Google Talk Redux

Another reason for the explosion of babble over Google talk: it’s August. Actually, now that the suspense is over, the biggest question being asked is what’s next? After all, Google stayed out of the game long enough to think something better than Google Talk would be the result. Note: actually talking with Google Talk can only take place using the GTalk client.

SiliconBeat is among those picking up on Google’s efforts to develop a voice service that allows calls to fixed-line phones. (I have one now; It’s called Skype. Yahoo owns a company that does this, Dialpad.) SB also reports that Earthlink will become “part of the network that is compatible with Google Talk.” Google gets points for its open network.

BusinessWeek: Users of other IMs that agree to be part of the network would only have to add their Gtalk contacts’ Gmail names. Still, it’s not even compatible yet with Earthlink. Georges Harik, Google’s director of product management, says GTalk won’t have advertising. “You have to be careful about advertising with IM. It’s not necessarily the right platform to insert advertisements.” But Gmail, required to operate the Google Talk client, is ad supported.

John Battelle looks at Google’s oddly naive comments to BusinessWeek about discussing interoperability with Microsoft. “Oh really? I mean, really!!!? This issue has been a hot potato for, what, five years? And Google is claiming to not know what happens when you poke a stick into a beehive? Please!”

Search Engine Watch: Danny Sullivan picks up on GTalk’s lack of a search box, something its rivals have. That fits in with driving traffic to Gmail. But Google has opted out of another integration opportunity for now — its revamped desktop search indexes AOL chats but not its own. He was told the company has no immediate plans to support indexing for GTalk; big mistake. Also, no Google “wow” for him. “Voice quality is supposed to be that factor — and perhaps it is more than we’re realizing. … But aside from that, there’s nothing stunning.”

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