Trillian Astra is in the works and it’s looking like an exciting piece of software. For those of you that don’t know Trillian, it’s a standalone messenger client with which you can use ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger and AIM. What sets it apart from those popular chat clients is that it really lets you customize the interface with a huge amount of different skins and emoticons.

Let’s take a quick peek at what the new Trillian Astra will have on offer. According to its developers, performance has been improved and the client will use up much less CPU. With IMCore, Trillian hopes to avoid the little connection bugs that occur when you support more than 5 different IMs. Those of you with slow bandwidth will be glad to learn that it will also offer optimized connections to IM services. Trillian will support Google Talk and My Space IM and will bulk files into a ZIP file to speed up your transfer.

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Forget the search data spill, which gave away the browsing habits of nearly 65,000 users in August. AOL is trying to woo users by offering its online services for free. This means you get access to AOL video, a free email account, more than 200 internet radio stations and use of AOL's security tools. Those of you that already use AOL Explorer, AOL Media Player, or Triton and trust the AOL platform will be glad to see the company making some effort.

Jeffrey Bewkes, chief operating officer of Time Warner, is optimistic and believes that going free has also brought new types of people to AOL. He revealed that "40 percent of new users were not former subscribers" but still hoped that old users who had gone off to other internet providers would be encouraged to "come back and reclaim old email addresses". After what happened in August, I doubt ex-customers will confidently flock back to AOL though.

It seems you can’t go anywhere on the internet without being followed – just ask Gary Glitter. Whether it’s marketing companies tracking your surfing habits or spyware saving and transmitting your personal details, most current browsers leave behind a trail of footprints leading back to your PC. That’s why programming collective Hacktivismo have released Torpark – a new browser that uses its own network of net routers to allow users to surf without leaving a trace.

Even more impressive, Torpack can be stored on any USB pendrive or external storage device meaning you can surf in peace from any PC, anytime. The browser works by encrypting traffic between a computer and the Tor routers owned by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It also regularly changes the user’s IP address to leave a “smokescreen” for any potential intruders. The makers admit however that data exchanged between websites that do not use encryption to secure login sessions and the Tor network remain vulnerable. They proudly claim however that unlike other similar applications such as Anonymizer and SecretSurfer, Torpark is 100% clean and free of spyware/adware.

Firefox users have been able to access the Tor network via a plugin for sometime now but this is the first time the browser has been available for download. The new package also features a special tab that allows users to switch between anonymous and normal surfing. The two major drawbacks are that in exchange for anonymity, surfing is somewhat slower and some sites act badly thinking you are constantly logging-in and out again like some kind of paranoid lunatic. That said, if you’ve been particularly plagued by credit card fraud or security issues, this could be the answer you’ve been looking for.

The viral growth of Web 2.0 sites and apps has seen some incredible innovation as mobs of freshly graduated geeks dive head first in to new technologies and languages in the quest to attract the masses as well as the millions that will make them the next Bill Gates. While the cream of the crop has been hitting the headlines, there have been many ideas that are so far outside the box that they can't even see it anymore! That's the premise for a recent Wired News Rant and Rave based on a poll taken of Web 2.0 winners and losers.

Of course Flickr comes in as a clear winner with its friendly design, buzzing community and open API. Not far behind is another Yahoo! owned venture - del.icio.us, which really defines what social bookmarking is all about. The number of downloadable plug-ins and add-ons for these winners is testament to their success, something that can't be said for the "Web 2.0 Losers", most notably myspace.com. Blasted for its "clunky interface and intrusive advertising", Myspace somehow became popular while going against just about every convention of Web 2.0. As for wacky ideas, how about fo.rtuito.us, the social network that didn't bother joining people of common interests but went down the random path with disastrous results. Sticking two complete strangers together for four days to see if they hit it off was more of a Big Brother approach and as with the TV show, it wasn't a pretty sight.

For me though, a whopping great omission was made by not including the phenomenal last.fm - a site that unites music lovers (and there are a few of them) in the search for audio enlightenment by way of their own personalised and perfect music stream. Finally the clear proof that Web 2.0 has not been a waste of time.

The latest Beta version of Google's digital imagery app, available for PC and Mac, offers notable improvements, among which exciting support for HDTV, to record your "Earth fly-overs", in case that's how you get your kicks. Car owners, you won't fumble for the next page of driving directions just as you come across an intersection anymore. In this new version of Google Earth you can print out your directions in a turn by turn layout. But the real improvement comes in the form of various overlays to add to the Google Earth experience. Whether you're environmentally-conscious or a real traveler you'll take a real liking to these.

