- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7
- Date added: January 28, 2010
- Total Downloads: 39,184,890
- Downloads last week: 45,455
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1604 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on August 20, 2009
More than three years in the making, Trillian is back with a slight name change and a slew of new features. It's keeping the beta code-name Astra as part of its official title, but more importantly it's been updated for the modern IM world. Skinnable but not modular, the chat client now supports Google, MySpace IM, Skype, and Facebook, as well as AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, and IRC. Both POP3 and IMAP e-mail checking see some love here, too.
Trillian now has deep hooks into Facebook and Twitter. It will automatically shorten URLs in your tweets, as well as allow direct messages, re-tweets, and replies. Twitter Trends can show up in your contact list, and you can get tweets to appear in tooltip form. Facebook features include news feed integration, Facebook Inbox checking, and synchronized message updating in addition to Facebook IM. Just on these features alone, Trillian Astra offers a bit more than its IM competitors.
Trillian Astra runs lighter than the previous version, too, and you're less likely to notice system slowdowns because of Trillian memory leaks. Video chat gets basic support, as does universal drag-and-drop file transfer. The paid upgrade gives you browser-based IM from Trillian.im, full-screen video and filters to colorize your vids, multiple simultaneous file transfer, and themes, as well as tech support. These features are available for the first 30 days you use the free version, then they deactivate. The biggest changes, besides the reskinned interface, are the long-needed performance improvements and support for a broad range of IM protocols. Longtime fans won't be disappointed.
Watch the CNET video review of Trillian Astra:
Publisher's description
From Cerulean Studios :Trillian is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports chatting on Astra, Windows Live, Facebook, Yahoo, MySpace, AIM, Email, Google Talk, Skype, ICQ, Jabber, IRC, Bonjour and others. It also helps manage your social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Trillian provides capabilities not possible with most original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio and video chat, file transfers, group chats, buzzing, tabbed chats, tablet-based drawing, message history, plugins, avatars, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, typing notifications, proxy support, and encrypted messaging.
Trillian also integrates with Trillian for Web and Trillian for iPhone, companion products that help you maintain a single contact list across all of your devices and locations.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.1.0.23 integrates smoothly with Windows 7 and improves support for e-mail checking, notifications and alerts, Twitter (Twitpic, links), and Facebook (chat and newsfeed).
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 1604 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 11 user reviewsSee all 11 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Trillian Astra 4.1.0.23
Pros: I had the program a few years ago and it has evolved into an amazing piece of software now that its available to public.
Cons: needs to integrate the video for each client and free w/o a pro subscription. in order to get video each viewer needs an Astra account. a tad ram hungry too.
Summary: i recommend this to replace everything u own. i have 2 emails accessed on this. 1 aim screen name, one yahoo mail/ screen name, one msn email/ screen name, my facebook, my twitter and skype automatically opens up and starts...it be great if that was... read more >>
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Trillian Astra 4.1.0.23
"Great! Best IM client, for me anyways."
Pros: Organized
Easy to manage
Clean lookingCons: You can't click on the icon in windows 7 and get the buddy list. That trys to log you back in. Also if you use another client and add a buddy, you have to readd them on trillian again.
Summary: It's a great product! I've used 3.0 for years and I love astra all the more!
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Trillian Astra 4.1.0.23
"Unacceptable to require a proprietary "Astra account""
Pros: I did not get past the initial setup. After installing the program, it would not run unless I signed up for and used a "trillian astra" account. I have no "pros" to report.
Cons: Another online account to manage my on-line accounts? Evaluating as a replacement for the company but will never recommend; the headache of the creation of yet another account in order to setup IM accounts has made me move to Miranda IM.
Summary: I have no experience with the product and will never use it. The proprietary "Astra account" will keep me from even fairly evaluating the product.
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Trillian Astra 4.1.0.23
"easy to install, update, and use"
Pros: If updating, it remembers all settings, emails, contacts, etc., how cool is that?
Cons: nothing to dislike
Summary: The Best IM program ever!
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Trillian Astra 4.1.0.23
Pros: supporting all the most used protocols: icq, msn, yahoo, google talk,.. and facebook!!
modern skinCons: maybe more adjustable /but theres paid version/
- See all 11 user reviews Write review
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