I just recently came across google chatback, which is a new google chat service that allows you to place a chat box on your website allowing you to talk to your users through gtalk. They don't have to be a google user themselves nor do they need to identify themselves. Although this opens obvious doors for getting spammed, this is a really cool service for certain web sites and blogs. I'm sure this could be usable for some of the scientists around here and it's definitely something I'm going to try to incorporate on my own website.
You can get your badge here and see a google explanation of the service.
Here's an example of my own chatback box, feel free to chat with me. It'll give me something to do at work.