Thanks to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), and in a real effort of raising public awareness, "extreme environmental degradation" zones around the globe have been mapped out. I checked out a digital imagery comparison of Mexico City from 1973 to 1999. It's impressive to see how much the city has sprawled out. The Discovery Networks World Tour is great for getting information on your future travel destinations. I watched videos on the Amalfi Coast in Italy and jotted down a few places that I might check out. National Park Service information is particularly useful if you decide to go trekking, say in Yosemite National Park and want to find out what trails you can take. The Jane Goodall Institute overlay will probably attract wildlife lovers. It picks out chimpanzee preserves around the world. If you're just curious in general, the National Geographic overlay should satisfy your curiosity with hundreds of locations and landmarks pinpointed on the globe. But my favorite function is the Turn Here overlay because you can view short videos of cool spots in many cities. Anybody can submit a video to Google Earth thus sharing what's cool with the rest of the world.

What a pity it is to see the RIAA (those who would have you pay by the minute for listening to your own music) get their way every now and again, as was the case recently when they got one up on eDonkey's creators MetaMachine. Before even reaching the court, the case was settled for $30 million in exchange for not being sued for what would more than likely be many times that figure.

This is a case of the fat cats using their weight to wipe out not only the misdoers but those who have been using the software fairly at the same time. MetaMachine have agreed to stop distributing the software, even though it is not illegal to download. On top, their web page has been liquidized and now contains a message that will have the executives at the RIAA grinning from ear to ear.

At its September 12 media event, Apple introduced new iPods, its future iTV release and a shiny new iTunes 7. According to some, this announcement was altogether disappointing and a sign of slowing down in Apple's spectacular growth. We still couldn't help getting all excited about the new version of iTunes, and here a few of its features.

The interface has been polished and, apart from the logo having swapped green for blue, there are plenty of cosmetic and under-the-hood tweaks. When you're playing music, you get to choose between three different views: the classic list, Grouped Artwork view (a list revealing all album covers) and the cool CoverFlow view, great for skimming through your albums. The iTunes Store has lost the Music label because, true innovation, it will now offer movies and games for your iPod on sale. You also get a download manager, where you can organize the podcasts, audiobooks, movies and albums you download.

But the real buzz is in iTunes' simplified iPod music management. It is now much simpler to organize the media on your portable MP3 player and you can sync your files downloaded from the iTunes store from one PC to another. Personally I like the restructuring of the player and the download manager works great when you're getting loads of podcasts. I was disappointed when I realized though that CoverFlow doesn't work with podcasts, even if you have the artwork. A great improvement is the chance to snatch artwork from the store, so no more endless hours spent on Amazon looking for all my album sleeves. iTunes 7 is getting better and I can't really see any other media player/manager getting close to it.

In an attempt to gain back strategic ground from Google, their main competitor, Microsoft has officially moved Windows Live Search (previously known as MSN Search) out of Beta. The new search engine lets you find news, RSS feeds, images and videos. Local Search has been improved in terms of imagery and mobile integration and you can get answers to all your questions via the new QnA service. The new interface is sleek and customizable, so you can select what information will appear everytime you visit Windows Live, like adding weather information, sports updates and entertainment news. The menu from the top left icon allows you to check out your favorites, get a safety scan from Windows OneCare, save images in your gallery, trade and buy with Expo and Live Shopping and chat and blog on Spaces. Effectively, Microsoft aims to jump onto the web 2.0 revolution by encouraging users to carry out all their computer activities online.

According to the Redmond firm, image processing and search results should load faster, thanks to a new algorithm and "extensive feedback" from beta testers. Will Windows Live dethrone Google? Just how successful will the new platform be in changing users' online experience? If you haven't tried them yet, take a shot at Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Toolbar, and Windows Live Writer.

Every now and again someone puts a lot of work in to producing a list that puts "whatever" in their rightful place and gives the world some clear perspective. Top ten lists are a common sight on the front pages of Digg and when a Top 100 list comes out, it is seen somewhat as a definitive guide or authoritative list on the topic it covers. I mean, whose going to make a Top 100 list if they don't have a pretty firm grasp of what it is they're talking about?

