Google's instant messenger -> GMessanger?

[Nacho]

In the press, "India may power Google's instant messenger (http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/highlights/newsdetail_new.php?filename=news24062004102551.htm )"

Geodesic is believed to be working on a prototype of what could be Google's instant messenger.

An Indian company could power internet giant Google's next killer application. Geodesic Information Systems, a Mumbai-based company listed on the BSE, is believed to be running a pilot project for what could some day be the Google Instant Messenger. Sources told CNBC-TV18 that the company got the go-ahead to develop the prototype after meeting Google's founders in Mountain View, California.
So if GMessanger gives you a doorway entry into Search, Froogle (shooping), News, Gmail, Orkut, your Picasa, and who knows what more . . . . hmmmm, this really is starting to sound like a P.P.P.P...Portal?

Now, with all those billions in cash, why not just buy out Trillian (http://www.trillian.cc/), which totally rocks!

What do think will be the benefits to a GMessanger? and how could it be the best IM application by integrating it with search?

[inlogicalbearer]

It's a bizarre story ? Google buy Picasa who already used Hello! Hello is already a Instant Messenger ???

[AussieWebmaster]

Interesting... if it is anything like Gmail there may be an archiving feature with searchable features.

[pleeker]

So if GMessanger gives you a doorway entry into Search, Froogle (shooping), News, Gmail, Orkut, your Picasa, and who knows what more . . . . hmmmm, this really is starting to sound like a P.P.P.P...Portal?
I think it started sounding like a portal a long time ago....

What do think will be the benefits to a GMessanger? and how could it be the best IM application by integrating it with search?
Will it show contextual ads based on what we're chatting about? :)

[AussieWebmaster]

Watch stock prices as Gmail goes public, then all the other things they plan on rolling out... I would say they are timed every 2-3 months to spike stock prices.

[pulsetoday]

Will it show contextual ads based on what we're chatting about? :)


That sounds like a really interesting idea. I wish they create something more like Trillian [ Yeah. Integrate it with others :D ]

[AussieWebmaster]

Will it show contextual ads based on what we're chatting about? :)

They could also buy BlowSearch who has this widget working so you can use on IM and receive all the IMs in one place... MSN, Yahoo and AOL... with ads at the bottom...

[Nacho]

Will it show contextual ads based on what we're chatting about? :)
I agree with the idea, seems very interesting. However, IMO clickthoughs will most likely be at the worst levels, not to mention conversions after that. What are the odds to going from "chatting mode" to "shopping mode" to "buying mode"?

[garyp]

When Yahoo relaunched Yahoo! Messenger in May they added a feature allowing you to search directly from the messenging program.


See:
http://messenger.yahoo.com/features.php
and more here:
http://messenger.yahoo.com/feat_search.php

[rustybrick]

Will it kill instant messaging? I personally don't use AOL's IM client because of the ads.

But I can see it being useful, sometimes.

[garyp]

AOL's IM client because of the ads.

You could always use the Java based (and free) AIM Express.
http://www.aim.com/get_aim/express/aim_expr.adp

[rustybrick]

You could always use the Java based (and free) AIM Express.
http://www.aim.com/get_aim/express/aim_expr.adp

I use iChat, but your right, that is an option. Thanks.

[Nacho]

Will it kill instant messaging? I personally don't use AOL's IM client because of the ads.

But I can see it being useful, sometimes.
Very powerful for BRANDING, just as you would be driving your car, listening to the radio or talking in your cell phone and looking at a NIKE Billboard go by. But this would not help Google through contextual ads, because IMO the most powerfull way to do branding is visually and the company's LOGO is the biggest asset. Perhaps Google image ads (http://www.google.com/ads/imageads/index.html) will do the trick.

[rustybrick]

Ok, this thread is going slightly off on a tangent, but I think it was always meant to be.

What type of branding is Google trying to give us? I probably didn't word that well. Let me try again...

How has and how will Google deliver its brand to the public?

I believe, with Google, it really has been about them being in the background. They were a big part in making text ads popular. They now are stepping into the graphical ads area, but it is really uncharted space for them. To put image ads, let alone Google image ads, in the face of Gmessenger, I think would be 'unGooglelike'.

Just as an extra resource, there was a WMW thread on this back on May 8, 2004 named Google to launch Instant Messaging? (http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum100/50.htm).