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Google Instant Messenger all Rumor
Jbravo writes "Search, blogging, maps, photos, email, and now a portal, Google has kept adding to their array of services. Is an instant messenger next for Google? Most recently Google has been said to be buying out a company called Meetroduction, LLC for their instant messenger Meetro. So, is it true? Is Google writing the check now? Well, after a chat with Paul Bragiel, CEO of Meetroduction, the word is not right now. He called the whole story 'rumors.'"
Wasn't this called "Hello"? See here:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/
Forget instant messeging i am waiting for google to bring on the desktop domination via GoogleOS...
I for one welcome our new google overlords
A lot of people already have IM networks that they're locked into because their friends/contacts are happy with that network and use it. In europe, its extremely common for people to have MSN, whilst the trend stateside seems to be more toward AIM (with MSN still significant there too). Google could do better by adopting something like XMPP/Jabber and either using a client that supports MSN/AIM/ICQ protocols or the server-side protocol translation that Jabber supports. A solid Google IM client based on XMPP might be just what the standard needs to build profile (whilst still allowing easy adoption through MSN/AIM compatibility)
Business Voyeur
Denials are almost a sure sign that something is up. Rumors, I don't know. But every time a company denies something, it seems it's actually confirmed shortly thereafter.
You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
Any company trying to roll out yet another instant messenger would be making a mistake. There are already three uber-popular, incompatible networks, not to mention the handful of smaller protocols. None of them really offer anything that the others don't have. Enough is enough.
UNIX: A computer user is defined as a programmer. WINDOWS: A computer user is defined as a consumer.
we really don't need another IM program. I'll consider trying it, but I think the general IM'ing population won't want to change.
I'll change in a second -- and tell all of my friends to change -- if, somehow, it just blows everything else out of the water. This, however, seems unlikely.
The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river.
Sure they don't advertise it, but Hello is a Google product...
...sooner or later, Googlezon is coming.
considered rumor only from now until it actually gets announced....
.. It is, to use the old phrase "a non-denial denial".
If the guy had said "It's just rumours and there is absolutely no truth in it" that would be one thing. Just saying "it's a rumour" is the polite equivalent of "no comment".
I would imagine that Paul Bragiel and his company is quite enjoying the attention, so it's not in his interests to decisively quash these rumours, so he's left things a little ambiguous.
...that it is absolutely true. To butcher Shaekspeare :) ....
"...thou doest protest too much..."
Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).
Because people search google, an IM would be genius. People who search for the same thing could meet each other through google IM. Almost like how technorati and other sites do it, google could take it one step further. Imagine the waste IM client combined with the google search engine.
Interesting that MS has to take a lot of flack here for using its "unfair" financial advantage to buy out companies for their tech (drawing comparisons to a vampire) whereas it has been perfectly okay for Google to do the same.
...Google apparently aren't working on a main battle tank or a replacement for the Space Shuttle either.
- Connectivity with other nets (MSN/AIM/Yahoo!)
- Connectivity with other jabber users
- Allows a p2p structure, which is cheap for google
The fact that the technology is there, might be impotrant for google, since it is a solution that just has to be deployed. Only problem might be how servers cope when they get 100K users, and how google will ensure connectivity with MSN et al without being sued for something...Assembling etherkillers for fun an profit
So are you link whoring, or what?
Let them create GoogleOS. It would be a good idea in the long term once Linux is mature enough I think people would actually buy the OS.
Google has enough money to completely fund Linux development and do that.
Why is Google releasing products that have little to no chance of being profitable. Don't get me wrong, I like gmail, google news, picasso, desktop search etc.
But does google actually make any money of them?
It doesn't have to be their own IM network. I could see Google coming out with a web-based IM client for an existing protocol, in line with their web-based desktop philosophy. I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing a nice lightweight AJAX-stylee IM client built into my google account for when im not at home.
Where is the story about rumours that Google would buy Meetro... This looks like a way to get people to visit the meetro website.
"When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail." - Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
The project is called Google Operational Desktop, or GOD for short. Google's next product release after that will be called "Salvation" and they will gain converts from everywhere.
Several millenia from now books will be written about the archangel Microsoft, who had it all but fell from grace due to greed and corruption and how the masses were saved from this dire situation by the coming of GOD.
As far as I can tell (this coming from Google itself, mind you), all they provide are the search data and the name for the segments. Google doesn't seem to have anything else to do with the channel.
Goo goo g'joob.
I think that if they make a instant messenger that uses Orkut database will be really cool.
- which just means, well, nothing. Businesses do not disclose financial obligations based upon speculation, unless you're being investigated by an agency of the government.
