Google Voice. You’ve heard about it; you might even have a friend that uses it (or has used its predecessor application, Grand Central). But here’s the deal: You want to use it. You need to use it. If you have any interest at all in turning your normal mobile communications into a supercharged environment boosted by the best of what the Web and a mobile network could possibly offer… it’s time to go Google Voice.
But don’t let us be the only voice of reason that’s persuading you to adopt this fabulous, fairly free service from the big G. In the following series of pages, we’re dishing out 10 different ways that you can use Google Voice to make your mobile life even more awesome than it currently is. And just to make sure we’ve covered all the bases, we’re splitting the tips into, “Beginner,†“Intermediate,†and, “Advanced†sectionsâ€"let no stone, or cellular-related feature, go unturned!
Beginner
Get Google Voice
Do you think we're kidding on this, but we are quite serious - to enjoy the best Google Voice, you must first sign into his service. It sounds like a no-brainer on paper, is not it? Just run your account Google, surf on over to the appropriate site and sign up.
Wrong. For Google allows you to choose between two key options when establishing your brand-new serviceâ€"pick a brand-new number that’s been blessed (created) by Google itself, or use your existing phone number with Google Voice.
On this, you’ll want to resist the urge to be lazy. Go for Google’s numberâ€"you’ll get a host of additional features for no loss in conventional service whatsoever.
Connect Thy Number
In short, the second you get your Google number, hit up its “Settings†link in the upper-right corner of the main screen and start adding every phone number of yours under the sun as a forwarding number. What does that mean? Calls to your Google number will bounce straight to your cell phone, for example, which makes the “new†Google Number you created in the first tip indistinguishable in its purpose from your current cell phone number. The two are now one.
Connect Thy Phone
Alright. You already have a service provider whose likely giving you a specific number of minutes and text messages per month (we’re assuming you’re connecting Google Voice with your mobile device). Why would you want or need to connect Google Voice to your phoneâ€"you still have to use your minutes to dial out to anyone, right?
Intermediate
Establish Calling Groups
It’s great and all that you’ve been able to make use of Google’s core functionality, and I’m going to let you finish but… the service’s calling groups are some of the most helpful resources of all time. So much so, that we even use a Kanye West joke to illustrate that fact.
What’s a calling group? Under Google Voice’s Settings window, you can click forward to a “Manage Groups†page that allows you to add an unlimited number of people either to one of the five default groups listed in Google Voice or a custom one of your own design. In doing so, you can isolate individuals in a bunch of fun and useful ways.
For example, you can specify that anyone in your “Coworkers†groupâ€"who calls your Google numberâ€"is automatically routed to your work phone, delivered a specific greeting if they bounce to voicemail, and allowed to dial through to you unscreened. Mix and match as you see fit for the ultimate in privacy and satisfaction!
Lockdown your phone
Let’s face it. Google Voice can be downright handy in its ability to dial up a smorgasboard of different phones you control (in various permutations, as noted above) whenever anyone calls your main “switchboard†of a Google Voice number. But do you really want you apartment or office breaking out in a cacophony of sound every time some telemarketer rings you up? (More on that later.)
Google's decision at this hearing nightmare buried in Phones> Edit> Show Advanced Settings box, with the main page of Google Voice settings. Located in the link is a series of options that can be configured for each phone that you've added in the Google Voice, including the creation of graphs, when you want to send Google Voice call a particular phone or not.
Integrate Into Your Digital Life
For the truly lazy (or industrious) Web browser, there are a seemingly unending amount of ways to integrate Google Voice into your daily habits without having to fire up the service’s Web page but one second. Firefox users will want to check out either Google Shortcutsâ€"for one-button access to all of Google’s services through Firefox (we lied about that one-second-on-page deal)--or the aptly named Google Voice Add-On for Firefox if you want to place calls directly via a browser button.
Google Chrome users have it a bit easier (go figure), as Google itself has written a Chrome extension to build quick-call access directly into the browser itselfâ€"including the transforming of all phone numbers on Web pages into Voice-accessible links. And if neither of these add-ons pique your interestâ€"Firefox or Chromeâ€"you can always just opt for a lesser approach and integrate Google Voice into your Gmail window.
Mash ‘em Up
There’s not an ideal way to combine all of your various chat communications tools under one roof, but the app Voxoxis one of the closest we've found so far. Application is simple enough that it allows you to manage the Google Voice interaction, chat rooms, social and network connections in one place. When installing the program and register at the respective free service, you get a single phone number, I think you'll be linked from Google Voice?
When you do this, however, know that only incoming calls and texts for free - try to use the service to make outgoing calls or, worse yet, send outgoing texts will carry a fee. But remember, we do not say that it was ideal way to mash together your various communication platforms…
Advanced
Get Rid of Your Landline, Forever!
Free game name on it, that you do not want to pay a penny for a completely free access to the telecommunications network from the privacy of your home or apartment. Well. We can not do for free, but what about ... cheap?
Gizmodo’s Casey Chan has written up an excellent how-to guide for using a device called the Telo to make and receive free VoIP calls. But instead of doing this across your PC a la Skype (or Google Voice itself, a tip we’ll get to in a bit), Ooma’s $250 Telo bridges together a real, physical handset with the free power that is Google Voice. In essence, you’ve pulled a end-around on Ma Bell!
Turn Google Voice into Skype
Google Voice is amazing, because it connects physicalPhones for virtualized phone number, but what if you want to use the old-fashioned headphones and microphone to dial your friends a la Skype? No can do, friendâ€"at least, not without some third-party tools that combine your computer-based hardware with your web-based phone service.
Sipgate’s the combined software/service you’ll want to turn to for this one. The free version of the program/service gives you one free phone number (which you’ll tie into Google Voice) and an app that lets you access service via a typical headset/mic combination. Here’s the trick, though: Since Sipgate only gives you a certain block of time for free calls, you’ll want to dial friends using Google Voice (which, in turn, calls your Sipgate number) and answer common phonecalls via Sipgate’s app!
Set Up Ringing by Location, not Time
This one’s getting pretty detailedâ€"suppose you don’t want to necessarily block off calls to your phone based on what time of the day it is, but on where you are in the world (eh, Carmen Sandiego?) This isn’t a trick you can do with all mobile devices, as we’ve only managed to located instructions for Android-based phones thus far.
That said, blogger Chad Smith has written up a pretty extensive guide for setting up Google Voice such that calls are forwarded based on your location. To do so, you’ll not only an Android phone (and a $10 app), but a free Web server that you can use as a sort-of warehouse for your location settings. It’s a complex trick but one that’s utterly invaluable for the travelin’ dude or lady.
Maximum PC David Murphy lives for the day when all services, in any format, are freeâ€"bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!
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