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If it isn't enough to chat with friends from Google, MySpace IM, Skype, and Facebook, as well as AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, and IRC on Trillian't multinetwork IM app, you can comfortably count the app's deep hooks into Twitter and Facebook alerts and checking e-mail (both POP3 and IMAP varieties) as reasons for switching from your current messenger.
Among its best social networking traits, Trillian will automatically shorten URLs in your tweets, and handle 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 in-box 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.
In addition, there's support for drag-and-drop file transferring, skins, notifications, and all sorts of tweaking in the preference menu. Trillian earns a thumbs-up for previewing a Web site when you hover the cursor over a URL in the conversation window, but the same feature is less effective and less accurate when applied to looking up definitions of terms found within the chat window (luckily, you can turn the helpers off.)
Legacy users will be pleased to know that Trillian Astra (code for version 4.0 and up) runs lighter than previous versions, and you're less likely to notice system slowdowns because of memory leaks. Video chat gets basic support. The paid upgrade gives you browser-based IM from Trillian.im, full-screen video and filters, many more visual customizations, 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 with the changes, though those using the free version clearly won't get the full effect of Trillian's more-advanced features.
Trillian:Publisher's Description
From Cerulean Studios:
Trillian is a free fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports chatting on Windows Live, Facebook, Yahoo, MySpace, AIM, Email, Google Talk, Skype, ICQ, Jabber, IRC, and Bonjour. 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.
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All versions:
3.9 starsout of 1,835 votes
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Current version:
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My rating:
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"Full of Adware"
Version: Trillian 5.3.0.15
Pros
Don't know, I didn't launch it for the following reasons.
Cons
Full of malware. The download came with several browser add ons and adware which I didn't agree to download and was not told of. Absolutely disappointed that cnet allows this program on here.
Summary
Absolutely do not install this program, it's crawling with unwanted programs. Pretty much everyone's on Gtalk or Facebook anyway.
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"Badly designed, temperamental, unreliable"
Version: Trillian 5.3.0.15
Pros
There may be some, but if you can't rely on it and it doesn't work properly, what's the point?
Cons
- Doesn't always notify you when you have a new message
- Delays messages from being sent
- Unreliable quality of call/connectionSummary
Don't use. Simple as that. Choose a better alternative, of which there are many.
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"Forget this unusable-"
Version: Trillian 5.3.0.14
Pros
None not very user friendly is an understatement. i could not even figure out how to use it.
Cons
It did not work could not figure out how it works or how to use it.
Summary
Like a lot of multi chat messengers which are not very user friendly,I could not even figure out how to use this one. Also it has an ugly icon. So forget Trillian and stick with Aim or Google Talk.
Well Trilian is unusable.
Trillian is unusable I could not figure out how to use it and YOU won't be able to use it either.
Andrea Borman.
Updated on Feb 16, 2013
Never in a trillian years will you be able to use it.
Andrea Borman. -
"Finally found one good chat client."
Version: Trillian 5.2.0.13
Pros
Fast, easy of use, SocNet integration.
Cons
As far as I know, cant organize contacts on my own customized groups, as I did on MS MSN.
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"Could use more polish, but not bad"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.21
Pros
- Provides access to many services
- Notification Area icons for different services
- Unobtrusive pop-ups
- IRC support
- Good customization available in the default skinCons
- No Push mail, relies on polling (So it seemed to me)
- Does not have very good integration with Facebook messages
- Relies on browser too much for some tasks
- Seamless integration for file-sharing does not work as expectedSummary
I started using this very recently, and was quickly fascinated by the software. A desktop hub for chat is a pretty good idea. Especially one which is not the built in Windows 8 chat program.
While the interface is very good, the implementation seems haphazard. A word of caution here. I'm on my college's LAN here, which has a way to disrupt all but the securest of communications. However, even at the best of times, when speeds are extremely good, this software suffered from some glaring problems.
First and the most irritating was polling. No sane software should poll for mail anymore, especially seeing that it has an online presence of its own. I get mail on my phone a full two minutes before Trillian informs me that I have new mail. This is not good.
Second. The last message sent by someone on FB chat does not register as being read despite having been read by you on Trillian. I'm guessing that Trillian marks messages on B read after having sent your reply. This is bad. Your FB inbox and chat are not integrated, regardless of the integration done by FB itself.
Another problem was with the file sending system. It is not integrated. If you want to send someone a file over FB, go online and send it, which defeats the very purpose of Trillian.
While I did not test Trillian with Google Chat or IRC, the FB integration was bad enough to make me want to quit using this piece of code. The mobile version also did not perform as expected, so that kind of integration is gone too. In fact, you're probably better off having the tabs of all the relevant services open in your browser and their apps on your iPhone or Android phone.
I gave this 2.5 stars because the chatting experience, despite these problems, was not bad overall. However, as I already said, it requires more polish before it can become recommended. -
"New Trillian is great"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.19
Pros
supports all messaging protocols
nice interface
various customizationCons
setting is sometimes difficult
Summary
At all it is very good muti-messaging software.
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"Great product to keep up with multiple IM product."
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.18
Pros
Able to connect to most IM engines and down load mail.
Cons
Video and sound do not always work.
Summary
Great product. Get the pro, highly recommended.
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"Great IM client"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.18
Pros
works great with all of my services (Live, Yahoo, Google)
A lot of different options for IM'ing customizationCons
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Wouldn't allow Google Talk group invitesSummary
Great app allows me to be available for chat for all services. My friends all use different services, so I would have to have multiple apps running to stay connected to all of them. This is one app that doesn't seem to slow my old comp down at all. I've considered upgrading to pro, but I'm a cheapskate. ;)
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"All-in-one-brilliance"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.18
Pros
Updates on Facebook and Twitter without ever having to open another browser or two. Every chat client out there all in this litle sucker. Well not so little anymore. No lags or drops of service either. Very quick and responsive. And not a resource hog.
Cons
Manuevering around the Options and preferences can be time consuming but if you use a lot of chat clients and social media, then it's not really the programs fault is it? After you do it once then there is no need to do it again. Including the updates.
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"the best chat program"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.18
Pros
all accounts in one place
Cons
everything
Summary
It's okay
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