By 
Is this our first look at Google Babble? According to an anonymous tipster, yes. If anything, the screenshots presented above are a pretty appealing mockup of what we might eventually see from Google’s rumored unified chat service. The app looks like a much more refined version of the Google+ messenger for Android with features like image sharing and even voting streamlined.
A pop-out menu gives quick access to certain Google services (for sharing files, events, location, etc.), and it looks like you will be able to pop directly into a video hangout by tapping the button at the top of the chat panel. It looks like a pretty great solution. Could we see it as a keystone feature of Android 5.0 (Key Lime Pie)?
What do you guys think? The real deal or a clever mockup? We would take it, either way.
[Thanks, anonymous!]
The voting option is a whatsapp/Line/whatever killer!!
No. Its. Not.
Because hosting polls took off so well when Facebook tried it right
Besides for needing it, I think another reason Google is doing this would be for their Google Watch. This one service could be coded to cover all this stuff in a watch program even if just through bluetooth.
I don’t see anything that indicates Google Voice is included, which makes me sad.
Google Voice doesn’t work worldwide so it shouldn’t be included
Janky mock up, lots of sloppy design here, Matias would never allow such a thing.
plus its not even a stock/nexus phone..
Why would they only test it out on Nexus/stock devices when they know there are hundreds of non stock devices out there who’s users would want to use this service?
I think Andrew is referring more to how they advertise their services on nexus devices. This is of course a supposed leak and not an ad, so it is entirely possible that we’re looking at an early draft of Babble…though I agree with Mr. Tino. It looks too rough around the edges to be legit.
I’m not saying it is or isn’t possibly the real thing, I’m just saying maybe a guy with an S3 decided to be the one to take a screenshot. Lol
I know, I was just suggesting a possible reasoning behind Andrew’s comment.
Could just be a preliminary design. Working out the functionality before the aesthetics.
Good point. I’m of the opinion that Android still has a long way to go before it really starts to look good. Holo is nice, but there’s still a lot of tarnish in the UI that needs to be addressed.
Bro knows his #holo
I don’t understand? Can’t they just add these features to google talk?
Not really no. Google Talk is built on an old XMPP protocol. It really doesn’t have the support for the extra features that we want. You’d pretty much have to rebuild Google Talk from scratch, which is what they’re doing here, and giving it a new name.
If this is the real deal, I so hope they change the icon!
Don’t believe it. The typography isn’t right. No roboto and it almost looks like a times roman font.
I also thought this was a fake (and probably still do) and I know the language for the “voting” dialogue is all off. You mention the font… But I point you to this: http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/03/27/closer-look-google-keep-actually-shipped-with-a-new-serif-font-introducing-roboto-slab-download/
I’m not suggesting that this makes it legit, but something worth thinking about maybe?
“You have started a voting”? I’m calling shenanigans. I think a product this close to release would have better grammar.
Exactly what I was thinking
I may be an English teacher, but I definitely don’t need to be to know that “You have started a voting” is fucked up.
“We get signal. Main screen turn on.”
What’s with the weird status bar? Unless we’re also seeing a glimpse of KLP, I’m not buying this…
The status bar is Samsung’s
Mock up or not, I’m intrigued. Really they don’t need to reinvent anything here, they just need to kick Google Talk messages into the Google+ Messenger format by default (like they did with video chat). Unify that service first, no reason to have two things. Then add in SMS/MMS support like BBM with native SMS/MMS clients and Google Voice if the recipient directs their MMS/SMS to GV.
Looks really cluttered. Maybe it’s just all the watermarks.
Mockup. I mean, just look at the time stamps…
Way to crowded, although it would be nice to have something synchronized.
Terrible mockup. Totally amateur.
Yeah this ain’t real. From a UX point of view its horrible (which Google just dont really let happen anymore).
That hangout button placement is wrong. Looks like a concept to me.
Not even a clever mockup! Looks like crap
If they just clean it up a bit, I’d be ecstatic to have it.
The font used could be Bitter, which they have used frequently in their video casts on YouTube about app redesigns.
“Google Babble”. Perfect name if you guys ever want to change the name from Phandroid!
;-P
-_-
It’s fake. https://plus.google.com/116988351660148062102/posts/MPvrAWuJd2H
It reminds me of Google Buzz. (Of course, I have long suspected Buzz wasn’t really dead…)
This isn’t a clever mockup… It’s a poor redesign of Messenger that someone re-skinned to look like new..
According to Russell Holly that broke the original story, this is not it.
https://twitter.com/russellholly/status/315120443134730241
I’m calling FAKE or early beta/alpha
People already mentioned no roboto typography, spelling errors, etc
Personally, I also think an app with such a colorful icon would have more color inside the app. Colored chat bubbles to quickly determine who says what (for when the picture and name aren’t working for ya) would be nice I think.
That icon is from an internal chrome app used for testing chrome notifications, but it’s appeared a few times in these articles about the rumored chat service. At least where the Chrome app is concerned, you download it right now, but it doesn’t have anything to do with chat.
https://plus.google.com/100132233764003563318/posts/J4GZGvAggTU
For all I know, they could re-use that icon, but I think it’s unlikely. In any event, it’s a dead giveaway of a fake.
Looks like a mess. I know that’s already been stated but it’s important.
This is definitely NOT Google Babble for one reason, and one reason only: Google would never force us to use a word as dumb as “Babble” in everyday conversation.
“Yo, bro. Babble me.”
“Hey, girl. Send me a Babble.”
NO. O_O
Ey gurl, lemme see yo babble(;
I can dig it.
Hmm.. This one looks more real: http://www.skloink.com/apps/foto-toont-google-chatdienst-babble/
The fact that the tipper was anonymous, points to fraud
Whatever it is, I really hope that it will support copying a message from within the app. Neither Google Talk or Messenger will let me copy the text of a message. Why? Why? Why? It drives me crazy! I use Google Talk often but have to send an email when I am expecting the other person to copy what I send. It should be one of the most basic obvious features for everything these days.
Am I missing something? Is there are a reason this doesn’t allow copying?
integrate Google+ hangouts with this thing, and I think we have a winner.