Google Talk IM and Voip

Google Inc. has launched Google Talk, a free instant messaging and computer-to-computer voice (Voip) and text chat program. Google Talk will go up against similar free services from Yahoo Messenger with Voice, Microsoft, AOL, and Skype but the ability to connect with users of competing services is an obvious plus for GoogleTalk.

Google:

They say talk is cheap. Google thinks it should be free. Google Talk enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free–anytime, anywhere in the world. Google Talk offers you:       

* Choice: Get in touch how and when you want to–over email, IM or a call       
* Quality: Talk through your computer but hear your friends as if they were in the same room       
* Convenience: Your Gmail contacts are pre-loaded into Google Talk so inviting or talking to your friends is just a click away.

To use voice chat, speakers/headphones and a microphone must be hooked up to the caller and recipient's computer. Unfortunately GT does not allow for a "SkypeOut" type service which supports calls to the regular telephone system.

Google Talk works only on PCs running Windows 2000 and Windows XP, but the company plans to release a version for Apple's Mac OS X soon.  Also, to use GoogleTalk users must have an account with the company's free Gmail e-mail system.

Just the other day Google Desktop 2 was introduced, could Google Video conferencing be next?

Download Google Talk, more details here