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This morning Google Voice was featured in a segment on the Today Show, during which NBC News correspondent Janet Shamlian outlined her experiences with the service over the last few months (her verdict: she loves it). It’s an interesting piece to watch if only to see how the mass media is trying to describe Google Voice without confusing everyone watching, which can be a difficult task.
Shamlian and Matt Lauer briefly address the potential privacy concerns that have been raised over Voice, which would give Google access to your voice conversations and voicemail. Given that many of us have already used Gmail for years, handing over sensitive data to Google isn’t exactly novel, but it’s a valid point nonetheless. That said, the Today Show piece entirely neglects the other real challenges facing Voice at this point: it requires you to start using a new telephone number (unless you wait it out until number portability) and the numbers shown by your outbound calls can be different from the ones your friends have, which can lead to confusion.
There’s also a pretty big goof at the end of the piece: Matt Laurer concludes the segment saying that Google Voice is “available today, nationwide”, which was big news given that Voice has long only been available to previous GrandCentral members. Google Voice Product Manager Craig Walker has confirmed that this was a goof on NBC’s part, but says that invites have begun going out today to those who have previously requested them. Walker says that the team has “a long list to go through so it will take a while to get them all out”, so don’t be surprised if it takes a while before you get yours. Of course, it probably won’t be long before Voice does open up to the masses, as it wouldn’t make sense for Google to show off the product on the Today Show if the public launch is still months away.
Its about time. Does this mean I can tell verizon to screw off?
“It really puts the user in control of the phone stuff.” – Craig Walker. Couldn’t come up with a better line for your Today Show interview?
I’m sure he did. Usually shows like this will tape a fairly long interview and just take out a soundbite or two, and you don’t get to pick which ones they use.
Exactly right.
I like the way he phrase it on how as of today users are not in control at all… wow. So it implies if you want to be in control.. then use Google Voice.
Finally. I have been waiting for such a long time!!!!
I love their service, I been using it for awhile now. It used to be: GrandCentral then Google bought the company. Now is fully integrated and this will change how we receive call and hopefully tele market filter as well.
Hey,
Can someone please send me an invite to google voice?
Benjaminfarabee@gmail.com
Thanks
I’ve been a user for almost 2 years now and LOVE the service!
Can current users send out invites? I want in!
I can’t wait for this. It will truly be a revolution of the phone system.
I like it now, but I’m still waiting for complete phone integration before I can use it completely. I need to be able to easily make calls and send text messages without having to go through the web interface in initiate it before I can use my Voice number exclusively.
What do you mean? I make calls and send txts directly from my phone to people and it gets routed through my Google Voice number.
Here, let me walk ya through the steps as it was a feature I didn’t discover until several weeks after using the service.
Step 1: Send someone an SMS via the web interface.
Step 2: Wait for their reply. It comes from a 406 area code.
Step 3: Add that 406 area code number to your friends contact info.
Step 4: Dial that 406 area code number to call your friend. Your GV number will show up on his or her caller ID.
Step 5: TXT that 406 area code number for the same effect.
Step 6: Rinse, Wash, and Repeat for all your friends.
waiting for the invite, looking forward to using this service
Why, why no phone number port now?
You can invite yourself, by going to http://www.google.com/voice, and on the bottom of the page, you can request an invite.
I hope they launch this in Denmark and worldwide soon. It’d be an awesome Android application. For free worldwide VOIP and IM as well.
I continue to not understand the hype around this. I would never start using a service that required me to change my phone number or make calls using a different phone number that my friends/contacts don’t recognize.
… and who leaves voicemail anymore?
The BEST FEATURE of Google Voice is when you meet someone new. You give them your GV number and you never have to worry about them stalking you. They will NEVER know your “real” number. You can call them using your phone and it shows up as your GV number to them. You can send TXT messages the same way.
You’re completely anonymous to those you want to be anonymous from. It’s good times.
that is hands-down the best (and only) compelling argument I’ve heard for GV. Noah, you should setup an affiliate account ASAP
thanks!
That’s what I do for everyone … I give everyone my GV number.
Recently, my uncle for some reason disconnected his old line before getting the new plan. Imagine the turmoil of getting everyone’s phone numbers and giving out your number out all over again …
For me, my GV number is not a screening number. It IS my number. All cell phone numbers are now disposable. I will probably give my old number to potential stalkers … Heck, I would even publish it here … wait, not yet.
Can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait.
I’m just a wee-bit excited.
I don’t have anything productive to say.
–dez
So you’re asking people with landlines to call a long distance area code then? Or are you assigned an area code that is local to where you live?
Also as was mentioned what about text/pix/vid msgs? And are there plans to show the google number on caller id’s of those you call from your multiple devices?
You get to pick an area code that’s local to you. I live in Atlanta, so my choices were 4 different numbers, in the 404 & 770 area codes.
