Google Voice coming to Android, BlackBerry

Google Voice on Android

(Credit: Google)

Google is ready to bring Google Voice to a place where it really makes the most sense: the smartphone.

Android and BlackBerry owners who are also Google Voice users will be able to use the service directly on their handsets starting Wednesday, said Vincent Paquet, senior product manager for Google Voice and a co-founder of GrandCentral, the product currently known as Google Voice. Google Voice, which is expected to be available at some point Wednesday, lets users assign a single number to ring their home, work, and cell phones, and also get voice mail messages as text transcriptions.

With the new applications, Google Voice users will be able to make calls from their smartphones with their Google Voice numbers displayed on the other end of the call, alleviating a common frustration with the service, Paquet said. They'll also be able to get their transcribed voice mail inside the dedicated application rather than having to use their phone's browser to see that text.

The obvious missing piece of the puzzle--Google Voice for the iPhone--is coming but isn't quite ready, Paquet said. He said Apple and Google are working on getting an iPhone version out the door, but declined to comment on exactly what was holding up the process.

Google Voice uses a carrier's existing network to place calls: so it's not like you're getting around your monthly allotment of minutes by using the service as a voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP phone. Still, Apple has approved Skype for the iPhone, so it's a little unclear what might be the sticking point, especially since Google has been given preferential App Store treatment in the past.

Android users will be able to find the app in the Android Market or on Google's mobile site, but BlackBerry users will have to download the app from Google rather than from the BlackBerry App World.

Paquet also touched on two recent areas of interest for potential Google Voice users: number portability and open registration.

On number portability, he said it's something Google's working on but the experience isn't quite up to Google's standards for anything but carrier-to-carrier ports just yet. And regarding Google Voice's invite-only status, he said that registration has been moving smoothly since Google began sending invites to people who had signed up on a waiting list, although it doesn't seem like the service will be open without a having to file a request anytime soon.

[FreddieT]

Apparently Google is not big on offering their stuff on the iPhone. I have been waiting for Google Latitude for quite some time, and now Google Voice? Ugh.

[svk1069]

There are two fine 3rd party apps in the App Store that work great with Google Voice: GV Mobile and VoiceCentral. They've been around for a couple of months now. With these there is no need for an official Google Voice app.

[TChachra]

I posted a snap shot of CWALKER123's tweet on my blog about this. http://2s2d.net - Not a solicitation for a visit...just a harmless plug. I am thrilled at the prospect of a GV client for my Blackberry.

[scollins5]

This is exciting news. I am hoping this closes the circle on the GV service, allowing for VVM, MWI, and Direct Dial from contacts.

Any word on where this will be found once released? App World or via the GV portal?

- Shaun Collins, Editor, BlackBerryNews.com

[TChachra]

They said it would be in the Android App Store and via the GV Portal....

[arcane14]

Would love a GV app for WebOS.

[joshh347]

Same here!! Bring Google Voice to the Pre!

[enidesigns]

I fear I'm a bit ignorant here.

Can someone explain what the point of Google Voice is - if it's not VoiP? I guess in the past, this is what I originally thought it was, and had anxiously awaited it's availability on my Blackberry phone...but if it's using my minutes, why would I want to confuse people by using a different phone number while dialing out using my carriers network?

Again, sorry about being totally ignorant.

[El_Segfaulto]

Basically Google assigns you a universal telephone number. That number can be routed to your home, cell, office, or whatever based upon whatever conditions you want to set. They also have some pretty cool features like transcribing voicemail and ridiculously low international calling.

[keepntabs]

Google Voice provides one central phone number that people can dial to reach you, because it can ring through to several numbers simultaneously. So, if you are at home, and don't hear your cell phone, GV would ring both numbers, giving you the opportunity to retrieve the call you would have otherwise missed. Also, if you cannot answer your phone, GV has a voicemail system that will take you caller's message, trascribe it, and send it to you via email or SMS. The CNET reviewer was not totally correct in stating that GV doesn't provide VOIP, you can make domestic and international calls via GV. You would do so the same way as using any other pre-pay VOIP service like Skype, Jajah, or Jaxtr. This can be quite an economical way to make international calls, because each of the services gives you an opportunity to set up a local number to dial for an international number. For example, your grandma lives in Spain, and you want to call her from your home or cell phone using the VOIP service. In your contacts lists that you've created with the service, you can set up a local number to dial that will connect you to grandma. You will only pay for making a local call. If you use your cell phone to dial number then you are using some of your minutes. To me, Google Voice is particularly useful when I don't want people to know my personal phone number. Sometimes I post things on Craigslist for sale, and I don't want people to call me directly. I also can call them back via Google Voice, and they will only see the GV number in their Caller ID instead of my home or cell number. I also like that if I ever change my home or cell phone number, that I won't have to worry about people getting in contact with me, because my GV number will not change. At this time, Google Voice is only available in the U.S. But if you plan in advance, there are ways to set up call forwarding that will enable you to receive discount priced calls while you are overseas. That's another conversation.

[enidesigns]

Thank you for the detailed explanation, keepntabs. That really helped set things straight!

[sting7k]

"Google Voice uses a carrier's existing network to place calls: so it's not like you're getting around your monthly allotment of minutes by using the service"

Then what's the point or benefit?

[auto1234]

The main benefit is one number for life, which will not change regardless with which carrier you are. Secondly, you can control from your account, which all phones to ring for an incoming call (home, work/cell). Thirdly transcripts of messages left in English. And listen in on message being left or recording the conversation.

[Forked_Tongue]

There are other benefits as well, if you're a tmobile customer with a myfaves plan or an alltel/Verizon customer with my circle then you can set one of your faves/my circle as your google voice number and bingo, unlimited incoming calls. When you log into your google voice account you can also set it up to forward the call to any number instead of to your mobile, home, or work therefore if set it to your wife or girlfriend then calling your google voice number with the prior two carriers would allow free and unlimited calls to them even if they're with another provider. These are just some of the tricks you can use, btw tmobile charges their customers minutes to check their voicemail during the day, if you're on a myfaves plan, setup the google voice number as a faves, call it then it from your mobile, it will forward you to your vm and won't count against your minutes. It's handy if you know the loopholes of the carriers.

[monikeo]

I got it this morning on my Bold. Very nice integration with my address book. It's now more useful than just a call forwarding/ voice mail system. The calls are made through my regular voice service minutes instead of VOIP. Too bad, no free unlimited calls.

[at_RelativeTheory]

Excellent, just downloaded it on my blackberry from httpm.google.com/voice

Love it, made a few test calls, a little fuzzy but works great!!!



http://MacSpotLight.BlogSpot.com

[stravism]

What is Google's position on Windows Mobile phones, HTC only supports Android and WM

[chrispix99]

Of all things, I have a google voice account that was signed up under my personal domain that is a hosted app domain. I can't use google voice from android b/c it is not a gmail.com domain.

[areiku]

You can not use it. Google doesn't accept new members for Google Voice. Useless........

[verice]

Just loaded this app on my BlackBerry; WoW! It's is waay better than the third-party GVdialer.

[mcg2u2]

I have been waiting for this upgrade feature. It will hands down help a lot of people who now have a option on which number to give out