October 30, 2007

Google to Connect to Other IM Networks Using Jabber Transports?

With more storage, IMAP support and a new version optimized for performance, Gmail continues to surprise everybody. And if you think you've seen everything, you're wrong. After looking at the code of the recently launched Gmail 2.0, it seems that Gmail team actually listens to feedback, because they'll implement some of the popular suggestions:

* colors for labels

* detaching messages from a conversation

* Jabber transports (these could be used to chat with people from other IM networks, like Yahoo, MSN, AIM). You could already use these transports to connect Google Talk with other IM networks, but you have to use a third-party server and another IM client to configure the transports. Being able to chat with people from other networks, which are much more popular than Google Talk, will make Google's instant messenger more useful.

An extract from Gmail's JavaScript code:



It's also interesting that the new contact manager from Gmail lets you enter usernames for many IM networks:


What else would you like to see in Gmail 2.0?

50 comments:

  1. LDAP access to contacts.

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  2. I wondered the same thing when I saw it lets you enter several chat client addresses. Neat stuff!

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  3. I would like to see more integration with gcal, and a more advance gmail widget for igoogle.

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  4. Gcal integration. That's too vague. Gmail already lets you send invitations, create events and has an "add to my calendar" option next to messages that include events.

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  5. Allowing access to other IM networks is a great idea. I currently use Meebo for this very purpose but it'd be great to be able to do it within Gtalk.

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  6. Jabber transports! Finally! Thank you Goog. I wondered why it took so long. Setting up a transport using a third party never did work for me.

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  7. Voice chat from within Gmail or the iGoogle gadget would be way cool. Especially if it worked with all IM services, Skype and Gizmo. I would also settle for Google Talk for Linux.

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  8. any idea on when the new gmail will be available for gApp users?

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  9. A bit aesthetic redesigning is definitely in order. Something in the line of Google Docs or Google Reader would do the charm.

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  10. Ideally they would expand libjingle to support 3+ users in conversations. Oh and update the client to support multiuser chat already, this has been in the widget for a while now! :-)

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  11. The new contact manager is not very functional. I want to see something more about the contact to be shown without having to click on it.

    I also want a Task or To Do that works like in Outlook--a message can be flagged to follow up in two days and it appears on my list of tasks for the day after tomorrow. Just like that.

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  12. An option for sub-labels--still what I think would give the best of both worlds between labels and folders.

    (My original comment describing this in the comments here: http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/05/upcoming-gmail-features.html)

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  13. Only problem is that most of the jabber protocols have been blocked by the instant messaging networks lol so probably it's just jabber and probably a direct link to open the contact in MSN/Yahoo, etc.

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  14. I want a field for contact's web page. I also suggested this to Google. Many many contacts have blogs or web pages. Definitely more than they have faxes ...

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  15. How about clients for linux, Mac ? I know that it's very simple to use jabber clients but you can create more faster and nice client. Also good thing - mobile client, especially for Symbian OS.
    Also I think that LDAP access from eli is good idea!

    Thanks.

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  16. I've sent this off as a feedback suggestion on the Gmail site, but I'm not sure how far it went, since I haven't seen a response. Here's what I think should' have been in Gmail 0.1, but has not been implemented:

    * The "Labels" form on the left-hand side should have "Edit lables" at the top of the form, rather than the bottom. When someone has as many labels as I do (33 at last count), it it silly to scroll to the bottom of the form to click the link. That link should be at the top.

    * When you do click on "Edit labels", you are taken to the labels interface, where adding a new label in the form "Create a new label" is again at the bottom of the page. Why? It should be at the top to avoid all this unnecessary scrolling.

    * The filters form is even worse. The link "Create a new filter" is again at the bottom of the page versus the top. What's even more silly about this page, is your taken to the top of the page when clicked to edit your filter criteria. I'm sorry, but that takes the cake for poor usability design. Again, I have 36 filters, so scrolling should be avoided at all costs by putting the link at the top of the form.

    I hope to see these changes implemented, or at least some sort of feedback regarding them.

    Thanks.

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  17. All Gmail is desperately missing now is LDAP access to contents.

    If they could somehow make an auto-config application for Outlook, Thunderbird/Eudora that would configure calendars, imap email and ldap in one go then even better.

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  18. 1. Use contact nicknames when displaying From: in Inbox view. I am tired of seeing a conversation that includes William, William, John. I'd rather see that as "Bill, Zippy, Dad"!

    2. Act as an SMTP client for third-party accounts - I use gmail for my work address, and everybody (including spam filters) notices the email is sent "on behalf of baconserker@gmail.com)

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  19. i'd like to see the new gmail on google apps as well

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  20. I know its trivial and probably the last thing on people's lists but emoticons in mail messages would be great.

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  21. i don't want to be a pessimist, but i'm afraid that there will be transports only for AIM. there were rumors for years that gtalk and AIM will get integrated. they said this integration would require users to have another account on the other network.

    integrating gtalk with yahoo or msn would require their approval (i think). and even if google tries to do it anyway, i think it would be very easy for yahoo or msn to block some IPs or some clients (the transports) trying to connect.

