Following a successful “upgrade” campaign that integrated instant messaging networks with Google Talk, Google continues its development journey for its still nascent messaging application by adding new features to compete with established players like Yahoo Messenger and AIM.
In this latest version 1.0.0.91, Google Talk has introduced several new features:
* User avatars have been added, allowing users to choose from available avatars or upload their own images.
* Hovering over a contact in the chat list will display a dialog box with information about that account. An Add/View button has also been included to help users add or view other chat buddies.
* Nine themes are now available for users to choose from while chatting.
* The notification display can now be closed by clicking the Close button.
* Links in chat will not be underlined until the user hovers over them.
* If a user changes their status while chatting, the updated status will be displayed promptly.
Currently, opinions suggest that while Google Talk offers good Internet voice quality, it still does not compare to Skype. Additionally, a drawback of Google Talk is the lack of encryption for conversation content and calls. Therefore, if chat conversations are backed up, they could be vulnerable to unauthorized access. It seems that Google Talk has a long way to go before it can catch up with Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, or the new AIM Triton.
Another noteworthy update is the official release of Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger, featuring an attractive interface with many improved functions from its beta version, making Microsoft’s “Live” family a popular choice among users.
THANH TRỰC
