Why I gladly surrender my digital life to the Google:
I don't how theirs is a profitable business model (probably because they're collecting dividends on my soul) but somehow Google Voice provides all the services of Skype (and more) for free.
The most relevant of which is the in-state phone number that can make and receive calls, if you have internet access of course. In-state means it's a US phone number at least and, if available, in your area code. While from the volunteers point of view this is pretty much the same thing as Skype, it's from the US caller's perspective that it's much simpler. The point is people can call you from their own phones, no computer necessary for them, and you can call them, from your internet connected computer, for free.
Note: In the picture there's a conspicuous $10.00 balance on the keypad. This is if you want to make international calls where international here means to phone numbers outside the US. Again making calls to any number in the United States from Google Voice/Gmail is completely free.
How to receive calls in Gmail
In addition to being able to make and receive calls with this number, that Google seemingly gifts to you, one can get and send text messages and receive voicemails. Text messages will be viewable in the Google Voice webapp and can be forward to your Gmail account. Voicemails will also viewable/audible in the Google Voice webapp and can be transcribed (by a computer not stenographer :p ) and sent to your Gmail account. That last feature is kind of gimmicky and doesn't work too well (as my experimental study with sample size 1 shows).
I don't work for, nor am I affiliated, with the Google in anyway (I don't even use Adsense as you can plainly see); just hopefully this helps lots of people stay in closer touch with their family and friends.
P.S. This post assumes you have Gmail. If you don't sign-up is free.
P.P.S. Some might have heard the a google is a number that is equal with 1 with 100 zeros behind it. That is not correct; it is a googol that equal to 1.0 x 10100 .
I don't how theirs is a profitable business model (probably because they're collecting dividends on my soul) but somehow Google Voice provides all the services of Skype (and more) for free.
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| The $10.00 is for calls made from the app to outside the US, not to numbers within. See note below. |
Note: In the picture there's a conspicuous $10.00 balance on the keypad. This is if you want to make international calls where international here means to phone numbers outside the US. Again making calls to any number in the United States from Google Voice/Gmail is completely free.
How to receive calls in Gmail
In addition to being able to make and receive calls with this number, that Google seemingly gifts to you, one can get and send text messages and receive voicemails. Text messages will be viewable in the Google Voice webapp and can be forward to your Gmail account. Voicemails will also viewable/audible in the Google Voice webapp and can be transcribed (by a computer not stenographer :p ) and sent to your Gmail account. That last feature is kind of gimmicky and doesn't work too well (as my experimental study with sample size 1 shows).
I don't work for, nor am I affiliated, with the Google in anyway (I don't even use Adsense as you can plainly see); just hopefully this helps lots of people stay in closer touch with their family and friends.
P.S. This post assumes you have Gmail. If you don't sign-up is free.
P.P.S. Some might have heard the a google is a number that is equal with 1 with 100 zeros behind it. That is not correct; it is a googol that equal to 1.0 x 10100 .
fix the top half. i think you meant to say i don't know how there is ( i always make that mistake)
ReplyDelete@martha: nope it's correct
ReplyDelete