# Google's IM/VOIP client released; need gmail account to use, get invites here **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422 "2005-08-24T14:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/1 "2005-08-24T14:17:27Z")
Google released their instant messaging / voice over IP client last night, and to use it one needs a gmail account. > **[Google Hangouts](https://hangouts.google.com/)** > > Hangouts bring conversations to life with photos, emoji, and even group video calls for free. Connect with friends across computers, Android, and Apple devices. I have 50 invites again, so anybody who wants one to try it (or to just get a gmail account) feel free to send a request to **revtim at gmail dot com** with an appropriately descriptive subject line. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/2 "2005-08-24T18:42:44Z")
An [AP story](http://apnews.myway.com//article/20050824/D8C67DTG0.html) I read today said: > [@AP News Story](#): > > Google Talk also requires users to have an account with the company’s free Gmail e-mail system. Gmail previously was available only to those invited by a current account holder, but now Google is opening up registration to anyone in the United States. but the Gmail site still says: > [@Gmail site](#): > > We’re currently only offering Gmail as part of a preview release and limited test. We don’t have details on when Gmail will be made more widely available, as that depends in part on the results of the test. Interesting. Maybe the open registration is impending? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/3 "2005-08-24T19:02:13Z")
They might as well, I doubt there’s many people left who want one but haven’t got one. Their userbase will barely increase when they make it open, I’ll wager. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/4 "2005-08-25T01:34:50Z")
Got a few requests, but still have plenty to give! Keep those requests coming. Lurkers welcome too, doesn’t have to be a board member. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/5 "2005-08-25T01:45:52Z")
I’m waaay curious about their IM client, but nothing I’ve read makes it clear (to me) whether it plays well with other formats: do you know if I’ll be able to send IMs to friends who use AOL? If so, I’ll send you an e-mail and get myself an invite. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/6 "2005-08-25T01:50:17Z")
**Misnomer** , I caught half of a blurb on CNN today about it; I’m pretty sure they said it doesn’t work with AIM or other clients. And if anyone wants a gmail invitation, my e-mail’s in my profile; I have 50 of them too. In fact, the last time I sent one to somebody, I still had 50 afterward. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/7 "2005-08-25T01:52:57Z")
No, unfortunately there’s no interoperability with other IM systems. And, there’s fewer features. The only thing it really has going for it right now is that it’s using an open IM format, Jabber, and can be used with several other clients (such as Gaim, which I use to connect to AIM and Yahoo IM and MSN Messenger as well). I have no doubt though that they will add some really cool features(s) in the future. One web article I saw speculated that they could use speech recongnition to target ads to the user, and use this revenue to pay for free (to the user) PC to land-line phone calls. Which actually would suck for me, because they would then compete directly with the company I work for… ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/8 "2005-08-25T02:01:41Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > I’m pretty sure they said it doesn’t work with AIM or other clients. > [@Revtim](#): > > No, unfortunately there’s no interoperability with other IM systems. Drat. I’ve used AOL, Trillian, and now GAIM, and haven’t been 100% happy with any of them (though GAIM is the best of the three) … I was hoping that Google would have my “perfect” IM client. Oh well. 🙂 > [@Revtim](#): > > the company I work for… Skype? Vonage? I’ve never used Vonage, but my main project at work has started using Skype’s free service in lieu of conference calls (several team members telecommute regularly). So far, so good. I’m curious about Google’s free PC-to-PC voice service, too, but not as much as I was curious about the IM client. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/9 "2005-08-25T02:14:32Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Skype? Vonage? I probably shouldn’t say. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/10 "2005-08-25T02:38:29Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I probably shouldn’t say. You could have just said “yes.” 😉 (Or “no,” whatever the case may be.) No problem, just curious. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/11 "2005-08-25T07:48:22Z")
Tested out Google Talk’s voice feature yesterday and it really is very good. The sound quality was far better than Yahoo’s, and there was minimal lag. As someone who has spent many, many hours using Yahoo voice (and was thrilled when the new Yahoo beta came out, improving many of the old voice chat’s issues), this definitely gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/12 "2005-08-25T16:11:09Z")
Well, I’m about to get hit by a likely hurricane, so I probably won’t be online to give any more invites soon. Until further notice, it might be better to request invites from some of the other people offering them, like **jackalope** above the folks in this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331782](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331782) ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/13 "2005-08-25T16:20:01Z")
I also have a seemingly endless supply of invites to give out for any who might want them. You stay dry, **Revtim**. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/14 "2005-08-26T12:50:51Z")
Good news, the storm only caused me some brownouts and knocked out my cell phone service (I guess the towers were damaged). I’m up to 49 invites again, so keep those requests coming! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googles-im-voip-client-released-need-gmail-account-to-use-get-invites-here/318422/15 "2005-08-29T15:10:37Z")
And now I have 100 invites! I never even got below 40 before. Even the mildly curious should ask for one, there’s no way I will run out. Send requests to **revtim at gmail dot com** , with a descriptive subject line. Even if you just want to try the email and don’t care about the IM/VOIP client, go ahead and ask me for one. Lurkers/non-members are welcome to ask for invites as well.