Internet Tech Blog

A couple day ago when I checked my Google mail, I saw a new red link on the top right of my gmail inbox page. It writes “New! Video Chat”. I was busy, so I ignored it.

And not long after that day, when I have more free time, I tried and researched about this new feature. It’s a webcam chat’s feature! On Yahoo! Messenger or Live Messenger, this feature has been provided long time ago. But on Gmail, this is new. This feature will let you to chat with other Gmail users, which is requiring you to have a webcam and a minimum of 512Mbps Internet connection, as long as a microphone and speaker on your PC, Firefox 2.0+, Safari 3.0, IE7 and Google Chrome. Supported on Windows and Mac OS X operation system, this new service is a result of cooperation between Sweden Google and US Google team.

This new Gmail feature using XMPP standard, RTP and H.264. With this new service, it can help and promoting global collaboration in business people. Another purpose is to provide an online easy-to-use face-to-face chat service for those who are not internet-savvy users. Users only need to click on Video & More menu, you can too record message, and then send it to another friends.

This feature is different with Skype. Because it planted directly to Gmail, the usage need a simple plugin to download. This plugin is about 2MB, using proprietary formats, not flash that commonly used by many other chat programs. After installing the plugin, you only need to click menu “Video & more” below the Gmail chat window and choose “Start video chat.” In no time, you will start to hear and see your friend via your Gmail. You can click icon “pop-out” to display the video in a popup or icon full screen .

The surplus is when two computers that communicating are connected, all traffic from Gmail Video and Voice will executed via Google server, not point-to-point design. Therefore, theoretically, the communication stability will be better and will not slowing down you PC heavily.

But still, this feature can’t replace some other video chat programs, for example, Skype. There is limitation on Gmail Video chat, it can not connected to the telephone line. Where Skype (pay version) can do that, therefore Skype still became the favorite chat program for business community.

Otherwise, it still worth to try, a new free gift from Google: Video chat. Don’t forget to download the plugin: http://mail.google.com/videochat.

For further reading about Gmail Voice/ Video Chat, visit:

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/say-hello-to-gmail-voice-and-video-chat.html

Watch the Gmail voice & video chat overview: