Comments on: Google Android Chat Icons — Helpful Tool or Privacy Breaker?

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:57:56 +0000

I don’t think it’s a problem at all. However, shouldn’t the icon just be generic “mobile” instead of only android? Sure, google wants to help their baby out, but lots of non-android people use gtalk.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:38:58 +0000

I think that’s good. I know I’ve had issues with an IM client on my iPhone when people are expecting 200wpm typing skills as I peck out msgs slowly….

By: Ricky B

Ricky B — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:23:48 +0000

C’mon, Skype does this with no option to disable it already when you’re on some mobile devices. (Well, maybe it has one and I missed it…)

By: Luka Kladaric

Luka Kladaric — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:34:17 +0000

this feature is probably based on the name and version of the jabber client, information you can see in some advanced chat clients like Trillian for instance

you can see if someone is using trillian, pidgin, gtalk, gmail web… android gtalk probably has a distinctive signature that this lab addon recognizes

so it’s only showing info that users can already get to, just most of the software doesn’t expose it

By: Trevor Claiborne

Trevor Claiborne — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:33:46 +0000

Since I have the option on my phone to indicate whether people can tell I’m on my Android or not, I don’t see this as an issue.

In GTalk, open Settings, Mobile Indicator

By: HereAndNow

HereAndNow — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:40:20 +0000

As long as people can control it, I don’t see the big deal. You want it…turn it on. You don’t want it…turn it off.