Google talk

Step by Step ... Google is
further expanding beyond
its roots in Internet search
delivering newer and newer
product lines. This time
Google introduces software
that lets people send instant
messages and make
telephone calls with their
computers, matching
products from Microsoft
Corp., Yahoo! Inc. and Skype
Technologies SA.

The new program, Google
Talk, will compete against
similar free services offered
for several years by AOL,
Microsoft and Yahoo. All are
vying to increase their
presence on PCs to boost
online ad revenue and
name recognition.

The launch was due to come
2 days after Google unveiled
another free program
Desktop2 that aggregates information on a computer desktop. As a
newcomer to messaging, Google could face an uphill battle. AOL's
messaging program has 41.6 million U.S. users, followed by Yahoo
Messenger with 19.1 million and MSN Messenger with 14.1 million.
The top instant messaging services still do not communicate with each
other and usually nobody switches unless their friends also switch.

Google based its software on open standards, so it will work with smaller
networks that are based on the same technology. Text messages can be
exchanged with users of Apple Computer's iChat, Cerulean Studios'
Trillian and the open-source Gaim program.

For more details, visit Google Talk.