BBC NEWS | Technology | Google takes aim at chat rivals

BBC NEWS Technology Google takes aim at chat rivals: "Google is to integrate its popular e-mail service with instant messaging, allowing users to chat and send e-mails from the same web browser window.
The company hopes the new feature, known as Gmail Chat, will attract users by offering instant messaging without having to use a separate program.
Google's existing chat service lags behind rivals AOL, Yahoo and Microsoft.
The new facility will be visible to existing subscribers from within Google's Gmail browser window.
People will only be able to start conversations with fellow Gmail account holders, or those contacts using services compatible with Google's messaging facilities.
They include US-based Earthlink, the Jabber.org network and e-mail providers in the Philippines, China and Italy. "