Google Voice

[[SS]Midnight]

Who has it? I just got it recently and have not had much time to look into what it offers. Seems real cool and handy.

[[SS]Switters]

I just received my invite last week, my brother uses it exclusively and loves it. Personalized voice mail greetings for the people in your contacts lists are one of the cool features. I think there are a lot of options as well if you use microsoft outlook. I haven't set it up yet, but I will and when I've had the chance to use it, I'll add more to this. I do hope it's cool though, I've waited about 6 months to get the freakin' invite.

[[SS]Midnight]

I went to a google sight that talked about it and they had a link for requesting an invite. I think it took 2 weeks maybe. Now that we have it we can send invites to anyone who wants right? ...I wonder how much people will pay for an invite....heh

[[SS]Sabotage]

Ya haven't used it yet, but I did hear it was pretty nifty. Very easily personalized.

[[SS]Midnight]

Just because of one feature alone I am very happy with it.

Someone calls me - Google Voice tells them to state their name - Voice THEN calls my phone - I then decide if I want to take the call or send it to voice mail - if I send it to voice mail I can then listen in on the message in real time and hit "*" if I want to interrupt the message and take the call.

It is just like using a home answering machine to screen calls. I love it.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!! If they do leave a message and I was not able to stick around to listen to it or if I was just not able to answer my phone at all, then voice will transcribe the message to text format and text it to my phone as well as send it to my voice message center. So I can read the voice message on my phone as though it was texted to me or from the voice web site I can read it OR click to listen to it.

Those are just a few of it's capabilities.

[[SS]Grifter]

I think I have that for my cell phone actually...........never used it.

[[SS]Hobo]

Google announced today that Google Voice is now available to everyone. Previously, a user had to register and wait for an invitation to be able to join this innovative calling service. This writer waited over 3 months to get a Google Voice Invite and phone number. My first introduction to Google Voice was through Cincinnati Social Media enthusiast, Daniel Johnson, Jr. about 18 months ago. Dan used to host a "Call Dan" show to connect with people who wanted to talk about new media on his long commutes from his place of employment in Dayton back to his home in Cincinnati. He openly publicized his availablity and used Google Voice as his call-in number to ensure his mobile phone privacy.

Why use Google Voice?

There are many great services that come with this free tool. Here is a list of some of the most outstanding features:

Google Voice number can be configured to ring up to 7 other phones- Scenario: solo-preneurs, consultants with a home office can now avoid publicizing their home-phone, land-line or mobile number as their business phone number. Now clients, customers, etc. can ring the Google Voice number and it will be forwarded to another phone whose number will remain private to the caller.

Call Screening Capabilities: GV requires that callers give their name and number before the call will go through. Helpful for business owners to know who is calling when it is from an unknown number. Allows the GV owner to take the call or send it directly to voicemail after the caller is identified.

Conference Calls- GV allows you to conference in with up to four separate callers.

Call Recording- GV will record the call even if it is already in progress simply by pushing the '4' button.

Voicemail- transcription sent to the user which is helpful in situations where you can't take the call but need the information (i.e. a library or movie theater).

Voicemail- Can listen in on the sly to a voicemail in progress and even cut into the call if you change your mind about speaking to the caller.

Google Voice App for Android and Blackberry available for full integration with your phone's OS.


There are even more helpful services with Google Voice that you will want to check out.

[[SS]Midnight]

LOL

Ya Hobo I saw that last night. I thought I had a 'special' invite, then I saw that while reading google news. LOL

[[SS]Shooter]

It does transcribe my voice mails and send a text to me of the message. And an email. But it'll be a little messed up....like this:

"Hey Jude, it's grater. We need to talk about uh re truths. They are fun king up again with their bath stirs."

Requires some translation.

[[SS]Rator]

still laughing...

[[SS]Wally]

Hahahaha, I just started this up last night, very useful. I am excited to read the foreign translations myself.

[[SS]Midnight]

Ya google voice has trouble translating from grator to English. lol

I thought the voice recognition was rather good. Not perfect, but really good.

[[SS]Switters]

Hey all,

While we are talking about google, and google voice and such here's another recommendation. Google chrome is, or at least in my experience with it, an awesome browser. I was a huge firefox fan until one of the guys in my computer classes posted a link to chrome. It's been a really reliable, quick browser. I think I've heard a couple people in here mention it. If you already use it, here's a recommendation to make it a little better, iGoogle. iGoogle is a home page setup for chrome, and it is sweet. There are all sorts of options to personalize it, themes, apps, etc. For example, on my iGoogle homepage i have picasa web photots, facebook, cnn news, espn news, and a couple of other apps. Gmail runs through it, and you can even link other email accounts to it as well. I highly recommend it if you spend a lot of time online searching for things and what not. Good stuff imo.

[[SS]Midnight]

You called me today and hung up you prankcaller! LOL

I have tried chrome. My wife likes it cause I put on the leopard skin. I am not sold on it. Firefox seems better to me.

I have iGoogle as my home page on firefox...so that is not really a selling point.

What is cool about chrome?

Back to voice...Some random person called my g-voice number and it sounded like he was trying to dial another number while talking to someone else in the back ground.

Here is the transcript.

Bye. Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yellow small Hey what's up. Well, what was going on. Good luck for it, I'd like to see if you have for chill right now. Yeah. Hey G, my poor show big deal just wanna know if if I've I won't give me a call. I'm going to say bye. Okay cool. Cheers, or if so you can tell her 30 years. It's just, well, Jerry, I'm or Hey Gary is joining. Austins were some so I need to call me if I can your stuff. Yeah also. And yes class.

Now I listened to it as well and the audio was no better however the audio clearly was nothing close to the transcript. So not really an evaluation tool here....but kinda funny.


Oh now here is something cool. I am able to embed the voicemail here. LOL. You guys can listen and see the difference in text to voice. Heh...I have no idea who this person is. Only that the call originated in Reno. The only person I know in Reno is my nephew. And this was not him.

[[SS]Hobo]

Originally Posted by [SS]Midnight

You called me today and hung up you prankcaller! LOL

I have tried chrome. My wife likes it cause I put on the leopard skin. I am not sold on it. Firefox seems better to me.

I have iGoogle as my home page on firefox...so that is not really a selling point.

What is cool about chrome?

Kinky!