FYI: Google's new Talk server

Google has just opened a public Jabber server. (For those who don't know, Jabber is an instant-messenger protocol which lets anyone set up their own server, unlike e.g. AOL IM which routes everyone through AOL's computers). Anyone with a gmail account can connect to it:

Server: talk.google.com
Username: youremail@gmail.com **OR** youremail@talk.google.com (pick one)
Password: yourpassword

They're also providing a Google-brand IM client for Windows, but there are many other clients for Windows, Mac, and Linux which can connect to Jabber servers. (I use Adium X for Mac, myself; there is also GAIM for other platforms.)

FYI.