GMail & Video Chat

Props to Google for the unexpected treat today. Video and audio streaming are now components within Gmail chat.

A nice addition for those who use Gmail as their primary mail & IM client. For me, it solves an irritating problem that I believe to be rather widespread...

We have a significant contingent of MAC users - especially within the web world. Most have built in iSight cameras - so the hardware exists to support video conferencing across the global team. Unfortunately, iChat requires firewall ports be opened up (if memory serves, 16 or so). Of course, getting folks to poke holes through your security takes a tad more than a short form and a nice little note. Windows users are taking advantage of LiveMeeting 07, but video conferencing in the product is limited to the full blown client. Naturally, there's no OS X version.

Alas - no easy solution for us MAC folks... Until today.

I came across the Gmail blog this afternoon, read the news, had what could be described as a small panic attack, installed the plugin and IM'd a pal. Voi la - internal video streaming without any new hardware or software, no new servers, nothing... Better yet, I'll still be getting holiday cards from my friends on the security team...

You've got to love it when someone unexpectedly drops a solution to a longstanding issue in your hands. Oh right, and for free :)

Thanks again, Google.

Comments

[Maine Powerball]

Excellent, more and more full-service Gmail

[Bill Petro]

Cool tool. As near as I can tell, it does not work for those using Gmail through Google Apps.

[Alexandra Larsson]

I agree. iChat is so nice but is not easy to make work in current network environment. Google's approach is interesting and it is especually nice to see what they did from last year's acquisition of the Swedish company Marratech (www.marratech.com).

[Len Devanna]

Thanks for the comments folks.. I've been using this quite a bit since it came out and am still thrilled... It seems to work flawlessly within the network - but also from within to an external point... and of course, external point to point works fine.

Good stuff that's really solved a big problem for me.

LD

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