Gmail Video Chat | Neil Grogan

I am an avid Gmail user through Google Apps. I use the calender, chat, code, sites, pages, docs the whole lot. One of my friends even jokes “You should just work at Google Marketing”. Yes I like most of Google’s products; but I am a products guy; I use whats good, cheap and fast (pick two). Google has the cheap down due to ad-revenue; for the moment anyways in the current financial turmoil.

So I was delighted when I seen Gmail Video and Voice released. I have used it on my computer and I can say thats its really good: better than SIP video; better than Skype on the quality front. Google Talk has always had the clearest voice calling from my usage of it vs. the others.

My family use Gmail; I have converted almost everyone I know to use it. Most of my Computer Science class have it (some just use the student hotmail); so I will really use this feature. There are a few problems however:

Google Talk itself has no video; a curious decision
It is not encrypted like Skype; there should be an option
No Linux client: Unbelievable when Mac OS X is supported!
Not compatible with Nokia Internet Tablets; an early testbed for Google Talk Video
Open Standards but not Open Source: patent issues with licensed video codecs

Features missing which would really benefit me as a CS student:

Multi-way voice calling
Multi-way Video calling
Whiteboard function (Integration into GDocs?)
Compatibility with SIP video
Scheduling of Video/Voice through resource availibility option in Google Calendar

These are mainly organisational for group projects etc. which would be very handy not only to me; but business through apps and Google the company itself. Get working on it Google!