Google Voice Review

Google Voice (formerly Grand Central) is a service that allows you to handle all of your phone communication functions in one place.  One of the major features of Google Voice is that it allows you to have all of your phone numbers routed through your Google Voice number.  For example, you can have your house and cell phone numbers routed to your Google Voice number which makes it easy for people to get in touch with you no matter where you are (or not, if you choose not to talk to them – more on that later).

But Google Voice is more than just a number routing system – it’s a complete communication tool.  It can receive your voice mail (and even transcribe it into text) and email (or SMS) you the message and the transcript.  Additionally, Google Voice is capable of sending, receiving, and storing text messages, screening calls, blocking callers, recording calls, creating conference calls, and much more.

The online interface for Google Voice is simple and easy to use too.  Making it simple is important as this will allow just about anyone to use the service – it’s not just for geeks.  From the web control panel you can manage just about everything from adding new phone numbers, to listening to voicemail, to even replying to a text message.

There are also official applications available for Google Voice users on the Blackberry and Android platform.  There is also an official and a few unofficial Google Voice applications for the iPhone, however, they have currently either been rejected or pulled from the Apple App Store.  I was fortunate enough to have downloaded GV Mobile about a month ago before it was recently pulled from the App Store.  It’s a great Google Voice application for the iPhone – I highly recommend it.  I believe it’s currently available in Cydia so if you have a jailbroken iPhone I recommend you go download it.

What are your thoughts on Google Voice?  Leave a comment!