When Google announced plans to start chatting, I was a little skeptical, for them that is. They are trying to break into a realm that already has some well-established players like AOL, Yahoo, and MSN. We had to have seen this coming, right? Google has become a part of everybody’s life. It’s even in the dictionary:
google (v.) to search for information about a specific person through the Google search engine.
There are many divisions of the search engine, as well as the established email host gmail.
My predictions: it won’t click. Why? Think of all those kids and teens that don’t have gmail accounts. They are the primary users of the instant message technology, and they are already tethered to AOL and the like.
I don’t have a gmail account, therefore I can’t instant message with friends that do. I do have a AOL screen name. There you have it, the old school chatters will stay loyal. And because of gmail’s invite only policy, new GoogleChatters will be few. Google says their catch is simplifying instant messaging. Isn’t it simple enough already? You just type and send. I cannot figure out why Google would attempt to enter this already well-established realm.
Julia Song @ Wed, 02/22/2006 - 11:54am
I know, it seems like Google is trying to get into just about everything now. I have a gmail account, but I probably won't get into their "chatters." I've been using MSN Messenger for many years now, and it's just a hassle to change it, to download the new system and then make all your friends change it too. I actually don't even know how the GoogleChatters works, but again, I already have an instant messenger so why bother?