Multi-protocol instant messaging client Pidgin has hit version 2.2. And when they say multi-protocol, they mean it. Pidgin supports AIM, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, Groupwise, ICQ, IRC, MSN, MySpaceIM, QQ, SILC, SIMPLE, Sametime, XMPP, Yahoo!, and Zephyr.

In other words, there's a good chance this open-source program is the only instant messaging client you'll ever need to install on your Windows or Linux PC. There are a bunch of updates since the last release. One of our favorites is the return of optional protocol icons which make it easy to tell which of your friends are using MSN Messenger, and which are using AIM (and so on). Here are some of the other changes:

• Yahoo! Chat is fixed
• AIM file transfer issues fixed
• Properly restore idle status time for AIM and ICQ accounts that reconnect after being disconnected
• Remember "enable sounds" setting for a conversation

If you've got friends and family using 17 different instant messaging applications, Pidgin is a great way to keep in touch with everyone without installing 17 different programs. And the best thing is when you turn it off, they all go away. You know, unless they e-mail, call, or stop by your house for a visit.
[via Digg]

On Friday, we wrote about the iPhoneChat application that allowed you to do AOL Instant Messaging from the iPhone. Today, however, we can go one better: AIM, Jabber (GTalk), MSN, Yahoo! and even ICQ for your iPhone.

Meebo offers an IM-aggregation service via the web, however what's great about this apparently new service is that you don't need to be registered with Meebo to be able to sign in. You simply visit the site, enter your sign-in details, and Meebo will log you in to the relevant service. Whilst the service isn't specifically for the iPhone, it works just fine (and once you've opened a chat window, you can simply take advantage of the zooming and enlarge the chat window) thanks to the iPhone's Safari browser.

Back in the day, and I mean WAY back in the day when ICQ was the only instant messaging platform around, I remember setting up voice recordings of all of my contact's names so that when I received messages from a contact, rather than hearing the ubiquitous "uh-oh" sound (admit it, you remember the "uh-oh"!), I would hear the person's name announced that was trying to get my attention. This was so that I wouldn't be consumed with curiosity if I was sitting across the room when I heard the message arrive - I could know exactly who's trying to get my attention. You know, a poor-man's caller ID. And it actually worked quite well. By the way, if you're looking for a way to make voice files of each of your contact's names, this AT&T demo site works wonderfully.

If you're a heavy user of Skype, you may find that there are times that you need to leave Skype running, but that you can't be sitting at your computer all the time. Or maybe you are at your computer, but you're consumed in some important work and don't want to have to be pulled out of your concentration to see who's trying to call you all the time. If this describes you, you might want to check out AudioID for Skype.

AudioID allows you to set up exactly the same scenario that I described having done above with ICQ. As callers call you, their names are announced so you know whether you want to interrupt whatever it is you're doing to take the call. The cool thing here is that rather than having to create audio files for each contact, AudioID will actually simply use a text-to-speech engine to read the name to you. This can result in some funny pronunciations, but is still totally usable. To me this actually seems like a feature all instant-messaging clients (be them audio or old-fashioned text) should have built in.

People have been talking about Google releasing their own IM software since, I think, the beginning of time, but internetnews.com is reporting that it's got to be what they're up to now. You see, this week Google is expected to announce its acquisition of Meetroduction, the company which makes Meetro, which is some sort of IM client that supports multiple protocols (e.g. AIM, Jabber, ICQ) and uses wi-fi mojo to find new buddies for you based on your physical location.

I can't help but wonder if something more is going on here, though. If Google just wanted an IM client, why wouldn't they have just started with Jabber or even Gaim? Meetro seems like an odd purchase, unless they've got something special in mind for that wi-fi mojo, and I sincerely hope they do. If anybody can make an IM client with a difference and actually get people to use it, it's Google.