- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Me, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: November 06, 2009
- Total Downloads: 38,770,988
- Downloads last week: 38,195
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1556 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 Windows Live, Yahoo!, MySpaceIM, AIM, Google, ICQ, Jabber, Skype, IRC, Facebook and others. It also helps manage your social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. It provides capabilities not possible with most original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, plugins, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection, proxy support, encrypted messaging.
What's new in this version:
Addressing a recent change in the Facebook chat protocol.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 1556 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 9 user reviewsSee all 9 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Trillian Astra 4.0.0.119
Pros: Consolidates many accounts.
Cons: Takes too much time to load, uses too many resources.
Summary: Better than the competition, far from perfect.
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Version: Trillian Astra 4.0.0.119
Pros: It has everything: Twitter, Facebook, email galore, AIM, Yahoo!, ICQ, MSN, Jabber, Google Talk, etc etc etc. It looks nice, too.
Cons: It has everything... plus, there are so many options you could spend hours wading through them before talking to anyone. Also, you have to buy the big-time version in order to have webcam capability, which is just not cool.
Summary: I like Trillian Astra, and will recommend it for anyone looking for an all-inclusive messaging utility. This baby handles social networking, email, and instant messaging all in one interface. But don't expect to get it out of the box and take off ... read more >>
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Version: Trillian Astra 4.0.0.119
Pros: Allows use of multiple IM accounts.
Cons: Requires that you register with Trillian - Yet ANOTHER password to remember.
Summary: Do you have multiple chat accounts? Trillian is by far the best.
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Version: Trillian Astra 4.0.0.119
"Better luck with older version"
Pros: II haven't had any problems so far but only use it to IM.
Cons: To me, the older version was better. Takes longer to load, also requires you to pick a user before it will finish loading. Haven't tried voice, I normally use Skype for that function...
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Version: Trillian Astra 4.0.0.119
Pros: it at least has voice in free version
Cons: like my reviews for other consolidating messengers would be nice to have webcam feature
Summary: Needs webcam feature in free ver. otherwise better than digsby and others. Has been The leader among universal messengers.
- See all 9 user reviews Write review
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