Talk Worldwide for Free with Google Talk

[Valerie S. Johnson]

By Valerie S. Johnson

Google Talk is a computer download that provides unlimited talking and instant messaging worldwide – at no charge. All you need is a computer, microphone, and speakers (or a headset) and you can gab to Uncle Harry in New Zealand or your old college roommate on the other coast, without worrying about how many minutes you’ve used.

It’s simple. Just download Google Talk, convince your friends to do the same, and you can talk or IM whenever you’re both online. If you have a Gmail account, your contacts will automatically load into Google Talk.

What about privacy? Google Talk is still in beta, and does not currently encrypt chats or calls. Google Talk automatically saves your chat histories, but you can change this setting or chat “off the record.” As always, watch what you type and what you say. The acid test is: would you want your grandmother to read it on the front page of a national newspaper?

Come say hello at www.google.com/talk. Can you hear me now? Hello, grandma?