CNET Editors' review
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.
Watch the CNET video review of 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.
More Popular Chat downloads
- mIRC
74,275 downloads
- Paltalk Messenger
55,897 downloads
- WebcamMax
33,089 downloads
- Yahoo Messenger
26,491 downloads
- Windows Live Messenger
13,074 downloads
-
All versions:
3.9 starsout of 1,829 votes
-
Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
Write review
-
"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.
-
"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
Advertisements
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. ;)
-
"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.
-
"the best chat program"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.18
Pros
all accounts in one place
Cons
everything
Summary
It's okay
-
"Account issues"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.15
Pros
Haven't found them yet
Cons
can't even get started chatting
Summary
I upgraded my Trillian software. I had an account and when I installed this version last week, I had to start a new account and can't bring up the friends from my old account.
Not worth the frustration, IMHO. Looking for a new chat program. -
"easy running"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.15
Pros
cross server communications easier
Cons
a trifle obscure for a novice [ i am one]
Summary
great facility, thank you
-
"it is so user friendly"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.15
Pros
everything
Cons
none at this time
Summary
I have recommended this to all my friends.
-
"Great product Best all around chat program out there"
Version: Trillian 5.1.0.15
Pros
all your accounts in one place
Cons
Have found no cons yet
Summary
easy to use easy to set up
-
"siiippp sealalu ada untukmu"
Version: Trillian 5.0.0.35
Pros
thanks you
Cons
thanks you
Summary
selalu ada untukmu
-
"Sofar, so good... nothing remarkable"
Version: Trillian 5.0.0.35
Pros
Looks nice. Gets the job done.Less intrusive than previous (old) versions.
Cons
None so far. I've used for a couple of week and workswell. Only, I'm not a heavy IM user.
Summary
It's the first multiprotocol IM Client I kew of, almost a decade ago. I liked it a lot, but then it started crashing and crushing my system BAck then, I uninstalled it after some months and tried to forget. Several years after I believe it's worth retrying, and it goes better than my recalls. So far, so g ood... nothing spectacular, though...
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
See more CNET content tagged:
Previous Versions:

