Apr 9, 2009

Google Voice

This new service is about to be launched. It has been in test for some time. Call it the "one number to rule them all" service. Users will be able to register, sign up for a phone number in a local area code, and add multiple land line and cell-phone numbers to an account. When someone calls a Google Voice phone number, all the registered phones ring at the same time.

The service takes several telephony technologies and connects them to the Web. It's the voice equivalent of an e-mail address. Once you register a number you never have to worry about which phone you are using, even if you switch offices, homes, or cell phones. You can even press 4 to record a current call.

No matter which phone you use, there is one portal for all voice-mail messages. You can play them on the Web, save them as MP3 files, and even post a voice-mail message on a website. Conference calls are also easy. Answer an incoming call to add it to the current one. Very cool technology, but that record feature is a bit too scary for me. I like to keep my rants current, and not have someone save them for posterity.

I have my beta invite, because I was signed up with GrandCentral, which is the foundation technology for Google Voice.

2 comments:

  1. Other than entering my email address in a google request for invite box, is there any other method of getting an Google Voice invite sooner than later?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am not aware of any shortcuts, but the service should be up in April.

    ReplyDelete

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