Check back in 3 months.
Anyone remember GoogleX which was online for some hours at the Google Labs website?
Quote from the site:
Roses are red. Violets are blue. OS X rocks. Homage to you.
I'm already seeing Google promoting Apple to bring OS X to non-Macintosh computers, which is even less work because of Apple's transition to x86.
GMail users are experiencing problems since friday if their adress consists of non-alphanumerical characters. While emails arrive at joesixpack@gmail.com, they do not arrive at joe.sixpack@gmail.com. Google claims to ignore these characters, and many people have choosen to give their adress to their contacts with points.
Google has not yet responded to bug reports.
I certainly hope this is a temporal problem and emails are not lost.
Screw the FSM - Real geeks believe in the Invisible Pink Unicorn
people are saying: "next IM? -no space on the net", but the same was with email - there were also thousends of mail providers before google and anyway google succeded!
Google could take IM any day, if they bought skype they wouldnt even need to do much re-branding!
Im still waiting for google calendar, theres just no good calander/task program thats remote, syncable, and cross-platform, unless im missing something..
This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
Ever used odigo and its radar? You could always see the poeple on the same site adn even filter them by interest, age, status, much stuff... then we had those browser-plugins that allowed to leave notes on sites for other users of the same plugin. so it existed for years for isntant-message and forum communication style. and they all used this to track the user behaviour. ;P
Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.
Why hasn't anyone touched on the cool new things Meetro offers like the fact that its location based, detects wifi location and has a slick visual based interface?
I'd like to meet guys who like hot women, duh. Am I supposed to want to meet gay guys instead? I'm straight. Meeting other straight guys = access to free porn.
Also lets remember that porn isnt the only reason people go online, a lot of us are investors, researchers, students etc. For the majority of people this would be a good idea. I want to meet people with the same interests, even if its just porn interests.
Mozilla Sunbird is Mozilla Corporation's stab at your problem. It might be worth checking out.
h tml
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/sunbird.
, then when I want to message people I can say, "Give me your Goober," or "Let me see your Goober."
Slashdot = -1 Redundant, Asperger, kdawson FUD, Libertarian, and Linux
...has been "beta" for years.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
Meetro's key innovations. Their elevator statement is. Let's go into desperate internet cafes and ask them to setup 802.11b (hah 1!) and install Meetro clients (hah 2!) and get these internet cafes to register with Meetro their Geo-coded locations (hah 3!). The idea is if all three stages are done, the 30 people on Meetro can login at anytime and Meetro will automatically announce where you are to your friends. hah 1: Internet cafes aren't cool places where you bring your laptop and surf a little on 802.11b. It's a cigarette-smoking place full of loud noisy teenagers dying to pwn you on the internet. hah 2: The typical internet cafe already has at least 5 instant messengers, and all of them have 500,000,000 more users than Meetro. hah 3: Internet Cafes don't want to be found. They pirate software--a lot of it. They don't want walk in traffic of socialites wanting to meet each others (come in, spend 5 minutes, and then leave). They want internet addicts who stay for hours. Look, Meetro WILL generate a temporary buzz. Oh geo-coding!! HOW COOL!! Oh little brother snooping!! How CONTROVERSIAL!! Meetro is in beta and they are lost. Many instant messenger out there has been so-so followers with no clear innovations. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but Meetro does not have a gripe on what people really want. If people want to fuck. They will use a sex dating site. If people want to meet up, what's really at stake is a good calendar or events planner. Franklin and the 5,000,000 workgroup email solutions are already fighting in this space (admittedly to no-one's satisfaction). There's like 30 members on it now--why would Google buy this? Who ever submitted this story is just getting Meetro on the map, getting it on Slashdot to make it legit. You have to do what you can to promote your business, but this is clearly astroturfing.
No, it will be a part of the Google Toolbar, at least until the GoogleOS (beta) is released.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
I went on the site of the mentionned company and it features a flash movie stating it's an IM that connects you with other buddies geographically near you (like 0.25 mile) and with the same interests...
If this was true, I think it could be very interesting: sometimes nice events happen in my neighborhood and I just miss them because I didn't know there was something happening... or those who don't know their neighbors? (disclosure: I know my neighbors!)
An app allowing you to discover the life in your community (neighbohood) while letting you to remain anonymous (if wanted) would be a hit. You could subscribe to local RSS feeds about social/cultural events, for example or find the association you were looking for.
To be used, such IM app would need to function with minimal self-disclosure... with IPs? I know there are free databases to segment IP per countries but, what about IP per cities/neighborhoods? Does anyone know something about that?
