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Introduction

IT will be enabling Google Hangouts is being enabled for all biola.edu Google accounts accounts. This change will bring several improvements to the Google chat system, and will add a new ways way to access itchat.

Reason for Change

IT is implementing this change for a few This change is being made for two reasons:

1. Hangouts is "better"More features. Google Hangouts has more features and functionality , and than then old Google Talk system. Google has committed to further improving the functionality of Hangouts for its Business users. IT wants to make sure that you have the best tools to do your job.
2. Google Talk is being phased out. Some time in end of supported. As of June, Google will be shuttering the Google Talk service. We want to make sure that our users have time to get used to the new system before the old one goes awayhas ended support for the old Google Talk system.

What to Expect

The changes in the interface will be limited to two areas:

• The Chat section of your Gmail inbox
• The Hangouts web application

Gmail Chat

If you For users that have the Chat function enabled in your their Biola Gmail account (which you probably do)email account, the Chat panel will be is displayed in the bottom-left corner of the page, directly below your Labels. This feature is enabled by default, but some users may have disabled the chat function.

The Chat panel will not change location when Hangouts is enabled, but the interface will change slightly.

Here are the differences:

• In the Top bar, you will see your name next to your user avatar/image, and instead :
  • The account name will be visible next to the account's avatar/image.
  • Instead of the non-functional "call" button,
  you'll see the
  • there will be a "+" button to start a new conversation.
  Hangouts also removes the unneeded Search field
  • The Search field is removed, and its function replaced with the + button above.
• The center section will show either your Contacts, Conversations, or Calls, depending on which button is selected in the Button bar
• The Button bar now has three buttons instead of one, to toggle between the Contacts, Conversations, and Calls views.

Google Hangouts Web App

Once Hangouts has been enabled on your account, you all users will be able to use the Google Hangouts stand-alone web application. This application , which is unavailable not available to Google Talk users:.

Questions?

Have If you have any questions or concerns about the new system? Please feel free to , please feel contact the IT Helpdesk at it.helpdesk@biola.edu.