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Communications

You'll find all the latest e-mail software and chat clients at CNET Download.com, as well as e-mail utilities and spam filters, VoIP software, Web phones, Webcam applications, and everything else you'll need to reach out and touch someone. See all 4,413 products in this category. See all 4,413 products in this category.

for the week of: November 29Downloads
  1. 1.
    Camfrog Video Chat

    Webcam Software210,326

  2. 2.
    mIRC

    Chat161,632

  3. 3.
  4. 4.
    ManyCam Virtual Webcam

    Webcam Software51,814

  5. The world's most popular Outlook Add-in. Download Xobni Free
  6. 5.
    Trillian Astra

    Chat42,026

  7. 6.
    Yahoo Messenger

    Chat37,918

  8. 7.
    Digsby

    Chat22,699

  9. Update your PC's drivers for better performance and stability.
  10. 8.
    Skype

    Web Phones & VoIP Software21,699

  11. 9.
    WebcamMax

    Chat15,689

  12. 10.

See all most popular software

  1. Capture screen images, video and audio
Release date
  1. Auto Mail Sender Nov 29

    E-mail Utilities

  2. Koma-Mail Nov 29

    E-mail Software

  3. Easy2Sync for Outlook Nov 29

    E-mail Utilities

  4. Best Mail Server Nov 28

    E-mail Software

  5. Spiffy Nov 27

    E-mail Utilities

  6. Pamela for Skype - Business Version Nov 27

    Web Phones & VoIP Software

  7. Pamela for Skype - Basic Version Nov 27

    Web Phones & VoIP Software

  8. Pamela for Skype - Professional Version Nov 27

    Web Phones & VoIP Software

  9. Yahoo Message Archive Decoder Nov 27

    Chat

  10. DetachPipe for Outlook Nov 27

    E-mail Utilities

See all new releases

  1. 1.
    ICQ

    Communicate instantly using the latest version of this popular chat client.

  2. 2.
    Trillian Astra

    Chat with your friends on IRC, AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo Messenger.

  3. 3.
    mIRC

    Chat with other people and participate in group discussions.

  4. 4.
    Yahoo Messenger

    Communicate instantly with your friends using avatars, PC-to-PC calling, and emoticons.

  5. 5.
    ManyCam Virtual Webcam

    Add graphics and effects to your Webcam and broadcasts on messengers.

  6. 6.
    Active WebCam

    Capture images from webcam.

  7. 7.
    ePrompter

    Check several e-mail accounts simultaneously and retrieve received e-mails.

  8. 8.
    WebcamMax

    Add videos/effects to virtual/real Webcam and show them to others on messengers.

  9. 9.
    Mozilla Thunderbird

    View e-mail and news the way you want it, with intelligent junk controls and personalized themes.

  10. 10.
    Pegasus Mail

    Use a full-featured and free e-mail client.

See all editor's picks

from the download blog

Big changes in Security Starter Kit 2010

Posted by Seth Rosenblatt on Nov 25, 2009
Planning on getting a new computer this holiday season? Stay safe into the New Year with the overhauled Download.com Security Starter Kit for 2010.
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an introduction to Communications

The Internet is all about communication. From e-mail software to chat clients to the latest in VoIP software, Download.com's Communications category has everything you need to reach out and touch someone.

Of course you use e-mail, but which e-mail program should you use? A number of e-mail programs are free, from the venerable Microsoft Outlook Express to our current favorite, Mozilla Thunderbird. Thunderbird supports IMAP and POP mail protocols and can handle all your RSS feeds. It features cutting-edge antiphishing and spam filters in addition to advanced security features such as S/MIME, digital signing, and message encryption.

You'll also want to download all the latest e-mail extensions, such as spam filters and programs that notify you when e-mail is sent to your online accounts.

If you're too impatient for e-mail, chat software allows real-time communication between any two PCs. Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, MSN Messenger (soon to be Windows Live Messenger), and AOL Instant Messenger are the major players in the chat market, with ICQ still a popular choice among hard-core chat fans.

If your friends use different clients and you don't want to install them all, Trillian lets you chat with everyone regardless of chat platform, including IRC-based chat rooms.

Of course, why bother typing e-mails when you can just talk to someone over your PC? Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, allows you to turn your PC into a Web phone to call other Internet-connected PCs and talk as long as you want at no charge. Programs such as Skype, GloPhone, and BuddyTalk are painless to install and easy to use, and all three allow you to place calls to regular phones by signing up for a calling plan. For more information, check out the Download.com guide to Net Phones.