The net performs great to access stuff by subject but performs poorly to find things near me.
We don't need another crappy obscure IM protocol. We nerds have already IRC. That's nothing but another strategy of Google to make more money.
I'd heard that imeem.com was affiliated with google in some way, they've got a client that does IM, Blogging, photo sharing and decentralizes the distribution and searching mechanism. I mean it sounds like the kind of smart technology that google hackers would develop......
Be honest with yourself, man. You're looking to meet other horny guys. That's pretty gay.
Most important for any service that Google provides that makes it out of beta is revenue generation. If it doesn't make money, there is no need to pour cash and brainpower in to develop it. So, how would Google make money? I see three posibilities. First would be to use the standard model of banner ads that infest the tops of AIM. Second would be to sell the product, like DeadAim http://www.jdennis.net/ or Trillian Pro http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/. Both of these solutions are not typical of Google products. The last option would be for contextual ads, like in GMail. This is an option that would be very server intensive (real time ad generation) and creepy, as Google would be reading all the messages that go in and out. So, in summation, instant messaging does not seem to be a market that appeals to the core of Google's buisness plan. Changes may arise, but all in all, this seems like a venture that Google would stay out of.
It was something the people at Meetro cooked up in order to get attention and it evidently has worked.
Integrating a chat mode to gmail would be a nice way to go. I think people would love to just use their email account for messaging. and then have the conversations show up in gmail along with the rest of their emails. It solves the messaging problem and allows them to get a email client onto peoples computers. If they could do it through a web interface (not sure how that would work as far as socket connections) even better. no new client to install. just go to their website, log in and chat/email. not sure how a gateway to other services would fit into this, but that would be another plus.
When all else fails, try.
My Moustache is claiming to have found a screenshot of a google alpha client. It's clearly identified as a Jabber client.
t -messenger-screenshot.html
Take a look: http://mymoustache.com/blog/2005/08/google-instan
My original impressions are that this is a hoax, given that it looks to be nothing more than a rebranded out-of-the-box jabber client (and it doesn't appear as though any of the locational features of meetroduction's client).
Also, what kind of idiot developer would post a screenshot of such a highly anticipated application? Discuss!
Though I agree that the IM client market is over-saturated I also feel that if Google were to take on a client for itself there would be something unique about it.
This Meetro IM client (http://www.meetro.com/ does posess something that sets it apart from all of the other clients/metaclients: Location based contacts. If you are in Sandusky OH and want to meet up with other people who share the same interests as you do for a day at Cedar Point, go to a wi-fi connected spot in town and find someone local or visiting who wants to go.
Give it a peek.
- skinnytie -
...what's he supposed to say?
If Google really cared they would fix Android Chrome to reflow text, instead of discriminating
What ever they do, it needs to have a complete webinterface that can do the same, not only for people who don't want to install a program, but so that they could incoporate it their pages.
If Google really cared they would fix Android Chrome to reflow text, instead of discriminating
Seriously... http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=110949&cid=941 7410
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
That's a bunch of rubbish. Think of the millions of hits Google get's a day. Now, just pop a little thing on there saying "New! Google IM!" and boom: the majority of Slashdot and the internet tech crowd downloads it. It goes into the paper the next day generating more downloads. I don't think they would even need to do a gaim type thing and crossover to AIM and whatnot.
Think of the possibilities though. The ability to google any text someone sends you. Online and offline chat (ala ICQ) via Gmail (maybe set it up so that if you're offline and someone tries to send you a message its forwarded to your Gmail account or something). They could do all sorts of fun stuff.
While emails arrive at joesixpack@gmail.com, they do not arrive at joe.sixpack@gmail.com.
There was a bug in Gmail's account creation that let you create an account with dots in the name even if an account with the same name except without the dots already existed. This bug in account creation has been fixed. Invite yourself to a new account under a new name if you can.
* Microsoft buys companies = evil and crushing competitors.
/. has ten articles a day on them, but sheesh...re-read your post and see how it sounds.
* Google buys companies = not being evil?
Everything a business does is to smash competitors out of existence. What, you think Google is buying things out of the sheer goodness of its heart? Google is a business. And selling a product you bought from a company doesn't make you evil either.
Your post implies two things--that attempting to dominate a sector of the market is evil, and buying companies is evil. All businesses, including Google, do both of those. Yet for some reason they're not evil to you.
Take off the Google blinders! I know
There are no standardized instant message protocols
You mean like XMPP (RFC 3920), a standard based heavily on Jabber?
so a message sent using AIM cannot be received using MSN.
