Adium X
Current Version: 1.2.6 (July 2, 2008)
Adium X (Formerly Adium, a simple AIM clone) is an extremely nice multi-protocol instant messaging client for Mac OS X, supporting AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and ICQ. If you're coming from the Windows platform, you can think of Adium as Trillian for Mac OS X. It is probably the most capable IM client for the Macintosh, with a huge number of available options to customize the application to your liking, and it's actively updated and free, to boot.
Versions 0.50 and later are the culmination of more than a year-long rewrite of Adium, which now utilizes libpurple (formerly libgaim, the core part of Pidgin) to connect to multiple protocols, and is also based on a new plugin architecture. Partial address book integration, "cool" looking tabs, multiple protocols for instant messaging, and a compact contact list are some of the many features of the new Adium X.
Version 1.2.6 adds/changes the following:
- Updated to libpurple 2.4.3
- Fixed ICQ connectivity
- Improved Yahoo! and Yahoo! Japan messaging to use UTF-8, restoring compatibility with the web messenger
- Fixed setting your buddy icon for Yahoo! accounts
- Multiple QQ fixes
- Decreased spam on the MyspaceIM service
- Fixed some situations which could lead to the dreaded "MSN list synchronization" errors
- Fixed an ancient bug in which the wrong event would be displayed for a contact status change, such as "Contact Came Back" when the contact disconnected. (#468, #5551)
- Fixed a crash which could occur when a contact changed status while a new chat window was open with that contact (#9425)
- Fixed saving/restoring message window positioning on 10.4
The online release notes for version 1.2.6 have more details.
User Reviews
"I just started using Adium and I love it. Tabbed chat! I have a few accounts and some overlap with friends who have accounts on the same servers. I am getting used to how they all appear in the contact list. When the novelty wears off I will probably turn off the quacking or change the sound. I like programs with a transparency option. For context, I have been using PSI for jabber lately. Before that Exodus. I have not got Yahoo to work yet. Might have something to do with .Ca vs .Com. I will keep trying."
—David Croal
"Thank youuuu! I have been stressing over my MSN for ages! Having to use crappy online ones because my MSN for Mac stopped working suddenly. Then stumbled across this and it's great! So thanks for a great programme! And no need for any changes - it's great as it is and changes seem to confuse my computer ... So annoying!"
—Georgia Alen
(Version 0.89.1) "A VERY NICE multi-service instant messaging client. I love the ability to download scripts, soundsets and UI extras and easily install and use them with zero hassle. I've found Adium quite stable and easy to use. It's certainly the most attractive IM client I've ever used and I like it's easy to use log viewer and file transfers a lot. The only thing I wish it did is Webcam support. I hate having to fire up Yahoo's awful OS X client just to use my Webcam. Yuck."
—Jamie Kahn Genet
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the Mac OS X (Cocoa / Universal) version.Also See . . .
Can't find what you're looking for? Try a search:
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Finally, take a look at ALEMIA if you think you know that name of an application, but aren't quite sure.
Also Consider . . .
These are applications that are newer and of potential interest, but which I haven't yet selected for permanent inclusion. Have a look, and let me know if you think they deserve to be part of the permanent collection!