That's why the "Top 100 games of the 21st century" list caught my eye. I had hoped to see what top-quality games (if any) I might have overlooked since the turn of the millenium and although there were some dodgy choices in the games high up on the list, I shrugged it off as being typical top 100 style - keep the very best til last. Going down the list, Bob the Builder loses out to Return to Castle Wolfenstein by just two places. Strange, but maybe the author of the list has kids who really like Bob.

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A story today from Arstechnica reveals that 21 year old Christopher Maxwell received a 37 month jail sentence for launching a botnet which, according to the source, allowed him and his friends to reap as much as $100,000 dollars. Not all hackers out there have an evil mind bent on wreaking havoc and anarchy in government and institutional networks, but the truth is they sometimes don't realize the consequences of their actions. Maxwell's botnet caused Seattle's Northwest Hospital to switch to its "disaster plan" and teachers from Colton Unified School district "lost crucial instructional time". Maxwell did measure how far his actions could take him when the sentence came down though .

As institutions rely more and more on networks and computerized information, we're bound to see this type of news more often and probably at a greater scale. That's why it's essential to remind time and time again that you need to protect your PC. You can't go without Lavasoft's Ad-Aware or Spybot's Search and Destroy. Both these solutions are free, easy to use and analyze your PC fairly quickly.

It seems Rockstar Games has decided to step out of the controversy spotlight and let some other players get in on some action. With the release of what is probably the best table-tennis simulation ever, modestly named Table Tennis, Rockstar has managed to wrong foot all their critics who were lying in wait for another slash and dash role player much like the latest title from Eidos - Reservoir Dogs.

Already banned in Australia and New Zealand, Reservoir Dogs promises not only to let you follow in the footsteps of the characters from the cult classic, but will also fill in some of the unanswered questions from the film. However, before it's even been released, it has come under fire from British Police who are 'disappointed' to find this kind of violent game coming out at a time when "police officers are suffering more attacks than ever before".

A collective sigh must just about be the total effect of this criticism as we set off on this familiar beaten path once again. Comments like these have already been shown as a great form of publicity for the games in question and when it comes to the crunch, the quality of the game will decide whether it's a hit or a miss, so there isn't much point in kicking up a storm in the first place. You've got to wonder what more can be said on the matter except "Will we ever learn?"

Pirates and spammers beware, there's been a new breakthrough in information encryption. Researchers of the University of Queensland and the Australian National University have been awarded the prestigious Eureka 2006 Scientific Research award for their use of quantum physics to encrypt information. Their research consists of using "laser beams to generate entangled photons" thus making it virtually impossible to mess with the transmission of information. According to the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes press release however "quantum computers could also crack the mathematically-based codes we rely on for personal and commercial security on the web". So much for user privacy.

We're not there yet however, and it'll surely be ages before we get any closer to home-owned quantum-powered PCs. Most programs available to protect your data consist of solid yet not totally invincible, 128 or 256KB AES encryption. There's a good number of applications you can find on Softonic to keep your precious files from prying eyes. AxCrypt is a quick encryptor/decryptor for your files, while Cryptic Disk handles your hard drive and disk partitions. It's a good idea to make a backup encrypted copy of your files once in a while.

Are you a news junkie? Do you find yourself checking your favorite newsites every 10 minutes to get that headline adrenaline? If so, you must know about Really Simple Syndication (RSS). RSS allows you to keep up to date with all new articles or posts that your favorite site puts up. Here at Softonic we mostly use the inbuilt RSS feature from Firefox, but if there was one to recommend we would go for Blogbridge. This stand alone rss application allows you to search and add the syndication feeds from a url and lets you set tags and ratings. While it is mostly destined for blog fanatics, you can also use it to follow up on normal websites. What we like in Blogbridge is also the interface, with the main window to read your post, and the left side of the interface revealing your list of feeds, a thumbnail for each of them and a short description. If you're hooked on RSS, what feed reader would you recommend to other users and why?

So Skype is the reigning king of the VOIP but what viable alternatives are there at hand? German company Betamax offers three different versions of the same application: VOIP Stunt, VoipBuster, and VoipCheap. The difference between the three? Not much, to tell the truth, apart from the interface. They all offer the same rates, simple features and a promotion for free PC to phone calls when you sign up (and buy 10 Euros of credit). What really makes one stand out from the others is the different countries to which you can make free calls. Choose wisely and you'll be able to chat endlessly for free!