At first, e-mail messages sent from AOL could not be received by a user on, say, Prodigy. Then after Al Gore turned the Arpanet into the Internet, the major nationwide BBSes connected their e-mail systems. What would block them from doing the same thing with XMPP, other than possibly advertisement revenue?
For Mac users tired of having AIM, MSN and Yahoo! open at the same time, the solution is here
A messenger cliennt ( Jabber based, pleeeeease ) would enable Google to map out how people know other peoplee - much like they've been ablle to do by mmaking Gmmail invite onlyy.
Yyes, I am suffering the ddoubble keypress in X.
Get your own free personal location tracker
In europe, people either use ICQ (which is slowly dying), but mostly they use MSN.
And MSN is specifically targetted at highschool teens, with alot of annoying features, which many people from the pre MSN era dispise of (atleast myself).
I think there is a market for people who want a clean no-nonsense messenger. Alot of people I know use alternative messengers like miranda/trillian/etc to escape from the annoying native clients, but they all have their limitations. And currently I think only google would be capable of competing with the ever growing MSN userbase in europe.
And talking about trillian, did anyone notice that development of trillian has taken a hit? It's very quiet on the website, while on the boards people keeping reporting issue's. Would be ashame (even though it's not freeware like miranda) if trillian would die, it would drive alot of people back to msn/aim native clients.
If Google are heading into the IM direction they need to do it right. Meaning to offer something which is lacking on the competitor front. I know ICQ has/had? this feature of sending messages to ppl even when they are not online. That needs to come back because sometimes an email is too much hassle. Second they need to make an IM client that will run on multiple platforms. ie, on Windows, Mac and above all Linux. MSN is the most popular IM on the net so far but none of them properly support all the OS's. Microsoft have a crappy client on the Mac and nothing on Linux. Google needs to put a universal client on all OS's with the same look 'n feel and the same functionality. Thats the most important thing any IM service should have but dont.
I know Google will do it right because they always do. Gmail is proof of they're success to new areas of service. As for an OS, that would take alot and seeing Google back Linux would be a great benefit for all and would help set Linux into the mainstream. With some of the innovations Linux is going to experience this year, would be a good oppertunity for Google to get they're foot in the door.
We can remember it for you wholesale.
That's what GMail does today, so where's the weak link? IM, where people do communicate a lot of information which gets lost to those who don't keep logs. There's already a very usable Webmessenger for MSN. Having this server-based means the log are available from anywhere. Heck, just getting rid of having a separate e-mail and IM program filling up my RAM my well be worth it.
No, no, no. For the love of god no! I don't want to have to have a web browser up to use IM! Even the most streamlined web browser is likely to have a much thicker (2x to 10x) footprint than a focused IM client with mediocre-level efficiency.
...
This is why I hate buzzword-driven programming ideas
Googles biggest problem right now seems to be Click Fraud, as if they released an IM client, It would probably include Google Ad support. As far as I know, Ads is their main revenue source, aside from licensing IP, and if that's broke, they are broke.
From what I hear, they generally place the most expensive Ad first in a day, as without fraud, that would generate the most revenue. Unfortunetly, this allows Clickers to drain an advertisers account very quickly.
...because they don't RTFA either.
Perhaps it was only a rumour, but it had a very positive effect on Meetro:? q=&url=meetro.com
? q=&url=dodgeball.com
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details
However, it's not necessary for that trend to continue. For instance, look at the Dodgeball spike:
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details
Simpy
i don't know about you *my* moustache claims a lot of things, many of which are untrue. i'm working on cutting down the meds too. i guess i just need a shave.
copyright © 2005 Flamsmsmark the ravings of a melancholly i
Only if they couldn't offer something unique. But think of it: An IM system with full text search where you can search the world's ongoing conversations for a complete list of the three IM chat sessions going on that's actually got interesting content going on.
All the other IM systems have to offer is just the same old prattle with people one already knows, and a few weak tools for trying to shut those people up or hide from them when you can't take it any more.
Based on its potential to perform massively parallel ... er, ... "indexing" of the world's entire chat traffic, I predict it's going to be called Oooooogle.
I can't wait to see whether random anonymous outtakes from chat sessions will be scrolled over monitors at the entrances to their buildings (as now appears to be done for search keyword sets people use).
Disclaimer: All just meant in goooood fun, of course. I'm sure there's no one anywhere in the world, much less at Google, that would seriously consider doing anything like this. Just look at how restrained the world's web spiders have been in their interpretation of copyright law. With examples like that, I'm sure privacy buffs have nothing whatsoever to fear.
