Google is wooing more users over to its Google Voice service. Those with GrandCentral accounts were the first users able to open an account, but the service is being expanded now to the general public. If you requested an invitation check your e-mail inbox because Google is in the process of getting those out to everyone.
Google Voice is a service that gives you one number for all your phones. If you move, or switch wireless carries, no problem. Google Voice goes where you go. Google claims that its voicemail is easy as e-mail. All the features of Google Voice, such as conference calls on the fly, temporary call forwarding, and Gizmo calls are listed on its support page .
GrandCentral account holders were told that instructions would appear at the top of their inbox on how to upgrade their account to Google Voice. Invitees will be provided with a link, and instructions to set up their accounts. Google will search its number picker by area code and text, to help you find a personalized number, with perhaps your name, or a selected word combination.
If you want an invitation, it’s not too late. Just fill in your name and email address in the form Google provides. Google Voice, like Google Mail, is free.
Making Google Voice free encourages more users to participate. Analyst Ben Schachter, of Broadpoint AmTech, thinks Google is betting the new service will accelerate the company’s mobile penetration giving it a larger target for selling ads. An integration with Android is not ruled out.
To use Google Voice, you need a touch-tone phone; Windows XP, Vista, Mac, or Linux; Flash 8 or higher, and a web browser, IE6, Firefox 3, Safari 3, or, of course, Google Chrome. In its known issues, you’ll find: “Google Voice inbox not loading in Internet Explorer 7.” The immediate work around given was: “If you’re using Internet Explorer 7 and Google Voice is loading a blank or partially blank screen, please refresh your browser, or sign out of Google Voice and sign back in.” Yup, the standard fix for Microsoft products.
Read review at PCWorld and The Official Google Blog
0 comments:
Post a Comment