Can't we all just get along? No matter which new instant-messaging (IM) client comes along, we still have to switch from one to the next in order to connect with all of our friends and associates. That's still the case with MSN Messenger 4.5, the newest edition of Microsoft's instant messenger.
Although Messenger 4.5 boasts some snappy enhancements, they aren't enough to convince us to ditch ICQ and Yahoo Messenger. Unless you're an IM rookie--in which case we recommend this one for its easy-to-use interface--Messenger is just one more app to add to the burgeoning IM collection already on your hard drive.
Chat it up
Messenger 4.5 features its typical large, easy-to-recognise icons, and adds a new action-oriented menu at the bottom of the main window (called "I want to...") that simplifies tasks such as adding contacts or placing a phone call. This version finally lets you organise your buddies under labels such as Friends or Family, something AOL Instant Messenger has done for years. You can also move contacts from one group to another with a simple drag and drop, and you can even copy contacts so that, say, Susan shows up in more than one group. That's handy. But Messenger displays all your friends, all the time, whether they're online or not. If you have a long contact list, this is really aggravating.
Messenger 4.5 handles idle banter as well as any IM client does, and you can use it virtually anywhere. Like AIM and the all-new ICQ, MSN stores your contacts on its servers, not just on the local machine. As long as you're sitting in front of a Messenger-equipped machine--Microsoft doesn't yet offer a Web-based IM tool--you can get at your buddy list.
Messenger offers the standard IM fare--you can chat one on one, invite up to four other clients to a group conversation, and send and receive files. Unlike power clients such as ICQ, Messenger doesn't automatically save a text file transcript that you can refer to later--you have to do it manually. Nor does it keep a complete history of all your conversations. Those two omissions make Messenger a poor choice for business folks who want to keep records of their communications.
The .Net connection
Messenger makes up for its onscreen shortcomings with its mobile options. The client lets you send text messages to MSN Mobile users' cell phones and pagers, notifies you when messages arrive in your Hotmail inbox, and now leans on .Net Alerts. .Net is a Web-based service that you can use to stay on top of everything from sports scores to product updates, courtesy of several sites, including eBay, CarPoint, and MSN Music. The .Net Alert connection is important, since Microsoft is banking on this technology to bring in revenue in the future.
Messenger plays a crucial component in Microsoft's new .Net strategy; it's the only way for users of Windows 9x users to get these alerts. (Windows XP is .Net Alerts-ready right out of the box, thanks to its tightly integrated Windows Messenger client.) For the moment, .Net Alerts are as much trick as treat, since few companies or Web sites offer them, but that will change as more non-Microsoft businesses use them. Imagine, for instance, your anti-virus software maker flashing you an alert as soon as a virulent virus is identified so that you can to update your definitions ASAP. We wouldn't be surprised if, in a year, .Net Alerts were prevalent enough to make Messenger a necessity. (Remember, .Net is all Microsoft's, so you won't see its alerts dropping into non-Microsoft IM clients.)
We want our video
MSN Messenger 4.5 still can't do video, unlike its Windows XP-only counterpart, Windows Messenger, but you can conduct PC-to-PC audio calls and PC-to-phone calls. Caveats abound, however. For example, if your PC is protected by, say, ZoneAlarm or Norton Personal Firewall, you can't talk to users outside the wall. (You can get around this limitation by manually configuring your firewall for Messenger. The solution is listed on Microsoft's tech support site.) And Messenger offers no more free PC-to-phone calls; instead, you must sign up with a pay service, such as Net2Phone or Dialpad.
No clear winner...yet
MSN Messenger 4.5's security standards remain unchanged from version 3.0, which means they're still not on par with ICQ. You still can't make yourself invisible to particular buddies, nor can you limit file-transfer privileges to trusted users. But you can demand that others get your permission before they add you to their contact lists, block 'all' buddies from seeing that you're online, and instantly access a list of everyone who has added you as a pal. If you don't recognise users on that list, you can quickly block them from contacting you or seeing your online status--a very cool trick that should be standard on all IMs.
Support is standard Microsoft: you'll find excellent online support, including searchable databases and organised FAQs, but phone support costs a fortune.
MSN Messenger 4.5 is the best version of Microsoft's IM yet, but it hasn't come far enough to blow Yahoo Messenger or ICQ out of the water.
MSN Messenger 4.5
Company: Microsoft
Price: Free download
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