Google continues its move into the mobile space with the announcement that two of its services, Google Talk and Google Local, are now available for Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry platform.

Google Talk for BlackBerry, a handheld version of the PC instant messaging (IM) application, lets you send and receive instant text messages with other members of the Google Talk community.

Here's how it works:

Sign into Google Talk for BlackBerry through their Gmail username and password and access your existing Google Talk contact lists. You can add, delete and rename contacts, know when their Friends are online and available, leave conversations and resume them later, copy conversation text into memory and be notified when a message is being typed.

It is integrated with BlackBerry to allow for home screen notifications of new messages, integration of Google Talk instant messages in the BlackBerry Email inbox and quick access to the BlackBerry Calendar from Google Talk for meeting scheduling.

The free application is set to ship this Spring. As with any service that involves a cellular-network, information sent and received via Google Talk will most likely be charged to a user’s per-megabyte data service plan. It wouldn't affect those with unlimited plans.

Google Local enables BlackBerry users to view maps and satellite imagery with zoom in and out capabilities, as well as find local businesses and get driving directions on their BlackBerrys. It provides draggable maps, a "click to call" feature, and stores addresses you have typed in or used for directions.

This service is available today at the Google Web site.

Google ported another one of its desktop services, Gmail, to small devices last December. Gmail Mobile re-sizes photos and documents for small screens; allows users to reply-by-call to people whose phone number is stored in their Gmail accounts; and automatically synchronizes with desktop Gmail accounts.

Released in June 2005, Google Mobile Web Search points users of Internet-enabled mobile devices to a special index of Web pages that have been optimized by their publishers for the small screen.