Instant Messaging Clients VoIPMillions of Softphones

Instant Messaging Clients + VoIP = Millions of Softphones

Four major instant messaging clients also support VoIP services:

• Google Talk (see Figure 10-5)

  
  Figure 10-5: VoIP and Google Talk

• AOL Triton (see Figure 10-6)

  
  Figure 10-6: VoIP and AOL Triton

• Windows Live Messenger (see Figure 10-7)

  
  Figure 10-7: VoIP and Windows Live Messenger

• Yahoo Messenger with Voice (see Figure 10-8)

  
  Figure 10-8: VoIP and Yahoo Messenger with Voice

None of these have yet to emerge into enterprise space just yet; however, each has huge corporate backing that could dramatically shift focus. At the time of publication of this book, Google and eBay had announced an agreement to provide "click-to-call advertising functionality on eBay and Google sites in the United States and around the world" (http://www2.ebay.com/aw/ core /200608280311132.html).

Newer click-to-call applications enable a potential consumer to click an advertising link to be connected to a salesperson through any online VoIP application. The eBay/ Google deal will enable Google Talk and Skype to be used for such advertising links so advertisers can reach out to consumers with a higher degree of personal touch. As online advertising marketing analysts suggest, it's highly likely that some of the other IM softphones will move into the click-to-call space as well.

Instead of a phone number as shown in Figure 10-9, VoIP click-to-call applications will ask for a Messaging ID, such as a Skype or Google Talk ID.

Figure 10-9: A traditional click-to-call dialog box