Using Google's new IM service before it launches tomorrow
Google's IM service is due to launch tomorrow. It is already working, however. Someone else reported that talk.google.com was live and running a Jabber server. Then someone reported that you can login using your gmail username but they couldn't actually send messages. I tried it out with the Jabber client GAIM and after some fiddling around, got it to login, and then to actually send an IM to another user.
The secret is that when you send out a buddy invitation, attach "@gmail.com" to the username. So, use "myfriend@gmail.com" not "myfriend". Once the invitation is approved, you will be able to chat with the person.
The setup in GAIM is to use talk.google.com as the server, your gmail username (without the "@gmail" part) as your username, and your gmail password as the password. Login, then invite a buddy (another gmail user.) It should work. Oh, and: make sure to set GAIM so it shows buddies who are not logged in. To do this, choose the option "Show offline buddies" from the Buddy menu.
This is not fake. Sorry it's not easier to take a screenshot that better illustrates that it really works. Try it yourself.
Update: Google Talk has launched for real. Good developer FAQ.
Categories
Technology2 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Using Google's new IM service before it launches tomorrow.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://thousandrobots.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1096
Over on Thousand Robots: Using Google's new IM service before it launches tomorrow It seems that talk.google.com is a Jabber server, and will accept gmail usernames/passwords for login. Via lots of places, everyone and his dog reported this one Read More
Het zier ernaar uit dat Google dus echt met jabber 'aan de wandel gaat'. Ditzou wel eens de grootste gebeurtenis kunnen blijken in IM-land. via walkah: talk.google.com - WOW! so, it's true! there have been various rumblings around the web, but I just in Read More
Thanks for the heads up — and yes, to all those sceptics, it really does work.
It'll be interesting to see whether Google can make inroads into the Microsoft/Yahoo/AOL hegemony.
I can confirm... It works... Screen shots @ http://photos.flickr.com/photos/jwhowa/
it seems to have been shut down, i had a brief convo and now can't log back in.
It's only working for me by signing in as username@gmail.com, not just username.
Gah, they must've shut it off - after I do the settings, GAIM attempts to connect but gets turned down. Guess I'll wait for tomorrow...
No... it works. The instructions above are slightly incorrect. Set the server to gmail.com, not talk.google.com and it'll work fine.
It's been released!!! http://talk.google.com
I'm glad they use Jabber... I'm so sick of downloading more crap ;)
Google Talk is one of the worst things i have ever seen, after being told consistently to log onto the Google accounts page to unlock my Google Talk account and doing so fifteen times I gave up and decided I hate Google.
Am I the only one who sticks to what they know? I'll be using msn till I'm old