So far I'm not seeing this feature in my account. Maybe soon!

ladycrumpet

I'm with CodyKniffen--if they incorporated this into the Google Talk client itself, this might be useful. I don't use gmail's talk function, however, so aside from pure "well, that's kinda cool" value, I'm not getting much out of the new functionality.

calamityjake

Does anyone know if the ability to chat with AIM contacts is coming to the Google Talk client itself? If so...well, that'd be radass.

codykniffen

yeah, this feature does not exist yet. And to ben, the answer is obvious if you use your brain: be able to chat with aim friends anywhere (without the hassle of having to also load aim express which many public computers block)

Kaobear

@Ben: Not everyone can use separate clients everywhere they are so sometimes in-browser chat is nice.

Or would be nice if it was available for gmail hosted. Still meebo for the time being, I guess.

mk

The only new thing I get is a dire warning in red at the top of my screen that tells me Better Gmail is conflicting with Gmail and that I should upgrade to better Gmail 2 (Which I had already done, thankyouverymuch.) I can't get the gol' dang thing to go away.

I like the colored labels. Preeeetty.

As for AIM.... Meh.

mojoworkin

Why the HECK would you want to chat with your aim buddies inside an internet explorer or firefox tab.

That is so counter intiutive to being able to use a computer. You would have to keep switching back to that tab or window - where as with a program you can just click it and the multiple windows that come up from it.

Now if Google did this for the GTALK app that would be cool but its still pointless as there is AIM Lite - possibly the best and lightest weight AIM client out there (made by AOL of all people *gasp*). [x.aim.com]

Ben

Can we have ICQ protocol and video support for Google Talk, please? Or just the latter.

bnosach

I reloaded my inbox and it came up.

However, the downside is that it lists 48 offline buddies on the side of my gmail now...which is lame.

Tony of TonyandJuan.com

With IMAP methinks the Gmail folks are just creating more ways to attract users back to the web interface.

Gina Trapani, Lifehacker Editor

It's getting annoying the way Google updates the gmail gtalk but not the Google Talk client.

Kubota

Here's on thing that I like about this new integration: I can now label chats I have with my GTD labels. So if I get a quick request over IM that I need to come back to, I simply reply to the person that I need more time and then label that chat (which you can't do in the chat box but can do through the chat archives) with a FOLLOW-UP label.

It's the little things, I know, but it fits perfectly in my system (I get little requests via IM all day).

Can't wait to see what they roll out next.

macon

I really don't understand why they have put it in Gmail's GTalk but not in the standalone GTalk app. Part of me wonders if they secretly want to do away with the standalone app and force everyone to use the Gmail version.

You should probably be looking at AIM to figure out why that is.

Part of AOL's revenue model for AIM includes charging licensing fees to any IM vendor that wants to offer federation between assorted IM networks. IBM and Microsoft already pay for the privilege for their Lotus and LCS customers.

The help page for AIM on Gmail says they used OpenAIM to develop the integration they do have. The OpenAIM program expressly forbids development of multi-head or multi-network clients, but makes no such restriction on Web clients developed under the program.

If I had to say complete federation between Google Talk and AIM is going to occur anywhere, I'd say it'll happen in Google Apps for Domains Premier Edition, where a per-user fee could be introduced or tucked into the annual subscription.

Covering this is part of my day job.

pdxmph

I agree with a lot of the comments already. It's a nice addition, but it needs to be fleshed out to be useful. You need to be able to use it in the application (which I really like) as well as the gadget. I didn't use GTalk until I could get it on my desktop, and there's no way I'm going back into the browser. The only way I could see this being useful is if you're on a computer where you don't have access to other options. But then again, you should just be using Meebo.

Bobby Bokista

i like the idea of having them there in gmail. but i dont like it when i have pidgin open already, and go to check my email and it logs me off in pidgin. if only it was nice like the google talk is where you can log on to multiple instances without logging off others. i might use it. but will most likely stick with pidgin. and keep gmail from loggin off my other sessions

inthepit

I use Pidgin and I get annoyed when people contact me through Gtalk when I'm in the middle of reading an email. I am definitely not turning this on and doubling (or tripling) my chances of getting annoyed.

theNitwit

I NEVER use the integrated GTalk client in Gmail - I much prefer the standalone Google Talk application. Until Google introduces AIM into their Google Talk application, I won't get any use out of this new feature.

