First there was the Postal Service. Then came the telegraph. Then the telephone. Then came e-mail. Now, there's instant messaging. What do all these have in common?

They are ways to communicate with people that have become faster and faster over the decades.

AOL started instant messaging with their proprietary Internet service. A few years later, AOL expanded that functionality to a separate client that allowed users to instantly chat with AIM users and AOL service users.

The latest beta version, AIM 4.1.2031 serves up the ability to allow users to make PC-to-telephone connections with friends and family over the Internet. Pretty nifty, but I don't think it's viable seeing you can pick up a cell phone or use the separate phone line to make a local call...for free.

AIM 4.1.2031 also offers Buddy Alerts (a la ICQ) that tell users when a buddy comes online. Buddy icons can personalize an IM session.

Other standard features include stock quotes, e-mail alerts for POP accounts, "capabilities" which allow you to find out which features your buddy's software can support by hovering the mouse over a buddy's name, and 16 graphical emoticons that express smiling, frowns, surprise, etc.

AIM 4.1 even lets you live chat with your buddies with a mic and speakers, plus the option to send images in instant messages.

There are other non-touted features, but the strength of AIM is in its ease-of-use. If you can read and point-n-click, you can use AIM.

You are not going to find another instant messaging client that offers a clean, easy-to-manage, and simple-yet-powerful interface like AIM (Some say ICQ, but I beg to differ on that one).

The only downsides to AIM are that you are forced to communicate only with other AIM or AOL service users. AOL owns ICQ, a more robust client, but you can't contact ICQ users and vice versa.

Privacy is also a downside to AIM. Anyone who knows your AIM/AOL screen name can add you to their list and contact you. Sure, you can block them once they contact them or "warn" them (useless feature), but ICQ's authorization is much more practical. Plus there is no "invisible" option like ICQ.

AIM 4.1 is a great client for instant messaging--especially for novice Internet users and people who want simple instant messaging abilities.

However, if you need more powerful and plentiful features, then check out ICQ. ICQ is an extremely powerful client, but it too has its cons and there are many!



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