Google Chat

Google Chat has been around since 2005, with an update in 2011 that brought Google Hangouts to all platforms (iOS, Android and Mac, Windows). It's easy to use, whether you're on your phone or computer, and it offers plenty of cool features that make keeping in touch simple and fun.

Updates

Beginning November 1, 2022, Google Hangouts on the web will no longer be accessible and will instead send users to Google Chat on the web. Information on this update,along with updates to Vault and the exporting of Hangouts data,will be sent to administrators via email.

The Message button has been replaced by a chat bubble next to the Hangout button in Gmail when viewing conversations in different tabs.

If you want to connect with someone who is already in your address book or contact list, you can either search for them by name or choose them from the list by clicking the Add a contact button.

Source:Pexels

Features

● Permission-free group work in Google Workspace, where users may create and share documents (Docs, Sheets, and Slides).

● Sharing files, events, and tasks with coworkers is a breeze with features like instant messaging and click-to-join meetings.

● A search bar similar to Google's, with the added ability to narrow your results to do those things you've shared or discussed

● Google Workspace includes"ready for the enterprise"levels of security and access controls like preventing data loss, admin settings, ensure compliance, export, and search.

PROS

● It works in tandem with other Google services without any hitches. The product is quite reliable.

● Google has released a fantastic tool for use in the business world. Every company needs a reliable method of internal communication, and Google Chat is a great tool for this.

● To easily keep tabs on team members' whereabouts, the software allows them to set and change statuses (such as"present,""away,"or"other").

● The freedom to make a video call whenever you like, without needing to schedule it in advance, is a major plus.

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CONS

● The lack of granular search options (filters) and the complexity of the resulting talks make the room system less than ideal.

● Complete messages are rarely sent out, and when they are, it's usually by accident.

● The video call may lag from time to time.

● The character count restriction in SMS is another annoyance.

How to use it?

Google Chat is easily accessible in Google Workspace. Clicking the Google app launcher button makes any Workspace app a gateway.

The app launcher is the grid of dots in the top right corner. This grid opens Google programs, including Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Drive. Chat is normally on the second line.

You can select users from the left-hand list to chat. It also shows whether a coworker is online.

More

You can use Google Chat to instant message, video chat, and make phone calls with a Google+ user anywhere in the world. You may make cheap international calls to landlines and mobile phones.

Google Chat is a tool that is a part of Google Workspace and has a number of built-in integrations. Such solutions as Gmail, Google Forms, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Google Drive, and Google Docs are automatically integrated with the software out of the box.