I need your suggestions on WP Plugins..

It will be my first time to make a WP blog. I have some issues regarding free plugins. Looking at the net gives me crappy plugins though I got some few good ones.

Can Anyone suggest for a good plugin for the following?

1. gallery - im using nextgen but is there better than this?
2. skype status plugin
3. twitter status plugin
4. featured article plugin
5. social plugin - im using socialslide but is there better than this?

TIA brothers and sisters!

i badly need your opinion guys.......

I use this for Social... decent... While there you might want to also checkout their Mega-Menu plug... nice

thanks hijinx..

anyone else???

for skype status try this
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/skype-online-status/