Kent M Pitman
Philosopher, Technologist, Writer
It would really be nice if they stopped attacking in all directions and actually fixed something. Ok, they've got some really great technologies, such as Search and advertising. Orkut was a good idea, just not well implemented and a bit dated now. Scholar.google.com also a good idea but with out decent content, it might as well not exist.
Google needs focus. I'd really rather they stayed best at everything they choose to do, rather than attack in all directions.
I can buy this story..I interviewed with Google recently and at least 3 interviewers (in a plethora of 18 and counting interviews) asked me the same question:
"if Google comes out with an instant messenger product what features should it have"
I think google has a plan to where you can communicate with other IM's.
Subzerorz
More Articles
Meetrosexuals?
A small web site actually called up someone and asked them a question? Instead of simply raising the question, shrugging their shoulders, and walking away? And then blaming the media for not doing their jobs? Inconceivable!
Google desktop offers search functionality across your AIM (and MSN?) chat conversations, with a plug in available for trillian. It's pretty convienient if you are looking for something and don't know if it was on e-mail, IM, or Newsgroup.
The ______ Agenda
The IM industry is no where near perfect. There's a lot of room for improvement and change. I personally use an old version of AIM because I hate the new bulky version with all the stupid games and junk. Every time I click for someone's info I accidentally click that send a greeting crap. If anyone could just into the industry and make a presence it is google. They dont need to put ads in the client itself. Look at the desktop search, theres no ads in there. Theres so many neat features they could add that would not weigh down the client either. Many people have mentioned logging, with access from anywhere. Well if this was web based it can easily have some text relevant ads on it. If they made a web version of the IM client, they could do the same. Theres no positive effect of google making a cross platform instant messenger that is in use with there competition. Why would google help Microsoft or AOL? Theres no benefit from it. They would develop there own protocol. All the geeks and techies would download it and try it. I would surely love a client that isnt full of crap. Google could also sell corp instant messengers. There huge money to be made in that industry. Integrate IM with gmail and blogger and you control the way people communicate.
Here's my interview with Meetro's president. Hope you like. http://www.kbcafe.com/iBLOGthere4iM/?guid=20050811 175004
He denied the rumours a few days ago.
Coming from their core search/advertising fields, they aren't used to static situations. They are used to constant change, right? Search is never perfect, advertising evolves. Email was a sort of cobbled together effort. That's why everything is in beta. That's just their approach, and it's not a perfect one. They can't focus and stay ahead of online trends.
In this sense, I prefer Yahoo! - fantasy football, IM, news are all very polished and getting deep and refined. They were the most useful for Travel. I think their sports rivals the best, too, including ESPN, CNN/SI and sportsline.
For a portal, I guess Google IS pretty focused. They are flush with money and new hires, and I'm enjoying this frenzy of new stuff.
The established IM brands refuse to consolidate protocols, thinking they are thwarting each other. However, they are simply allowing newer, more useful communication tools to come into existence. Compare AIM, MS and Yahoo to the U.S. Motor companies of the 1970-80's, trying to maintain a balance with each other, as their kingdom was invaded and consumed by more compelling and efficient replacements. I, for one, welcome our new and yet unknown IM overlords.
I've used meetro, and it is pretty robust, and has actually led to a few conversations with locals that would not have been possible. Since the beta-testing community has, up until recently, been almost exclusively Chicagoans, nobody knows enough yet to intelligenty speculate what effect the location-aware messaging will be. Aside from the Chicagoans, that is. which I am not, and neither are the naysayers that have already commented.
Now, our lesson for the Slashdotters: Imagine 3 things you could do with an IM that is location aware, that you simply couldn't do with a traditional IM, to generate revenue? Yes, there are obvious answers, and, no, I'm not giving hints.
Looks good for your age..
My colleague Jon Turow and I conducted a podcast interview with Meetro CEO Paul Bragiel which you can download from this blog post: http://www.minorityrapport.com/2005/08/podcast_for _817.html">http://www.minorityrapport.com/2005/08/ podcast_for_817.html. In the podcast, we chatted about competitors, privacy and security issues, among other things like the challenge to grow social networks.
Thanks,
Doug Sherrets
Google instant messenger jabber alpha 0.068
The screenshot is based on Jabber. Not sure if this is real ?
I can't see it happening, but a google IM solution that connects the major networks might be worthwhile. I.E. Infocombot3(AIM) sends a message to rusty@hotmail.com (MSN) who then proceeds to forward it to 4869088 (ICQ)
The corner of a round room
It's not a rumor Google Talk is the name and it's real...available now: http://www.google.com/talk
Journal Home: An online journal / blog (http://www.journalhome.com) My blog: http://www.journalhome.com/antonaf