Google Voice

So to start I'm really writing this a post for those who haven't used google voice much, and I am pretty sure people have heard a little bit about it.

Ok so first of all I just go my invite last night, but I had previously taken the time due to my iphone to arrange my cell phone through googles contact manager. I also setup some groups and that is more because I wanted to group contacts and had no idea that this would be useful when it came to google voice. On a side note I am a horrible writer but I figure people here would be interested in hearing about this.

What I know about google voice

Basically google voice is the universal remote of phone numbers. You call my google number

(ps this is a link to my number), and I have this widget to send you to voicemail. But basically I could have my google number ring my work, home and cell all at the same time or whatever one I want it to come through on.  My girlfriend had some trouble figuring out why I would want this service considering my work number takes an extension to get to and I think google voice can handle that yet. Since I only have a cell phone on hand. But what finally put it together for her was an example, we are looking at sites for weddings because we both know that we want something nice and that’s going to cost. So what she realized is that if we give this number out to people it can ring both us, instead of a rep calling each of our separate numbers.  With the groups I can set up personal messages to each contacts or each group. I can listen in on incoming voicemails, i can set up an exclusion filter - blacklist -, it forwards any text to every cell i have on record and transcribes all my voicemails. It also records phone calls if I set it to do that. 

Your old number still exists

One suggestion that I read seems to make the most sense, if you want people to use this number you need to make it the only number you answer. people will call your cell, home and work but if you want your google voice number to do what it's supposed to you need to be firm that this is your new number. 

Downsides

1. I have mobile to mobile minutes and the only person I talk to that would have a huge effect on my minutes is on my network. Using the google voice number for this means I am no longer using mobile to mobile minutes.

2. There is a delay, the calls go through a server there is a good 2 -3 second delay, basically think of it this way - its like a godzilla movies at times, your lips are moving nothing comes out right away. 

3. I am having an iphone issue - if I get a call and I am in the lockscreen, it doesn't always launch the key pad sometimes it just freezes on the lockscreen and I can press a number to accept a call. If I try making a call I have to call google voice or use another non iphone phone app to launch the google voice number. 

There are more things to google voice but my suggestion is head over to http://google.com/voice and sign up for the beta. While you’re there check out the info about it.