Those of you who’ve been following the rumour and been around reading webreakstuff for a while probably have heard me talk about how Google should invest in a Jabber-based instant messaging client because 1) they have nothing to lose with having an IM and 2) Jabber is an open protocol that allows for many other great uses. Yesterday, they’ve confirmed my expectations and the rumours that were around the web by launching Google Talk.

Google talk is (clearly beta and) only a simple IM client with voice ability for windows. Other platforms may use any client that supports Jabber/XMPP - like iChat or Adium on the Mac, Psi or Gaim on Linux - waiving the support for Voice conversations. This is what I mean by picking an open standard - everyone can get on the bandwagon because there’s a way for everybody to.

Predicting the future:

It’s worked once, I’ll give it a second try. I am assuming google is experimenting with launching an IM client to the masses in order to land some testing base for a serious corporate messaging client solution - something I’ve seriously been lurking for for quite a while. Google’s used this method in the past (think google earth) so why not do it again and give everybody something to play with?

Truth is, the public benefits from a IM system that everyone can use because there are clients for nearly all platforms out there. And corporations may benefit in the future from an integrated desktop solution for all their internet endeavours (search, email, im, shopping, geolocation) - you see where I’m going: world domination.

In all seriousness now, these are good news for the public and may in the long run become yet another Google cash cow. They’re playing the cards right. Next step would be the obvious investment in a browser - something I’ve talked about before and that everyone’s expecting anyway.

Updates, updates:

#1: Feel free to add my gmail email account to your Google Talk contact list: fboliv at gmail.com (email link removed for the sake of spam protection). Let’s have a word or two.

#2: Michael at Techcrunch has posted on this too - including a quote by Keith that’s pretty much in line with my own thoughts. Have a look at the post.

#3: I just sent a couple of emails to people with Gmail and it automatically added them to my contact list transparently, without asking. This is okay for me because I was planning on adding Mike and Nivi already anyway, but I imagine some people won’t like this feature much.

#4: The O’Reilly Radar is running a story on Google talk too, and there’s a few interesting bits I thought you should read. Here’s a great quote that rocket propels skype out of the way because of it’s proprietary format (remember there’s an open SIP-based alternative to skype already - gizmoproject).

The docs say: “Google Talk supports a custom XMPP-based signaling protocol and peer-to-peer communication mechanism. We will fully document this protocol. In the near future, we plan to support SIP signaling.” SIP is the key, I think–it’s the protocol underneath a lot of VoIP software and there are many very interoperable internet telephony systems built on SIP. Once they add SIP, Google Talk rather easily turns into a system with all of Skype’s features. (Though, of course, it can’t interop with Skype because Skype is a proprietary closed protocol).