Google acquires Jaiku.....

Official Google Blog: Reach out and message someone

Firstly, a bit slow in updating this recently but have been readjusting to a new situation which has slowed me up a bit.

Anyway, after me raving about this little company last year to numerous people, I find that Google have gone and acquired them. Darn, how I wish I'd gotten involved in the company last year :)
Still though, as communications go, this company takes everything that is annoying about Twitter and dumps it ;) And then adds on really neat layers like a Google Talk-style setup for your phonebook on your mobile phone. you know those little traffic light colours on your Google Talk app? Imagine having them sitting alongside your contacts. I've seen it in action and all you need is an unlimited data plan (and a willingness to charge your mobile every night ;).
I can't emphasise this enough how useful this is on your mobile. Remember all those times you got a call and you were busy but the phone just. kept. ringing? Well, Jaiku's little application integrates into your profile so that when it's on 'meeting' (i.e. so only vibrate functions or really low volume for example), you show up as amber on all your other friend's phones (that have the Jaiku app installed also of course). If you're in the 'general' profile, you show up as green. If you have all notifications turned off, you're red. Makes sense right? Phone calls when you want it.

they've also got additional little bits like location based info (but only accurate to the mobile phone base station). Not that useful but it's still handy....

Update: just had a look at Jaiku's site again, and I see they've added all the functionality of Twitter also. Interestingly, it's great to see that they're looking at presence services from multiple angles and not just (in Twitter's case) online. Why oh why can't I use this service more......

Now all I need is my unlimited data plan again - not much chance of that happening in Ireland just yet!

Update 2: when are we going to see Jaiku integrated into Google Talk......