14 DAY TRIAL // Google's Babel is looking interesting at this point as it looks like Google made a couple of good decisions with it. On the one hand, the new messaging service is available on every platform, on mobile devices, on the desktop, in Google+, in Gmail and so on.
But on the other, it doesn't try to do everything and anything, it's a modern messaging service with a wide reach and that's it.
It does chat, it does photos – as long as you use Google+, it has emoticons – 800 of them apparently, and you can start a video Hangount.
But that's it, the brilliance is not in what it can do, but in how it does it. Babel will be available as a Chrome app, an Android app and an iOS app.
It will also be built into Gmail, we've already seen some screenshots of it, and very likely into the Google+ desktop site. And it will be the same service everywhere. All of your friends, all of your past conversations, all will be available no matter where you're accessing Babel.
Another smart thing Babel does is notifications. Because it's available in so many places, you don't want to get notified on your Android phone and then get the same notification on your iPad, in Gmail, in Chrome and so on.
When you open a notification on one device, all the others will be removed. In fact, if you're active on one device, Google will only show the notification on the device you're on.
DroidLife was able to get some info on the upcoming Babel, a feature list from an internal memo and it looks like Google got plenty of things right. Here's the full feature list:
- Brand new UI. We’ve designed a new UI that’s applied across all clients and promotes conversations. - Stay in sync. With just one conversation list and experience across mobile and desktop, everything is always in sync. Install the Chrome app, the Android app, and iOS app. - Desktop app. Stop playing whack a mole across blinking browser tabs. With the new Chrome app your conversations continue outside of the browser. - Keep a group conversation going to coordinate with your team, and start a Hangout with a single tap whenever you need to talk face-to-face. - Be notified…just once. Get notifications on your two phones, tablet, laptop, and desktop. Open it on one and watch the others disappear. If you’re actively using your computer or phone we’ll even intelligently notify you on just one of those endpoints. Magic! - Message more than just text. Add a photo to the conversation and/or send some of the 800+ emoji to your coworkers. Kittens and poop are particularly helpful in explaining complex issues. - Get nostalgic. Scroll back in time and relive any (on-the-record) conversation, on any device. - More ways to talk. For the first time we are building a first class iOS experience. Try out our very early preview on your iPhone or iPod Touch.