Google Talk

If you want to use the Google Talk IM software program, you will need to sign up for Gmail account. It’s simply another in the long list of Google services that are currently in beta form. Once you have your Gmail account, you can start adding your Gmail contacts as soon as you start downloading the Google Talk application to your computer. Downloading and installing is a relatively fast process and the program will start almost instantly.

One of the first things you’ll probably notice about Google Talk is that it’s one of the most simple chat programs available. This is really very rare when you start examining all of the IM programs out there to choose from. While most instant messaging programs have numerous options allowing users to customize almost every aspect of their interface, you’ll notice that Google Talk is comparably bare bones. No really, it’s unbelievably bare boned and has only a very limited selection of settings for customization. Google Talk does not have a video-conferencing utility, but it does seem to handle voice messaging and text features seamlessly.

Some people have been calling Google Talk a chat utility that’s only meant for specific people, namely those who have Gmail accounts. Fortunately, it’s not at all difficult to sign up for an account and start using Google Talk. If you simply want to use a reliable IM chat program, Google Talk is probably a good choice.