I signed up for a Google Voice account. YES, I am that cool that I got an invite.
So first off I set up my number:
I chose a number with a different area code than I currently have, I’d advise against this, it’s just 3 more numbers for people to remember. Google also gives you the option to use words, letters or numbers in your search for your google phone number. I found those options to be limited as every word I tried came up empty. After I picked my horrible number which for 10 seconds I thought was cool, I was locked into it unless I was willing to pony up $10 to get a new one…I didn’t want to pay $10…but I did and I like my new number better. So my advice, choose your number wisely.
Now for everything else:
With Google Voice you can do an enormous amount of things like record calls, get a transcript of your voicemail and have several phones ring at once. This is all…um…great? I see the benefit in this whole service but I’d like to voice my concerns and comments. The first thing is that I have one phone, no home phone, no direct work line. I think the value of Google Voice grows with each additional phone line that you have. Let’s say you carry 2 cell phones and have a home line and a work line, Google Voice is great for you. But for someone like me, that need doesn’t exist.
HOWEVER, I did think to myself..Jeff, could this be used in conjunction with Skype to reduce my monthly bill? I think it could be. An online Skype number costs $60/year, you can setup Google Voice to call that Skype number. Therefore, if you make a lot of calls and are in a wifi zone alot of the time with a Skype enabled phone (iPhone) then you can save a ton of money. If only the iPhone could run Skype in the background or run on 3G/Edge you could theoretically use the lowest voice plan on AT&T and just use Skype. It kinda boggles the mind.
The only other thing that crossed my mind is that…well, I like Google, I really do but in spite of the “Do No Evil” mantra and all of the other Google services I use, this one feels a little too much for me. I mean my calls could all be routed through Google, capturing what I say, transcribing it and storing it on a server. Even I’m starting to feel like my privacy is being encroached on and I’m on every social network on the planet broadcasting my daily activities and mood, but this…this kinda creeps me out a little bit.
So that’s my rundown on Google Voice. Very promising, feature-rich, a little scandalous and it creeps me out a little bit.