April 4th, 2008

New Version of Google Talk released!

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 5:10 pm

Categories: Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Google Talk, Google Talk Labs Edition, E-mail Providers, Internet, Garett Rogers

Google finally released a new version of Google Talk. It’s been a long time coming, but the new application, in some ways, definitely worth the wait. This version includes all the great features of the Google Talk Gadget, but in an application form. It’s called, Google Talk Labs Edition.

Google Talk, Labs Edition is an experimental release of the Google Talk client. It has many of the same great features as the Google Talk Gadget, including instant messaging, emoticons, and group chat. Google Talk, Labs Edition also comes with new desktop notifications from Calendar, Orkut, and Gmail.

One of my favorite features is the new Google Calendar notifications. They remind me more of the ones you can find in Outlook when you have a scheduled appointment. Instead of a simple email sent to your Gmail account, you are shown a dedicated snoozable calendar alert window that makes it a lot harder to forget appointments.

Unfortunately, however, the new version doesn’t come without drawbacks. No voice calls or file transfer. Even though the client itself is much nicer than the original, the absence of those two features is probably why it’s labeled a “labs version”.

March 3rd, 2008

Google Talk desktop client set for an update?

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 7:01 am

Categories: Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Desktop Client, Google Talk, Channel Management, Desktops, Marketing, Hardware, Garett Rogers

It sounds like there is a new version of Google Talk in the works — fears loomed that the client had all but been abandoned since the last update was over 16 months ago, and it was just to add Vista support.

The web-based version of the application has gone through many incremental changes since the desktop client stopped updating — that is a pretty good sign itself that the project isn’t dead. The new desktop version will likely incorporate many of the features you can now find in the web client, including group chat, invisible mode, AIM integration, better emoticons, and more.

Google Talk was a winner of the “Founders Award” when it first launched, so we know there is a pretty good team behind it. I’ve got high hopes for the new client — including the ability to make voice calls to land lines and tight integration into Grand Central.

What do you want to see in the new version? Will Google Talk ever replace your primary Instant Messenger?

February 25th, 2008

Chatback: Let people comment using Google Talk

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 7:35 pm

Categories: Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Google Talk, E-mail Providers, Cyberthreats, Construction, Blogging, Spam, Internet, Security, Spam And Phishing

Most blogs let you leave comments, but often it’s a hassle because you have to log in and/or create an account. This is one of the reasons Google launched “chatback” — a badge that users can put on any webpage that gives readers a direct link to speak with the author.

For example, click here to chat with me.

Normally, people would put the badge right on their webpage, but I can’t do that with our current set up here at ZDNet, so I had to post a link to the badge.

What about spam though? Don’t worry, posting your badges online shouldn’t be too much of a risk because disabling old badges is one click away. If you do start getting spam, you can disable all previous badges on this page.

This comes only two days after Google added the invisible feature in Google Talk through Gmail — it definitely makes you wonder how long before a new Google Talk windows client is released.

February 23rd, 2008

Go stealth with Google Talk in Gmail

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 6:48 am

Categories: Gmail, Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Google Gmail, Google Talk, E-mail Providers, Internet, Garett Rogers

Google introduced a Google Talk gadget into Gmail quite a while ago, but some people didn’t like that signing into Gmail also meant signing into Google Talk. For them, Google added a feature that lets you “turn off chat” by clicking a link at the bottom of the page.

Though this was an easy way to solve the problem, this left a subset of users who like being logged in (but invisible) out in the cold. Most popular chat clients already support that kind of functionality, but for some reason Google Talk always insisted that you were either online or offline — no way to be invisible.

Even though the Google Talk desktop client still doesn’t support invisible mode, the client in Gmail now does. Now when you log in, you can see a list of people available to chat, and you can remain unseen.

This could be a devil in disguise though — as more people use this setting, there will be less people in your contact list available to chat. Since most Google Talk users use it through Gmail (take a look at your contact list and count how many people don’t have a phone beside their name), this could quickly become a problem.

Even though there is some level of risk for Google, it’s probably a good thing they added this feature — it satisfies a user need that is standard everywhere else. What do you think? Will this new feature affect their user-base in a negative or positive way?

December 15th, 2007

New version of the Google Talk client disables voicemail and more

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 12:13 pm

Categories: Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Google Talk, Voicemail, Construction, Telecommunications, Garett Rogers

Several people have noticed a new version of Google Talk (1.0.0.105) in the wild that is available to download from here. We’ve been waiting since January for a new version, and it’s unfortunate to see that when we finally get one, it removes several features that I thought were really great — including voicemail.

In previous versions of Google Talk, if someone tried to call and you didn’t pick up, the caller would be asked to record a mesage. That recording would then appear in the recipients Gmail as a voicemail message. I guess it would be fair to ask, how many people actually used the voicemail feature? I liked it, but I’ve personally never received a real message, or left one — maybe this is the rationale behind its removal?

Besides voicemail, it appears Google has also removed Orkut integration, and the “show what I’m listening to” feature.

