I have noticed a curious thing about the new smart phones and their ability to be connected at all times.

Some time ago I got a friend involved in the wonderful world of PC’s – they were already using them, but because of a project we had to work on more knowledge was required and I assisted and guided in the process of getting them comfortable with using all of the bells and whistles that come with a PC.

One of these was Google talk – a convenient way to collaborate over distance, and a nice way to stay in touch for people many miles apart.

Outside of the project we would chat on there if one of us was bored, down, or needed some assistance and would chat about all things under the sun.

It wasn’t intrusive, as when either of us saw the little green dot next to the others name we knew they were sitting at their pc and possibly contactable.

Then came the phones.

With smart phones you are connected to chat at all times (if you choose that as a method of sending quick messages instead of SMS ) the phone will automatically put you to “away” when you blank the screen, or disconnect you if you switch the phone off (which nobody does)

The upshot of this is that the little dot next to a person on chat turns green every time they use their phone (ie the screen is on) implying that they are available.

Why is this a problem I hear you ask ?

Well before, when that dot was green it meant the other person was at a pc and working or surfing, and a quick “hi yer, wat’s up” wouldn’t be a problem – it would start a chat, or get a reply “just doing something quickly“, and no chat thereafter.

Now if you send the same message – the other person may be with friends, down the shops, in a meeting etc etc – not necessarily in a situation where chatting is appropriate.

Add to that the phone will vibrate, beep, squeak or play a silly noise whenever the chat message is received, meaning the receiver is obliged to look to see what the message is.

So unknowingly you – by sending a quick “hi wats up” may be interrupting a dinner date, a trip, or anything that is not sitting in front of a pc – and could therefore become a little irritating.

So the phone killed chat – no more spontaneous “how yer doing ?”

( how would you feel if someone rang you whilst standing in the checkout of the butchers just to ask that ? Or if you were on a date and got the same ? You wouldn’t be happy would you ? ) 

Of course there is an indicator (on both the phone, and in gmail) that tells you where the person is active (ie on phone or pc) – but unless you use your phone or the chat system embedded in gmail you won’t see this – you only see the litttle green dot.

Solution ?

Google needs to pulls their socks up and make a few changes :

1. Standardize the chat interface across the board – so that all of them show the correct indicators – PC/Phone away/available/busy etc
2. Change the status slightly – possibly adding a new one – “mobile“.
3. Allow the user to choose when they set the away status (at the moment it is set automatically after 5 minutes on a pc, and whenever you switch off the screen on a phone – and reverts to available when you are on the chat window on a pc, or WHENEVER YOU USE your phone – even to do something mundane like look at the time,  your status reverts to available)

Bring back the convinience of chat – without the anoyance.

I love gtalk – but hate the idea that I may be disturbing someone by messaging them in the middle of something – purely because they have so little control over the chat status.

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