Yahoo
Messenger is a free service that allows you to see when
friends come online and to send them instant messages. It also can alert
you to new e-mail in your Yahoo Mail or Yahoo Personals accounts, or
when you have upcoming events recorded in your Yahoo Calendar. Yahoo Messenger
offers firewall support, a standby mode that minimizes the program until an
Internet connection is made, the ability to save and print your
conversations, and a tabbed interface that provides quick access to your
favorite stocks, news, and sports scores.
Other features
include the ability to create a chat room automatically, stock price alerts,
the ability to send messages to friends (even if they're not online when you
are), a Quick Compact mode that hides the Messenger tools to maximize your
viewing area, Messenger Themes, and voice chat, which allows you to talk for
free to anybody else on the Internet. It also includes Launchcast Radio, Yahoo
Games, and Yahoo Audibles. Using a Webcam, you can see who you're chatting with
or view the Webcam of any Yahoo member who has granted you access.
