Google Voice Available To All!

I have been using it for a little while now and am impressed with what it can do, although sometimes reading the transcripts of voice mails can be quite humorous as to what the computer heard and what the person actually said.

Here is what it does:

With Google voice you get a phone number that you can give out as your universal phone number (I have not really done this yet, but am moving in that direction).  You set up all your phone numbers; home, work, cell, other and when you want to be reached there.  When a call comes in to the Google voice number, it rings all the other numbers at the same time, you pick up the phone that is most convenient.  If you choose to let it go to voicemail, Google voice will record the message which you can playback by calling your Google voice number, go online and listen to the message, and also have a transcript of the message sent to you; email or SMS.

By setting when you want to be reached at certain numbers you can configure it to ring your home between 8pm and 10pm only on weekdays and all day on weekends while your cell phone can be reached all the time.

Another interesting feature is call screening.  If a call comes in and the caller is unknown, they are prompted to announce them self.  The call rings through to you where the caller is announces and you can choose to take the call or send it to voicemail.  When you send the call to voice mail, Google voice allows you to listen in as the message is recorded and choose to pick up the call or let the caller continue recording a message.

Google voice will dial calls for you as well.  Using the site you can select a contact from your contact list, have Google voice call that contact and tell the software which phone you want to use to speak with that contact and Google voice will do the rest.  Your Google voice number will show up on the caller ID.

There are other features as well including call logs and the ability to send and receive text messages.  With a Verizon cell phone you can even have your voicemail set up to automatically go to Google voice to take advantage of the transcription services without having to give out your Google Voice number.  The ability to change your mobile phones voice mail to Google Voice presumably works with other carriers as well.

If you are interested, sign up for an account at http://www.google.com/voice