This software is the light version of ICQ - the well-known instant messaging service.

Since ICQ is an ad-supported application, users are advised to pay attention when installing it. Unless you switch to custom mode, the software will install the ICQ Toolbar, as well as make ICQ Search your default search engine and homepage.

Once you initiate the program with the familiar interface, you can either sign up with an existing e-mail account, or login with your Facebook account.

So, the first step is to import your contacts - from Facebook, Gmail, Windows Live, Yahoo, AOL, GML, or other email service. You can view a list of friends from multiple email services at the same time.

However, you should know that ICQ imports contacts from email accounts, not instant messengers (except for Google Talk). For example, you cannot talk to friends from Yahoo Messenger that are not listed in the address book found in your email account.

In ICQ, you can edit your nickname, set a custom status, search for a friend, view feeds from friends or set a status that will be seen across social networks (via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr), get email notifications for Gmail and Yahoo, send a SMS, change the interface skin, manage privacy lists (invisible and blocked), and more.

We were not able to import contacts via Yahoo (ICQ didn't recognize several Yahoo accounts) or connect to My Box via Facebook. Furthermore, you can send a SMS only to a limited list of countries.

Overall, ICQ uses a moderate amount of system resources and didn't freeze or crash during our tests. Except for some minor issues, this software should be used with confidence.