Yesterday, I told you about Google's new and improved Desktop Search tool. Today's bombshell is a doozy: The Internet giant is launching Google Talk, its own version of instant messaging and computer-to-computer voice chat services, of course, for free.
Google Talk tied very closely to Gmail, since you need a Google e-mail account to use it. Until now, Gmail accounts were available by invitation only. As of yesterday, however, all that has changed. Now anyone can get a Gmail account, and can use Google Talk. But to prevent spammers and other abusers from snapping up Gmail accounts by the thousands, Google has designed a clever safeguard: When you apply for a Gmail account, you must provide a cellphone number.
Google sends a code to your phone, which you use to complete the registration. (Actually, you don't have to own a cellphone, if you know somebody who owns one. They can get the code for you, because each cellphone number is good for a number of registrations, just not hundreds of them.) And at 900KB, it's tiny and fast download.
Three caveats:
- Google Talk is being released as a beta version that works on PCs running Windows 2000 and XP, meaning Apple users will have to wait a little longer for a Mac-compatible version of their own.
- Unlike Skype, Google Talk's phone service only connects users to other computers, not land lines.
- You won't be able to use the instant messaging portion of Google Talk to connect with Yahoo Messenger or AIM (AOL's Instant Messenger) users.
The last caveat is the most important because Google Talk is based on an open, published standard that the company is making available to all in hopes of creating a single unified network one day.
Miami Herald August 24, 2005 Registration Required
PC World, August 24, 2005