Yahoo's instant messaging client is still in beta stage, and the company has already launched a new version: Yahoo Messenger 7.0.0.426.

Upon its introduction, the new IM client came with a new feature: VoIP, that enabled users from all over the world to call their contacts who use the same version of Yahoo Messenger, the only requirement being a pair of headphones and a microphone.

The new version also marks a change in the strategy employed by Yahoo to promote its IM client. If so far, Yahoo Messenger has been praised for emoticons and other integrated services, such as games and weather information, from now on, Yahoo has decided to respond to Skype's growth.

Yahoo Messenger, which occupies second place after AOL' Instant Messenger client, is trying in this way to beat Skype, the well known VoIP program, which has now 48 million users.

Young people think that e-mail is not interesting anymore and that instant messaging is the primary communication tool, a study on the preferences of young Internet users said. Yahoo Messenger has integrated in its latest version new features, such as Internet searching in the conversation window.

Now, the user can select any word and search information about it on the Internet, a process that takes place almost instantaneously.

Yahoo Messenger 7.0.0.426 beta has been certified by Softpedia as being 100% CLEAN and it is available for download here.