Google Voice
A bit back, Ry sent me an invite to Google Voice. I’ve been playing with it and it’s pretty slick. Some features:
You can send SMS texts from a browser
you can use it to avoid minute overages on your phone (not an issue for me)
it gives you what Verizon calls visual voicemail for free
it transcribes voice messages to text and can send them to you via email or text or in the voice app for your phone
You can use your PC to dial a number and your phone will ring, you answer and it call whoever you’re calling.
Discounted international rates (though I don’t use that).
Keeps voicemail forever.
You can screen calls
Calls you don’t want can automatically go to voice mail.
Check voice mail from any where.
And you can port it to any phone (mine is set up for the Droid, the office and home).
Some cons:
Have to use a google issued phone number. It’d be nice if I could just port my cell number to it because if I make a call from my PC, caller ID displays my google number and people don’t know who it is.
A bit flaky on the whole phone porting business. My wife can’t leave me a message from home because, since that number is ported, it goes to voice mail admin.
Overall, I dig it. But would like to just use my existing cell number.
Oh and you can browse available numbers when you sign up. I had some fun with mine.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:51 am
For your cons:
1. No clear solution to this.
2. Go to Settings –> Phones –> Click “edit” for your home phone –> Click “Show advanced settings” –> Change “Voicemail access” to “No”
3. [Voice=Morbo]Telephone numbers do not work that way![/Voice]
January 14th, 2010 at 11:59 am
thanks for the tip.
January 14th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Another item for the Cons list –
You have to get into bed with the anti-gun, pro-oppressor little fascists at google.
That should be #1 on the Cons list BTW
January 14th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
That’s not important Pathfinder. Supporting companies that don’t support our basic rights has long been the domain of Americans.
January 15th, 2010 at 1:47 am
Your wife can’t leave you a voicemail? That’s a feature!