Can everyone’s favorite Web company take over instant messaging? I’m trying out their new Google Talk and they’re off to a good start.
Pros: It’s easy to install and easy to use. It’s integrated with GMail. No annoying ads. It lets you talk to each other for free if you each have a mic and headset (haven’t tried this part yet). Most importantly, it’s compatible with the Jabber/XMPPP protocol. What that means is that it will work with other chat services, like Trillian, but not AIM, MS, or Yahoo. I really hope it takes off, just so we can get rid of this stupid situation where different chat clients can’t talk to each other. Can you imagine if emails could only be sent between people using the same mail service? IM shouldn’t work that way either.
Cons: Not everyone will be on it yet (email me if you need a GMail invitation to get started). Conversations with different people open in multiple talk areas. With three or more these collapse and transition in a neat way, but I still like the tab interface for its similarity to Web browsing.
I currently chat with an old version of AIM with a DeadAim add on, primarily for the conversation logging, tabbed windows, and ad blocking. Both are available at oldversion.com. Until those two first two features are added, I’ll probably stick with these as my primary client. But in the meantime…
Go Google!
[Hat tip: Mike Podguski.]
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Jacob Grier is a freelance writer, barista, mixologist, and magician in Portland, OR. He writes, eats, and drinks a lot. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Reason Online, The Oregonian, and other publications.
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