ImGiant Lite

Editors' ReviewDownload.com staffJune 6, 2006Instant messagers have changed the way people talk to each other, but the IM universe remains maddeningly split among big-company products that don't talk to each other. ImGiant Lite is one of several tools that merges a computer user's AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, and IRC contacts into a single program, so they're easier to manage, even if they're still not technically connected to each other. This particular program is based on the open-source GAIM instant-messaging tool, but goes little beyond its features. It doesn't have voice or video support, but it does allow users to chat, transfer files, and send smileys (although we found no emoticon library in the download package). The Pounce feature lets you execute certain actions, such as playing a sound or opening a new IM window, when a new contact comes online. The interface itself is rather clumsy compared to those in rival messaging tools. We see no radical improvements on the underlying GAIM software, and many users will likely prefer the original.