Winner Best software in 2014 - Communication.

Overview

With online communication becoming more popular every day it’s not uncommon for people to use more than one network to keep in touch. However each network has its own dedicated software and when you use more than one, it becomes cumbersome and takes up a lot of space on your hard drive while using up more system resources. Trillian is an all in one communication tool that is designed to alleviate these issues.

Installation

The setup package is 21.2 MB in size and takes about a minute to install. The installation process is relatively simple however if you aren't careful enough it will install a toolbar and a system optimizer tool with the original software, so be sure to uncheck these options. Trillian is available on pretty much all operating systems like Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Android and Windows.

Interface

Trillian has a very neat and clean interface. It doesn’t overload you with an array of options. It blends well with the rest of the desktop and the overall look of the software is very modern and sleek. You need to make an online account with Trillian before you can use it. After this you can sign in to whichever IM client or social network you want. It is quite easy to use for a beginner with everything laid out intuitively and clearly; for advanced users there are quite a lot of other options available too.

Pros

With an online account you can sync your account across many platforms. For example if you’ve setup Trillian on your PC, and then decide to install it on your Android phone, you wont have to setup everything again, just sign in and all your settings will automatically be restored. Trillian also supports social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Foursquare, which allows for quick status updates, check-ins and the latest news from your friends and family. You can also have video and voice conversations using Skype, MSN or other supported networks that support video/voice. Trillian allows you to setup any email account like your exchange server by offering manual settings. You will then be notified of any incoming email.

Cons

The software is ad supported. To remove them you’ll have to buy the pro version. During installation it will install a few un-needed programs like toolbars so be sure to be on the lookout for these and uncheck them if you don't need them.

Alternatives

Pidgin is a similar program to Trillian. While Pidgin offers more protocols, Trillian offers more customization. Trillian is also available on smartphones, which means you no longer have to reset all your accounts on your phone; just make one account and have all your settings synced across all platforms. With Trillian you also get social network integration.

Conclusion

Trillian is one of the best software available currently for all your communication needs. It’s beautifully designed, fully featured and supports all major protocols making it a must have software. There are many other alternatives for Trillian, however none comes close to offering such a versatile user experience.

Winner Best software in 2014 - Communication.