Google talk is a great program. It is integrated with your gmail account which comes in handy a lot. The layout is wonderful and has none of the mess that the other instant message clients have created with ads and media. The calls are crystal clear and everything is so simple and easy to use. There are NO ADS whatsoever. Right now the features of Gtalk include-No ads, one click emailing, one click calling, crystal clear calls, simple integreation with gmail, over 2.5GB of email storage (from gmail), a message to be displayed when away OR online, contacts search, ability to change how friends names are displayed, sort friends by status or name, block users, view part of previous conversation AFTER closing the window, and a GREAT UI (user interface). This program is very new, clean and simple. Many great features will be added soon. Most importantly, the Google logo means more than you think. Search technology is very complicated, Google is very clean, organised, and safe. Google's mission is to organize all the worlds information and make it univerasally accessible and useful. This means a lot more than you can imagine, and it will take an estimated 300 years. There has been conspiracy about Googles power and security in their terms or service. Their terms of service are more trustworthy than other companies. Unlike companies like Microsoft and AIM, Google offers free and easy customer support in their help pages where you can even contact Google and get a personal response. Google is safe and reliable. Why should you care about Google? Because Google can change the way you live your daily life. Google is an important step in technology. Google already has many more services that search like blogger.com, Google Earth, Maps, Picasa, Hello, Desktop Search, Groups, Froogle and much more. People that work for big software companies like Microsoft are now running to work at the amazing Google! Google products are preferable over any other product in the world. I choose Google because I know it will make a difference. Gtalk is quite new and lacks MANY features but Google WILL develop them soon! Of the features that it does have they are great! It will be a wonderful program with just as many features as aim or any of the other instant messaging clients. Gtalk DOES require a gmail account but does NOT require an invite. Gmail is available to anyone in the US with a cellphone a gmail.com. Google will send you a verification code on your cellphone that you give back to them and create your account. This provides a way to validate users. Google Talk is in Beta which means it is still in the early stages of development and Google plans to add features to it. Google talk is great and will continue to get better! I think the BIGGEST con of all, is that there isnt a way to get everyone else to join faster!