TechAddress

Gmail Video Chat: The Anti-Skype Arrives

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:31:19 +0000

The last major piece of the puzzle that was missing from Gmail was voice and video chat. Not anymore; if you have a webcam and a microphone, you can now video chat with your friends directly from Gmail by installing this plugin.

The plugin works in all major browsers (I’ve tried it in the latest version of Firefox) and installs on all of them automatically. After you’ve installed it, start a chat with someone and enable the new functionality from the Options menu at the bottom of the chat window. If you don’t have it yet, you’ll get it soon; Google is gradually rolling out the new feature to all users starting today.

This is obviously a big jab at Skype. With VoIP and video chat functionality in Gmail’s familiar surroundings, many users will feel less need to ever use Skype. Sure, Skype’s client has a ton more options than Gmail’s simple video chat, but many users will prefer Gmail for precisely that reason. Google now needs to enable this functionality in Gtalk, and the circle will be complete; it’ll be interesting to see what steps Skype will take to counter this threat.

See Google’s video presentation of this new feature below.

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TokBox Brings Video to Facebook IM Chat

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:30:10 +0000

Source:Mashable!
Some time ago, NetFlix modified their pricing plans to allow unlimited streaming of their database of movies and TV series. This was the final nail on the coffin for my Hasting’s video store membership. My life is filled with a wife, two kids, and a job that keeps me busy for about eighteen hours a […]

Source:Mashable!
Recently funded, web-based video chat tool TokBox has just anted up its Facebook application by making it available directly in chat. TokBox’s web-based platform is a Flash-enabled browser plugin that simplifies the video chat process by offering a service that doesn’t require downloads or any cumbersome setup process, granted you already have a working […]

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PaltalkExpress: Embeddable Video Chat

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:39:33 +0000

Source:Mashable!
A new vertical from Exponential’s Tribal Fusion proves that online advertising networks are researching and seeking out new technologies built on existing capabilities in order to diversify their core functions as platforms for marketing purposes. EchoTopic is the latest service from Tribal Fusion, and it’s an in-text advertising solution that aims to provide highly […]

Source:Mashable!
Social media is all about sharing, and the latest release from Add to Any, the bookmarking and sharing widget, makes it that much easier for users to share content across their favorite websites. Called Smart Menus, this Add to Any upgrade automatically adjusts to individual users, placing the most used services first in the […]

Source:Mashable!
Not too long ago Kontera’s in-text advertising solution was chosen by Microsoft to deliver contextual ads on LinkedIn. Today, Kontera offers something for the everyday, regular user. One-click plug-ins for Blogger.com. From your Kontera account, you’ll now notice a new button presenting you with the option of adding the Kontera in-text ads […]

Source:Mashable!
Video-chat service and community Paltalk has just announced the beta launch of PaltalkExpress, a Flash-enabled video chat platform, with plans for an official release next month. What does this mean? For one, it’s compatible with Macs. Until now, Mac users didn’t have full access to Paltalk’s core features, but PalalkExpress lets Mac […]

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Orgoo Sticks Together IM, E-mail, SMS, and Video Chatting [Invites]

Tue, 27 May 2008 19:48:54 +0000

Source:Mashable!
Editor’s Note: If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion in “The Startup Review” series, please see the details here.
STARTUP DETAILS:
Company Name: Twitturly
20-word Pitch: Twitturly is a service for tracking what URLs people are talking about as they talk about them on Twitter.
CEO’s 100-word Description: Twitturly operates similar to Digg.com, however instead […]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Twitturly: Tracking Popular URLs On Twitter [The Startup Review]”, url: “http://mashable.com/2008/05/27/twitturly/” });

Source:Mashable!
There are a number of ways you can learn languages these days. You can take a class at a K-12 institution or university, for one. You can buy an educational package from Rosetta Stone. There are online services from Mango Languages and Live Mocha, too, both of which are quite good.
Or, starting today, you can […]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Palabea: Community-Based Lingual And Cultural Education”, url: “http://mashable.com/2008/05/27/palabea/” });

Source:Mashable!
Orgoo is an e-mail/IM integration service that, like goo, sticks together all your different mail accounts, contacts, and IM buddies onto one page. Back when the site debuted, Pete called it: “Meebo meets Netvibes meets social networking on steroids.” If you struggle with managing your Hotmail, AOL, and GMail accounts along with their individual instant […]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Orgoo Sticks Together IM, E-mail, SMS, and Video Chatting [Invites]”, url: “http://mashable.com/2008/05/27/orgoo/” });

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