Google Talk is for Gmail Users

Just like Gmail, Google's web-based free email system, Google Talk isn't available to the general public. Anyone can download Google Talk, but you'll need a Gmail account to sign-in. Right now, Google Talk users can't even chat with non-users. However, they can send friends an invitation to join Google Talk. Those lucky enough to snatch up an invitation will get both a Gmail account and a Google Talk account at the same time. All you need to take advantage of Google Talk is an internet connection, a microphone and a speaker.

So what is Google Talk, anyway? It's a free service for making voice calls and sending instant messages. It's a Windows application based in real-time communications. After you download, go ahead and select to remove you Gmail Notifier during installation (it prompts you). A new Gmail Notifier is included with Google Talk. Then just sign-in and your Gmail contacts are automatically uploaded for you. The control panel is certainly a no-frills basic screen. You'll find three options in the upper right corner of the panel. They are INBOX, SETTINGS and HELP which offer the following features:

INBOX: Takes you to your web-based Gmail account.

SETTINGS: General - allows you to enable Google Talk to start automatically when windows starts, set Gmail as your default, sort friends by name, hide offline friends, update your Google web-based account settings.Blocked - Shows list of blocked contacts.Privacy - Enables you to add people to your Friends List and save recent chat history.Notifications - Enables you to select sounds and visual notifications for incoming calls and chats or turn off all notifications.Connection - Enables you to detect your proxy automatically or set a proxy.Audio - Enables you to select your input microphone or headset/speakers and automatically adjust them. Select a device for calls, mute and un-mute your speakers and microphone, set your notifications to ring or ding.

HELP: Takes you to Google Talk's web-based FAQ Help Center.