COMPUTERS
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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 5,330 products in this category. See all 5,330 products in this category.

for the week of: November 16Downloads
  1. 1.
    Camfrog Video Chat

    Webcam Software217,800

  2. 2.
    mIRC

    Chat215,591

  3. 3.
  4. 4.
    Trillian

    Chat37,413

  5. Share photos and videos directly to the desktop.
  6. 5.
    Yahoo Messenger

    Chat36,701

  7. 6.
    ManyCam Virtual Webcam

    Webcam Software32,260

  8. 7.
    Miranda IM

    Chat25,630

  9. See, hear, and chat live in video rooms.
    Improve system performance by fixing invalid entries.
  10. 8.
  11. 9.
    Digsby

    Chat16,043

  12. 10.
    Skype

    Web Phones & VoIP Software15,452

See all most popular software

  1. Compile different file types into one for easier sharing.
    Detect and remove adware and spyware from your computer.
Release date
  1. Mozilla Thunderbird Sep 26

    E-mail Software

  2. VoxOx Nov 03

    E-mail Software

  3. Yahoo Messenger Sep 23

    Chat

  4. Windows Live Messenger Sep 19

    Chat

  5. PaltalkScene Sep 18

    Chat

  6. ICQ Apr 17

    Chat

  7. mIRC Oct 22

    Chat

  8. IncrediMail Xe Jul 29

    E-mail Software

  9. Trillian Oct 03

    Chat

  10. POP Peeper Jul 22

    E-mail Utilities

See all new releases

  1. 1.
    ICQ

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

  2. 2.
    Trillian

    Chat with all your friends on mIRC, 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 on Yahoo IM using custom avatars, PC-to-PC calling, and lively emoticons.

  5. 5.
    Skype

    Experience free, unlimited, high-quality voice communication over the Internet.

  6. 6.
    ManyCam Virtual Webcam

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

  7. 7.
    WebcamMax

    Add videos, screens, and effects to your Web camera and broadcast on all messengers.

  8. 8.
    Mozilla Thunderbird

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

  9. 9.
    Pidgin

    Keep in touch with all your friends on this GTK2-based instant messenger.

  10. 10.
    Mozilla Lightning

    Add a calendar to your e-mail client.

See all editor's picks

from the download blog

AOL Sync beta launched for Outlook, phones

Posted by Jessica Dolcourt on Nov 20, 2008
Beta testers of AOL Sync will be able to sync selective information to Microsoft Outlook and their mobile phones.
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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.