Communication 09

Site: Mail.live.com Category:Communication

Windows Live Hotmail is the latest iteration of Microsoft's free, Web-based e-mail service. The multipane interface lets you drag and drop messages into folders, or right-click messages for a menu of options. There's also a "Today" tab of news, both international and social, that loads when you sign in. Windows Live Hotmail even lets you choose a color theme in case you feel like customizing it to match your tastes.

Microsoft has also rolled out some useful features like instant spell-check, a built-in audio player, an RSS feed reader, and … Read more

Site: Messenger.yahoo.com Category: Communication

Yahoo Messenger is Yahoo's instant-messaging client and chat protocol. Yahoo Messenger users can chat with one another via text, voice, or video chat. Yahoo has also built-in VoIP services to let users call regular old telephones without having to leave the application. Users can also download and install a number of plug-ins that add extra functionality and features.

The latest version of Yahoo's Messenger desktop software lets users share files up to 2GB in size and includes "stealth" settings that let you choose who's allowed to see you when … Read more

Site: Pidgin.im Category: Communication

Pidgin is an open-source messaging application that 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. Formerly known as GAIM, Pidgin is a free and beautiful way to chat with buddies from different networks.

One feature that makes Pidgin stand out from other IM applications is "Buddy Pounce" which lets you set it up to let you know when certain contacts come online either with a notification or by running a third-party program.

Site: Dimdim.com Category: Communication

Dimdim is a free, open-source conferencing and screen-sharing app. It's a simple tool for sharing presentations, collaborating on projects, or having meetings between people in multiple locations.

You can use most of Dimdim's features without having to pay, or install anything on your computer. However, with a small plug-in you can share your entire computer screen with other meeting participants.

Because it's open-sourced, Dimdim's been integrated into several third-party services like Zimbra and SugarCRM, and has benefited from community bug-bashing.

Site: Skype.com Category: Communication

Skype is a text, voice, and video-chatting platform that works using your Internet connection. Skype has branched off from a desktop software solution to work in mobile phones and household phones that just need a Wi-Fi or Internet connection to run. Like instant-messaging clients, Skype gives users a buddy list instead of a set of phone numbers.

Over the years, Skype has also introduced a number of new features. One of the more interesting ones is SkypeOut, a service that lets Skype users call outside numbers, both long distance and international. There's also SkypePrime, … Read more

Site: Gmail.com Category: Communication

Gmail is Google's Web-based e-mail service. It was one of the first e-mail services to offer users 1GB of storage space for their e-mails at a time when others were offering just a few megabytes. One of the reasons Gmail has become so popular is its sorting system, which lets users simply leave e-mail in their in-box. Instead of organizing things in folders, Gmail has employed a filtering system, which essentially lets users automatically tag and sort through incoming e-mail.

In 2008 Gmail introduced "labs," a new section of the site where … Read more

Site: RingCentral.com Category: Communication

RingCentral gives businesses and individuals a single phone line that can be used in multiple locations. For offices where workers are in several buildings this can help simplify things by consolidating voice calls and voice mail into one central system.

Along with its basic phone service, RingCentral also has a software and Webware front end that let you access voice mail, reroute and answer calls, as well as check call records.

Site: Messenger.live.com Category: Communication

Windows Live Messenger is Microsoft's instant-messaging service. Once called MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger is a chat client that also works with Yahoo's IM protocol. Users can text and video chat, as well as make calls and send SMS text messages to telephones. It also has a shared file storage system that lets users swap and store files.

Windows Live Messenger is available on several platforms including mobile phones. It's even been integrated into Microsoft's gaming console, the Xbox 360. All versions require users to sign up with Microsoft's … Read more

Site: Digsby.com Category: Communication

Digsby is a free multi-platform, multi-protocol chat and notification client. It lets you connect to multiple instant-message services, e-mail providers, and social networks--all from the same application.

Digsby carved its niche this past year as being one of the first services to offer Facebook's chat off Facebook proper. It also added the capability to bring settings between various computers, giving users the same experience at work and home without having to worry about making changes.