I just learned about Google Talk IM service (thanks Loïc), certainly one that I will test soon to compare it with Skype, but I have to say I am so used to it that I am not ready to leave it ...
What about using several accounts and different IM services at the same time, I am not really found of that, knowing that I already had several skype chat at the same time, so let's figure out how to react if Skype + Google + AOL IM start ringing or poping up all at the same time...
Remembering a conference about eCollaboration in Paris in late June 2005, one of the speaker shared some stats showing that IM and email were quite at the same percentage of use in the corporate world... Estonishing, isn't it ?
Technorati Tags: Google Talk, IM, Skype
To my knowledge, GTalk could not ne cheaper as it is totally free. Thanx to jabber it seems that you can also use the audio on Mac, but according to some users it might not be OSX friendly.
Wish to know more ?
I read a documented post on Fred Cavazza's blog on that, with user experience talk.
http://fredcavazza.net/index.php?2005/08/24/807-google-lance-sa-messagerie-instantanee
Posted by: flo | 26 August 2005 at 06:04 PM
Hi Natalie, thanks for your comment, but one minor thing: Google Talk is not cheaper as Skype from now, and has less fonctionalities: you can only call from PC to PC, using Windows if you're the initiator of the call, and you can't make calls from PC to phone as with SkypeOut, so don't give your soul to quick to Google... ;o)
Posted by: Guillaume du Gardier | 25 August 2005 at 09:51 AM
I too just learned about Google talk today. It is still unbelievable to me that you can call someone from across the world for free. I am an avid user of AOL instant messenger and I have been known to talk to my friends across the United States. However, to be able to call someone and hear their voice across the United States for free is a huge technology advance. I wonder how this will affect Telephone Companies? Or how it will affect other instant messengers? I know at first there will not be a dramatic affect. Most people are like me and are sometimes slow to adjust to change.
I think people at first will try to use Skype + Google + AOL instant messenger all at once. But once they learn they can you Google’s features free instead of Skype’s which charges a fee they will switch over. Like I said I am an avid user of AOL instant messenger and can’t imagine using anything else. However, I have yet to try Google talk and if Google talk has new and improved features over AOL, I and many other users would complete switch over to Google talk.
Posted by: Natalie | 25 August 2005 at 03:58 AM
A tool like MIRANDA IM is made to connect differents tools like ICQ Yahoo!, MSN Messenger, Jabber, AIM, Gadu-Gadu, Tlen, Netsend, and more.
http://www.miranda-im.org/
It's a multi protocol instant messenger client.
The first app like Skype, ICQ or Messenger and now Talk to move and be open to multiple protocols will smash the others.
Posted by: Francois | 24 August 2005 at 02:54 PM