Google Chat takes on AIM Express

Google has its cake and is eating to. The concept of Google Chat (soon to be released) wins best instant messenger for the workplace, in this correspondent's opinion -- hands down. Here is the logic.

For most of us, we spend more time at work than at home -- an average of nine hours a day, with bosses looking over our shoulders and no administration authority to change download settings.

Yet we insist on checking our personal mail, and almost everyone seems to have a Gmail account these days.

So it makes sense that as basic as Google Chat is, it allows us to embed IMs into the same Gmail Web browser that we check mail in -- simply brilliant.

And now that it will be fully available in coming weeks the Mountain View, Calif.-based company announced Monday, just imagine how much more empowered employees will be with their IMs.

Google Chat is an extension of the lean-looking Google Talk Network that has no bells and whistles or for that matter, emoticons, cartoon icons, wallpaper and downloading -- a disappointment for some.

The only difference now is that no separate application or software needs to be downloaded in order to IM a person, rather the IM box would appear at the bottom of the page under mail with the ability to pop out from the screen.

Meanwhile, on the left side of the browser on a Gmail account, users will see Quick Contacts, with whom they can initiate a chat session.

Much the same like Google Talk, those who are online will appear with a green button by their name, red if they are not.

And automatic IM archiving remains the same, saving history of conversations, with the option of on-the-record and off-the-record -- which begs the question, what would have happened if Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein ever IM-ed Deep Throat?

Users also are able to search for words and phrases, distinguishing itself as a chat from an e-mail.

But they only need now to download the full Google Talk network to make free voice calls through their PCs, which was introduced to the public six months ago.

Still, IM interoperability is in question, considered the Holy Grail in instant messaging, few services actually have the ability to allow more than two services.

But more important, what do bloggers like Brad Hill and Chris Gilmer from the Unofficial Google Weblog: Who watches the watchmen? (google.weblogsinc.com), have to say about the new release.

In one review, Brad Hill wrote, "My verdict? It's a winning release, and an important one. Just give me an audible ping."

While his tag-team partner Chris Gilmer wrote in a recap, "Google Chat is a winner. And a great time saver. Never forget anything your buddy chatted to you about. Only thing you have to remember is to open your Gmail browser window every once and a while to check and see if anyone is messaging you."

Google Talk for its simplicity won over some fans from the detail-oriented AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger that entrance fans with search bars, flashy ads, scrolling news/stock tickers. However, not to be out done, with the introduction of Google Desktop, that legacy of glitzy should pass on.

Yet, Google Chat will garner even more crossover fans from the "glitzy" convergent instant messengers who were its processors.

And the only task left now is converting your friends over, so that there is a reason to use it.

Google Inc., which maintains its operation through sales of Web engine search-related advertising and continues to ride high with the addition of features like a talk network and desktop, saw profits rise 82 percent last year.

Despite having paid out $629 million to third-party affiliates of its online ad network, known as traffic acquisition costs or TACs in the fourth quarter, it saw revenue grew 86 percent to $1.92 billion.

Meanwhile, the company's net income for the same quarter was $372 million or $1.22 per share, compared to $381 million in the third quarter.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International