Why the world needs Google Talk

[gekko]

It occurred to me a few months back that I am a Google fanboy. Only thing better than Google is Apple. Honestly, Gmail is amazing, the search is top-notch, and if I didn't use iPhoto on a Mac, I would use Picasa to manage my pictures. Picasa web albums is also amazing. The best thing about Google is Google Talk.

Now I know some of you guys ventured out a few times to try ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo! at some point, and the world found their way back to AIM. That's understandable, because those have nothing to offer, and AIM has the userbase. But it's time to switch, to switch to GTalk and give AIM the boot.

Reason #1: It's open source

GTalk uses Jabber, an open-source chat server. With Jabber, you enter a chat server (ie. talk.google.com, or even gametavern.net) and your username, and you're set. Many servers have Jabber support, I could install it on my sites and run my own private server. But the real beauty of Jabber is that it's an open-source technology, so it gets tons of support from various IM programs. I personally use iChat, you may use Trillian or another Jabber-compatible program already. Pretty much every decent IM program out there supports Jabber, so you have a wide selection in clients.

Reason #2: You can access it from anywhere

Don't want to use a Jabber based client? Fine. Feel free to download the Google Talk Client which is ad-free and only 1.5MB in size. No news tickers, no ads, no bloat.

Don't want to run a client? Feel free to Launch the GTalk Gadget. A simple browser window that allows for full-featured support of Google Talk. Did I mention full-featured? It has everything. Too inconvenient? Add the following HTML to any webpage to include a launch GTalk button, perfect for your homepage:



If you use Google's personalized homepage, click here to add GTalk to your homepage.

Use FireFox and want to have a GTalk client always open in your browser window? Right-Click Here, Select "Bookmark this Link," then "Create In: Bookmarks Toolbar." Next open the Bookmarks menu from the Firefox menu bar, right click on the Google Talk bookmark entry, and select "Properties." In the menu that opens, check the box that says: "Load this bookmark in the sidebar."



Amazing? But I'm not done. Open up your Gmail account and on the left side of the window, you're Gmail contact list is there. Double click on a name and you're chatting, right inside Gmail. Great for quick questions when you don't want to log-in and see if someone is online.

Reason #2: Chat logs

Chat logs are great, but who actually utilizes them? It creates a million files on your computer, all in unique formats, and unless you just closed the window, it's nearly impossible to find what you are looking for. Not with GTalk. GTalk logs all of your chats directly into your Gmail account. Just click "Chats" on the menu to the left. Every conversation you've ever had is logged.

Best of all, they're completely searchable, using Google! So you may actually find what you're looking for. So next time you fly across country and forget to write down the phone number, hop online and search the logs. At a public computer and the log isn't on your computer? Not a problem, because they're all on Gmail, no matter which client you use, or if you go through the web. Every connection to GTalk is logged.

Ok, so say you're bitching about your boss to another employee who you pretend to be friends with, but don't really trust him. You can choose to take your chat off the record, and from that point forward it will not be logged to either you or your "friends'" chat log. It will be like it never happened.

Reason #3: It stores names

Can't remember who E#042 l33t 9230jf3 is? Well you can change their display name, and it's... get this... stored server-side! While some programs (iChat) allow you to change their display names, it's stored locally on your computer. Years of seeing Bald Fool pop up on your list makes those who time you login and get a message from CamFu very awkward. Who the hell is this? With Google Talk, you change the name, and it's on the server and will show up no matter where you login.

Reason #4: Voicemail

Have a loved one who is too far away to call? Leave them a voicemail with GTalk. Record them a message and it will show up as an MP3 file in their Gmail account, which they can download and put on their iPod if they wish.

Reason #5: Embedded Photo Galleries and YouTube

Never thought you would see a web IM program with so many features? Try the GTalk gadget. When you are sent a link to a Flickr or Picasa Web Album, it automatically allows you to browse the gallery from in your chat window.



Add a YouTube or Google Video URL, and it automatically loads the picture preview of the video and name, and you can watch it directly in your chat window. Want to see more? Watch this.

And of course, GTalk supports voice chat, buddy pictures, and file sending. Switch now, if you use Gmail, you already have an account. So use it, invite your friends, boycott AIM.

Thank you.

[GameMaster]

I prefer using Adium because it seems to have a little more than iChat at this point. That may change with the next version of iChat which will be included in Leopard. Good article though.

[gekko]

You can use Google Talk with Audium, it supports Jabber.

http://www.google.com/talk/otherclients.html

[GameMaster]

Yeah, I know. I just logged in. The hardest part of this is getting friends to switch over to Google Talk. I suppose the easiest way would be to send them Gmail invites.

Any tips on how to convince people to use Gmail and subsequently use Google Talk?

Maybe send them a link to your article here?

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by GameMaster

Yeah, I know. I just logged in. The hardest part of this is getting friends to switch over to Google Talk. I suppose the easiest way would be to send them Gmail invites.

Any tips on how to convince people to use Gmail and subsequently use Google Talk?

Maybe send them a link to your article here?

As far as I know, he has only convinced one person.

so not the best source...

[gekko]

Shut your mouth chump. Everyone who uses GTalk, loves it.

Pretty much you need to ask and find out, or add everyone you know with a Gmail addy. Usually you only find people by asking, and they say "You use GTalk? OMG, I love GTalk, but I can't find anyone who uses it." Then you become best friends.

Then slowly login to AIM less and less, and they will start logging into GTalk more and more to talk to you. I know people who no longer login to anything else. Good for them.

[Bond]

Here's what will happen if you try to use GoogleTalk:

Day One. OMFG GoogleTalk is awesome.

Day Two. Oh - no one uses GoogleTalk!

Day Three. I think I'll go back to AIM.

[KillerGremlin]

aye, it would take me years to convince everyone on my buddy list to drop aim and switch to something else...and that presents a perplexing enigma of complexities because i'm sure the 170 friends on my buddy list each have their own 170 friends to convince to switch over and so on...so it seems like it would be less work to just run a open source aim client and just go with the flow

i mean, that's like trying to convince all the people on my buddy list the ipod isn't the end all music player

[gekko]

Well iPod is the end all music player, and Bond fails at life.

[Bond]

[CamFu]

Does iPhone support Google Talk?

[gekko]

No, currently the iPhone does not have any IM programs, however, you can use web-based ones, including those designed exclusively for iPhone such as FlickIM, which uses AIM.

iPhone is expected to get an IM program with a future update.

Now, stop being stupid Mr. Fu, and use GTalk.

[Teuthida]

I do like their smilies. But only used it that one time. Still using an old version of AIM from a few years back joined with DeadAIM.

[Angrist]

I use MSN Messenger because everybody in Europe uses MSN Messenger.

[Jonbo298]

I would use GTalk more, if I knew more using it. I think its the only program people haven't flocked to from Google yet. But then again, its not promoted very much unlike Gmail and whatnot.

Bring on the Google Phone though!

I do admit to being more of a Google fan, but its because they actually make things affordable/cheap/free and its not total crap. Along with the fact their advertisements are not intrusive unlike other ones out there.