Instant Messaging, Chat and Telephony Tools
This page provides links to Instant Messaging, chat and telephony tools for use in live, instant, real-time communications and collaboration.
Articles in alphabetical order.
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"ABChat is a FREE web based chatroom service. The service provides a very nice, full featured and easy-to-cofigure chatroom on your website. No special downloads are required for end-users."
Added: 13 July 2005
Reviewer's Note:
ABChat is based on VueChat technology and is owned by VueCam
"Builds a usage chart of the online/offline/idle/away status of everyone in your AIM Buddy List. Cost is only $5"
Added: 5 December 2004
Reviewer's Note:
If you have employees or co-workers who work remotely (possibly in different time zones) it might be handy to see whether they've been online or not.
"Akeni's instant messaging, live help and support products allows educational institutions to host a messaging system so that instructors and students can conduct online discussions and meetings. Our products can be setup to be web based so that the client computer does not need to install any client side software."
Added: 7 May 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Live demo available
"The #1 way to exchange Instant Messages with your friends, family, and co-workers on the Internet"
Updated: 21 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
More than 100 million users
"A free and easy to handle web based chat"
Added: 4 January 2003
Reviewer's Note:
Software to be installed on a webserver to support web-based chat via a browser
"Babble Britains favourite internet phone with instant messaging and currently offering free calls to over 25 countries around the world. Now with the ability to send and recieve SMS from your PCto mobiles around the world."
Updated: 14 July 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Babble software is free to download and allows you to make free calls to other Babble users who are online.
"BuddySpace is an instant messenger with four novel twists: (1) it allows optional maps for geographical & office-plan visualizations in addition to standard 'buddy lists'; (2) it is built on open source Jabber, which makes it interoperable with ICQ, MSN, Yahoo and others; (3) it is implemented in Java, so it is cross-platform; (4) it is built by a UK research lab, so it is 100% free with full sources readiily available. But BuddySpace is about more than just 'messaging' ..."
Added: 31 October 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Free to download
"Our Free Chat Room service provides a powerful, 'ad supported' (banners & popups) Java chat room to add to your website, but without the need for expensive server hardware & chat software! This service is completely FREE!"
Added: 25 September 2003
Reviewer's Note:
FREE
"Widely accepted as the most scalable and reliable chat server available, Community Server 3.0 once again raises the bar on chat server technology with a rich feature set and extended functionality."
Updated: 2 March 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Chatspace and MindCruiser merge to form Akiva
"Chatzy is a free private chat service. Fill out the form to create a chat room immediately - only for you and the people you invite!"
Added: 25 September 2003
Reviewer's Note:
No software to download or coded to use. FREE
"Effusia Business Messenger provides your organization with secure, turnkey business instant messaging. Get all the benefits of audited real-time communication whether on your LAN or across the world with our secure instant messaging server."
Added: 21 April 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Free trial download
"FaceTime provides server-based applications on Instant Messaging networks for Business-to-Customer Communication, Business-to-Business Communication, Call Center Problem Escalation, and for IT organizations concerned with regulatory compliance and privacy audits for IM use within the enterprise."
Added: 1 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Another business technology with implications for e-learning
"Gizmo is a free phone for your computer that makes calling as easy as instant messaging."
Added: 3 July 2005
Reviewer's Note:
It's free.
"They say talk is cheap. Google thinks it should be free. Google Talk enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free-anytime, anywhere in the world."
Added: 24 August 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Google Talk is in beta and requires a Gmail username and password.
"iGlance is a tiny program for talking and sharing over the internet. Lots of programs make phone calls over the internet, but only iGlance has push-to-talk, video presence, integrated screen and window sharing, and is open source."
Added: 7 May 2006
Reviewer's Note:
It's easy and free to install and use.
"LiveOffice's IMConferencing is the only solution available today that seamlessly integrates toll-free teleconferencing, web, audio and video conferencing with instant messaging into one, easy-to-use application."
Added: 28 October 2004
Reviewer's Note:
15-day free trial
"A supercharged instant messaging service that lets you share personal media & stay connected with friends."
Added: 4 January 2006
Reviewer's Note:
100% free
"Never has it been so easy to communicate using Voice, Video and Instant Messaging."
Added: 17 April 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Download for free
Instan-t: IM for collaborative learning.
"Interactive Networks Inc. introduces a new instant messaging solution ideal for educational environments. It facilitates distant education and promotes high levels of engagement and collaborative opportunities."
Added: 1st August 2008
"Jabber is best known as "the Linux of instant messaging" -- an open, secure, ad-free alternative to consumer IM services like AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo."
Updated: 8 April 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Jabber technology enables you to run your own IM service, whether you want to host a public server or keep your messages safely behind the firewall.
"Unique 6 in 1 Instant Messaging solutions ... it includes a module for a company or community-based site and a module for sales and customer support. Additional products include e-commerce (B2B and B2C)."
