chat

Yahoo Messenger (Classic) for Mac is the Mac version of the popular Windows YM, a communication app for anyone with has a Yahoo account. Considering that its Windows-based version is one of the most-used messaging apps, we were eager to see how the app performed. What we found were some nice features but nothing that really stands out over other messaging apps.

The application's user interface is well-designed and has all the control buttons available at a glance. What we liked is that the platform is finally opening its doors by adding support for MSN, Lotus Samtime, and LCS … Read more

Usually if you use your iSight camera with one program, you can't use it with another. ManyCam Virtual Webcam helps change that as soon as you install it. This handy app removes many iSight camera restrictions and provides multiple ways to enhance the overall Webcam chat experience, with some helpful (and some silly) features you'll absolutely enjoy.

After installing the application, ManyCam takes control of your iSight camera: it will become the video source of the chat programs you use, such as Yahoo Messenger or Skype. Now, if you want to make your video chat more fun, you … Read more

If you're looking to make free voice or video calls worldwide, Skype is a great start. Its clean and user-friendly interface makes interaction effortless, so you are ready to go as soon as you launch the app.

During our testing, we were impressed by the video and voice quality of Skype, which uses VoIP (Voice over IP) technology to enable communication worldwide without paying a cent. One of its best features is the chat and mood messages: if you are in the middle of something, you can inform your contacts about it or just type a text message instead … Read more

Nimbuzz combines a flexible messaging app with the Internet and social media to turn your smartphone into a mobile communications center. With Nimbuzz, you can make unlimited free video and voice calls; chat via video, audio, or text; share files; and more. Nimbuzz is compatible with nearly every device out there. It not only accesses the Nimbuzz network but also Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, MSN, and Gtalk. Got platforms? Nimbus does: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, and Java. A chat buddy feature lets you tweet, too. Updates include contact blocking and file forwarding.

We installed the Nimbuzz client on our … Read more

IMVU is "the world's largest 3D Chat and Dress-Up community." Launched in 2004, Instant Messaging Virtual Universe is simple in concept: Combine the social networking power of IM chat with a 3D virtual "universe." Participants create elaborate new identities, called avatars, that give free rein to self-expression. As with other virtual communities, you can make friends among IMVU's millions of users. But IMVU is much more than a 3D chat room: it's a real simulated world (or the real world, simulated). You can design, make, buy, and sell things like clothes and accessories, … Read more

Remember when you could read a Facebook message and ignore it, without thinking twice about replying? Then Facebook rolled out read receipts for Facebook Messages, thus forcing your hand to reply. Luckily, there's now a browser extension to disable the "Seen" notification on messages you've read, as reported by The Next Web.

The browser extension is called Chat Undetected, and was developed by Crossrider. It's compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. I was unable to install the extension in Safari, even though The Next Web report lists it as a compatible browser.

To install … Read more

InSpeak - The Voice Chat Communicator is the freeware version of inSpeak's premium chat app. It's got a lot going for it, including good audio quality for voice communications, decent security, and an emphasis on customer support, even for free members. The freeware also offers other features from the paid nickname version, though with some limitations. For example, you can view up to six Webcams, use handwriting in messages, add up to 1,000 contacts, display a colorful icon, customize your space, create rooms, and more. It helps to have someone to chat with, though, and inSpeak has … Read more

Latest update: 8:57 a.m. PT

Google Talk went down hard this morning, but is getting back up and running.

"The problem with Google Talk should be resolved," Google wrote on its App Status dashboard at 8:25 a.m. PT. "We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and continued support. Please rest assured that system reliability is a top priority at Google, and we are making continuous improvements to make our systems better."

The Google Talk service, which works across Windows, OS X, and Linux, allows users to hold text, … Read more

When online chatting first became popular, most of us did it using a chat client, such as AOL's Instant Messenger or (if we really want to show our age) ICQ. These days, many people chat using Facebook, and why not? The vast majority of the people you know are probably there, and chat is integrated into Facebook's interface, which you probably have open all the time anyway. If you miss having the option to chat without having your browser open, however, try Facebook Chat DeskTop. This simple program lets you access your Facebook chat buddies from your desktop. … Read more