GoogleVoice posts

The folks over at CNET have been doing some investigative reporting of the finest calibre: it turns out that Google censors a very odd set of words. Some of the words on the list are the regular mainstay of such things -- the f-word, the s-word and even the c-word (no, not that one).

It seems that Google Voice (or, more specifically Voice when running on Android devices) replaces censored words with a rather bland and completely useless '####' when transcribing your calls and searches. Back in January it came to light that Android running on the Nexus One was censoring offensive terms, but most of us thought the censorship was was a feature and not actual censorship. Google says that the technology is meant to prevent the misrecognizing of offensive words -- you might be saying 'country', but the phone might interpret it as... something much more malevolent.

Now it turns out that the list of naughty words might be a lot more arbitrary. Is 'Lolita' really similar to another offensive term, or easily misunderstood? 'Whorehouse' is also blocked -- I guess it sounds a bit like, er... boar house? 'Beer house' said by a drunk? Who knows...

I'm sure Google will be quick to correct it, if there is in fact a problem -- they're one of the biggest advocates of free speech, after all.

Google's developers are just too clever and impatient to wait for Apple to open its arms and invite Google Voice into the app store. Regardless of what or who was ultimately behind the rejection of Google Voice, it's a moot point now.

Since they've already got solid HTML5-powered versions of GMail and Google Reader which perform nicely on the iPhone, Google has decided to follow that route with Google Voice.

Point your iPhone to m.google.com/voice and you'll have access to a web-based app which looks and feels a whole lot like a native iPhone app.

The web app allows Google Voice users to make and receive calls and SMS messages through their Voice number. Since it's HTML5 and not a native app, users of Android and WebOS phones can get in on the action, too.

Sorry Blackberry owners -- your handset can't handle HTML5 just yet.

Google is bullish on bridging the native/web application divide -- coming up with elegant solutions like the one they've released for Voice is extremely important to the success of Chrome OS, after all.

[via ZD Net]

This extension makes Voice a lot more practical by removing the need for a standalone app, single-site browser or separate browser window. Soon, you'll even be able to use it to play back your voicemail. Windows users should be good to go with the new extension, but Mac users will need the latest build of Chromium to make it work properly.

[via TechCrunch]

Google Voice is great for voicemail and text transcription, call forwarding, and a bunch of other useful phone-related services, but it's not a full VoIP solution like Skype. That could change in 2010, though, especially since Google acquired Gizmo5, a company that develops technology for web-to-web and web-to-phone calls. Owning Gizmo5 doesn't necessarily mean Google's going to compete with Skype, but some recent quotes from a VP at Google suggest things may be headed in that direction.

According to eWeek, a Google VP of Product Development, Bradley Horowitz, told the media that "voicemail transcription, inbox integration and threaded SMS are fantastic features, but we're really just scratching the surface. Gizmo5 gives us talent and talent technology. ... We want to make sure your communication is available to you irrespective of where you are at, what device you have in your pocket, etc." With Gizmo5's technology, Google's brand name and huge userbase, will we be saying "Google Voice me" instead of "Skype me" by this time next year?

I'm not willing to call it one way or the other just yet. What do you think, oh wise DLS readers?

After the big blowup over Apple's rejection of the official Google Voice iPhone app, it turns out that Voice is coming to the iPhone anyway - just not in the way you might expect. VoiceCentral, a Google Voice app that was also rejected by Apple, is coming back to life as a web app called VoiceCentral Black Swan Edition. It's currently in private beta.

When VoiceCentral is finally available to the public, get ready to make calls, send texts, and read and listen to voicemail messages, all from a convenient location that beats the pants off of the current iPhone interface for Google Voice. VoiceCentral does have some limitations as a web app, though: it has to use the speaker (or earphones) for sound, instead of the phone's earpiece. It also can't access your contact list directly from the iPhone, so you'll have to put your contacts into Google Voice.

VoiceCentral's not perfect, but it's a sight better than what iPhone users are stuck with now. Until this whole mess with the FCC gets resolved and Google Voice makes a miraculous return to the App Store, it looks like signing up for a chance to ride the Black Swan is your best bet.

[via TechCrunch]

When GrandCentral evolved into Google Voice, it was only a matter of time before the old GrandCentral website went to the big page archive in the sky. Google's killing off the old, redundant site on December 31st, 2009. Why the heck is this news? After all, GrandCentral users can all upgrade to Google Voice. Well, it turns out that GrandCentral's website has something that Google Voice doesn't: your old data.

In an email to GrandCentral users, Google suggested you download anything you want to save, because it's all gone at the end of the year:

All GrandCentral accounts were upgraded to Google Voice earlier this year, but since that time, you've still been able to log-in to your GrandCentral account and listen to old messages there. You will no longer be able to log-in to your GrandCentral account after December 31. Because of this, we strongly suggest downloading any messages or contacts that you want to keep in the next 43 days.

