Want to call your friend, but they're not available in Google Talk? Would it be easier to explain something out loud than to write a long email? Leave a voicemail!

Google Talk allows you to leave a voicemail for any of your contacts, whether they're logged in to Google Talk or not. Ramble on for up to 10 minutes, and they'll be able to retrieve your message from their email account at any time. You can even send a message straight to their voicemail without first ringing them.

To leave a message, call a contact and let it ring - voicemail will pick up after 4 rings. Or, click the down arrow from any profile card or chat window to access the options menu and select Send voicemail.