Imagine a scenario where you are logged into Google Talk but don’t want friends to know about your online status.
That sounds tough because Google Talk is an extremely honest application and will show you "idle" only if you do not use the computer for at least 10 minutes.
Move the mouse or press any key and your GTalk friends will instantly know that you are around because that yellow ball next to your name will turn green.
There is however a simple workaround - download a free utility called galwaysidle and manually set your Google Talk status as "idle" even when you have not stepped away from the computer.
Your IM friends will assume that you are not in front of the computer and are therefore less likely to ping you.
And when you want to come out of this hideout to show your true online status, either shut down the galwaysidle utility or just switch to the "never idle" mode.
This program is developed by an ex-Microsoft manager.
www.galwaysidle.com (for Windows XP/Vista) Thanks Sudhakar.
Related: Surprise Yahoo! Messenger Friends Who Pretend to be Offline
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/software/tutorials/busy-chat-google-talk-online-status-hide-friends-idle/2327/
web: http://www.labnol.org/ email: amit@labnol.org
Reader Comments
Awesome. Exactly what I was looking for
Written by Vikas on 02.20.08
Thanks Amit sir i was in need of such tool.
Written by bhanu on 02.20.08
Over the years, my friends have stopped bothering… I never reply to IM if I am busy and in the middle of something. I keep it on just in case any of my workmates need to reach me for some reason.
Friends have a way of pinging you even if you set status as Busy. So between ignoring, appearing offline, and not being online at all, I am able to cut down on my IM chat a whole lot.
Written by Vaibhav on 02.21.08
Super .. kwel … !!
use to curse g-talk a lot for not having an invisible mode …!!
Written by @nks on 02.21.08
wow cool trick
Written by Rohit bindal on 02.21.08
I have been using this app for a while, and indeed it has saved me from a lot of buddies who annoy me.
Written by Shankar Ganesh on 02.21.08
Use Pidgin instead..
Written by Venkatesh Nandakumar on 02.21.08
Go invisible in Gmail chat
Now the Google chat in Gmail has provided the feature where while checking the mail, one can also sign into Google chat as Invisible with a view of people available for chat. While its still not provided in Google Talk desktop client, I think this feature has been recently added to Gmail chat. So is it been provided recently ?
Check the URL for details.
Written by vasudev on 02.25.08
hey , a friend of mine recently get some method so that he can hide his online status …he seems to be offline but always logged in …maybe he has find out some invisible feature in gtalk like in yahoo …. dont know how …but it really good
Written by himmy on 03.08.08
I read about a gadget to gets your status in GoogleTalk always offline but I didn’t find it … Can you help me with it …???
Written by Junkie on 03.08.08