GrandCentral was excellent while it lasted, but now it's time to move on and make way for Google Voice. Just make sure you do it before you run out of time!

Nothing is more frustrating when reading about a hot, new app or service only to learn that it's not available in your area. Yes, geotarding sucks - there's no denying that. It's keeping most of us from getting to use awesomeness like Hulu, Spotify, and Google Voice.

In the case of the latter, however, it looks as though there might be light at the end of the tunnel. Business Week recently got a peek at a letter Google submitted to the FCC with regards to the blocking of certain rural and "red light district" phone numbers.

While the original letter included "formatting errors" and has since been replaced with a heavily redacted public version, BW's Arik Hesseldahl reports finding good news for those of you outside the US waiting for Google Voice.

Hesseldahl states that the letter reveals Google has working agreements with several "international service providers for inputs to Google Voice." At least the groundwork is in place, but there's no telling how long we'll have to wait. The letter goes on to say none of those services have launched as of yet.

So, how about it, Google? When does the rest world get to take Voice for a spin?

[via TheNextWeb]

We recently told you about an Adobe AIR-based Google Voice client with a pretty small featureset. It puts your SMS and voicemail messages close at hand on your desktop, but that's all it does.

If you're on a Mac, though, you can do a bit better. Voice Mac is a Google Voice client with a threaded SMS view, voicemail downloading, and the ability to make calls and send texts, and Address Book integration.

Voice Mac is certainly not gorgeous, but it has a ton of functionality.

There's an SMS and voicemail/call history browser, and it also has a built-in reverse phone lookup, so you can try to figure out who any mystery calls are from. If you don't use your Voice account frequently, the web interface might be fine for you, but if you're a Voice addict - especially one who uses SMS constantly - Voice Mac is worth a download.


[via Lifehacker]

Looks like Apple's not the only one drawing the ire of the FCC when it comes to Google Voice. AT&T filed a complaint with the FCC, forcing Google to explain why it was blocking a bunch of rural phone numbers from its Voice system. Google's answer? Because it's really expensive!

Telephone providers are common carriers, and they're required to provide access to some phone exchanges out in the middle of nowhere. That's extremely costly to do, compared to providing the same service in a large, dense city. Google was hoping to get around paying the additional costs, so they blocked some of these more expensive numbers. While still arguing that they shouldn't have to provide service, Google just told the FCC that it's now blocking "fewer than 100 numbers" in total.

[via Engadget]

With Google Voice now able to take over the voicemail from your mobile number, there are more reasons than ever to keep your Google Voice messages close at hand. There's cross-platform Google Voice desktop app that does just that, giving you quick desktop access to your voicemail and SMS messages.

The desktop app's features are very basic: just your inbox and contacts, in a compact layout. It's good for making sure you don't miss incoming messages, but don't expect too much else from it. If you're on a Mac, you might prefer to use Fluid to create a standalone browser for Google Voice.

[via Lifehacker]

Being able to read and reply to incoming text messages makes Google Voice pretty convenient, but it just got even better. Now you can have SMS messages forwarded to your email account, and reply from your voice number via email, too. You can enable the feature in your Google Voice settings under Voicemail and SMS. Third-party services have been doing things like this for a while, but Google Voice does it at no charge, through a service you already use.

Getting SMS by email has plenty of advantages. The biggest of these is that you can turn off SMS to your phone, so you're not paying for it, and read messages by email instead. You don't have to keep separate Voice and Gmail windows open to read text messages and email in your browser anymore, either. Also, you can file your texts in the same inbox as your Google Voice voicemail, so all of your incoming phone-related messages have one unified location. Finally, if you're using a threaded email client (like Gmail, as Google helpfully points out), your sms conversations will be threaded, too.

[via Lifehacker]

3jam offers a bundle of phone-related services, all connected to a virtual number. It's like Google Voice, but it does a few neat tricks that Google Voice doesn't. Incoming calls can ring simultaneously on your phone, IM or Skype. If you don't use your landline, you can even port that number to 3jam. 3jam also handles text messages, visual voicemail (with transcription), and SMS-to-Email conversations.

3jam is also working an enterprise angle by offering numbers for groups, which is kind of handy if you're a small business or a community organization. 3jam's services will cost you a monthly fee, but the idea is that it will be cheaper and offer more services than your existing phone service. The rates are reasonable, with 5-cent texts in the US, and international rates that seem competitive. Call forwarding rates from the most expensive countries top out around 35 cents, but most are much lower, and it beats paying your cell carrier's long distance rates.