GMail to get browser based IM integration

Jon M · 07-02-2006, 13:47

As some may have already noticed, the "chat" option on the left hand menu appeared this morning.
It seems that within a week or so, we will have the ability to send instant messages directly from the GMail screen.

I am a fan of browser based chat, mainly because it's easier to get past a restrictive firewall

I've used the MSN browser based chat for a while, but found the interface tedious and slow.
It will be interesting to see what Google produce in the next couple of weeks.

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/chat.html

It certainly looks like it could be a winner, next job is to move all our backward MSN only contacts onto GMail

Matthew · 07-02-2006, 22:21

Not got it on my account.

Jon M · 07-02-2006, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew

Not got it on my account.

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/cha...#wherefeatures

Quote:

11. Wait, how come I don't see these chat features you keep talking about in my Gmail account?

We're rolling the new chat features out in stages

Matthew · 07-02-2006, 23:35

That answers that one!

Jon M · 08-02-2006, 09:40

The Beeb catches up a day later...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4688410.stm

Jon M · 14-02-2006, 08:44

Looks like it's activated overnight, works very well and doesn't use pop-ups unless confirgured to do so

Unsurprisingly, it's broken my FireFox gmail extension with the addition of the chat facility, I'll post as soon as the update is released.