I really don't understand why they have put it in Gmail's GTalk but not in the standalone GTalk app. Part of me wonders if they secretly want to do away with the standalone app and force everyone to use the Gmail version.

Mark

@bnosach:
AFAIK, ICQ is and has been AIM for quite a while now, so your ICQ ID should work just fine.

ConstyXIV

@mojoworkin: Seriously? Can I see a screenshot of that? B/c I can't force that error message when I try!

Gina Trapani, Lifehacker Editor

Works fine. Except it is a passive client - there is no way (I can see) to delete AIM contacts, or interact with your AIM account in any other way than chatting. Better than nothing, but..... needs to have more integration, such as adding your AIM contacts to your Googlemail contacts etc.

It's handy being logged into Gtalk/AIM via Gmail in one FF tab, and Yahoo/MSN via Yahoo Mail in another tab. Still doesn't compete with a multi-protocol desktop client though, like Adium or Pidgin.

Al Iguana

So not fair. I'd just be happy to get the new Gmail. I'm being punished for using Google Apps for My Domain.

tvjames

Even after I said that I wouldn't use the feature in my previous comment, the first thing I did was go and try it out. It works pretty well, but yeah, as as has been mentioned before, there really isn't much control over the aim account itself.

theNitwit

@ConstyXIV: ICQ does work, as well it should. I just signed in with my ICQ account. Unfortunately it doesn't support both accounts at the same time.

For those that don't know, AOL bought ICQ awhile back. ICQ uses the AOL Oscar network protocol, which AIM also uses.

Wikipedia has more information, start here: [en.wikipedia.org]

Joshua Timberman

@Al Iguana: Yeah, it's especially annoying because there is a field in the GMail contact manager for AIM name, but GTalk doesn't combine my friends who are signed into both into a single line-item even if I've filled that field out. Until that happens it's unlikely I'll use this feature.

To everyone complaining about lack of updates to the Talk client, the Talk Gadget is a step in between the two and might appeal to you. It hasn't been updated with this new functionality yet, but I'm willing to bet it'll get AIM integration before the client does. Personally I like being able to keep fewer windows open and fewer programs running, so being able to keep all of my communication in a single FF tab is appealing; I can ignore everyone at once that way if I need to.

FoolsRun

I've had AIM in GMail for a couple of weeks, already. I didn't realize I was one of the few.

Jeff

ICQ accounts works too - just enter ICQ UIN instead of AIM screen name. There are some problems with Russian encodings - hope they will be fixed soon.

BlackSir

Wait, anyone else get "facebook is trying to send you a message" moments after login? What's up with that? I don't even use facebook.

avantreese

Awesome! Just earlier today I was searching to see if this had been done yet (hasn't it been 2 years since they announced it was being planned?).

I haven't signed into my AIM account in so long I only remember who 8 of my contacts are. I'm really surprised I got my password right on the first try.

avantreese

I still like this better. It integrates with my gmail contacts, and I can use it with any jabber client. Don't see that the integrated version gets me anything new.

yehoni

fwiw, Miranda IM does an impressive job bridging all those protocols into one small platform.

DasLife

Is there a way to hide offline contacts? AKA only show online contacts.

avantreese

@Tony of TonyandJuan.com: there's a toggle to list just your popular contacts or all contacts... unless your popular contacts are all offline and show up on the list, then I can see how that can get annoying. perhaps toggling the chat window on/off?

anmlStyl

I agree with most others, I used the Google Talk client. It's annoying that they don't update the client when the update the GMail based solution. I have no use for the GMail based talk because it's quite annoying to me. Plus if I close my window it's gone. GTalk client is always on.

