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Rumor claims Google Hangouts will shut down in 2020 (updated)
Stop us if you've heard this one before: there's a report that Google is considering either launching or shutting down a messaging app. 9to5Google said that based on a "source familiar with the product's internal roadmap," Google Hangouts as a consumer product will come to an end in 2020. Whether or not that holds up remains to be seen, and Google isn't officially saying anything about the app's future, but the writing has been on the wall since... forever?
Google officially kills Gchat in favor of Hangouts
Google Talk, also known as Gchat, has officially been put out to pasture and replaced with Hangouts. The tech giant has been threatening to do so since March, so you've only yourself to blame for holding on to an internet messaging services from days gone by.
Microsoft adds built-in Google Talk to Outlook.com and SkyDrive.com
Make no mistake, we don't just like Outlook.com; we love it. The problem with Microsoft's revamped email service, though, is that ditching Gmail can be a tough sell, as it's meant giving up features like built-in Gchat. At last, however, Microsoft is adding support for Google Talk, which means you can keep sending your friends dancing-parrot videos even after you make the switch. (Outlook.com still does Facebook and Skype chatting too.) What's more, you'll find Gchat baked into SkyDrive.com -- a handy tool if you happen to be collaborating with Google users. To clarify, this feature is only coming to the Outlook and SkyDrive websites for now -- Dharmesh Mehta, Sr. Director of Outlook.com, told us Microsoft is still considering how GTalk might fit into its mobile apps. In the meantime, though, you can load up Outlook in your browser if you want a peek. And don't worry if nothing shows up right away: the company is warning users that the roll-out could take several days.
AIM integrates with Google Talk for cross-platform chatting, teenagers worldwide shrug
For eons two realms have been divided: AOL Instant Messenger and Google Talk. AIM debuted among America Online employees in 1995; Google Talk premiered just a decade later. By 2007 you could combine your buddy lists, but that required also logging in twice. Children wept; women gnashed their teeth and rent their garments. Men tried to remain stoic, but inside their hearts were breaking. But now our long global nightmare has come to an end, and as AOL says "in the next few days" users of both services will be able to chat without logging in twice. One login to rule them all is the promise, though there's little explanation of just how this will work -- presumably something involving hobbits. Hit the source link to catch a glimpse of our harmonious, united-chat future.
Officers' Quarters: PDA
Every Monday Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership. He is the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook, available this spring from No Starch Press. Everyone seems to have their own opinion about public displays of affection (PDA). What's acceptable to some may be scandalous to others. What makes one person feel awkward may make someone else jealous and yet a third person happy for the lucky couple. This week, one reader is facing a PDA outbreak in guild chat. Hi Scott, First off, I really like my guild and everyone in it. We all get along (as much as it is possible) and I've had some great laughs as well as some intense fun. We do guild events, we all know how far to go in guild chat, and so on. However, a problem is arising from the relationship between a guy and a girl in the guild. They are both long-time members, but have recently hit it off and have gradually become more and more smitten with each other. This has happened before and never been a problem, but due to the extremely charismatic nature of the couple, they are having a negative effect on the guild chat.
iPad apps: Twitter and social networking essentials
As you might've notice, either here on the site or likely elsewhere on the internet, we at Engadget have somewhat of an affinity to social networking. With a new screen sitting here saving us some screen real estate, we decided to give a number of Twitter and other pro-social apps a go for perennially staying connected to our online friends -- so long as there's a decent WiFi connection nearby. Here's the highlights from what we've toyed with, and stay tuned for even more roundups on the horizon. Twitterific for iPad (free; $4.99 for Pro account) - Definitely the best Twitter app on the iPad so far (pictured above). It works great in portrait and landscape, contextual links conveniently pop out and photos even get special format treatment. No option to upload photos when tweeting, but we're guessing with a lack of a camera, it didn't seem as necessary an addition -- we like to show off our screen captures and saved browsing images, but hey, that's just us. The only deterrent for power users is that you can only view one column at a time, but with lists, saved searches, and all other thread options easily accessible from the leftmost column, we didn't find it too inconvenient whatsoever. [See in iTunes]
Nimbuzz lets you call your IM buddies
We've all been there -- you need to get in contact with your friends; they're not answering their phones. You know they're online, but you need to have an actual voice conversation. Well, rejoice, our frustrated friends -- for Nimbuzz plans to bridge the gap between instant messaging and cellphones. Its currently-in-beta (no surprise there), free-to-download app supports "more than 500 [Java-enabled] mobile devices" and allows you to call and initiate voice chats with your buddies on Google Talk and MSN / Windows Live Messenger. In addition to keeping you on top of your online friends, it lets you make international calls to other cellphones at local rates, so long as whomever you are calling also has Nimbuzz installed on their device. Besides that, you also get free text messaging and the ability to have Group Calls with up to five buddies on your contact list regardless of how they are connected, and Nimbuzz says it is currently working on getting your AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! and Skype friends into the mix. Now that you know, we hope you don't mind as we run and make a few overdue calls to our pals across the pond and in the far East.
