If you’re one of those who are still desperately holding on to Google Talk and refusing to switch to the more updated Hangouts, then the latest news from product manager Mayur Kamat will make you a little bit sad. By February 23, Google is already deprecating Talk for Windows users, encouraging them to switch to Hangouts, which has been their main messaging app for the past few years.
While Google Talk will technically not stop working by February 25, they will not be updating the app anymore, which of course, in this day and age where users expect better services from their apps, is a no-no. So if you’re looking for a much better way to communicate with your friends or colleagues, then better switch to Hangouts, which is where Google is focusing their efforts on right now to bring you the “most robust and expressive communications experience.”
Those who are used to messaging others through the desktop can actually use the Hangouts Chrome app or Gmail on desktop to be able to have the Hangouts experience. But in case you still want to stubbornly stay on Google Talk, you can still use it on your Windows-run desktop or laptops, using compatible third-party apps, since it supports Jabber protocol. However, these are not actual Google products, so they want you to be cautious when using these apps.
If you’re ready to finally make a change, then make the big move to Hangouts. You should, if you value your digital communications and if a lot of your friends are on Gmail, since it has lot of features like group messaging, free voice calls (not supported in all regions yet), multi-platform messaging, etc. You can download the app for free from the Google Play Store.
SOURCE: + Mayur Kamat
fuck this. fuck google.