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New Google Service to Blend the Gmail and Chat Features

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6 - Google, the search-engine giant, is expected on Tuesday to disclose that it will join its instant-messaging service with its popular Gmail program, the latest indication that the company has set its sights on the broader communications industry.

The new program, called Gmail Chat, will let Gmail users exchange text messages with others without having to log onto a separate chat program, making instant messaging simpler and more integrated with the e-mail program.

From anywhere in Gmail, the user can see who is available to chat. The program will also allow users to store instant-message conversations.

But regardless of its features, Gmail Chat faces a considerable challenge if it hopes to lure users away from established instant-messaging programs like those of AOL, Yahoo and MSN, with tens of millions of users in total.

Gmail Chat will be able to send and receive instant messages from a small set of competitive programs, including Jabber and EarthLink, but none of the larger ones like AOL, Yahoo or MSN. The more popular instant-messaging problems do not interact, and interoperability remains the holy grail of instant messaging.

Google's vice president for product management, Salar Kamangar, declined to say how many people used Gmail, saying only that there were millions. AOL's instant messenger has 53 million users; MSN's 27 million and Yahoo's 22 million.

Mr. Kamangar said Gmail Chat would be available Tuesday to an unspecified number of Gmail users, and to all users of the system by the end of February.

Gmail Chat builds on the company's earlier instant-messaging technology, called GoogleTalk, which it announced in August. That program, which will still be available, allows GoogleTalk users to converse with others in remote locations, in addition to sending text messages.

GoogleChat, on the other hand, will focus on simplifying the experience of sending and receiving text messages, Mr. Kamangar said.

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section C, Page 3 of the National edition with the headline: New Google Service to Blend The Gmail and Chat Features. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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