Testing various ICQ clients on the Android platform

Surely, many users of devices based on the Android operating system think that under their platform there is not a single decent ICQ client. But is it? Is it easy to separate the wheat from the chaff in the app store, which is now breaking all records in its growth? Let's try to figure it out.

For those who want to choose a client to fit their needs and preferences, this test is prepared. The review included 18 different clients. All tests were conducted on the device HTC Hero (official firmware Android Eclair). There are many screenshots under the cut, so be careful if you have limited traffic.

The list of ICQ-clients who participated in the testing

1. Agile Messenger
2. Asia
3. eBuddy
4. Fring
5. goober
6. ICQ Mobile
7. ICQLive
8. IM Easy
9. IM + 2.0.4
10. IM + 3.0.11
11. Beejive IM
12. Imo.im
13. Jimm Aspro (Multi)
14. Meebo IM
15. Mundu IM
16. Nimbuzz
17. Slick
18. Trillian
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Of course, for understandable reasons, not all of the clients were taken for the test, so if you have experience in dealing with some of the clients not listed in this list, you are welcome in the comments.

1. Agile Messenger

Go to the official website

With the help of this client, we get a rare opportunity (though not very necessary) to write and look at our feet. The image from the camera is set as the background, however it only affects the contact list, the keyboard itself remains opaque. A funny thing, but no more. Alas, but often there are messages in Russian with warped encoding, and the client interface itself slows down.

Pros and cons of the client

Background broadcast from the device camera
Warped encoding
Few opportunities
Interface braking

2. Asia

Official site

The client with the cat “Asya” is quite good, supports extended statuses, history, tabs. Fits most of the criteria of the modern ICQ-client, except that the files are not transmitted. It is very nice that it is developed by our compatriot. I want to, in addition to a simple notification in the status bar of the incoming message, add the icon of the application itself, in order to understand that the client is running. When you connect to the ICQ service, it loses sound for each contact that is on the network, which is why everything starts to slow down a bit at the start. It is also noted that the sound cannot be turned off separately in the settings, so you need to turn on silent mode in the phone itself. If the project continues to develop further, we will soon have just an excellent client.

Pros and cons of the client

Message history, tabs
Extended statuses, many smiles
No Silent Mode
Minor bugs in the interface

3. eBuddy

Go to the official website

This client has a very nice interface, but does not support history. Scrolling through the contact list and e-mailing in eBuddy is just nice to the eye. Strange feature: avatars are loaded only if you look at the contact information separately, however, after exiting the application, avatars are not saved. At the same time, such a convenient and stylish interface can “bribe” many.

Pros and cons of the client

Beautiful interface
Not optimal use of traffic
No message history, warped encoding

4. Fring

Go to the official website

Messenger with a hand-drawn interface, but for use as an ICQ is not enough, Fring itself is focused more on calls. It is very simple, although it performs the main functions reliably. However, behind him noticed the download of a large number of ads.

Pros and cons of the client

Beautiful interface
Few opportunities
A lot of advertising

5. goober

Go to the official website

For permanent use it has a strange menu structure. When you select a contact, a menu with three actions appears: actually start chat, show profile and delete chat history. This is very disturbing, and the receipt of messages with corrupted encoding also discourages the use.

Pros and cons of the client

Works fast
Warped encoding
Inconvenient interface

6. ICQ Mobile

Go to the official website

The official ICQ client has scanty settings and sometimes crashes, but it performs the basic functions adequately, although someone may not like this greenish interface. The application is fully translated into Russian.

Pros and cons of the client

A lot of possibilities
Convenient interface
No message history

7. ICQLive

Go to the official website

One of the most popular clients, supports advanced statuses, history, has a large number of settings, but, alas, it is very unstable. If it were not for the permanent messages “The application stopped unexpectedly” and disconnects - the client would have been the best, but the project has stopped developing, so there is no need to wait for corrections yet.

Pros and cons of the client

A lot of possibilities
Unstable work
Project abandoned by the author

8. IM Easy

Go to the official website

It has a stylish interface, wide customization options and cool smilies. I expected that there would be a very good client, but after several incoming messages in Russian, I changed my mind. Alas, but problems with the encoding prevent reading messages.

