Whenever Google Babel does arrive for public consumption, we’re starting to believe it will be everything we have ever asked for in a unified messenger service. We’re talking synced notifications, cross-platform conversation experiences, a new UI, photo sharing, quick access to live video chats, and on-the-record chat history viewing from anywhere. According to sources of ours who have shared new information with us (including a feature list), we’re getting all of this and more. 

Google Babel as a product is a collaboration of work by the Google+, Android, Chrome and Apps teams. Through their combined efforts, as was previously reported by us, we’ll see this unified service launch in Gmail and as Android, iOS, and Chrome apps. What’s particularly interesting, is that Google is talking about the iOS app as being the first time they have built a “first class iOS experience” when it comes to a messaging service. I can’t say that I’m familiar with their current iOS offerings, so I’ll leave the iOS experts to weigh in on the quality of Talk (if there even is an app) and G+ Messenger.

We’ve also learned that Google Voice support is “eventually” coming to Babel, however, the service initially only brings together Talk, Hangouts, and Messenger. This was an inclusion we were hoping to see from the beginning, but won’t, from what we understand. No specific details on how Voice will blend into Babel were given, just that it’s coming later on down the road.

Continuing on – there will be notification syncing across devices and platforms. For example, if you have a browser open on a desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone that are all attached to Babel and receive a message, once you check that message on any of the devices, the notification will disappear from the others. As someone who operates a half-dozen devices at any time throughout a day, I can’t tell you how important this feature is. It may be the most important.

We’ll also see a brand new UI that promotes conversations and is applied across all versions of Babel. You’ll be able to send photos, use 800+ emoji (not an exaggeration), look back at any on-the-recrod conversation from any device, group chat, and of course, carry all conversations with you to and from any device.

Here is a feature list according to a Google memo (colorful commentary is theirs, not ours):

1. Brand new UI. We’ve designed a new UI that’s applied across all clients and promotes conversations.
2. Stay in sync.  With just one conversation list and experience across mobile and desktop, everything is always in sync. Install the Chrome app, the Android app, and iOS app.
3. Desktop app.  Stop laying whack a mole across blinking browser tabs. With the new Chrome app your conversations continue outside of the browser.
4. Keep a group conversation going to coordinate with your team, and start a Hangout with a single tap whenever you need to talk face-to-face.
5. Be notified…just once.  Get notifications on your two phones, tablet, laptop, and desktop. Open it on one and watch the others disappear. If you’re actively using your computer or phone we’ll even intelligently notify you on just one of those endpoints. Magic!
6. Message more than just text.  Add a photo to the conversation and/or send some of the 800+ emoji to your coworkers. Kittens and poop are particularly helpful in explaining complex issues.
7. Get nostalgic.  Scroll back in time and relive any (on-the-record) conversation, on any device.
8. More ways to talk.  For the first time we are building a first class iOS experience. Try out our very early preview on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

I will say that the screenshots posted yesterday by TechRadar appear to me to be the real deal. From what I have seen, the emoji box does slide up from the bottom, though I’ve also seen the box with a black background. Conversations will look the same – threaded with profile pictures of the participants.

Still no word on a release date.

New thoughts on Babel?

Google Babel News: Google Voice Support “Eventually” Coming, Synced Notifications, “First Class” iOS Experience is a post from: Droid Life

After we first outed the name Google Babel last week, and the new unified chat app by Google hit internal testers, we figured it was only a matter of time before the first shots of it emerged. Thanks to TechRadar, those first shots may have arrived today. Someone tell Google that the 90s want their emoticons back. 

First, the name “Babel” is seen once again thanks to the shot below which shows a message of “What do you think of Babel in Gmail?” as the user hovers over a feedback button. I’m sure this could be faked by any novice web developer, but since it was included in a batch of photos that would likely take hours to create, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. Just keep in mind that as our own Tim loves to say, “Nothing is confirmed.”

Next, in the screenshot at the very top, we’re seeing the first look at the UI of Babel while in Gmail or potentially Google+ for that matter. The conversations appear more threaded than in the past and include contact thumbnails. We’re seeing a Hangout button, option to add more contacts to the conversation, a settings button, camera button, and a collapsable bar that gives you the ultimate-emoticon list of all time. We’re seriously seeing six tabs of different emoticons. I know Google has become a fan of emoticons again, but do we really need flags, various animals, smiley emotions, and emoticons with food themes? Ugh, Emoji. Moving on.

According to TechRadar’s source who they question a bit throughout their post, Google+ integration is a must if you are looking to send photos over Babel. This isn’t surprising in the least, as Google has been pushing G+ as a product heavily since it launched.

So this is essentially what we expected from Babel, isn’t it? A revamped chat UI that works across multiple services including Gmail and Google+. What we need now, is a look at the actually Android app. Or do we think Google Talk will die and we’ll all be forced into Google+ to carry on our Google Talk conversations? Oh, how scary of a thought is that?

Via:  TechRadar

Google Babel Makes First Appearance With More 1990s Emoticons Than You Can Count is a post from: Droid Life

According to sources who spoke with Geek.com, Google is readying a unified chat client called “Babble” that will merge Google Talk, Google+ Messenger, Voice, and any other platform used to send messages across their services. The goal for Babble is to overtake platforms like iMessage and Blackberry Messenger, which none of its separate parts have been able to do thus far. 

These same sources said that Babble will help push Google’s trend of organization by conversation. Through this new messenger client, you’ll be able to share photos in chat windows or start a Hangout with anyone on your contact list, while maintaining threaded conversations across multiple services, something you cannot necessarily do at this point. After introduction, Babble will offer the same sets of features everywhere.

