Google Talk instant messaging to work with iChat?

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Google this week is expected to introduce its own instant messaging system that may be compatible with third party services such as Apple's iChat.



Citing sources "familiar with the service," the Los Angeles Times is reporting the instant message service, dubbed Google Talk, could launch as early as Wednesday.



"According to a person who has seen the service, Google plans to let users chat using more than just their keyboards," the Times said. "Like similar programs from competitors, Google Talk also will let computer users with a headset have voice conversations with other computer users with headsets, this person said."



Independently, journalist Om Malik on his blog said clues indicate that Google is basing the service on the open-source Jabber technology. This would allow Google Talk users to communicated with other services that support Jabber, including AOL's ICQ and Apple iChat.



A spokesperson for Google told the Times that the company planned to release a new product this week, but declined to say whether that product was Google Talk.



The domain name talk.google.com is currently active but directs users to www.google.com/talk/, which yields a 404 page "Not Found" error.



Earlier this week, Google announced Google Desktop 2, a free downloadable application that combining desktop search with an intelligent sidebar that learns a user's habits and interests. The software is only compatible with Microsoft's Windows operating system.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 54
    Very interesting indeed. Hopefully, Google will continue to promote quality and innovation (sound like any other company you know of???).



    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    Earlier this week, Google announced Google Desktop 2, a free downloadable application that combining desktop search with an intelligent sidebar that learns a user's habits and interests. The software is only compatible with Microsoft's Windows operating system.



    Wait, why don't we get this for OS X? OH YEAH! We've already got Spotlight.
  • Reply 2 of 54
    Also of note.. talk.google.com has already been confirmed to be accepting jabber connections but denying an actual login.
  • Reply 3 of 54
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by baranovich

    Wait, why don't we get this for OS X? OH YEAH! We've already got Spotlight.



    Google released Google Desktop Search 1.0 long before Spotlight.
  • Reply 4 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    Google released Google Desktop Search 1.0 long before Spotlight.



    I don't think that was the point.



    And if we're going that *that* road, Quicksilver has existed long before Google Desktop Search.
  • Reply 5 of 54
    They toute voice and IM in the rumors, and that is nice, since it most likely means an open source voice chat more, mac-->pc.
  • Reply 6 of 54
    sjksjk Posts: 603member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by baranovich

    Wait, why don't we get this for OS X? OH YEAH! We've already got Spotlight.



    From the Google Desktop 2 press release:
    Quote:

    Quick Find ? Enables users to search their hard drive to find files and launch applications as fast as they can type. Using Quick Find, users can type a few letters or words and the top results pop up instantly. For example, a user can launch iTunes just by typing "itu" into the search box and selecting the application from the list of results.



    It's amusing they picked iTunes as the example of their often-irritating-in-Spotlight search-as-fast-as-you-can-type "feature". Unlike (easily) in Spotlight, I wonder if that can be disabled in Quick Find,
  • Reply 7 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch

    They toute voice and IM in the rumors, and that is nice, since it most likely means an open source voice chat more, mac-->pc.



    Let's hope so. If Google can put out an IM that allows video and audio chat with iChat user, I'll be extremely happy.



    What's the list now of iChat compatible PC A/V clients?



    AOLIM

    Trillian



    and hopefully Google's IM client.
  • Reply 8 of 54
    Jabber is a presence discovery protocol, so all it does it tell you somebody is online. Jabber itself does not handle video or audio chat.



    The AIM network does presence discovery, as well as file transfer.



    iChat supports AIM and Jabber, as well as being able to find online iChat users present on the same local network using Rendezvous/Bonjour. Those three options get set up to provide buddy lists of people who are online, and that's it.



    None of those protocols deliver voice or videoconferencing. iChat uses the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and RTP/RTSP protocols to provide AV chat. iChat works with the Windows version of AIM to do AV chat, not because they are both using AIM, but because they both use SIP and RTSP/RTP.



    Similarly, just because you have a client with support for Jabber doesn't mean you can AV chat with iChat users. You need to support the same AV transport protocols (SIP and RTSP/RTP). There are plenty of Jabber clients that don't support AV at all.



