Google Unveils Their All-In-One Chat Service – Google Hangouts
May 21st, 2013 by Rod
During last week’s big developers conference: Google I/O, the company announced many new software features and services. Among them was their new way to communicate by making conversations come alive called Google Hangouts.
Previously, Google had multiple chat services spread out among different apps & platforms. They had Google Talk, Google Messenger, But that is now a thing of the past.
What Is Google Hangouts?
Google wants you to stop worrying about what app to use to reach a friend. With Google Hangouts a lot of things apps and forms of sharing come together. Hangouts will merge Google Talk, Google+ Messenger, & Google+ Hangout video chat to bring one service for your communication needs. You can use right from your Gmail on your desktop. You can upgrade Chat to Hangouts by clicking on your photo icon in Gmail’s chat list.
Check out some of Google Hangouts features:
- You can name your own chat,
- create group chat rooms,
- Google Hangouts has over 850 emoticons,
- you can share photos,
- do a group video chat of up to 10 people,
- and sync conversations between devices.
Not only is that cool but it will also become available across multiple platforms (Android, iOS, & the web). SMS integration isn’t available now but it on the way. Once they add Google Voice support, this will be your all-in-one app to handle all of your communication needs.
Download Google Hangouts
Download Google Hangouts for Android (although it should replace your Google Talk app when the app is updated).
Download Google Hangouts for Apple iOS.
Download Google Hangouts for your desktop / Chrome Extension
How many of you already use Google Talk? With the popularity of Gmail, and the ease of Google Hangouts integration, i think Hangouts will become very popular for communicating. It may become the new AIM of today!
Watch the Throne: Google+ VS Facebook
June 30th, 2011 by ChristenUnless you’ve been under a rock, within the past 24 hours you’ve heard about the MySpace acquisition (with an unlikely stakeholder named Justin Timberlake) and Google+ launch — all gunning after the Facebook throne.
Here’s the skinny…GOOGLE (aka the world’s largest search engine company) has officially taken it’s first step to become a major force in social networking. Google stepped into the social media ring on Tuesday to drop a NEW social networking service called the Google+ project. The service called Google+ will let people share their lives and do the kinds of things they already do on Facebook such as post status updates, photos and links. Its focus is on sharing with small groups like your homeboys, homegirls, co-workers, college roommates or hiking friends — instead of with all of a user’s friends or the entire Web. It also offers group text messaging and video chat. *taps microphone* Um, Facebook – You just gonna let them punk you huh?
DID YOU GET AN INVITE YET?
The service, will initially be available only to a select group of Google users who will soon be able to invite others, let people share and discuss status updates, photos and links. If you didn’t get your invite yet, don’t feel bad. (I’m sure it was lost in the mail…)
Google may need to re-think the complexity of this one…with four different features that give you different ways of communications, this thing may get too confusing and backfire BIG TIME!
1. Huddle aka Group Chats: (not just for Blackberry users anymore..)
Texting is great, but not when you’re trying get six different people to decide on a movie. Huddle takes care of it by turning all those different conversations into one simple group chat, so everyone gets on the same page long before thumbs get sore. Imagine you are at a party with 5 of your friends and you ONLY want to send texts about where you are or what you are seeing to those 5 friends. With HUDDLE you can do just that…it’s for Android 2.0+ phones, iPhone 4.0+ phones and SMS.
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2. GOOGLE CIRCLES: You share different things with different people. But sharing the right stuff with the right people shouldn’t be a hassle. Circles makes it easy to put your friends from Saturday night in one circle, your parents in another, and your boss in a circle by himself, just like real life. There’s no limit to the number of circles you can create.
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3. GOOGLE SPARKS: Tips On What To Share. Sparks basically looks for videos and articles it thinks you’ll like, so when you’re free, there’s always something to watch, read, and share.
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4. Hangouts: Group Video Chat - With Hangouts, up to 10 people at a time can all interact through video. As one participant speaks, the main image automatically changed to that person. You can also play video that everyone watches.
…and of course there are other additives and extras that Google will throw in the mix for good measure so we’ll see how this pans out. Personally, I would be a fan of the Hangouts option – as a member of an extremely large family scattered across the US, this would be a great tool (and seems pretty easy) to communicate with some serious face time while thousands of miles away.
Do you think Google+ will initiate the demise of Facebook? Will it live up to it’s birthname of “The Facebook Killer”?
New Google Motion…
April 1st, 2011 by Christen
Look no further for the latest in technology innovation, Google Motion has it all at your fingertips!
How it works
Gmail Motion uses your computer’s built-in webcam and Google’s patented spatial tracking technology to detect your movements and translate them into meaningful characters and commands. Movements are designed to be simple and intuitive for people of all skill levels.
Motion Guide
Familiarize yourself with some of the basic functionality of Gmail Motion using this printable guide of sample gestures. With it, you’ll be able to start writing and responding to emails – with your body – in no time.
The Beta testing is limited to the first 10,000 users as of March 31st. For your free Beta Google Motion email CLICK HERE.
