July 31, 2006
Yahoo Messenger 8 IM - Text + VoIP Features
Yahoo! might just have come up with the ultimate text/ VoIP IM client around with Yahoo! Messenger 8. This IM is seriously tricked out with loads of plugins (180) that create a very entertaining experience. The problem is, you don't want to use this if you're trying to work, as your productivity might go down. Or up, depending on what kind of work you do.
There was an earlier version this year, but Messenger 8 has even more features. In addition to regular text IM and VoIP (with built-in video calling, etc.), you can add plugins for Yahoo! finance, news, weather, movie trailers, Music LAUNCHcast (streaming music with lots of choice), and much more. Not enough for you? The NewsGator plugin lets you browse RSS/Atom audio and video podcasts. There's an obligatory web search feature at the very bottom of the window, and loads more plugins that you can install with a click or two. You can also send email from your Yahoo account with the click of a menu item. (But oddly enough, because the MS Internet Explorer browser is fired up, you have to sign in with an MSN passport id such as your Hotmail account name.)
What a brilliant concept for an Internet command center. Stick in as many sources of content as possible, in collapsible sections, into a single IM client, and you ensure that anyone who has bothered to download this version is now more likely to use it than a competitor's IM, if only for the convenience. There's no need to use anything else. Or that's what you'd think.
With all these great features, they might've tried to obscure the fact that their call-in and call-out features still need to compete with other VoIP IMs. A Phone-In number is only US$2.49 per month and up, but only available in three countries: US, UK, and France. Come on. And a quick look shows that there are only phone numbers available for just a few cities in each country. Even New York is unavailable. Miami, L.A., and San Fran are, though.
Phone Out rates seem to be comparable or better than Skype and Talqer, but I have not done an item by item comparison. Phone Out credit has to be purchased in US$10 or $25 amounts, and there's an option for auto-refills of credit.
Voicemail appears to be free, and there's a nifty little popout control panel to check voicemail, missed calls, and call history. You can also distinguish between incoming and outgoing calls.
Yahoo is obviously interested in VoIP. Last year, they bought California-based Dialpad Communications, a VoIP service provider. (This year, Skype bought two VoIP companies, Sonorit Holding AS and its US subsidiary, Camino Networks.) But overall, Yahoo Messenger 8 has a ways to go to compete with Skype or Gizmo Project in terms of VoIP offerings (that is, in terms of country-to-country calling offers).
I'm having a blast using Messenger 8 as a sort of Internet command center. But all the extra fun, cool features/ plugins come at a price: this IM takes up a lot of memory. On my laptop, with Yahoo! News, Finance, Movie trailers and LAUNCHcast plugins installed, it takes between 50-100 mb of RAM, depending on which plugins are actually running. I really think I need to get some more RAM.
Nevertheless, Yahoo Messenger 8 has set the bar for other IM clients, whether just text or with VoIP/ WoIP features. Bravo. Now I just have to find someone who has it so that I can really test the audio and video calling quality.
P.S. The streaming radio sound quality is so impressive that I've been listening for hours. I've encountered no glitches in the past 16 hours.
--
Did you enjoy this post?
« VoIP Roundup #4 | Main | Sandhills Software Skype Add-ons »
