SIPphone and Google Talk became the first major instant messaging networks to launch complete compatibility between their user bases.
Interoperable features incorporated between the two services include:
- Instant messaging, which allows users of Google Talk and Gizmo Project to communicate across networks.
- Full address book management, including the ability to send invitations to members of other networks.
- Presence (online, offline, away) so you can see if your contacts are available to chat.
The companies said this relationship is the culmination of over six months of cooperation.
“Although Gizmo Project and Google Talk are competing instant messaging products this technical cooperation illustrates our commitment to open directories,” said SIPphone CEO Michael Robertson. “Our partnership will put pressure on closed networks like MSN, Yahoo!, Skype and AOL to connect to the rest of the world so a user won’t be forced to juggle five different accounts on different networks to communicate with the world.”http://www.sipphone.com
- In July 2005, The Gizmo Project, a free VoIP service developed by Michael Robertson and his team at SIPphone, released the first public beta of its consumer VoIP software. Robertson’s previous start-ups have included MP3.com, Linspire, SIPphone and most recently MP3tunes.com. Unlike Skype, Gizmo is based on SIP and follows a standards-based approach to its network and directory. New users choose their username and then a SIP number is automatically assigned to the account. Gizmo can send/receive calls to over 100 other SIP networks, including some university networks and Asterisk-based networks. Regular phones could be attached to the service using an unlocked SIP analog-telephone-adapter.
- Gizmo, which is describing itself as a “Skype-killer”, said it because it does not operate on a pure P2P model, its members’ computer resources and bandwidth are never tapped to route calls, as they are with Skype. Gizmo is supporting a range of audio compression technologies including Global IP Sound, which is also used by Skype.