UPDATE 2:28 p.m. ET: Google posted an update about 10 minutes after the 2:15 ET target (though the post still bears a time stamp of 2:15 ET) saying some of you have been saved.

“Google Talk service has already been restored for some users, and we expect a resolution for all users in the near future. Please note this time frame is an estimate and may change.”

———————-ORIGINAL STORY BELOW—————–

Since a little after noon today, Google Talk users (or Gchat, as most people know it) have been mired in a quiet, friendless wasteland where chatting in Gmail is an impossibility. Google reported that it was investigating a service outage for Google Talk at about 12:22 ET today, and two hours later, chatters are still wandering in that lonely communication desert.

Well, besides the fact that other chat applications are available, as well as Twitter, Facebook and any number of social media. Oh and that thing called, Real Life. But still, Gchat, noooo. The problem appears to be hitting both Google Talk and Google+ Hangouts as well.

At 1:15 ET this afternoon — or about an hour into The Worst Afternoon Of Everyone’s Life according to social media — Google updated its apps dashboards to announce it would have more to say at 2:15 ET on the situation, writing:

“Our team is continuing to investigate this issue. We will provide an update by 3/17/14 2:15 PM with more information about this problem. Thank you for your patience.”

As of 2:21 ET, no such update has occurred, which can only lead me to think that the world is ending. Nah, just kidding. Everything’s going to be fine, but Google can’t be pleased at the thought of so many bereft users out there, unable to chat coworkers and friends with links to cat pictures.

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