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Google and SIPphone Connect Instant Messaging Networks Laying the Foundation for Open Communication; Gizmo Project and Google Talk Become the First Major Networks to Roll Out Full Instant Messaging Compatibility
[January 18, 2006]

Google and SIPphone Connect Instant Messaging Networks Laying the Foundation for Open Communication; Gizmo Project and Google Talk Become the First Major Networks to Roll Out Full Instant Messaging Compatibility


SAN DIEGO --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 18, 2006 -- SIPphone and Google Talk became the first major instant messaging networks to launch complete compatibility between their user bases. This relationship is the culmination of over six months of cooperation between the two companies to bring a fully interoperable communication experience to the world. Available immediately, Gizmo Project and Google Talk users have seamless connectivity between the networks as if they were one.



Google Talk and Gizmo Project have invested engineering resources into the server and clients to make communication simple and easy. 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.

"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."

New versions of Windows and Mac Gizmo Project with the interoperability functionality are available immediately for free download at www.gizmoproject.com. Gizmo Project is popular with Mac users seeking an option to communicate with Google Talk users since Google Talk does not provide a Mac version.

Gizmo Project is free software for your computer that allows you to make and receive phone calls. Anyone can download the software at www.gizmoproject.com and call the world for free using their computer and a headset. Calls between Gizmo Project users are completely free, but calls to regular phones have a small per minute fee. Using Gizmo Project's Call Out, users can call any traditional phone in the world. Gizmo's Call In allows any Gizmo Project user, for a small monthly fee, to be able to receive calls from any traditional phone.

Since its debut in July 2005, Gizmo Project has had over 350,000 sign-ups and is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

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