Web Talk

As we know Google is always looking for new exciting features and ideas to add to its already exciting applications and web services. Most of them can be found in Google Labs. Recently, Google has made available in Google Gmail Chat a nice feature which lets you send SMS from Google. Let’s see how what we have to do to enable this SMS service which, so far, is still experimental and limited to the United States.

1. Go and open your Gmail account.
2. Up, on the right click Settings.
3. Under Settings, click the Lab tab.
4. Enable Text Messaging (SMS) in Chat.

As soon as you enable text messaging in chat you will be able to send SMS  from Google while chatting, by going with your mouse pointer over a contact with phone number stored. Alternatively, you can also type the phone number of a cell phone you want to send the SMS to, directly in the Chat box. As said, the SMS service is limited to the United States so far. Gmail uses a special Google number to send and receive messages. Once a recipient gets the G-message he will be able to reply  with another SMS which will reach the Gmail user as instant message. Furthermore, the phone recipient can also save the number he got the message from and reuse it in the future to send other texts to Gmail users. All of your conversations are stored in your Chat history just like regular chats. The SMS Google service is not completely free though. As a matter of fact the person getting SMS messages from you via Gmail Chat will be charged by their mobile carrier each time you hit enter in the chat window or if he replies back to your G-messages.