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Why I'm still frustrated with Google Voice

Remember those fateful words that no kid ever wanted to hear from their teacher: You've got so much po-tential? "Potential" is a compliment when you're just starting out in your field, and veiled disappointment after you've been in it for years. The sentiment describes exactly how I feel about Google Voice.

Let me just say that I've been using Google Voice on mobile since the apps first premiered for Android and iPhone -- and I continue to use it every day on both platforms. In fact, I depend on it for my job.

As a cell phone reviewer, I'm constantly testing new phones. Google Voice gives me a centralized place to access my family and friends' calls and texts. Since they only see the message or incoming call, it doesn't matter which device I use to reach out.

Google Voice has a ton of features, many of them exceedingly useful, like call forwarding, free texts to the U.S. and Canada, visual voice-mail transcription, and international texting.

Yet messaging delays, lack of MMS support, the iPhone app's instability, and the Android app's incomplete integration into most devices weigh it down (Sprint's Android phones are a partial exception for the last point.) As for those tragicomic garbled voice-mail transcriptions I've spoken about before, I've simply come to accept them.… Read more

Setting the mapping bar

As far as mobile mapping goes, Google Maps for Android offers one of the best experiences you can get. The feature-fest, which Google has been building on for years, doesn't just tell you where you are using nothing but GPS or cell tower triangulation. It also tells you how to get where you want to go by car, public transport, good old-fashioned shoe leather, and now, by bike. Voice-guided navigation takes you turn by turn, and voice search keeps your typing fingers fresh.

A variety of add-ons layers information on top of the base map, so you can view … Read more

Setting the mapping bar

As far as mobile mapping goes, Google Maps for Android offers one of the best experiences you can get. The feature-fest, which Google has been building on for years, doesn't just tell you where you are using nothing but GPS or cell tower triangulation. It also tells you how to get where you want to go by car, public transport, good old-fashioned shoe leather, and now, by bike. Voice-guided navigation takes you turn by turn, and voice search keeps your typing fingers fresh.

A variety of add-ons layers information on top of the base map, so you can view … Read more

Setting the mapping bar

As far as mobile mapping goes, Google Maps for Android offers one of the best experiences you can get. The feature-fest, which Google has been building on for years, doesn't just tell you where you are using nothing but GPS or cell tower triangulation. It also tells you how to get where you want to go by car, public transport, or by good old-fashioned shoe leather.

A variety of add-ons layers information on top of the base map, so you can view things like traffic, transit lines, and your favorite places on the map. Version 4.0 also adds … Read more

Podcast: Google's Scott Rubin on SafeSearch lock

Google has long made it possible for parents to restrict kids to "SafeSearch," but until now it was extremely easy to turn that off. With SafeSearch lock, Google makes it harder but far from impossible for kids to get around the restrictions. Google's Scott Rubin explains the new SafeSearch locks to Larry Magid.

Length: 9:33

Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | RSS (audio)

What I hate and love about Gmail

I've had a love-hate relationship with Gmail ever since it was introduced in 2004. Among the things I love about Google's free e-mail service is the vast storage, terrific spam filters, fast search, and the ability to automatically forward mail to another address or access it from any e-mail program. What I hate is that the only way to look at your mail at Gmail.com is through a threaded or conversational interface.

Most e-mail programs and Web-based e-mail services present mail in reverse chronological order so that the most recent message is always on top, on a … Read more