It would be nice to see a new version of the Google Talk client which includes great new features — it’s been far too long since we’ve see anything new in this application. This version does have some minor updates though — David Hetfield from the Google Blogoscoped forums noticed the following:

• Now, when you click the green phone icon, it opens a new window, and initiate a call.
• After you’ve closed a chat window, and got back to it, the history will get a gray color.
• After you hover a contact, you no longer get options for this contact, just a window showing the contact’s name, status, and email.

November 11th, 2007

Google Talk soon to work with AIM

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 8:46 am

Categories: Gmail, Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, E-mail Providers, Internet, Garett Rogers

Trusted Testers have been working hard testing AIM interoperability in their Gmail accounts according to Ionut from Google Operating System. This anonymous source provided him screenshots of the new feature in action.

By the look of it, your AIM contacts are mixed into the list of using Google Talk users and identified by the little yellow AOL guy. The login process is slightly awkward though — you have to log into both separately, however I’m sure they will both log in automatically if you authorize it to do so. Click here to see that AIM image hosted on Google’s servers if you want some more evidence that this isn’t just a photoshopped image.

This isn’t news out of the blue though — in April we saw hints that AIM was well on it’s way into Gmail after seeing Google asking translators to convert phrases that clearly showed their intentions.

July 2nd, 2007

Grand Central acquired by Google for $50 million?

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 2:28 pm

Categories: Google Talk, Acquisition

Tags: Google Inc., Phone, Phone Number, Garett Rogers

Michael Arrington was right when he heard GrandCentral was either in talks, or has already been acquired by Google. Today Google announced the acquisition on their official blog, though the terms have not yet been disclosed. If Arrington was correct, it’s safe to presume it was around the $50 million dollar mark.

What does this mean? Well, we can only speculate, but it could have a huge impact in several areas for Google. First, imagine having a single, always-on, always-ready, forever available, telephone number that is tied to every phone number you currently have. By signing up, you will have simplified your life and that of anybody else who tries to contact you.

Now imagine having that single phone number tied to your Google Talk instant messenger and Gmail. You can receive phone calls directly on your computer from anyone and listen to voicemail right in Gmail — the latter of which, interestingly enough, can already be used today.

The service is currently now in private beta — you will need an invitation to set up a new account now. You will also find that it only works for American phone numbers so far. There is no word on upcoming features or plans to expand to other countries at this time.

June 22nd, 2007

Google Talk gadget gets multiple user chat

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 7:30 am

Categories: Google Talk, Google Gadgets

Tags: Google Inc., Google Talk, Gadget, Google Talk Gadget, Garett Rogers

The Google Talk gadget seems to be adding new features at a faster rate than the actual windows client these days — today they launched a new multiple user chat interface. The feature is a bit awkward due to the gadget-only functionality, but once you are using it, everything seems natural.

Multi-user chat was hinted at in April through the “Google in your language” initiative — but it was unclear at that time how the feature would actually manifest itself.

My only gripe is the fact that it’s not available in the real Google Talk client or in Gmail. When you start a multiple user chat from the gadget, the friends you invite are sent a link to click on which takes them directly to the web-based version of the client — let’s just hope this is a temporary solution!

[Thanks Dave!]

May 18th, 2007

Outbound calling feature in Google Talk coming soon?

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 4:36 pm

Categories: Google Speculation, Google Talk

Tags: Garett Rogers

Until s screenshot was discovered by a Googling Google reader, an official Google Talk feature that would let you make real phone calls from the client could only be speculation. In this Adobe Breeze presentation, during the “Google Talk” section, you will notice a screenshot that doesn’t quite look like anything available in the client as it exists today — links that say “Show dialpad“, “Call details” and “Close“.

I don’t know why else these would exist in an official Google presentation unless the feature is being internally tested. It’s not too crazy to assume either — General Manager of Google’s Enterprise division, Dave Girouard, hinted at it in an interview with internetnews.com back in December

Girouard said that Google Talk, which currently allows users to make VoIP calls among themselves, will be beefed up to integrate with traditional phone systems as well as VoIP offerings from other vendors.

[Thanks Sander!]

April 28th, 2007

Google Talk preparing for multi-user chat

Posted by Garett Rogers @ 6:29 pm

Categories: Gmail, Google Talk

Tags: Google Inc., Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, Chat, Integration, Philipp Lenssen, Garett Rogers

Philipp Lenssen has the scoop on evidence that points directly to multi-user chat — one of the several features that is noticeably missing from Google Talk, but available in the competition.

Martin volunteers his time translating English text into his language for Google products.  Some text he was asked to translate gives us a very good indication that multi user chat is coming soon to Gmail near you.

Phrase in English: NAME has joined
Translation Help: System messages when user joined or left a muc conversation 

In another piece of text, he also notes that AIM integration is in the works too — likely related to the partnership between the two companies.

Phrase in English: NAME will be removed from your AIM buddy list

It looks like there are some interesting additions coming to Gmail's Talk integration — let's keep our eyes peeled.