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Hands-On Google Talk for iPhone (Verdict: Stick with Installer.app)
Posted by Benny Goldman at 4:30 AM on July 4, 2008
Google's brand new Gtalk webapp for the iPhone is as crappy as I expected it would be. It has a nice design, and sending messages was easy, but at the end of the day it's still running in Safari—which means if you get a call you are signed out of chat. And unlike other web-based IM apps, Gtalk doesn't work in the background, so interruptions as simple as going to the home screen sign you out too. Also, there are no preference settings, so you are stuck looking at your whole contact list, online and off. Gtalk's AIM support is also curiously absent from this release. In short, this program sucks. If you're looking for a solid IM solution before the App store opens, I strongly recommend Agile Mobile's AM client recently released on Installer, which I've been playing around with.
AM is extremely easy to set up and has lots of options so you can choose which contacts you see. It supports Gtalk and AIM protocols in addition to ICQ, MSN, Yahoo and Jabber. AM even logs your IM sessions so you can refer back to old conversations. But best of all, it keeps your IM conversations going, even when you are on a call or out of the program, and sends Mail style notifications alerting you to how many IMs came your way while you were gone. All in all, an extremely good experience for IMing on the go, so jailbreak if you haven't yet, and install this puppy. [Google via Lifehacker]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!
Posted 5:32 AM 4/7/08
@anti-hello-kitty: My guess is that Apple was cutting a few corners to make the time. They even delayed Leopard so that they could push this out. They probably would've delayed the iPhone if not for the fact that they needed AT&T to get this new ball rolling, and that others were not so keen on their revenue sharing ideas.
Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!
anti-hello-kitty
Posted 5:20 AM 4/7/08
@Gilbert: It was just Apple being stupid by not releasing the SDK from the beginning. All of their excuses were so lame for pushing the web apps, they just didn't want to launch the SDK, either because they didn't have the time, or didn't want to. Even their apps that come installed on the iPhone, written by Apple, are sorely lacking in features and are not integrated with each other...
anti-hello-kitty
James
Posted 5:18 AM 4/7/08
I just game AM a whirl. I agree, this thing is great. Too bad I don't have many friends who use that anymore. Everyone seems to use SMS these days.
James
jmurph05
Posted 5:12 AM 4/7/08
@Gilbert: really I think its just websites that decided to add an iPhone version, like facebook, fandango, MyCast (weather service I found that has a great iPhone webapp). yes, some of them might die with the App Store, but some based on websites will still be there
jmurph05
altus
Posted 5:10 AM 4/7/08
Yep, web craplets are not going to be very exciting. But beware of SDK craplets and quick ports!
altus
Gilbert
Posted 5:07 AM 4/7/08
Is it just me, or was the concept of the web application as it pertains to the iPhone a complete waste of a time, especially given the SDK and the App Store?
How web apps remain useful is beyond me, but for the sake of Apple, I'm trying.
Gilbert
twilight-arc
Posted 5:03 AM 4/7/08
Has anyone started working with the push approach that Steve Jobs touted in the WWDC presentation?
twilight-arc
tucker
Posted 4:58 AM 4/7/08
@ajlafontaine: brings up a good question, do outfits like Agile Mobile continue developing apps that only run on jail-broke phones, or do they go official? or both? and will Apple punish people that do jail-break stuff and not let them in iTunes?
tucker
Yeebles
Posted 4:57 AM 4/7/08
I've been using Fring as I'm hoping to get a mic for my touch soon so i can skype. However will deffinitly give AM a go.
Yeebles
ajlafontaine
Posted 4:49 AM 4/7/08
Bad timing, right before app Store where I'm sure they'll have IM clients that will work with GTalk
ajlafontaine
aelver
Posted 4:45 AM 4/7/08
Perhaps Google didn't get in on the iPhone SDK :P
aelver
MrBlahBlah
Posted 4:44 AM 4/7/08
nice nice, i've been looking for a good AIM client for awhile now. Apollo IM didnt work well for me, so i've been kinda doing a wait and see.
MrBlahBlah
altus
Posted 4:39 AM 4/7/08
the iPhone and the SDK are great. So seeing people like Google and others create craplets list this is sad. It's sad to see applications that don't quite work, that are quick ports of "stuff" that has already failed on other phones. The test for the iPhone App Store launch is not quantity, it's quality. We need to see what has not been available elsewhere, integrating motion, multitouch and sound. You could make a talking application that used all of the above: Shakes to dial, tilt and rolling to navigate and of course a back end that really works... C'mon use that SDK for something useful! No Craplets please!!! Even if they are free!
altus
snitch29
Posted 5:47 AM 4/7/08
I just hope Apple makes iBlacklist available throw the App Store lol, that little app has been helping me a lot lately on blocking calls from specific #s, for example, a real annoying collection company name NCO & from my EX-girlfriend when my wife is around, you can have a specific # go straight to voicemail, have them get a busy tone or have them get a call drop everytime they try to call you, LOL. Am loving my iphone right now
snitch29
MikeSWelch
Posted 5:43 AM 4/7/08
I'm actually in shock that Google would release this a year after the iPhone was released, which is only days before the App store opens. Why wouldn't they wait and release a frickin sweet app that does google chat AND google talk. It would be amazing.
MikeSWelch
bracho86
Posted 5:42 AM 4/7/08
I tried the google talk app on my ipod touch and it suxx!!..also tried to use agile mobile recently installed on my ipod touch and i can't get it to work with my MSN account! Do i have to install something to get the AM to work?!.sorry form y english!
bracho86
ichi1
Posted 6:58 AM 4/7/08
@Benny Goldman Does the real version come with the call second name blanking version and obscene status updates.
ichi1
gordeaoux
Posted 6:27 AM 4/7/08
@snitch29: I just didn't think it was possible for the iPhone - or anything really - to launch someone that far into the Douche-o-sphere.
gordeaoux
Tohe
Posted 7:54 AM 4/7/08
if only the Gizmo Project mobile 5 would support the iPhone ...
Tohe
Joseph
Posted 10:40 AM 5/7/08
@altus: I think thats a webapp, not an application developed on the SDK.
Joseph
RobertJP
Posted 6:00 AM 4/7/08
The only native messenger app that doesn't crash for me is Fring which has sub-par features for AIM which I use the most. It also is the only one that doesn't get connection issues related to T-mobiles port configuration with AOL servers.
RobertJP