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washedup
So is the embedded chat in Gmail.
Thaxll
Well it's using Hangout I think?
jetblackio
Looks like spreadsheets in Google Docs as well.
rgallagher27
Spreadsheets have been down for around the last hour for me
scep12
They should have hired that SDE who went 7 for 8 in their interviewing...
wbracken
Google Voice also (at least the web interface)
Zikes
Explains the issues I've had with texting.
phy6
Just a backdoor update, will be back shortly.
ithkuil
You really think they have to sustain downtime in order to update some software?
cyberjunkie
I hope they're fixing it. Hangouts, Google Talk, Gmail (chat), Google+..... you know!
zefi
This is a very good free replacement - https://www.awesometalk.com/
eli
Only if I can convince my friends to use it.
AceJohnny2
That seems to be just a video chat service. Hangouts is much, much more than that.

While Google's initial push of Hangouts angered me as much as anyone, I have since accepted its ways:

- true multi-device chat, the whole chat conversation is visible between from various devices. XMPP never got that right

- easy multi-user chat, no need to create a special room, just invite the people

- in-line images and animated gifs

- see who's read what in the chat (an oft-missed feature: look for other user's thumbnail pics in the chat: it's below the latest message they've seen)

- easy multi-device voice and video chat, with volume management that just works (like or better than Skype IMHO) and proper conferencing features (ability to mute others)

Now, as an XMPP aficionado, I just wish they'd open their protocol...

squizzel
A rise in productivity around the globe incoming.