Filed under: Audio, Google, VoIP, Beta
Google Voice still in private beta, but invites on their way
Google is beginning to send out invites to people who signed up to try Google Voice. The service is still in private beta, but this is the first time new users will be able to gain access to the service since Google purchased the technology from GrandCentral. Up until now, only former GrandCentral users have been able to use Google Voice.
Google Voice allows users to route all of their phone calls through a central phone number. For instance, if you have a home phone, cellphone, and work number, you can link them all to Google Voice and just give out a single number to your contacts. When they call your Google Voice number, all of your phones will ring. You can also use the service to check your voicemail online, transcribe voicemails and forward them to your email account, screen calls, or perform a whole slew of other nifty features.
As part of the wider launch, Google will begin sending out invites to users who signed up to request them. New users will be able to choose a new phone number, hopefully in a local area code. Google also has a new tool that will let you try to snag a phone number that matches a word or phrase (see the image above for an example).
If you haven't already requested an invite yet, Google is still accepting requests.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sanskrit said 1:40PM on 6-25-2009
Looking forward to this. This should be extremely helpful for my business.
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CmpsdNoMore said 3:44PM on 6-25-2009
I joined GrandCentral about a year ago and didn't use the service very much. Now that Google took over and you can do SMS I use it a lot. It's nice being able to txt with my friend, but not having to be near my phone or cramp my fingers using my phones keypad.
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douglas said 5:10PM on 6-25-2009
612 ftw! hello minneapolis :)
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Rob said 5:14PM on 6-25-2009
I asked for my invite about 18 months ago, so I hope it now comes through :)
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douglas said 5:40PM on 6-25-2009
I had grandcentral ages ago, never used it, google voice with SMS is nice, I just wish I had an easy way [like ipod touch] to check them on the fly easily - I don't have a big texting plan on my cell phone
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Andrew Moulton said 7:57AM on 6-26-2009
i got an account switch thing from grandcentral, the google voice is pretty cool i guess...
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