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Google Voice Explained in a Series of YouTube Videos

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Google Voice is one of the most important products that Google put a lot of stake on. Hence, we really couldn’t blame them for going out of the way to make this endeavor a success. But apparently, Google Voice doesn’t s seem to be getting the mileage, or perhaps usage that it wants to have.

What could be the reason for this? Google thinks that their service is overwhelming for its many users. So, to remedy this and perhaps to spike up interest towards it, Google has prepared a series of videos explaining, demonstrating and exploring the said communication service.

In case you’re  like me who have never experienced using Google Voice and is wondering what it does and how it can make your communication life better, I suggest you check out all the videos. But if you’re don’t have the time and just want to know what Google Voice is – it’s actually a communication service provided by Google with various features ranging from call screening to voicemail transcription to the ability to send and receive SMS by email. What’s good about Google Voice is that it allows you to use one number for all your communication transactions.

The series of videos explaining the service include the following:

  1. Voicemail transcription
  2. One number
  3. Personalized greetings
  4. International calling
  5. SMS to email
  6. Share voicemails
  7. Block callers
  8. Screen callers
  9. Mobile app
  10. Conference calls

And while you’re at it, you might want to subscribe to the Google Voice YouTube channel to be notified of new videos about Google Voice in the coming days.

Originally posted on February 18, 2010 @ 4:50 pm

Google Voice Web App for iPhone and WebOS Rolled Out

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Google has just rolled out the Google Voice web app for iPhone and Palm WebOS devices – providing a fast and versatile mobile application that utilizes the lighter and fast loading HTML5 standard.

Of course, the best part about this is the fact that you don’t have to download anything and install a new app on your phone. You simply visit the Google Voice mobile site at http://m.google.com/voice and you’re good to go – that is make calls from your phone showing your Google Voice number as the caller ID. The Google Voice web app also lets you listen to voicemail and read voicemail transcripts, send and receive text messages for free and make international calls at low rates.

But then why not make it a native phone application like Google Voice for Android? Well, you have to contend to Google’s reasoning that creating a web app for Google Voice for iPhone and WebOS has its many advantages. Some of which allows you to store data locally without losing it when you close your phone’s browser.

I really would like to try Google Voice both on my iPhone and Nexus One but unfortunately the service is currently open to U.S. users only. How about you? Have you used Google Voice, either for Android, iPhone or WebOS? Share us your experience and make me envy you.

Originally posted on January 26, 2010 @ 4:27 pm

Google Acquires Gizmo5

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Gizmo5Google Voice sounds like the best thing to happen to telephony since the cellphone, but it does lack one important ingredient: a softphone client. That’s about to change as Google acquires Skype competitor Gizmo5.

The obvious synergies of this deal make a Hell of a lot more sense than eBay buying Skype four years ago — and will probably produce a ton less drama. Gizmo5 may not have Skype’s enormous userbase, but Google clearly bought the VoIP service for its technology and not its userbase. Once Gizmo5 is fully integrated into Google Voice, expect Mountain View to throw its marketing muscle behind the combo.

New signups for Gizmo5 have been suspended, but expect its VoIP features to make their way into Google Voice and Google Talk in a year or two.

Originally posted on November 15, 2009 @ 1:00 am

Google offers pared down Voice service for existing mobile numbers

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If you’re a fan of Google Voice but want to be able to use your existing mobile phone number with the service, there’s good news as Google announces a cut-down version.

Those who already have a Google Voice account and number can now choose to link their existing mobile phone number to the service, which gets them access to Google voicemail, enabling voice-to-text messages for reading on a PC or via SMS.

You won’t be able to use certain features such as call recording or call screening — maybe that will come with time — but you can at least get a little piece of Google on your cellphone if that’s what you like.

Oh, of course it’s US only at present, too.

Via

Originally posted on October 27, 2009 @ 8:21 am

Apple’s Lie Flowchart

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Apple Lie Flowchart

Apple’s recent lies about the rejection of the Google Voice iPhone app give us insights into their deception development process. Since this isn’t the first time they’ve been caught in a lie, the process must be pretty refined by now.

The Joy of Tech offers a flowchart of that process.

Originally posted on September 22, 2009 @ 7:44 am