Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Google Talk - Google Does IM

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Google Talk - Google Does IM

    http://talk.google.com <-- note, as of this post it's not live yet

    But reviews/screenshots are online.



    Google Talk, Google's long-expected entry into the IM and VoIP market, has arrived. As predicted, Google Talk is a full-fledged IM client based on the open Jabber protocol with VoIP thrown in for good measure.

    Here's a quick run-down of what Google Talk has to offer: Basic IM capabilities, high-quality and easy to use VoIP, complete integration with Gmail, and a simple, ads-free interface. Read on for our preliminary review and a glimpse into Google Talk's future.

    The download is tiny (about 900k) and the install is so quick and easy you don't even realize it's finished yet. You sign in with your Gmail account and are immediately presented with your (momentarily empty) buddy list. There's an Add Friend button, a "Search all contacts" field which searches both your Google Talk and Gmail contacts, and a drop-down under your name that lets you set your available/unavailable status and messages. There's also an Inbox button which takes you to Gmail, plus Help and Settings.
    Google Talk: IM window

    Clicking on a friend in your buddy list will open an IM window for that person, and clicking on the phone icon to the right of their name will start a voice session. The buddy list allows you to rename contacts and tweak other settings, like whether Gmail-only contacts are shown. When you have multiple IM windows open, they show up in a neat sliding interface which you can dock to the buddy list, "roll up," or tear away. The whole affair is the picture of simplicity and intuitiveness we've come to expect of Google, and is downright attractive to boot.
    Google Talk: settings

    According to our friends at Google, there's a lot in store for Google Talk. Google is keenly interested in keeping the protocol open, and in fact you can access Google Talk's servers with any Jabber-compatible client like Trillian, Gaim, Adium X, and iChat. (If you have one of these, I'm told you can connect using server talk.google.com and port 5222.) Google tells us that SIP support is coming soon and are in talks with Skype, AOL, and Yahoo! concerning interoperability.

    Another big feature they're working on is "joint search," which would allow two or more Google Talk buddies using Google and surfing the web together. This would be a natural segue to the fabled Google Browser, but there is as yet no confirmation from Google.

    Google also tells us that they don't yet have solid plans on making money with the service, but plan on using it to drive users to Gmail.


    "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
    Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

  • #2
    And now it's live and downloadable

    Comment


    • #3
      900KB. Nice.
      "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
      Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

      Comment


      • #4
        As a sidenote, MSN Messenger 7.5 came out today.

        "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
        Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

        Comment


        • #5
          /me adds yet another account to Trillian so he can actually talk to all the people he needs to...
          "In the beginning was the Word. Then came the ******* word processor." -Dan Simmons, Hyperion

          Comment


          • #6
            Nice touch: if you were the last person to send a message and keep typing new lines and hitting enter, it just appends to the last message rather than saying your name all over again.
            "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
            Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

            Comment


            • #7
              The buddy list allows you to rename contacts and tweak other settings, like whether Gmail-only contacts are shown.


              How do I do that?

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Asher
                Nice touch: if you were the last person to send a message and keep typing new lines and hitting enter, it just appends to the last message rather than saying your name all over again.
                I noticed that. Very nice

                Comment


                • #9
                  I like this much better than MSN, which has a lot of annoying bells and whistles. I still can't figure out how to get rid of the tabs on the side of it. This is nice and lightweight.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Asher
                    Nice touch: if you were the last person to send a message and keep typing new lines and hitting enter, it just appends to the last message rather than saying your name all over again.
                    Very, very, nice touch.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I'm davemilford AT gmail.com
                      "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
                      Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Kuciwalker
                        The buddy list allows you to rename contacts and tweak other settings, like whether Gmail-only contacts are shown.


                        How do I do that?
                        Right click in the message window, select "Also show gmail contacts"
                        "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
                        Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hello.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Asher
                            Nice touch: if you were the last person to send a message and keep typing new lines and hitting enter, it just appends to the last message rather than saying your name all over again.
                            Is there an override for this (like shift-enter or something?) I often have conversations that follow several threads at once, and use those breaks to make it easier for everybody to know what's going on...
                            "In the beginning was the Word. Then came the ******* word processor." -Dan Simmons, Hyperion

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Google is keenly interested in keeping the protocol open, and in fact you can access Google Talk's servers with any Jabber-compatible client like Trillian, Gaim, Adium X, and iChat. (If you have one of these, I'm told you can connect using server talk.google.com and port 5222.) Google tells us that SIP support is coming soon and are in talks with Skype, AOL, and Yahoo! concerning interoperability.




                              Go Google!
                              “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                              - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X