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March 2, 2008

Google Talk, Not Dead After All

14 months ago, when Google added Vista support for its instant messaging client, nobody anticipated a long period with no updates. According to a Google engineer, the desktop client hasn't been abandoned and we should expect a completely new version of Google Talk. While I couldn't find when it will be released or the new features, it's reassuring to hear that Google is still working on GTalk.

Some of the most popular features requested by users are already available in the online interfaces: group chats, invisible mode, AIM integration, so we should expect to find them in a new release of Google Talk. Other features are already standard in other IM clients: video conferencing, conference calls, phone calls.

Last year, a presentation for Google Apps inadvertently included a screenshot of Google Talk enhanced with the ability to make phone calls. In the comments, someone informed us that "internally at Google, this feature is already active since long".


What would you like to see in this all-new version of Google Talk?

86 comments:

  1. I am really waiting for new version from long time . I hope they will release soon with great new features.

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  2. Where did you hear of this Google Engineer?

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  3. love to see a mobile client with voip capability. espezially 4 the iphone!

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  4. It would be nice to have a link to where this Google engineer said the client hasn't been abandoned... But it's good news, and I trust your site.

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  5. I asked Justin Uberti, a Google Talk developer.

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  6. Google Talk for Linux -- when?

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  7. Why not ask him when we can expect to see a new client. Running a web client constantly isn't feasible, and without that you can't take advantage of the new features. Developing features first for the web client is head over arse.

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  8. will it work with Grand Central?

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  9. It would be great to have a linux version that supports all the features that are supported in the windows one.

    It would be even better if it didn't use wine (as Picasa)

    Also, video-conference and conference calls would be very useful

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  10. I have to say I am astonished! This is a shock.

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  11. I'd like to see it integrated with Grand Central. I'd like to have it running on my desktop and be able to answer incoming calls to my GC number and etc.

    I'd also like to see Grand Central integrated with Gmail. Imagine getting all of your voicemails in your inbox.

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  12. I'd like to see all the capabilities of the Gmail client first of all... how stupid does a company have to be to maintain - how many is it now? Three? - versions of the same application. One of the very few quams I have with Google...

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  13. ++ on linux support! Preferably native Gnome support and not emulator based.

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  14. @Wooley:

    WINE is not emulation :D

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  15. I am not at all surprised about the phonecall ability, given google's push into mobile phones and their aquisition of GrandCentral.

    Hopefully, the delay in Google Talk, together with a delay in any activity around GrandCentral since Google acquired them, spells out some awesome new version of Google Talk that ties together phone calls (ala Skype) with your computer, keeps your voicemail all in one place with all kinds of sort/search features like Gmail has right now, and uses a single address book tied to your email, voicemail, and instant message accounts.

    As an extra wish, can this all tie to my iPhone too? I'd like my Google/GrandCentral voicemail to show up on the iPhone as visual voicemail when I'm away from my computer.

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  16. A native Linux version would be glorious, as would GrandCentral integration. Skype does pretty well on Linux, but Google Talk would be much nicer to look at.

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  17. I'd like to see Linux support and msn / yahoo integration.
    At the moment I'm bound to a multi protocol messenger because many of the people I know use AIM, MSN or Yahoo (And Google ofcourse)

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  18. my colleagues and i would like to see
    - icq/aim support (like in gmail chat)
    - 'invisible' mode (like in gmail chat)
    - possibility to change interface (maybe some built-in skins)

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  19. My top 2:
    - Multi-protocol support
    - A drop shadow

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  20. Gtalk is dead. It`s 100% true information. Google development team was disbanded. Trust me

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  21. I am willing to agree with the previous comment that Gtalk is dead, because Google aims to provide reliable web 2.0 online services and lack of updates for Gtalk is a serious evidence.

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  22. Shouldn't be dead. Last year they bought a company called Marratech which develops cross platform video conferencing solutions. I think Google will integrate this video conferencing thing to their Apps with Talk...
    What do I expect from Google Talk: A native Linux client with video conferencing.
    You can take a snap shot of your face with Google Talk Sidebar via a flash app. Guess from this point: Video conferencing will be integrated to Google Talk Sidebar???

    Cheers!

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  23. Are talk and chat different?

    It would be good to choose whether your pic comes up or to have a choice on who sees a pic/different pics for different contacts.

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  24. ++ Linux Client.

    Google Talk Federation or at least WLM interoperability.

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  25. - linux (ubuntu) client
    - msn sign in support

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  26. How about true cross platform support... Windows, Mac, Linux, Source so it can be compiled to any platform.

    Id like gtalk voice on any playform/hardware sollution.

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  27. WLM interaction
    multiplatform version
    multichat


    when is it due?

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  28. I'd like to be able to select bits/pieces of a conversation and quickly launch a google search using those bits/pieces as the search terms.

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  29. @ jevo
    you can do that from the conversation log, selecting the text, clicking with the right button and selecting Search Google for "text" (FF ;) )

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  30. Replace Google Talk client with official Google support for Pidgin. I mean other than employing robot101.

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  31. I would like to see a "Mark Read" and Delete button for email checking.

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  32. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  33. Good news, but I can't understand why it takes them so long.