Each of your “contacts” is assigned a unique 406 area code. I can call that number and on my friends phone, it shows up as my Google Voice number.
I wrote a blog about all the features here: http://noahk17....revelation.html
Hi,
I don’t understand the hype around this either.
Is America just really stuck in the past about Unified Messaging?
There’s a whole load of companies that do what GrandCentral/Google Voice does, and have been doing it for over a decade, not least JFax.
The personal number/follow-me “area-code” has been available in the UK since the early-90’s and Orange had a service called Wildfire whose technology still operates today (by another operator).
Also, How stupid to depend on such a critical business/personal asset/utility on one single company that will process, parse, archive and re-formulate your private conversations (which it will be able to record live even without using V.Mail), and might well be happy to provide copies to any govt.?
Does anyone know where the revenue-streams are going to be coming from, because the market isn’t going to be supported purely by termination/interconnection fees.
Or are they going to try and take on Skype and the mobile networks, and depend on those who aren’t customers to provide revenue.
Can someone please explain the hype beyond the number/service-give-away. oh yeah, even that’s been happening forever:
http://www.dmcl....co.uk/info.cfm
http://www.call...ure07050.co.uk/
Kind regards,
Shakir Razak
Revenue comes from international calling rates. (better than Skype currently).
The amount of data that Google collects about us, and the information to which it can gain access (Gmail, Docs) is rather staggering. Add to this the profile information, if one has filled it out, and the possibilities of data intrusions are immense.
And the government knows your Social Security number too… whatcha gunna do?
Wow – Google has launched a product that has been launched about 200 times in the past:
RingCentral
GrandCentral
BuzMe
OneBox
AccessLine
SmartNumber
MySmartNumber
FindMePhone
..
Yeah, but just because the Ford Model T was launched over 100 years ago doesn’t mean I can’t drool over owning a new Porsche…
Great reply!
Right, because Porsche’s are free??? I’ve been a Onebox user for years and will continue to use it because I don’t want advertisements showing up based on my client sensitive conversations and voicemails.
Yeah, and you don’t use gmail either riiiiight.
don’t believe those were FREE though. i think they should make desk phones that connect to this service and compete with other companies that do hosted PBX. free hosted pbx. that would save my company a ton of money. might even be willing to pay a lil money for it.
Good article
I really want this to head up North to Canada, it’s another way of making life simpler.
Kinda flubbed the launch timing, I’d say. They get national coverage but newcomers to the site still can’t sign up. If they were a startup with VC investors somebody would be getting their ass grilled right now. Love the product though – a consumer version of some of the features we provide at Toktumi – and free!!!
Actually they’re using the classic ’soft launch’ to a tee – build anticipation, exclusivity, buzz and demand while you test the service.
If you are not in from of your computer, it is not convenient for you to call somebody by using GV. Because you have to remember and enter their phone NUMBER.
Wouldn’t you haver to remember and enter someone’s phone number in order to call them directly without Google Voice? If you’re talking about the difference between entering digits and picking the user from your contact list on your cell phone, just add their “406″ number to the contact on your cell phone. Calls to this number to connect you with that contact THROUGH Google Voice.
Invites actually started going out at the start of last week. Lesson: don’t get tech news from Matt Lauer. After the whole Tom Cruise thing, he’s also shaky on entertainment, mental health, and pharmacology
I got my invite last Thursday – but I did have a googler add me to a special internal list.
I for one can’t wait to test it out. It looks like a fantastic service.
If you have spare invites send me a tweet please
How hard is it for a company like google to simply pool all the invite requests and send an invite to all, come on, where are the up to on the list (date)?
Because there are a finite number of phone numbers to dish out at the moment… probably around one million. Secondly, as invites roll out their systems will experience additional loads. It makes much more sense to throttle these rather than send them out all at once, otherwise they risk affecting the performance of the system. They’ve been doing this kind of things for years and have learned many lessons.
Can someone send me a google voice invite to linuxworks@yahoo.com
Someone dials my Google Voice Number.
Phones all over the world ring for me – home, work, cell, boat, plane, train,..
My caller hears, maybe sees, a Google Paid Add while my many phones ring, flash, beep, etc.
I hear, mabe see, a Google Paid Add during all the annoying ringing on whatever devices I happen to be near and if someone else happens to be near one – them too.
I love this stuff!!!
Ugh,
The Gorilla
Yay, I received an invite. Finally. Loving it. Three features I would like: More integration with gmail/wave, ability to receive faxes via my google number in gmail as a doc/picture and the ability to make outbound calls with google voice like in skype. Digging it a lot. Especially the free sms.
Try checking into Gizmo5. It’s fully integrated with GV and you can make out going calls with it. I find it way better than Skype.
Can someone please send me an invite to google voice?
Can someone please send me an invite? coachpete(at)gmail.com