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Google Talk
Service overview
Google Talk is much like Skype, but brought to you by the popular search engine company. It likewise can be used for free PC-to-PC calling and instant-messaging, but it does lack some of the features boasted by Skype. On the other hand, Google Talk offers features Skype doesn’t provide.
Google Talk vs. Skype
First, let’s compare these two popular programs side by side:
Customer reviews
CNET.com users rated Google Talk higher than Skype, giving it a 9.3 out of 10, even though Skype has more features. The bulk of reviewers cited the lack of "bloated" features as the reason why Google Talk is so attractive. The service is simply a program for users who aren’t looking for too many bells and whistles. In other words, Google Talk is a VoIP program that allows them to talk to friends and instant-message from time to time. People also like the idea that the service is compatible with other programs.
As far as sound clarity rates, many Google Talk users seem reasonably satisfied, though the quality is perhaps not better than that of competitive VoIP services. Other positives of the free software include reports that it lacks advertisements and apparently doesn’t make drastic reconfigurations to the PC operating system or browser.
The bottom line
Although the instruction pages at Google Talk are more technical in nature and tone than those of other VoIP programs, users will find installation to be easy if they've ever done any software installing before (and who hasn't?). If you want emoticons, PC-to-phone dialing, or other "add-on" features, you're advised to look elsewhere. But if you’re a person who simply wants to chat with someone via your computer, then Google Talk seems to get the job done quickly, effectively, and with no major changes to your computer registery that could cause conflict issues.
See also:
Service overview
Google Talk is much like Skype, but brought to you by the popular search engine company. It likewise can be used for free PC-to-PC calling and instant-messaging, but it does lack some of the features boasted by Skype. On the other hand, Google Talk offers features Skype doesn’t provide.
Google Talk vs. Skype
First, let’s compare these two popular programs side by side:
- Google Talk, like Skype, requires a PC Internet connection, a microphone and a speaker, or a headset, in order to send and receive calls.
- With Google Talk, you can talk to people who are also using Earthlink, Gizmo Project, Tiscali, Netease, Chikka, and MediaRing, which they call a "federation." With Skype, in order to communicate PC-to-PC, the people you are contacting need to be using Skype as well.
- Both VoIP providers are free services and have instant-messaging capabilities.
- Calls can be made anywhere in the world by either service.
- Google Talk has no voicemail capabilities, so you can only talk when the other party is online, whereas Skype provides voicemail.
- The setup process is similar for each -- the program must be downloaded, installed, and then registered before use.
- Google Talk functions with Windows 2000, Windows XP (Home & Pro), or Windows Server 2003, while Skype works on Windows 2000 or XP, Mac OS X, Linux or Windows Mobile 5.0, and Windows Mobile 2003.
Customer reviews
CNET.com users rated Google Talk higher than Skype, giving it a 9.3 out of 10, even though Skype has more features. The bulk of reviewers cited the lack of "bloated" features as the reason why Google Talk is so attractive. The service is simply a program for users who aren’t looking for too many bells and whistles. In other words, Google Talk is a VoIP program that allows them to talk to friends and instant-message from time to time. People also like the idea that the service is compatible with other programs.
As far as sound clarity rates, many Google Talk users seem reasonably satisfied, though the quality is perhaps not better than that of competitive VoIP services. Other positives of the free software include reports that it lacks advertisements and apparently doesn’t make drastic reconfigurations to the PC operating system or browser.
The bottom line
Although the instruction pages at Google Talk are more technical in nature and tone than those of other VoIP programs, users will find installation to be easy if they've ever done any software installing before (and who hasn't?). If you want emoticons, PC-to-phone dialing, or other "add-on" features, you're advised to look elsewhere. But if you’re a person who simply wants to chat with someone via your computer, then Google Talk seems to get the job done quickly, effectively, and with no major changes to your computer registery that could cause conflict issues.
See also:
