[leftcoaster]

anyone here use this?

http://www.google.com/voice

quote:
Google Voice is a free service. Google will place calls in the US and Canada for you at no charge. They will charge you to call International phone numbers. They will charge you if you decided to change your GV phone number. All other GV features are free to subscribers. If you use GV with a cell phone, your cell provider may charge you airtime when you make GV calls using your cell phone.

With two or more phones available to you, you might want to take advantage of Google Voice as its primary use:

Its primary function is to link up to six telephones to one telephone number, your Google Voice phone number.

Link up to 6 phones to your GV phone number, and GV will record voice mail for all phones in one place, your Google Voice account. You have unlimited storage space for voice mail messages, and GV will keep your messages online forever. Also, audio voice mail messages are transcribed to text by Google, and also saved forever. This means that your voice mail is now searchable. If you receive several voice mail messages a day, it's a lot easier to read the text and decided if you want to delete the messages, rather than have to listen to all your new messages, in sequence, one at a time.

But Google Voice does so much more. Here are some of the features I like...

Google Voice allows you to block callers (have you had your quota of "your auto warranty is about to expire..." calls today?)

Do you have a chatty friend or relative you just don't want to talk to when you get home from work? You can instruct Google Voice to always send those calls directly to your voice mail, then you can return the call when it's convenient to you.

Is someone calling to give you a phone number, bank number, or directions, but your pen ran out of ink? Press "4" anytime during an incoming Google Voice phone call and the call will be recorded (up to 2 hours per call) until you hang up, or press "4" a second time. Google Voice will save your recorded conversations as long as you have your GV account, and no limit on storage space in your account. Listen to them from your GV account web page.

Another great feature, suppose you answer your landline phone just as you're getting ready to walk out the door, late for an appointment, but you really need to take the call. Just press "*" (star) and GV will ring all your phones and you can answer your cell phone and seamlessly take the call as you walk out to your car. The reverse is also true, when you receive a cell call just as you're pulling into your driveway, go inside the house, press "*" (star) and your landline will ring, you can take the call on your home phone and preserve your cell minutes. The party you're talking to will never know you've switched phones mid-conversation.

Google Voice will also dial long distance phone calls in the US and Canada for you for free. This might not be so attractive to you if you have flat rate, unlimited long distance or a generous cell phone plan with lots of minutes, or unlimited calling after 9:00 PM and on weekends, but if you're paying by the minute on your landline phone for long distance, Google Voice will dial your long distance calls for you and connect you for free. This can be done two ways.

1. Dial your own GV number, enter your PIN, then the code to place an outgoing call, followed by the 10 digit phone number and GV will connect you, for free

2. From your GV account web page, click the CALL button and enter the phone number you want GV to dial, then select which phone you want to use to actually use for this call, and GV will ring that phone, when you pick it up, it will then dial out to your long distance number for you, for free.

Both methods may be a little inconvenient, but if you normally pay by the minute for long distance, the inconvenience is certainly offset by getting totally free long distance calls.

For technically inclined users

Google Voice can be used as a free second line in your house if you have a computer with broadband Internet access and a headphone. All you need to do is register for a free SIP account with a free service such as Sipgate, or similar, and register and verify your free SIP phone to your Google Voice account.You also need to download and configure a free software phone to your computer, such as X-Lite from Counterpath Corp. With these, you can use GV as a free second telephone line.

[1932NV]

very cool just set up an account thanks!!!