Added: 3 December 2002
Reviewer's Note:
"JMessenger offers Instant Messaging Solutions as a hosted service or it can be installed within your organization
"Find out when your friends are logged on to the Internet when you are and exchange instant messages with them in your own private chat room"
Added: 31 July 2001
Reviewer's Note:
This is Microsoft's FREE Instant Messaging tool
Online Institute Private-chat software
"we install your chat room on a high-speed Web server within 24 hours, and your chat room can be accessed using any regular Web browser"
Added: 25 September 2003
Reviewer's Note:
3 different chat platforms to choose from
"Low Cost LAN Instant Messenger for communication within Office. Software includes Text, Group & Voice Chat, Remote Desktop, Share MS Outlook Calendar, email. Offline messaging, Reminder. Works within LAN & Subnet"
Added: 7 December 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Download and experience the 20-day fully functional trial version of OL LAN Messenger.
"PalTalk is the next generation instant messenger integrating voice, video and file sharing into one neat package. Fast download and ease of use makes PalTalk the #1choice for internet savvy users."
Added: 4 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"PalTalk gives you... Unsurpassed audio quality! Live video conferencing (multi-view). Instant messenger with buddy list. Voice/Video E-mail. Vibrant Online Community. Works with AOL, Yahoo!, and MSN. All For FREE!"
"PeerMe is a simple program which allows you to talk to anyone anywhere in the world absolutely free of charge. Follow these 4 easy steps and and you'll be gabbing away to your hearts content."
Added 17 August 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Reviewer's Note: Create PeerMe Voice tag to let other people contact you easily.
"PopMessenger is LAN chat and Instant Messaging (IM) software suite. Using peer-to-peer technology, it provides secure and fast instant messaging across you corporate or home Local Area Network (LAN)"
Added: 6 October 2004
Reviewer's Note:
30 day free trial
"PowerGramo is a powerful realtime recording solution for Skype. You can record and replay any Skype call easily and simply."
Added: 13 December 2005
Reviewer's Note:
You can download the basic edition for free
"SAM is a simple voice answering machine for Skype® users. When you are away from your PC and there is no one to answer your incoming Skype calls, SAM will pick up the call, play a greeting message and the "all-time clasic beep" so that the calling party will leave a voice recorded message."
Added: 17 January 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Free software
"Lotus Instant Messaging and Web Conferencing (Sametime) is real-time collaboration software -- with online awareness, instant messaging, application sharing and virtual meetings. Lotus Sametime helps your organization be more responsive and more efficient by allowing your employees, customers, partners, and suppliers to easily interact with one another in real-time."
Added: 5 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Sametime Everyplace is "a way to work securely and instantly from mobile devices"
"With Skylook, you can get it together. SkypeT Voice Calls (as MP3), Instant Messages, Email, Appointments, Contacts all organized and under control in OutlookT!"
Added: 5 August 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Skype add-in for SKype phone: Free 14 day trial of Skylook 1.0
"Skype uses P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you to other users - not to share files this time, but to talk for free with your friends. The technology is extremely advanced - but super simple to use... You'll be making perfect quality free phone calls to your friends in no time!"
Added: 25 September 2003
Reviewer's Note:
FREE to download
"Softros LAN Messenger is a quick and secure network messaging software that allows the instant exchange of messages through a corporate network."
Added: 26 August 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Download a free trial version
"Trillian is a multi-network chat client that currently supports IRC, AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo Messenger. It supports all of the features you've come to expect from a good IM client, including but not limited to docking, multi-line edit boxes, buddy alerts, multiple connections to the same medium, a powerful skinning language, easy importing of your existing contacts, skinnable emoticons, logging, "global" away/invisible features, and a unified contact list. Trillian is completely free with no nag screens or built-in ads."
Added: 6 April 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Bring all your IM/chat clients together in one place
"Interact with video and text messages with contacts on other instant messengers. Host your own public or private chat rooms for a business meeting, family reunion, or a place just to meet new people even link it directly from your web site!"
Added: 16 May 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Free!
"ubergroups.com is on-demand IM and blogs for teams. ubergroups.com empowers you to: increase productivity, share knowledge and protect ideas."
Added: 1 March 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Free trial available
"Dialcom's Spontania video plug-in is designed to be integrated with any 3rd party Internet-based communication solution. Dialcom selected Skype, the leading VoIP solution, as the first integration candidate."
Added: 2 June 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Spontania video4skype is free.
"Volano's award-winning chat solutions are used by the world's most influential organizations to enable real-time customer interaction, enhance online communities, and improve corporate communications."
Added: May 2001
Reviewer's Note:
"Windows Live Messenger will be the next-generation MSN Messenger. It will have everything you already love about Messenger-your contact list, emoticons, and instant access to your friends via text, voice, and video-plus new ways to connect and share documents with almost magical ease."
Added: 10 May 2006
Reviewer's Note:
As always, it will be free to download Messenger and use most of its features.
"With Yahoo! Messenger 5.0 you can quickly exchange messages with all your online friends. Unlike email, instant messages appear as soon as they're sent."
Updated: 21 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
FREE Check out IMVironments - interactive, themed backgrounds for Yahoo! Messenger conversations that appear directly in the instant messaging window!