A timeframe for release has not been given, but as with anything Google-related these days, Google I/O is probably going to be a great time for an unveiling.

I for one am extremely excited about this news, should it be true. For far too long have we wished for a more powerful chat client that works across all Google services. The broken lines between Google Talk, Google+ Messenger and Google Voice have been beyond frustrating at times. This seems like a service that should have been introduced ages ago, but the solution may not have been the simplest, especially when you look at the ever-increasing number of Google services these days.

The only thing I’m a little confused about is the purported name, Babble. Google seems to stick to mostly standard terms when it names it services, like Voice, Maps, Drive, News, Wallet, Offers, etc. Babble seems a little out there, and is also the name of an incredibly popular parenting site which is owned by Disney. I’m not saying that the service won’t be called “Babble,” but I’d almost expect them to go with something like “Google Connect.”

Via:  Geek

Cheers Aadi!

Google to Release Unified Chat Service Called “Babble”? is a post from: Droid Life

Developer Francois Beaufort, the guy who first pointed out that Chrome would be receiving Google Now-like notifications, posted up the screenshot you are seeing above to his G+ account, today. In the shot, we are seeing at least two things that have grabbed our attention – rich notifications in Chrome OS and an icon that looks a lot like one that would be for a messenger client of sorts. 

First, on the right is a shot of what “rich” notifications will look like in Chrome OS. As you can see, it shows very much in the style of Google Now. It also seems to be showing notifications for missed calls (Google Voice?), users who have circled you (Google+), and messages from friends (Gmail or G+ Messenger). Unified messaging center? Umm, hell yes.

Taking that a step further, the icon in the launch bar by the Google Drive icon is something we haven’t seen before. Beaufort mentioned in his G+ post with the photo that he “doesn’t know yet” what that icon is, followed by a winking smiley face. What’s he hinting at here? In the comments of his screenshot, a number of G+ users are praying for this to be a unified messaging app from Google. For far too long have we had to deal with separated Google Talk, Voice, Messenger, Gmail, G+, etc.

But will it actually happen? At some point, it only makes sense that Google would try to release a unified messaging service. In fact, it should have been done long ago. But since they seem to have neglected Google Talk for the last two years, we can only hope that means they have been working on their next big solution.

Oh, and that argument is also helped by the fact that the icon looks like four messaging icons piled onto one another.

What do you think? Are we finally getting an all-in-one messaging solution from Google?

Via:  +François Beaufort

Cheers Dave!

Is This the Icon for a New All-in-One Messaging Service From Google? is a post from: Droid Life

After a brief outage, that most of us on the west coast slept through, Google Talk appears to be returning for many users. In fact, as I crawled out of bed in the last few minutes, I watched my contact list tick from everyone offline to most being back online.

Here is the most recent status report that was last updated at 6:50AM. I would guess that it will be changing shortly if the Google team did indeed fix the issue. Is it back up for you? 

Via:  Google

Cheers Tio and Ryan!

Google Talk is Coming Back Up! is a post from: Droid Life

The concept of “floating” apps has become the hot thing in the Android tablet realm over the last few weeks, something we think is awesome. With all of that screen real estate on tablets, why not use some of it to take advantage of Android’s multi-tasking? LilyPad HD is the newest on the block, but claims to be the first to float in an instant messenger environment. Currently only working with Google Talk (perfect for Android gurus), this app allows you to open chat windows over top of whatever you may be doing, which means chatting while watching videos or cruising the web without having to toggle screens. 

Play Link ($1.49)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers Blake!

LilyPad HD Introduced as the First Floating IM Client for Android Tablets, Currently Works With Google Talk is a post from: Droid Life

A reader turned me onto an interesting Associated Press article that focused on the state of the free instant messaging/texting world and how much money carriers have been losing because of it. In 2011 alone, carriers saw a decrease in profits of around $14 billion dollars as consumers have moved onto Blackberry Messenger, iMessage, Google Talk and other services that can send messages using data instead. Before you feel too bad for them, know that they reportedly still took in an estimated $153 billion from text messages. A 9% decrease year-over-year is pretty massive though. Carriers are now looking to creating their own solutions on this front so that they can hopefully help save this particular cash cow industry before it’s gone for good.

So this all got us wondering – how do you interact with friends and family?  Through the dinosaur method text messaging or with a free instant messaging/texting service?

*Note – We would include Google Voice in the “instant messaging” category since it’s free and is an alternative to standard text messaging.

Cheers @kaufkin!

Thursday Poll: Traditional Text Message or Free Messaging Service? is a post from: Droid Life

Update:  Ignore my sleepiness.  Video chatting on GTalk was definitely all over the Honeycomb preview video. We just got extra excited when we saw it in a press release.  Now we’ll set our sites on it coming to Gingerbread.  Move along!

LG and T-Mobile slipped up a little bit in their press release for the G-Slate by giving away the fact that Honeycomb will definitely allow for video chatting through Google Talk.  We know that Google’s Honeycomb event today is going to feature additional details for their tablet OS that we had yet to see, but this was something that had only been rumored up to this point.

Here is the piece from their presser:

With the front-facing camera, customers can video chat with friends and family over T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi with Google Talk™.

This was a feature we were crossing our fingers for, and thanks to LG, we can relax.  Now, back to focusing our good thoughts on a new browser-based market and Google Music.  Make sure to be here around 10AM for coverage!

Google Talk Video Chatting for Android (Updated) is a post from: Droid Life