Google launched new software, an instant messenger/voice over IP client named Google Talk. It is a downloadable Windows application that enables users to quickly and easily talk or send instant messages to friends for free. Calls are made through your computer using the latest voice technology.

Google Talk is different from other IM services in that it is based on an open communications model enabling users to connect to the Google Talk service and exchange instant messages using any client that uses the same standard. Yet now, Google Talk is in beta and requires a Gmail username and password.

It is cheap and enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free–anytime, anywhere in the world. Google Talk is a simple and free way to talk with and send instant messages to your friends. Like Gmail, It uses Google's innovative technologies to help people communicate more effectively and efficiently.

Google Talk , an easy and intuitive to use offers you:

• Choice: Get in touch over email, IM or a call.
• Quality: Talk through your computer but hear your friends as if they were in the same room.
• Convenience: Your Gmail contacts are pre-loaded into Google Talk so inviting or talking to your friends is just a click away.

Google has another strategy to combat lock-in: Google Talk is integrated with GMail which is the great email service with very attractive Gmail accounts .When users visit http://gmail.com and enter their mobile phone number, they will receive an invitation code via a text message. This code enables them to open an account.

Key features include superior voice quality through just a computer microphone and speaker, simple user interface designed to eschew clutter, pop-ups or ads and shared Gmail contacts list so there's no need to maintain different contacts lists.

This is not only a strategy to help the new Google Talk application to win ground. Google might be hoping that once they have you addicted to some of their really great services, like the Google Toolbar, GMail and Google Desktop Search, they have achieved a kind of lock-in. By adding new quality services like Google Talk, that are integrated with and depend upon other Google products, they set out to win over AOL, Yahoo! and maybe even Microsoft.

This new service follows by just the introduction of Google Sidebar, which pulls news stories, photographs, weather updates, stock quotes and other features onto a user's computer without opening a Web browser. With all the new services, Google now competes with Internet portals such as Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp. Google has been playing catch-up with many products, such as e-mail, a personalized home page at Google.com and online maps. The goal is to get consumers to stay longer, rather than simply search for websites and then click away.

To use Google Talk, the system requirements include Windows 2000, Windows XP (Home & Pro), or Windows Server 2003, a minimum 56k dial up connection, but a broadband connection is recommended. Google Talk works with any computer speaker and microphone, such as the ones built into many PC laptops today, as well as with wired and wireless headsets and USB phones. The downloadable Google Talk client is not compatible with Macintosh or Linux systems at this time.

Google Talk also supports standards-based communication clients, which means that Gmail users can access the Google Talk service and exchange instant messages using other clients that support the standard XMPP protocol, such as Trillian, GAIM, iChat, Adium, and Psi. This allows users to access the Google Talk service for instant messaging from all major platforms, including OSX, Linux, and Windows.

It  is currently available in English only, but its possible to communicate with your friends in any language and in any country. Google Talk currently does not encrypt chats or calls but still work is being carried out to make many improvements to Google Talk .

Google's IM service appears to be based the Jabber open-source standard which allows users to connect with other Jabber-capable clients -- such as iChat, GAIM, Adium, Trillian Pro and Psi. Google Talk clients however, can't connect with AIM, MSN or Yahoo Messenger clients.

Google is working with other networks to allow voice calls to be made between them.It is also committed to working with other service providers in order to enable users on any member network to talk to users on any other member network in a secure and abuse-free manner.