Google is reportedly testing a new voice calling service that would reside in Gmail on the desktop. Tom Krazit at CNET says the service is launched from the Google Chat window within Gmail, and allows users to place and receive calls from within their contacts.

"Google has been edging in this direction for some time," he writes. "Google Talk was released years ago as a VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) desktop client, and it has also spent a lot of time and money evangelizing Google Voice, a service that transcribes voice mails and allows users to have one phone number that rings multiple phones."

Earlier in the year, we learned of a desktop app for Google Voice based on Google’s acquisition of Gizmo5, but putting such a service directly in Gmail would be news.

The official word from Google is the obligatory, "Google is always testing new features and products, but we have nothing specific to announce right now."

The company is also testing an auto-refreshing version of Gmail for the iPhone, according to TechCrunch.