    If Google releases a Jabber based voice and text IM service, they will likely chose the same standards Apple has, since both companies have been acting progressive in adopting open common protocols, and have been working closely in delivering cobranded products, such as Google's search bar in Safari.



    The reason iChat doesn't work with MSN or Yahoo chat is because those IM services use proprietary discovery, chat and video delivery protocols. Microsoft NetMeeting used the old H.323 video conferencing standard used by some appliance video conferencing equipment.



    Having Google offering a Jabber based AV chat system with support for iChat's SIP and RTSP/RTP would be great for Apple and really help open up the world of IM and audio chat.



    Modern VoIP phones also use SIP. I'd like to see Apple jump into Airport wireless phonesets using VoIP, that interoperate with iChat: imagine a handheld phone with a built in iSight style cam that could conference with iChat users on Macs across the Internet, and could work anywhere you have wireless service!
  • Reply 9 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally posted by danielEran

    Modern VoIP phones also use SIP. I'd like to see Apple jump into Airport wireless phonesets using VoIP, that interoperate with iChat: imagine a handheld phone with a built in iSight style cam that could conference with iChat users on Macs across the Internet, and could work anywhere you have wireless service!



    Yeah...I hope this to be Apple's next big gadget. Let's face it, wireless internet will be just about everywhere in 10 years. A phone that allows you to communicate with other people on the planet, free of charge, would be great.
  • Reply 10 of 54
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kim kap sol

    [B]I don't think that was the point.



    What was it?



    Quote:

    And if we're going that *that* road, Quicksilver has existed long before Google Desktop Search.



    Since he was talking about Spotlight and GDS, Quicksilver doesn't really count, but if we truly go that way, then BeOS had it earlier than all three of them.
  • Reply 11 of 54
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kim kap sol

    What's the list now of iChat compatible PC A/V clients?



    AOLIM

    Trillian



    and hopefully Google's IM client.




    Actually, that's only AOL and Trillian Pro, which costs money.
  • Reply 12 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    Since he was talking about Spotlight and GDS, Quicksilver doesn't really count, but if we truly go that way, then BeOS had it earlier than all three of them.



    True.
  • Reply 13 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    Actually, that's only AOL and Trillian Pro, which costs money.



    Ahh...too bad.



    I'm glad to see IM clients using standards and working seamlessly together though.
  • Reply 14 of 54
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kim kap sol

    Ahh...too bad.



    I'm glad to see IM clients using standards and working seamlessly together though.




    If they use Jabber then it's going to be much easier to be interoperable. Hopefully they will be as free as possible (as in speech).
  • Reply 15 of 54
    emcemc Posts: 27member
    I think the real question to be asking here, is as to whether or not google talk will be actively parsing your conversation and providing advertisemensts to that effect. Isn't that google's business model?
  • Reply 16 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally posted by EmC

    I think the real question to be asking here, is as to whether or not google talk will be actively parsing your conversation and providing advertisemensts to that effect. Isn't that google's business model?



    You bring up a VERY good point. Active targetted ads could get annoying REAL quick. Rumor has it that GoogleIM (or what ever its called) will be released tomorrow, so we'll just have to wait and see.
  • Reply 17 of 54
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Hopefully it won't be. Google has a lot of products that don't have ads: Hello! being one of them, or Picasa.



    I wouldn't want to see ads a la MSN Messenger or AOL in my GoogleIM.
  • Reply 18 of 54
    frawgzfrawgz Posts: 547member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by danielEran

    If Google releases a Jabber based voice and text IM service, they will likely chose the same standards Apple has, since both companies have been acting progressive in adopting open common protocols, and have been working closely in delivering cobranded products, such as Google's search bar in Safari.



    I was under the impression that Google had nothing to do with Safari's inclusion of a Google search bar.
  • Reply 19 of 54
    jambojambo Posts: 3,036member
    Word on the web is that some people have been able to login to Google Talk using their Google Account details (for Gmail etc.) and talk.google.com as the Jabber server.



    Anyone here been successful?



    J
  • Reply 20 of 54
    charlesscharless Posts: 301member
    Even though they compete with Apple on a few things, no one can deny that Google is an excellent company. If they are truly working together with Apple now and making iChat's voice protocol cross-platform, that is excellent for everyone.
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