Wednesday 12 November, 2008

Video and voice chat in Gmail



Now, it's finally here.
The folks at Google have finally added Video and Voice chatting ability to the Gmail chat program (no, not Gtalk, it's in the chat thingie that's at the side within Gmail itself.) The announcement seems to have been made only in the Google blog, which I kind of find strange since it won't reach most normal users this way. Anyway, it's Google, so they must have something clever in mind.
To use this facility, you first have to download a plugin from here and restart your browser. After that, you are supposed to have video and voice chat abilities; it took some time for me to appear, but it did get enabled after some time.
Once the facility gets activated, there are some changes in your chat box. Mainly, the menu that said 'Options' in the lower left hand side of the chat box will now say 'Video & more'.



Expanding the menu gives:


The actual options differ based on whom you are chatting with. If the other person too had this Video chat plugin installed, there would be an option to start a video chat.
So, from now on, you can do voice chat with your friends who are in Gtalk, from within Gmail itself.
And if you have a Webcam, you can show your new haircut or your newest girlfriend to your mom. Have fun! :)

1 comment:

Saradha said...

Hope this will be of much use to you!! When you really desire something the whole universe (including Google) conspires to help you achieve it ;)