|
Features
|
Skype
|
GTalk
|
|
Release date
|
August, 2003
|
August, 2005
|
|
Requires client
installation?
|
Yes
|
Not required, users can chat through their Gmail
interface, but they do need to install a browser plugin for voice/video over the web.
|
|
Supported Operating
Systems for the client
|
Windows, Mac OS, Linux
|
Downloadable client: Windows XP/Vista
Google Talk Gadget: voice/video plug-in for Windows XP or later. Mac OS or
later (through Gmail browser)
|
|
Bandwidth
consumption
|
~60MB/hour (only audio)
|
~25MB/hour (only audio)
|
|
Protocol
|
peer-to-peer model
|
XMPP (open protocol - also known as Jabber)
|
|
Instant messaging
(chat)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Group-chat
|
Yes
|
Yes, with the Google Talk Gadget
|
|
Saves chat history
|
Yes, on the local computer (if enabled)
|
Yes, on Gmail with searchable content (if
enabled)
|
|
Web access
|
Not officialy, but users can go to this page: https://imo.im/
|
Yes, through the Gmail page
|
|
Show online status
of contacts
|
Yes, but not reliable
|
Yes
|
|
Option to change
user's online status
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Find contacts
through the CGIAR directory
|
No
|
Yes, With a cgxchange.org account, all
CGIAR users will be listed using the CGIAR naming convention standard when we
implement the 3rd-party AD Sync and SSO tools are implemented.
|
|
Integration with
existing address books
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
VoIP: PC to PC
calls, one-on-one
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Conference calls
|
Yes, up 5 people for free if it’s
Skype-to-Skype. If you call any fixed/mobiles numbers, you should pay for each
call based on the Skype rates. If you want to make larger conference calls (up to 500 people) plus recording, we recommend: highdefconferencing
|
Not out-of-the box, but there are
workarounds to conference call with GTalk
|
|
Online number
|
Yes, people can call you from a regular
phone and reach you on Skype anywhere.
|
No
|
|
File transfers
|
Yes, although not reliable and takes a lot
of time
|
Yes, fast and reliable
|
|
Videoconferencing
|
Yes, only works with a one-to-one
conversation
|
Yes, video only works through the browser
from the Gmail page
|
|
Webconferencing
|
No
|
No
|
|
Calling from PC to
landlines and mobile phones
|
Yes, see pricing rates
|
No
|
|
Calling from
landlines to PC
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Voicemails
|
Yes, if you buy the voicemail
subscription
|
Yes, sent to your Gmail account if the
client is installed
|
|
Voicemails sent to
email
|
No
|
Yes, if the client is installed
|
|
Offline messages
|
Yes
|
Yes (if history enabled)
|
|
Call forwarding
|
Yes, you can set the call forward to
your mobile.
|
No
|
|
SMS
|
Yes, at a cost
|
No, but has a new feature that allows users
to send and receive text messages (SMS) through Chat. Presently,
only for US phones.
|
|
Alert users of
incoming phone calls and give details of the callers
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Send email to
contacts instantly
|
No
|
Yes- through the cgxchange.org account,
Users can setup the
mail forwarding from that account to their
corporate 'cgiar.org' email address.
|
|
Instant connectivity
to IM Services
|
No
|
Yes, with Orkut, Google's free social
networking service. Read more . From Gmail, users can also login to the AOL Instant
Messenger chat service. Read
more
|
|
Mobile device
compatibility
|
Yes, free Skype to Skype calls are
available from: 3 Skypephone, PSP,WiFi and cordless phones Nimbuzz – Allows users to make free international mobile call chat messaging with Skype and GTalk on many different phones.
|
Yes, Nokia
770 Internet Tablet, Sony'smylo, BlackBerry, iPhone, Android
Nimbuzz – Allows users to make free international mobile call chat messaging with Skype and GTalk on many different phones. |
Chatback
|
No
|
Yes, 'chatback' allows visitors to your website to chat with
you online (and they don't need to have a Gmail account to do so). This
can be used to provide live support.
|
|
Translations
|
No
|
Yes, with the Translation bots you
can send a message in one language and have it translated into another
|
