The mobile market is flooded with IM clients these days and as time goes on, they continue to become more feature-rich and usable. Typing messages in rapid succession on any handset is a chore, but there are some options that make it more enjoyable than others. With all of the different solutions out there however, it can be difficult to know which application is best-suited for your needs and is compatible with your IM network(s) of choice. As such, OctroTalk might be the prefect place to start. Is it compatible with your smartphone? Symbian, check. Windows Mobile Smartphone and Pocket PC editions, check. Palm OS, check. OctroTalk even has a Windows XP version to carry a unified instant messaging experience over to your desktop or laptop. Is it compatible with your IM network of choice? Google Talk / Jabber, MSN, AIM, ICQ and Yahoo are currently supported and there will likely be more networks to come. We’re not just talking about multi-platform instant messaging here though, the OctroTalk client supports VoIP over GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, Wifi and even a bluetooth data connection! The app also supports P2P file transfers, encrypted connections to Google Talk and plenty more. A few additional highlights:
- Always on connected to Google Talk / Jabber with MSN, AIM, ICQ and Yahoo transports
- Complete VOIP product. Access to PSTN.
- Supports Low Bandwidth Codec (even works with EDGE/GPRS/CDMA).
- Streamlined UI. Optimized for one-handed operation. Today Screen / Home Screen integration.
- Extremely fast P2P file transfer. Quick picture messaging.
- Low CPU usage. Only VOIP product that works on Treo 700w (300 MHz processor).
- Message Archiving in your Gmail Account.
- Access your computer remotely.
- Support for group chat / conferencing. OctroTalk lets you create / join Jabber conference rooms.
Oh, and did we mention that OctroTalk is 100% free? For the time being at least, Octro makes their solution available as a free beta although they do plan to implement a fee structure at some point. Expect a host of functionality to remain free though, with select features available for addition at a premium. For the time being, we’re not sure that we can think of any other mobile IM option this feature-rich; freeware or payware.
[Thanks Jim]
