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Run a Better Google Talk on Your Desktop with Prism
Posted by Adam Pash at 9:00 AM on October 30, 2007
Ever since Google updated the web-based Google Talk gadget, I've firmly felt that the web-based Google Talk is head and shoulders above the desktop client (if you don't need file transfer or voice calls, that is). Last week we told you about Prism, Mozilla's update to the stripped-down browser and web application environment WebRunner. Put the two together (using this URL when you create the Prism application) and you've got what feels very much like a desktop version of the Google Talk gadget. Prism is still very early in development, currently Windows-only, and—honestly—requires way more memory than I'd like (around 30MB for my Google Talk), but with more time and development, the single-use approach to web applications as desktop apps could catch on. Thanks Jon!
Tags: browsers | distraction | firefox | mozilla | prism | web applications | web browsers
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
ranbarton
Posted 9:10 PM 29/10/07
If you run Gtalk in this manner, what do you use for Gmail notifications? I enjoy WebRunner/Prism, but this is a use where I find the native app a bit better.
ranbarton
2-7offsuit
Posted 8:21 PM 29/10/07
I don't use gtalk, but I did set up RTM in both apps and Bubbles seems to be a lot better than Prism right now. Being able to minimize it to the tray is huge. It even uses the sites favicon. It's also supposed to support greasemonkey scripts, although I can't get that to work for the life of me. Plus, Bubbles takes up a lot less memory.
I really can't find any advantage to Prism at the moment.
2-7offsuit
Gigadafud
Posted 8:34 AM 30/10/07
How is this any better than actually using the Google Talk client?
Gigadafud
2-7offsuit
Posted 10:31 AM 30/10/07
@bubi73: Here is the link:[www.3d3r.com]
2-7offsuit
bubi73
Posted 9:41 AM 30/10/07
@2-7OFFSUIT:
Where can I download a copy of 'Bubbles' to evaluate?
bubi73
stormyva
Posted 1:12 PM 30/10/07
Google Talk's web app could be great with Bubbles. The config files could be edited to allow popups and notifications in a similar way that it does for Google Calendar
I have a couple of screen shots at my site. Bubbles also works great for Pandora. Not as feature rich as Pandora's Box, but it uses about 10k less memory.
stormyva
poussah
Posted 5:09 AM 30/10/07
Hi
After many month of reading this is my first comment on lifehacker, so first of all I want to congratulate you for this marvelous website! And to everyone: hello from France!
I'd like to point out a little mistake in your article: Prism is now available on Linux as well. Version 0.8 was late compared to the Windows version, but it finally arrived and i'm running it as I type. Direct download: [starkravingfinkle.org]
poussah
2-7offsuit
Posted 3:24 PM 30/10/07
@stormyva:
That's exactly what I was trying to do with the greasemonkey scripts in Bubbles. I was trying to remove the ads and such from Pandora to create a customized standalone mini-player.
2-7offsuit