifestream–see what your buddies are doing on AIM, facebook, twitter, flickr, delicious, digg, and youtube with the ability to leave comments back to facebook and @reply to twitter; Post your AIM status to facebook and twitter–makes it easy to keep buddies updated from one place; Improved performance–faster, better, stronger; More efficient–the AIM 7 for Windows installer is under 8 MB down from 14 MB in AIM 6.9; New look and feel–back to basics, making it easy to IM without a lot of clutter; Inclusion of photos in status; Improved customization–big buddy icons, client skins; Easily send mobile TXT messages to phones for free.

Publisher’s description

Yahoo Messenger allows you to see when friends are online and you can send them instant messages. It can also alert you to new mail in your Yahoo Mail or Yahoo Personals account, or when you have an upcoming meeting recorded in Yahoo Calendar.

In Yahoo Messenger 10 beta, enhanced video calling lets you feel like you’re there with high-quality, full screen video and voice calling. See your friends’ latest updates from Yahoo, Flickr, Twitter and more with the new “Updates” view. Improved language support lets you change your preferred language in Yahoo. Messenger with just a few clicks.

More Features: instant message with one friend, or conference in a bunch; get an all-new Insider with Yahoo Mail, news, weather, search and more; easily find or invite friends from other services to come chat with you; send text messages (SMS) to friends’ mobile phones for free; make free PC-to-PC calls and PC-to-phone calls for as low as 1 cent a minute (plus free voicemail); use the built-in media player to watch Web videos and view photos with friends; show your style with emoticons, avatars, audibles and IMVironments.