Looks like nobody is taking advantage of the totally off topic portion of the forum.  Being geeks (most of us anyway), does anyone have Google Voice?  If so, I would love an invite  .  Is it working well?  Any downside?

 

Thanks!

Sent you a pm

 

I'm still trying to understand all that it is supposed to do.  I'm fairly impressed at how it turns my voice mails into SMS messages. 

Do you need an invite for google voice or just a google gmail account?

Do you need an invite for google voice or just a google gmail account?

 

You need an invite. There was a webpage where you just signed up for it and then just wait.

I thought it was essentially Google's version of Skype.  Is there more to it than that?

I do not think that it provides Skype like functinality at all.  It is different.  Another cool feature is how it will email your voice mail to you. 

 

I have 3 invites that I can give away.  I'll give 2 of them to my unRaid friends.  I believe it would require that you PM an email address to me.  I'd recommend a gmail address if you have one.  First come first serve.

You have PM. I would love to check this out with my new verizon droid phone.

Droid Does... 

WeeboTech & VampyreGTX  are the Winners!!!!

 

Enjoy.  Tell us all what you discover.  Just when I thought I understood what Google Voice is all about I discover a new feature!

WeeboTech & VampyreGTX  are the Winners!!!!

 

Will they in turn have 3 invites each that they can give away?

 

 

Do let the forum know if you need an invite.  Others may be able to help.  I'd be shocked if I don't have a couple.

 

(PM me if you need an invite)

I looked into it a bit more, and yes, I was wrong, Google Voice is nothing like Skype.  One thing I still don't get: do you need to have a smartphone for Google Voice to be useful? 

Thanks for the invite!

 

I did not get any invites to pass out, though you can request an invite via this page: https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/

 

It's not like Skype at all as it utilizes your current phone.  I've chosen the option for a new phone number which will be the number I provide to people.  When they call that number I have it set to automatically ring my cellphone.  Since the calls are being routed through the Google Voice system, you can designate certain numbers be in certain groups and then assign certain functions, like always send 'work' calls straight to voicemail with a seperate voicemail greeting for each group.  You can even have it automatically block or send to voicemail unknown or blocked caller ID calls.  It will change your voicemails to text and email you, handle SMS messages, record phone calls.  You can even dial a phone # from within the web interface and it will connect to your cell phone, but the person your calling will see your google number only. 

 

I'm viewing it as a great way to screen and control the calls sent and received.  You can even set it so that the system forces the caller to identify themselves before it passes the call through to your phone.

 

 

It seems like an interesting service. I've chosen to use one of their numbers also.

In the future I may switch it to my home number. I've longed for a way to have people call one place and have it ring elsewhere if not answered.

I've set it up to ring my home/mobile/work phones. I'll probably use it just for people who need to contact me wherever I am.

I may change it in the future.

I'm wondering how they will make money with this service in the future.

 

I'll post more as I discover it. I know my droid has a special google voice application, I just have not gotten to totally test it all out.

 

Thanks for the invite JarDo!!! You Rock!

Google today confirmed it will be adding VOIP technologies to google voice in 2010... which makes this great service even better.

 

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/12/30/confirmed-voip-capabilities-coming-to-google-voice