How To Run Google Talk Directly from Firefox Sidebar

Google has launched on 14 march a new way to use Google Talk.
The Google Talk Gadget is a web-based module that you can add to your Google Personalized Homepage, letting you see your friends and chat with them -- all on your homepage.

There are a few reasons that Google Talk Gadget - Firefox combination is more efficient than the standalone program:

1. There is no need to install any software on your system.
2. Each chat session opens up as a tab (like Firefox browser tabs)
3. You can find all your Gmail and Google Talk contacts organized for you in the Talk Gadget.
4. It looks and feels the same on a Linux desktop as on a Windows laptop

, and it also works on Macs. It is portable.
5. If you have a webpage or blog, you can put the Google Talk Gadget in those places too, so your visitors can sign in and start instant messaging right from your page.
6. You can now watch YouTube videos and see Picasa Web Albums photos inside of the Google Talk Gadget anytime someone IMs you a link or sets it as their status message.

Sure you can use this gadget on your google homepage but it's more useful to simply add it to your sidebar.

To add Google Talk Gadget to your Firefox sidebar:

1. Bookmark the following URL (right-click and choose Bookmark this link)

talkgadget.google.com/talkgadget/client

2. Goto Bookmarks menu
3. Navigate to the above bookmark
4. Right click and choose Properties
5. Tick the checkbox that says Load this bookmark in the sidebar

You should see something like this.

That's it.