November 30, 2012
If there’s one thing I’d like to see in the next few years it’s more protocols being added to Apple’s Messages app for iOS. iMessage is a wonderful thing, but your friends need to be on their iPhone, iPad or Mac running Mountain Lion in order to talk to you, and the platform is still relatively new. Until Apple decides to add Google Talk, AIM and other protocols to its core iOS app, we’ll have to make do with dedicated alternatives.
Keep Reading »
November 17, 2012
Start using the best instant messaging client out there for Mac. It's called Adium, it connects to everything and there's no reason for not using it. Okay, there's one reason - Adium does not support Facetime. But if that's not an issue for you, Adium is a piece of software you should install. Combine all of your conversations into one great interface, then customize that interface to work exactly the way you want it to.
Keep Reading »
November 14, 2012
Fans of the popular messaging client called imo are in for some good news today. Essentially, imo has released a complete redesign for their app on both iOS and Android. The update changes the interface of the contacts and messages section. Now, they are combined, which makes it easier to get you in touch with your friends. It puts all the people you talk to the most in one easy to access place. This should help make talking to your friends quicker, and more efficient.
Keep Reading »
November 13, 2012
Remember the days of MSN Messenger and AIM? Those two were the first chat clients I ever used. Once I started using them more and more, it became cumbersome to switch between clients and contact windows. Soon after, multiple-chat clients came about, the popular ones being Miranda IM, Trillian, Pidgin and Digsby. They’re still available, but do you really use them? Or need them?
Keep Reading »
November 2, 2012
Now that our little Technophilia Podcast has amassed over 500 weekly listeners (guys, we love you), we’ve been looking for ways to interacts with listeners in real-time while we record live. That’s no easy task. We've been experimenting with just a chatroom, but without a live audio broadcast too it’s not very compelling for people to participate. So today, I’m going to share an easy way to broadcast your Skype audio (both yours and your co-hosts) to a Mixlr stage.
Keep Reading »
October 16, 2012
Facebook has just rolled a new feature that allows users to fill their friends' Facebook pages with emoticons. Well, maybe not the whole page, as that would be rather annoying, but you can leave a comment filled with all kinds of Facebook emotional goodness. Facebook has had emoticons available in the chat client for some time, and now you can brighten someone's day (or annoy them to death, depending on their personality type) by leaving lots of emoticon comments too.
Keep Reading »
September 29, 2012
Chatting with mobile phones is nothing new. Folks have been using instant messaging on their mobile phones almost as long as there have been mobile phones. When it comes to video chatting, you're looking at a whole different set of choices. I've run through about 5 different apps that promise to deliver video chatting well, but narrowed it down to two that actually do.
Keep Reading »
September 17, 2012
With Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype, it comes as no surprise that the new Skype version would be made to work better with Microsoft accounts. The newly released beta version of Skype 5.11 for Windows gives us an early window into the developments. In a new approach to setting up your Skype account, you can sign up with either your Microsoft or Facebook account without needing to create a new Skype user ID.
Keep Reading »
September 7, 2012
Five years ago, if you would’ve asked me for recommendations on a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) program, there was only one program available: Skype. If for whatever reason you no longer want to use Skype, then rest assured in knowing that there are plenty of alternative programs out there. They may not be as polished or prevalent as Skype, but they certainly get the job done. And best of all, every program on this list is absolutely free!
Keep Reading »
August 25, 2012
In the age of Yahoo IM!, Skype, Google Chats, instant messaging and video chat are hardly a big deal for most computer and Internet savvy users. But the cross platform application, QuicklyChat aims to make video connections more instant but with a feature for warding off interruptions when users are busy.
Keep Reading »
August 24, 2012
As the dust surrounding Apple’s OS X Mountain Lion release settles, it’s time to evaluate whether those killer features announced earlier this year are really that good. For me the most exciting addition when I first heard the announcement was the new Messages app, which brings Apple’s closed iMessage platform to the desktop.
Keep Reading »
August 13, 2012
Skype, in terms of software design, continues to baffle me. It's beautifully designed, and most of the time it's also charmingly easy to use, but once in a blue moon you discover these little quirks that rain on your Skype parade. It may be how the application masterfully ignores basic interface guidelines. Here are some three very basic tips to make your Skype experience on Mac OS X a more enjoyable one.
Keep Reading »
August 13, 2012
Popular instant messaging service imo.im just announced that they are rolling out a massive new feature for iOS that will allow their users to make voice calls to other imo users over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi without using any of their carrier's limited minutes. The key to this announcement is the promise of quality. While using the imo network, quality will be no less than that of your carrier's regular network.
Keep Reading »
June 26, 2012
There are many tools and services that can help bridge communication between remote parties in real-time these days. Facebook, Skype, Google Hangouts, you name it, there are endless ways to connect the masses. Depending on the needs of the users, these tools have come to integrate not just audio calls, but also webcam features, screen-sharing options, support for multiple users in a meeting and more.
Keep Reading »
June 25, 2012
Google Talk, which powers Gmail’s built-in chat feature, isn’t a proprietary instant-messaging network. It’s built on top of the XMPP standard, also known as Jabber, so you can connect Gmail’s chat feature to any IM network. Some networks like AIM are interoperable with Gmail, while some like MSN and Yahoo require special Jabber transports.
Keep Reading »
