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Could IM Be The Next Step For Google?
Rob_Warwick writes "Silicon.com has released an article theorizing that Google might be thinking about releasing an Instant Message client. Between a google_im:// protocol embedded in the Google Desktop Search, and their acquisition of Picasa and their IM client this summer, it almost sounds possible."
And if you are worried about security, Google claims that it's more secure than AOL Instant Messenger," said Nathan Weinberg, who runs the InsideGoogle blog.
You mean it's more secure than sending and receiving plaintext + HTML? Wow. I'm impressed. Personally I think everyone should be proxying their AIM sessions over encrypted tunnels (especially if you are on a college campus) but I'd be more worried about Google archiving and learning my chat preferences. Soon I'd be getting "spam" to my GMail account based on my most frequently used words.
Personally, I don't want to log and search my AIM conversations. Most of that is quick chat or non-sense. I see where in corporate environments it would be useful but for MY home use I just don't see the need. YMMV.
I would love to see a google solution. Google could take over the world for all I care right now. They keep kicking out quality products, and I keep on eating them up. kudos, GOOG.
Google has also recently added a gmail email notification client that sits in the tray and notifies you when new gmail messages are received. Quoting from their description of the program:
"The Gmail Notifier is a downloadable Windows application that alerts you when you have new Gmail messages. It displays an icon in your system tray to let you know if you have unread Gmail messages, and shows you their subjects, senders and snippets, all without your having to open a web browser."
Sure sounds like a potential IM client.
"We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers." Carl Sagan
Between a google_im:// protocol embedded in the Google Desktop Search, and their acquisition of Picasa and their IM client this summer, it almost sounds possible.
:-)
:-/
How about -- soon to be a reality?
Hmmm... I hope they'll go for Jabber. IMHO, the world doesn't need yet another IM protocol. Actually, I don't think we need yet another IM client either, but that's just me. Who knows what innovative features Google might come up with. I have a hard time imagining the next generation for IM clients myself. Any ideas?
Hmm, maybe a shared virtual storage among a group of invited IM buddies. Have no idea if someone already did this though. And I think they'd need to stay free even while coughing up with the hard drives to accomplish this if they'd want any kind of user base. Hmm...
Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
I can't possibly imagie them trying to take over a large portion of the IM market. It's already quite crowded as it is (AIM, MSN, Y!, ICQ, Jabber, etc.)
What I can see them doing is making a universal IM client with the addition of a GIM protocol or maybe GIM-only features that might sit on top of other clients (who knows?).
Although it is also interesting that Google has implemented AIM log searching into thier desktop search, it doesn't mean they'll be extending this to a GIM service; that also is to say that just because the desktop search looks through IE history, doesn't neccessarily mean they'll be make a GBrowser.
From what google is today , I would like to throw your collective memories back into the early eighties.
... at least this time , make sure we don't end up with *another* monopoly on the internet.
..
I was a toddler with drool down my face... but I've done my homework . Remember when Microsoft was the underdog fighting the "Not Invented Here" IBM's stranglehold on the computer industry (I don't see any DEC clones here).
We're back to another underdog fighting a monopoly
For a company whose motto is "do no evil", this move doesn't fit into the picture. But for a potential juggernaut ready to steamroll the Redmond Giant, this looks like the IDEAL move. Makes perfect business sense too - but google was never about Money - or that's the submlinal message that makes the geek community google fans.
Be afraid, be very very afraid
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur
first off, i'm a huge Google fan and user, and have been for years, before it was even popular...but...
just to play devil's advocate...at what point do you start making monopolistic comparisons between Google and Microsoft...they already have the largest market share in Web Searches...they've brnached out into e-mail and now desktop searches...they are probably gonna move in on instant messaging and likely the browser wars...and yet, absolutley no criticism what-so-ever about how they could possibly become some sort of internet monopoly...are they justing benefiting from the fact that (thus far) their products are free?...or is everyone just happy that the aren't microsoft...?
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true." - Homer Simpson
did we indeed create a monster? Look at the evelolution
/. is concerned) as microsoft? I mean, do you really welcome your new Goverlords?
-search engine
-search engine/mail service
-search engine/mail service/file searching system
-search engine/mail service/file searching system/possible OS/IM Client
Granted that yes this is the same route yahoo took (only yahoo doesn't have a file searching system and possible OS on it's development list), but google seems to be taking this to the next level. If google continues to grow and adds more Gfunctions to their already large collection, will it eventually become as large and distrusted (possibly even hated as far as
I could just be overreacting.
Everything Google has done so far has been things where the level of consumer lock-in has been relatively low. Search and news services, all that it takes to switch products is to go to a different URL. Email requires a bit more work to change but people do change their email address from time to time. Googlebar and the hard drive search, well, all that takes is installing a little program.
IM though is drastically different because you don't use IM to communicate, you use IM to communicate with people you already know. Does anyone really think AIM is the best IM client? I doubt it, but AIM is what is popular because AIM lets you talk to the people you already know. The degree of lock-in for IM is immense. So launching a new IM client wouldn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. People have been making IM clients for years and years now and "alternative" IM clients have never generally seemed to get anywhere unless, like, Trillian, they can support a lot of different IM networks in one app; doing this is a lot of thankless work for not much payback. Unless you're Microsoft and you have to own everything, exactly what does "wow, people are using an IM app with my logo on it instead of an IM app with those other people's logo on it" gain you?
Maybe it would make sense if gmail added some YG-like or IM-like (or both) features between people with gmail accounts. Maybe it would make sense if gmail added some kind of small proxy so that people logged in to gmail could send and receive messages from AIM. But I think some of these googlewatchers just periodically attribute every possible software product under the sun to being part of Google's plans. So far we've had Google planning to make an operating system, a browser, and I've even heard the IM client rumor before. So far Google's new products have consistently been a bit more subtle and surprising than that.
Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
I discovered something interesting about Gmail.
I filled out a customer feedback form for a major car manufacturer, and gave my Gmail address as a reply destination.
While clicking the submit button, I noticed that I forgot to put the "." between my first and last name, my address being Firstname.Lastname@gmail.com.
I thought oh well, they're probably not going to reply to me anyway.
The next day I was surprised to see a reply by them in my Gmail inbox!
Makes me wonder how many typos Gmail can tolerate and still forward you the email...
This could have some real potential. They could introduce XMPP server-side history (searchable through GMail and Google Desktop), and server-to-server SSL, and avatars, and Ogg Speex voice chat... *drool*
There is a lot of cool stuff in Jabber that most client authors aren't bothering with, usually because the really interesting stuff is a moving target. Maybe if Google came in and threw its weight around we can make some real progress and catch up to AIM, MSN, Y!, etc.
The US Army: promoting democracy through unquestioned obedience
Did any of you people actually take a look at Hello? (the IM they acquired)
... unflexible? there are probably better IM solutions, with more possibilities and a wider range of features (no, i won't say Jabber .. don't make me ... NO i said!!!)
...
the main focus of this thing is photo sharing. Granted, it does so encrypted, which is a Good Thing, but doesn't that seem a bit
And where is the 'Search' focus of Google?
we've had searchable mail, Searchable desktop,
I'd hate it if people contacted me based on what they found in archived chatlogs of me.
Google's inching closer to a real Privacy-Soul-Sucking-Search!
remember 'the ads are generated by software?'
Exercise caution when modding this message up: the author acts like a jerk when his karma is excellent.