GOOGLE!!! UPDATE YOUR CLIENT VERSION SO WE CAN ALL HAVE THIS FEATURE.

spydrlink

I was hoping that there would be something like this. I forget to open the AIM when I am at home, but I always have GMail in a tab, so this sounds quite superhappynice to me. I'll have to wait until I get home to try it out. Unless you're in IT here, no IM is allowed- not stand alone clients, not web-based interfaces, not nothing, not never, not no how.

Hockeycop

from the FAQ [mail.google.com] :
"AIM in Gmail is not a Google Talk and AIM federation;"

Too bad. No cookie for them.
(I want every single IM service working through XMPP protocol, not another multi-IM service client, for that we have Miranda IM [miranda-im.org] !)

JrezIN

If it's not going to be available in the client any time soon, can't they at least make it available in the Google Talk Gadget?

avantreese

Haven't seen anyone post this... I was wondering why I still couldn't see these new-fangled GMail 2.0 features... then I changed my preference for language from English(UK) to English(US) and voilà!

EZDragonDrop

I really wish I could log in with more than one AIM handle at a time...

simurgh

Hi guys, i'm new. As for the feature existing, it does exist. You have to click options under the place where it lists all your'e contacts and click sign into aim. It is pretty lame b/c the contact list is so big now. I can live without it.

mocho22

Yes, AIM is working in my Gmail account. This is awesome. Now I don't have to have Gmail and Meebo open at the same time.

@Tony: Click Options on the bottom of the chat window and change its size. That should help. If you have a problem scrolling down to the rest of the Options, like I did, expand the Invite a Friend box.

awesomepossum

It's not here for me yet. I agree with the first two posters though, it should be in the client. Whether it will be or not, that's a different story.

G-Off

I would say they probably added it to the client, but then again it's Google. They are full of surprises.

G-Off

I've got the ability to use it in my GMail (with FF2) and it appears to work well. It even integrates AIM emoticons into the mix. Having had much frustration using AIM Express on shared or work computers, I'm excited to see this functionality become available.
I agree with CodyKniffen-I'd love to see this come to my oft-used GTalk client.

sskordik

Wish you could make yourself invisible like you can in most chat clients. Would be nice then if you are trying to concentrate on composing an email you wouldn't be bothered by IM's popping up. Or maybe have it keep messages hidden while away.

petebocken

Ugh, I still don't have these options available on my gmail, and I use Firefox 2. Is it because my account language is in Portuguese? How exactly is this rollout working?

tiemposbuenos

They need to integrate this into google talk. That'd be amazing. I'm useing a really old version of AIM because I like it better, but I'd switch to google talk exclusively if they supported AIM.

lafond66

I NEED HELP!

A few months back, I used Psi to insert AIM into gChat, following the instructions in this article: [lifehacker.com]
It worked fine, though the server would occasionally cut out.

Now that gmail offers the same thing, I want to get rid of the Psi workaround and use gmail's service.

Can anyone tell me how to undo the link I've created with Psi? Thanks a million in advance.

TheMelange

@tiemposbuenos: I think you might need to be using the US English interface (not totally sure though)... I know in the past some features have only been available there.

therbert89

It works in Safari on the Mac, not just in IE or Firefox 2.0

therbert89

If you're going to have two IM services in one webapp, why not have them all. I'm a big meebo fan, especially with the new Firefox extension that gives you popup bubbles for messages.

kmoffat

Dear everyone. You're right, they should have included it into the Gtalk app. There is no need to continue explaining this.

TheMelange

It really stinks (YES STINKS) that they won't update the client at all. They have group chat, embedded video, better smilie emoticons, and other things which I forget right now, whereas all we client-people get is "phonecalling" and voicemails. I don't want to run a slow browser based version when a client version is so much more preferable! It is pretty much two different versions.

Tricon

Something interesting I discovered (and it might be a fluke) - when I logged into the AIM portion from home, where I have the new Gmail version it pulled my contacts in just fine. Then when I logged into Gmail at work, where they are still running IE6 (not a compatible client with the new gadgets) I was still able to chat with AIM buddies.

Lagniappe baby.

maundo