Pros and cons of the client

Support themes
Warped encoding

9. IM + 2.0.4

Go to the official website

Perhaps one of the best customers that exist. The contact list of the application is very convenient, there is support for pop-up alerts, both in the status bar and on top of any other application. True, the correspondence interface could be made more beautiful. He is very good with the encodings; the appearance of messages with a warped encoding was not noticed. It is possible to switch between the conversation windows with a trackball or trackpad. The client is very stable, but it does not always connect the first time.

Pros and cons of the client

Popup Alerts
A lot of possibilities
The interface is ugly

10. IM + 3.0.11

Go to the official website

Since the third version, the interface has changed dramatically, from a black palette to a white one, which adversely affected both the beauty of the application and the performance. The correspondence interface was reworked and made more convenient, but the application stopped using the native interface of the android and switched to its own schedule, which is why the scrolling in the contact list is not so smooth. However, the developers promise to support skins in future releases, so we will not take this for a serious minus. As for the functionality, the developers cut support for pop-up alerts on top of another application and this is not enough. And, it would seem, updates should improve applications.

Pros and cons of the client

Convenient chat interface
Cut out pop-up notifications
Slow work

11. Beejive IM

Go to the official website

The client, who appeared recently, was very good at checking. It has a fairly smooth animation, a pleasant interface of the contact list and the chat window, but it carries one unpleasant bug. When writing a message, it is displayed in a separate pop-up window, which is practically invisible when you call the on-screen keyboard. Because of what to consider what you wrote - it turns out to be impossible. Also, the application can not exit without help - only through the taskkiller. Otherwise, everything is convenient, especially switching between chat windows.

Pros and cons of the client

Stable work
Convenient interface
Problems with viewing the entered message in the chat and exit the application

12. Imo.im

Go to the official website

The application has a rather confusing interface, a small number of functions, but perfectly reads advanced statuses. Of course, it’s not possible to put your status, but it’s easy to see other people. It can store history on its server, which is not very useful. Alas, even the simplest emoticons do not understand.

Pros and cons of the client

Reads advanced statuses perfectly.
Few opportunities
Keeps history on its server

13. Jimm Aspro

Go to the official website

The direct port of regular Jimma from Java (java), the interface is not reworked, so usability is very lame. For each action with the usual touch interface, you have to do more with one or several movements. A long press on the contact does not lead to anything, and to see the context menu, you need to use the "KM" button. However, these disadvantages pay off some advantages: there are all the possibilities of “big” clients, even antispam, but the sound alert does not work. If you miss ICQ from a normal non-touch phone, then install this application, if you want convenience, choose something else.

Pros and cons of the client

Antispam
A lot of possibilities
Inconvenient touchscreen interface
No alert via beeps

14. Meebo IM

Go to the official website

Another ordinary client with average capabilities, works smartly, but has a minimum of settings, supports more than one ICQ account at a time. Can not save history locally, stores it on its own server, which leads to an increase in traffic.

Pros and cons of the client

Multiple account support
Few opportunities
Keeps history on its server

15. Mundu IM

Go to the official website

It has a fairly nice looking interface, but unpleasant brakes when scrolling through a contact list. There are two icons on the left and right: the established accounts and conversations, respectively. If it were not for the brakes, we would get another stylish messenger with good features.

Pros and cons of the client

File transfer is possible through own server
Slow speed

16. Nimbuzz

Go to the official website

Like Goober, it has a different structure for starting a conversation. When you click on a contact, a menu appears with items: start a conversation, send an MMS, or view a profile. With a long press on a contact, you can skip this menu and go straight to writing a message. If you swap these actions, it would be easier and faster. The interface itself is not bad - large fonts and calm colors.

Pros and cons of the client

Convenient interface
Strange procedure to start conversations

17. Slick

Go to the official website

Weak client Little is able. It does not work in the background, the bottom buttons are not pressed, no alerts are displayed in the status bar, even the kinetic scrolling is not. On the simbian and even more able, at least the background was blurring for beauty.

Pros and cons of the client

File transfer is possible.
Few opportunities
Inconvenient to use

18. Trillian

Go to the official website

Customer with an attractive interface. Despite the lack of some functions - it is very promising, since it was released relatively recently. Add developers at least a story - you get one of the best customers. But this is only beta, so we are waiting for new builds.

Pros and cons of the client

Nice interface
Lack of some features

Results

To fully summarize, I will give a comparative table of functionality:



Each of the clients has both its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is necessary to choose it only through self-examination of the most promising samples. I just provided the results of my own testing, in the form of this, albeit a bit of a confused review. The choice is yours.