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  34. This new version looks good and is much needed. I just hope they make it available for Mac users as well this time.

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  35. I want gtalk to stop switching to microphone record source when I connect to talk, and I also want to be able to paste bitmap data instead of always dragging image files from the hard drive. These features make it easier to share my desktop environment (sound and screenshot). These trivial changes are necessary just to match AIM's primitive functionality. they do not add bloat like most other suggestions.
    [Personally I could not care less about video conferencing and voip...]

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  36. iPhone SDK Thursday...maybe thats where we're heading ?

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  37. @aj "official Google support for Pidgin"
    That's the best idea I've ever read!

    they really should do something like that... it wont be much of a trouble for them, as most of the code is already there.

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  38. I dream about a linux client for a 64 bits system which support Voip.

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  39. Or a Pidgin plugin, it's a good thing too.

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  40. well... 9 days... still nothing :|

    don't you have any more updates on this? ...

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  41. I don't know when the new version will be released, so don't count the days.

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  42. conference calls,multy user chat..

    A LINUX CLIENT- ITS ABOUT TIME YOU RELEASE IT!

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  43. As long as they don't add smileys to the desktop client we're all set.

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  44. so... there we have: GTalk, LE!

    ...

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  45. Well, the information was accurate.

    "According to a Google engineer, the desktop client hasn't been abandoned and we should expect a completely new version of Google Talk."

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  46. Not quite dead yet:
    www.google.com/talk/labsedition/

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  47. PLEASE!!!! Make a version for the mac!!

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  48. Gaah! Its been 4 months! Will they be releasing the new version or what? I really think Gtalk is neglected!

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  49. @sterex:

    Yes, there's a new experimental version that mostly repackages the existing Google Talk gadget.

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  50. @sterex, Ionut Alex Chitu:
    Don't waste your time downloading that labs edition thing. it sucks.

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  51. honestly, can somebody tell what do people at google use to communicate? YIM? WLM? pidgin? ... how come they don't develop talk?

    damn!!! :\

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  52. too much delay to update

    i'm really temptd to use digsby

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  53. it must be cool if we can watch and talk about youtube videos in gtalk or group talk .

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  54. as we all know, GTalk is based on IE for the rendering of the main window and on the conversation windows.

    now that google has released its own browser, maybe, MAYBE, we could see some multiplatform releases, because chrome is available as installer for Win, but for OSX and Linux it can be compiled.

    let's wait (as usual...) and see...

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  55. linux! Why is it so hard for Google to support Linux when so many of the Google engineers use it?

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  56. I think GT is in deeeeep sleep! :(

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  57. I was waiting form long for something like this. This new version looks good and its is very user friendly. I really enjoy this new version of google talks.

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  58. What do I think? I think the Big G is BUYING too much, already with too many irons in the fire, and as a result, ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS GET NEGLECTED.

    I can relate, as I constantly find myself in the same position, and have to force myself to restructure my priorities...

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  59. would love to see this version out..

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  60. GNU/Linux version [32/64 bit] please.... it's about time...

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  61. Their updation process is soooo slow.....need to improve it....

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  62. Google desktop client is greatly improved compared to earlier versions.

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  63. I have been waiting for a new version of Google Talk with impatience for so many years!

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  64. Probably, I have got used of using MSN. So even, how good is GoogleTalk, I would still prefer MSN.

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  65. Lot of people have moved to other chat clients. Google is focusing only on Gtalk gadget and Gtalk desktop client is ABANDONED. Why can't Google engineers spend some time for Gtalk wit new features and a linux version.

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  66. When the hell are they going to release the new version? Most importantly they should enable Invisibility in GTalk.

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  67. I would LOVE to see an update!!!

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  68. When are we getting a new update to the wonderful GoogleTalk Desktop client?

    Latest version is over 2 years old I think.

    Google Talk Beta Version 1.0.0.104

    I really hopee that Google is working on bringing "Google voice" in a new GoogleTalk Desktop Client!!!

    It would be great if we could call Lan line phones from GoogleTalk rather then having to go into our gmail accounts!

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  69. I have Google talk but I don't use it a lot because there's no invisible mode in there.

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  70. The Google talk update is somewhat like the Duke Nukem Forever of chat client updates... it's a pity too - gTalk in its prime was the best client around.

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  71. it'll be almost 3 years of this post and no updates since than

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  72. Actually there are many updates, but not to the Windows client. All the new features are added to Gmail Chat, which now supports phone calls, audio chat, video chat, notifications if you use Google Chrome. A similar chat feature is also available in iGoogle.

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  73. Many thanks to Alex for reminding us all of the source of our frustration.

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  74. @Anonymous (July 17, 2011 12:37 AM)

    Hopefully not. =/

    I’m still crossing my fingers for an update. (Maybe it’ll coincide with adding Windows 8 support…)

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  75. Come on Google.. Not everyone likes chatting through a browser. I prefer a stand alone client, as I'm sure many others as well. At least update the client to support video.

    I very much dislike keeping a tab open for chatting... Client for the win!

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  76. Now after 4 years sticking to the first version tell me is it dead or not!?!?

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