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  22. I just got the new version and regret to inform that it is painfully slow...once it finally loads everything it does become faster, but I don't think it's worth the trade off.

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  23. I'd be please with better file attachment handling, first of all, a progress bar would be superb for people like myself, who has limited upload bandwidth. Sometimes you think it's stuck.

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  24. I think Microsoft is planning integration with Google Talk...

    Check this out.

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  25. @Replika:
    You may be right. The code contained a reference to aim.com, but not to Yahoo or MSN. Anyway, I don't think Yahoo and Microsoft would block Google's transports.

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  26. E-mail encryption should be a priority, though Google still would have to store your private keys for webmail to work. Messages between two Gmail accounts should be encrypted automatically by default.

    An offline capability for webmail, like with Google Reader, would also be handy, though I tend to use Gmail with Thunderbird anyway so it's not a priority for me at least.

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  27. Has anyone had success with the Jabber transports? I have not. I've tried it with some contacts on MSN, but ... nothing.

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  28. A possibility to add the birthdate to contact's information. Of course linked to GCal.

    By the way: The images that Gmail loads includes a icon for AIM...

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  29. The ability to block mail from a particular address or domain. I mean REALLY block it, not just "filter to trash." This is a perfectly ordinary feature that Yahoo and Hotmail have offered for ages.

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  30. Um, that Gmail JS source refers to the transport of the chat session between the browser and the Gmail servers (hence the various IFrame options), there's nothing there that suggests that it's anything to do with connecting to other networks.

    Allowing you to choose a network next to an IM address is far more likely to do with syncing/parity with desktop address books than any sort of hints at future features in the IM space.

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  31. Anybody else have your contacts totally disappear with the new version? When I click on Contacts, a blank page loads. When I go back to the old version, they are there.

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  32. @Mo: Interesting, but I can't find the words "transport" or "relay" in Gmail's old code, so it's something new.

    @Rob: I think that's a Firefox problem (maybe a conflict with an extension). Try it in IE.

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  33. @Ionut: yeah, they probably found that either the current code was limited in browser compatibility (if it's XMLHTTPRequest-based) or slow (if it's IFrame-based). It's certainly a significant update, but not one that hasn't anything to do with other IM networks :)

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  34. @Ionut: Firefox extension conflict is a definite possibility. It is known that the new contacts page won't display with e.g. Gmail Macros running in Greasemonkey or Better Gmail.

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  35. @John David
    Yes, I've been using transports for ages so I don't have to use more than one IM client. They work fine with Gtalk.

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  36. I would love the great 'T' & 'L' shortcuts from Google Reader to tag (label) a post. Try it from Reader and tell me it wouldn't rock in GMail.

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  37. With google and their adventuring into the mobile world and all, I could see them creating a couple "gateways" to popular cell-phone services (say, ATT/Cingular, Verizon, Tmobile, Sprint/nextel..) - which allow "free mobile to mobile" calls...by using Google talk, you could talk with friends to friends on their mobile phones using Google Talk.


    This is the future....if it aint? :) Let's make it happen! :)

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  38. I'd like to see "expired email address" - if Gmail will let me keep email forever, sooner or later, someone's going to change their email address. I'd like to keep those old addresses on their record, but not have those expired addresses show up in the suggested addresses as I type.

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  39. It good to be done even I see Gtalk as useless IM. And it repeate my word, Google has never develop the thing by themself.

    It's funny to see you call others protocal as legacy. Really funny.

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  40. I'm still missing an option to filter by any header field.

    There are so many mailing lists, etc. using special headers like

    X-List-Id: abc

    Or if I'm adding a header and forward mails to gmail for archiving on my own server, I'd like to be able to filter by that e.g.

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  41. You said detach messages from a conversation...how do I do that? I DO have the new version.

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  42. I'm really hoping that labels are implemented as tags so that other clients can use them. This would make the new IMAP features more efficient.

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  43. It is more related to Google Talk than to Gmail, but still... if Gizmo can do it with Gizmocall.com then it is kinda related:

    SIP integration/support for Google Talk and an integration with Gmail in the form of a Flash-object so you can call from within Gmail.

    ability to open an IMAP account from another provider for viewing and indexing (and therefore searching) thru Gmail.

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  44. I really would appreciate if they removed the "dangerous" attachment filter.

    I hate needing to rename xyz.exe to xyz.xxx to be allowed to attach a file!

    (And, if I wished to spread a virus, I woulnd't be using GMail, right?)

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  45. GTalk for mobile phones will be cool a light weight ,low bandwidth consuming application

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  46. I would like to see more integration with gcal, and a more advance gmail widget for igoogle.It is more related to Google Talk than to Gmail, but still... if Gizmo can do it with Gizmocall.com then it is kinda related:

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