Google Google on Monday in the United States was set to launch Gmail Chat, which will let users send instant messages with one click from their e-mail account, see when contacts are online and save the chat history like an e-mail message.

The application's Quick Contacts list is synchronised with a user's Google Talk friends list and automatically displays the people a user communicates with most frequently and shows their online status. Clicking on a contact listed as being online opens a chat window in the browsers.

The application lets users save their chat history for easy searching later and click an "off the record" option so that no conversation with that person going forward is saved by either party until they choose to go back on the record.

Gmail Chat is available on Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher and Firefox 1.0 and higher and in the U.S. English interface only.

While the chat functions of Google Talk are integrated into Gmail, users must download the Google Talk client application to make voice calls.

In the United States, Gmail is the fourth most popular Web-based e-mail program, and Google Talk is ranked seventh among instant messaging programs, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.

Yahoo Mail indicates to users when their Yahoo Messenger contacts are online and allows them to launch a dialog with them instantly, as well as letting them make voice calls. It also allows users to check their voice mail and launch voice calling from Yahoo Mail. America Online's AIM Triton offers integrated e-mail, instant messaging, SMS text messaging and voice and video chat.

Like this article? Click below to send it to your mobile for free!

affan
15/11/2007 10:40 PM

Mosin Patel
11/01/2008 12:44 AM

Gmail is one of the unique software it is totaly different from other.

Report offensive content

  • Leave a comment

All fields marked with * are required

What do you think

Your e-mail will not be displayed

You must read and type the 6 chars within 0..9 and A..F

You must read and type the 6 chars.


  • Gmail gets colourful themes

  • Kevin Rudd joins Twitter

  • Gmail gets voice, video chat

  • Google, Telstra sign deal for Yellow Maps

  • Sensis kills its search, uses Google

  • Oi!: MTV Music is, like, the raddest thing ever

  • Britney arrives on Twitter

  • Oi!: An end to drunken, embarrassing emails?

  • Adobe Dreamweaver CS4

More articles »

Find the right software

Brand
  • Multiple options can be selected

    • Adobe Dreamweaver CS4

      Adobe Dreamweaver CS4

      Designers and editors who lean on Dreamweaver for complex dynamic websites will find plenty of tweaks and improvements in version 4.

    • Chrome (beta)

      Chrome (beta)

      Google has rethought the Internet browser — some of its basic underpinnings are quite novel — but users will recognise some features as they exist in other, open-source browsers on the market today.

    • Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2

      Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2

      Microsoft's release should retain its browser base but doesn't yet have enough to lure loyal Firefox users back to Internet Explorer.

    • MobileMe

      MobileMe

      MobileMe is the successor to .Mac, Apple's subscription service for publishing photos and other personal content to the Web.

    • Firefox 3

      Firefox 3

      If only for the speed, lightness of being and security alone, Firefox remains our Editors' Choice for best internet browser.

    More reviews »

    Membership benefits

    Manage and receive subscriptions

    Manage and receive subscriptions

    Choose to receive an e-mail update containing our best articles either daily, weekly or monthly. Sign up for a free CNET Australia membership now!