Google Inc., the Internet search engine rapidly growing into a Web portal, Wednesday introduced a new service for users to send instant messages to others via text or voice. Research from a Silicon Valley company shows Google faces a lot of competition.

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG - News), of Mountain View, describes Google Talk as a free downloadable Windows-based application for subscribers to its Gmail e-mail service. Users can send text messages back and forth as with any other instant messaging service and can communicate by voice with the microphone and headset that come as accessories with most computers.

Google stuck to its Wednesday announcement schedule despite a flurry of media coverage Tuesday following a Los Angeles Times story that leaked word of its plans.

Google joins established rivals in the instant messaging market. According to research from Nielsen/Net Ratings, of Milpitas, AOL Instant Messenger from Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX - News), of New York City, was the number one instant messaging service, with 52.3 million unique users in July; followed by MSN Messenger Service from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT - News), of Redmond, Wash., with 27.5 million; Yahoo Messenger from Yahoo Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO - News), of Sunnyvale, with 21.3 million; and Skype Messenger with 956,000.

Google, which was founded in 1998, eventually grew to be the standard for Internet search technology and its initial public offering of stock in 2004 spurred a sense of renewal for Silicon Valley in the wake of a steep economic downturn. Recent moves indicate a strategy to move beyond search.

Google Monday introduced enhanced desktop features that allow a computer user to search the Web, their own computer files and to access news, weather, photos, their e-mail and other information.

And on Aug. 18, it announced plans to sell more shares in the company to raise an estimated $4 billion to develop more services and make some acquisitions.

Published August 24, 2005 by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal

http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/050824/1155038.html?.v=2

Good news for those of you who have GOOG stock right now

Will anyone be using this new service from Google?

Regards,

Lee