Google Christmas Jingles: GoogleTalk API Released
Source: voipcentral.org
The big news that we have been waiting for: Google has released their API for GoogleTalk. This is very exciting news in the VoIP industry for the implications are tremendous and applications are virtually limitless.
Google Talk uses a Jingle XMPP to establish peer-to-peer (p2p) connections as Jingle protocol is Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) based and as ICE is successful in bypassing Network Address Translation (NAT), Jingle is capable of doing the same and pass through many types of NATs. No wonder biggies like Microsoft, Cisco and Google are so interested in this and supporting it.
Libjingle is a set of components provided by Google to interoperate with Google Talk’s p2p and audio capabilities. Libijingle also has source code for Google’s implementation of Jingle Signalling (JEP-0166) and Jingle-Audio (JEP-0167) which are the proposed extensions to the XMPP standard and available in experimental/trail form.
So what the GoogleTalk API is capable of doing?
For this we are borrowing Tom Keatings idea in his blog that gave a very nice example of a possible application of the Google API. He mentions about a site that mashed Google maps with Best Buy Xbox 360 inventory and tagging the Best Buy stores with pins clicking on which you can find out how many Xbox 360s are for sale. With the Google API, a possible use could be that you could use it to make a call to the Best Buy store! Also, it will give a tremendous boost in building communities that VoIP has already started. Also, as Tom rightly mentioned, it will support even online gambling. The possibilities are virtually limitless. We can rest assured that there would be highly innovative uses of this as we move into the days ahead.
We would love to hear your ideas out on this and maybe riding on your ideas, we can post an interesting blog here on Jingle-based APIs.
And what does it mean for the industry?
Well, for starters, it will put tremendous pressure on Skype to open up its API. An interesting thought comes to my mind now, really. I cant help but think the ‘Skype paradox here’. Skype actually started as an initiative to traverse what I would term as closed network connections (including NAT and firewalls) through a p2p system. Now, it suddenly sees itself as such a closed network with its proprietary p2p telephony.
Now, in the face of being isolated it would have no other option but to open up its API more than it would ever have liked. *heh*
The same is applicable to similar companies using or contemplating using proprietary p2p for voice telephony.
