How to Use Google Talk Efficiently

Google Talk is a very lightweight chat client with a tremendous amount of capability. It isn't hard at all to learn to use it and all the features that come with it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Google Account
• Downloaded Version of Google Talk Client
• Gmail Account
• Hands-Free Headset

How to Use Google Talk Efficiently

1. Sign up for a Google Account. Your email address will be your username. Select your password.

2. Download the Google Talk Client and install the software on your computer. Sign in with your Google account information. You will be directed to set up a Google Talk account.

3. Sign up for a Gmail account using your Google Account. Only Gmail users get the full functionality of the Google Talk software. With a Gmail account you will be able to access the call feature, send voicemail up to ten minutes long, send email with your chat client and retain a history of all your chats in your Gmail account. Keep in mind that you will only be able to use these features with other people who have Gmail accounts. From now on, sign in to Google Talk with your Gmail account information.

4. To get the best use of the Google Talk call and voicemail features, get a good headset with earphones and a microphone. This will enable you to keep your hands free while chatting and talking at your computer. This is one of the best ways to use Google Talk efficiently.

5. Set up your interface so it takes up as little room as possible. Never chat with more than two or three people at a time. Stack your chat windows. Then select an appearance which is the most efficient for your needs. By selecting Settings > Appearance > Classic, you will have a basic interface which is text-only and doesn't waste space on pictures and bubbles.

6. Maintain your Friends List. If somebody has begun to contact you too frequently for chats, calls and voicemail, you may block them by mousing over their name and selecting block from the drop down list on the right. If their email is no longer valid, you may remove them from your friends list by right clicking their name and clicking Remove. Sort your friends by clicking Settings > General > Sort by Name. Easily search for your friends by typing the first few letters of their ID in the search box at the top of Google Talk. Also, you may deselect offline friends by clicking View at the bottom of the client and deselecting "show offline friends."

7. Check the icons at the bottom of the Google Talk client to see if you have received any mails or calls while you were away from the computer. Be sure to do this often so that they don't pile up, and so that you can reply in a timely fashion. Also, be sure that notifications are enabled by clicking Settings > Notifications and checking the boxes of all the notifications you wish to receive. When Google Talk is minimized in the system tray, you will receive a notification whenever you receive a new chat, an incoming call, a new email or when your friends come online, based on your preferences.

8. Should you have any problems or error messages, navigate to the Google Talk website and click "Help" at the top of the screen.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use Google Talk on your Blackberry by downloading a special application.
• You can use Google Talk with other IM applications such as iChat, Pidgin, Psi, Miranda, Trillian Pro and more.