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"10 Gchat Tricks and Tips\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Assign a Picture to Your Contacts\n\nIf your contacts have Google accounts, the profile photos they've uploaded automatically attach to their emails and chats. However, you can change how those photos appear to you. \nHead to your Gmail \"Contacts\" page, where you can search for a user. Hover over the user's photo field to \"change picture,\" then upload anything you choose. Keep in mind, this person never has to know!\nThen, enable the following lab to see contacts' pictures in chat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Contact Pictures in Chat Windows\n\nEnable the Pictures in Chat lab, so you can see your friends' pretty faces as you chat with them. \nHead to Settings &gt; Labs &gt; Pictures in Chat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Translation Bots\n\nAdd bots to your Gchat contacts for quick and easy language translation. Format the bots' addresses using the following recipe: [from language]2[to language@bot.talk.google.com], and then invite them to chat. \nYou can access all of the language bots here. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Right-Side Chat\n\nTry this Gmail lab, which moves your Gchat window to the right side of your Gmail screen. That way, more of your folders can appear on the left-hand side, and a longer list of chat contacts appears on the right. \nHead to Settings &gt; Labs &gt; Right-Side Chat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. Hangouts in Gchat\n\nWave goodbye to the Google voice and video chat plugins. On July 30, Google began to gradually replace video chat with Google Hangouts. \nAlthough the company is integrating Hangouts to promote Google+, the new video chat functionality features better peer-to-peer technology and a host of fun apps, like Google Effects (seen here) and On Air, which broadcasts video footage live and records as a YouTube video. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. SMS Through Gchat\n\nAlthough you may have already placed a call or two through Google Voice, know that you can also send SMS messages to your Gchat contacts. The lab lets you type a text message in a Gchat window, whereupon your friend receives the text on his or her phone. \nAlthough Google provides the service for free, keep in mind that mobile carriers may charge your friends standard SMS rates. \nHead to Settings &gt; Labs &gt; SMS (text messaging) in Chat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Emote \nType \"/me\" at the beginning of your message to \"emote,\" similar to multiplayer gaming experiences. Gchat will italicize the chat and transform it into third person, as if you were creating a status update.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Text Formatting\n\nGchat responds to most standard text formatting. For example, you can bold, italicize and add strikethrough to chat text. \n\nTo bold something, add *asterisks* around the text. \nTo italicize, add _underscores_ around the text. \nTo strikethrough, add -dashes- around the text. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Send Images in Gchat\n\nTypically, Gchat doesn't support in-line media sharing, aside from YouTube videos, which you can embed by copy/pasting the links. \nHowever, use this Chrome extension to drag and drop image files into your Gchat windows. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. Special Emoticons\n\nMost of us are familiar with the standard :-) emoticon, but Google Chat supports some hidden emoji functionality. \nThe examples at left reflect the following text codes: :(|) m/ V.v.V :(:) &gt;.~=[,,_,,]:3\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you're one of the 425 million people who uses Gmail, chances are you've also experienced Google Talk, the company's peer-to-peer chat program. Specifically, millions of people rely on Google Talk's email chat, fondly known as Gchat. \n\nSEE ALSO: 10 Keyboard Shortcuts for Gmail Power Users\nIf you log time on Gchat, you should know about a few tips to make the experience more rewarding. We've gathered 10 such features to share with you, including picture hacks and hidden emoticons. \nPlease share your own Google Talk and Gmail knowledge in the comments below.\nThumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, mrPliskin"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/08/18/gchat-tricks/>