Official Google Voice Application Now Available in App Store

[MacAddict1978]

Yes

If you use A-LIST just add the google number (the one the app dials, not your actual google voice number) to your A-List. Then if you dial out from google voice ALL of your calls are free and don't use your minutes.

Though I don't know how long it will be until AT&T figures out a way to ban the number from A-LISt but currently it works

 

[jshelton]

I've decided Google Voice is actually too good to be true. How can they offer FREE calls nationwide and FREE texts? Doesn't make sense.

 

[outphase]

I've decided Google Voice is actually too good to be true. How can they offer FREE calls nationwide and FREE texts? Doesn't make sense.

Google makes its money from advertising on the search engine and ad placements on websites.

It's free in the sense that if you dial through your GV number, you'll only be making a local call (presumably). Texts are free when sent to/from your GV number.

 

[robby818]

So, my question is:

Does this mean I can kill the 20$ unlimited text messaging feature I added to my plan and just send texts this way via data? If so, I'm going to be really REALLY happy.

Yes for the most part.

Two drawbacks I have experienced with Google voice are:

1. cannot receive picture text messages (mms pictures) from a verizon user. not sure if this is true for all carriers but someone on verizon whop tries to send my a picture over mms bets bounced back

2. phone calls coming through google voice are a bit lower quality. volume is lower and people sound a tad bit robotic. The quality over mobile phones is already pretty bad, so adding google voice into the mix seems to make it that much worse. I can hear a big diff. between someone who direct dials my iPhone and someone who is coming through Google voice. I prefer not to use google voice for voice calls.

The way I use Google voice is to use it primarily for texting and voicemail. The feature I love is the forwarding of text messages and voicemail to my email. I used to miss a lot of phone calls during the day bec. I don't check my phone often enough while at work. Now I get an alert in my email. I can even reply back to a text message from my gmail account. There is a lot of flexibility in terms of configuring the options so you can make it work just the way you like.

 

[vampyren]

Google is based in the US. Doesn't it make sense to roll this out in the US first? I'm sure wherever you live there are companies that manufacture products not available in the US. It's just how it works. The world's economy isn't 100% global.

I see your point and can somewhat agree but considering MacRumors is somewhat international site (so i assume) then it should mention where it was released. Same as Engadget they report things from the whole world and usually mention these things.
But anyway i hope it does get released to EU as well.

 

[ericg301]

When placing a call it switches to the iPhone phone and calls a completely different number. What am I doing wrong?

Just read, it's not a VOiP?

It's dialing a direct access number.

http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=186204

Using a Google Number: Direct access numbersShare Comment
When you place a call, instead of dialing the number you want to reach, Google Voice dials a direct access number instead. The Google Voice server then forwards your call to the actual destination number. This allows for faster call setup and the ability to place calls without a data connection.

A unique number phone number is assigned to each person that you call. The direct access numbers are stored in the Google Voice application, not in your Contacts. They can be purged from your phone at any time by signing out of the Google Voice app.

 

[ericg301]

So, my question is:

Does this mean I can kill the 20$ unlimited text messaging feature I added to my plan and just send texts this way via data? If so, I'm going to be really REALLY happy.

Yes -- but only if you make your GV # your main number. If you get any texts to your AT&T #, they'll count.

 

[MacVault]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

I wish google voice had a voip feature so I don't use me att voice minutes to place a call. What is the best solution to this??

Also, I hope we see a gmail app for iPhone soon. Sure, the built in iPhone app supports gmail, but it does not allow me to specify a different from address as does the gmail web client.

 

[someone28624]

I see your point and can somewhat agree but considering MacRumors is somewhat international site (so i assume) then it should mention where it was released. Same as Engadget they report things from the whole world and usually mention these things.
But anyway i hope it does get released to EU as well.

Given that Google is largely a very international company as well, I imagine it will eventually. I doubt giving the variance in international phone systems it will be a simple process.

 

[outphase]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

I wish google voice had a voip feature so I don't use me att voice minutes to place a call. What is the best solution to this??

Also, I hope we see a gmail app for iPhone soon. Sure, the built in iPhone app supports gmail, but it does not allow me to specify a different from address as does the gmail web client.

An alternative way to do this is to have multiple email accounts on your iPhone. That way you can change which one it is actually sending from rather than just an alias like in Gmail. i.e., people can still see which email address you are sending from regardless of which one you select. All Gmail does is change your "from" line rather than send from the other email account. Outlook users, for example, can still see which email you send from very easily.

 

[robotphood]

Yes for the most part.

Two drawbacks I have experienced with Google voice are:

1. cannot receive picture text messages (mms pictures) from a verizon user. not sure if this is true for all carriers but someone on verizon whop tries to send my a picture over mms bets bounced back

GV doesn't support MMS.

 

[JAT]

GV sounds so worthless to me. I guess cause I'm not 16, and don't feel a need to play with how I receive calls. If they add VOIP, let me know. Although, I already have VOIP, and it does most of what GV does, already. (it's just not marketed exactly that way)

 

[shlauncha]

I'm confused, I'd like to use GV for texting, but every time I receive a text I get in both GV and on my iPhone. Is there some way to disable this?

 

[eatbacon]

I'm confused, I'd like to use GV for texting, but every time I receive a text I get in both GV and on my iPhone. Is there some way to disable this?

Yes. Log into the web interface for google voice from a computer.

Go to Settings -> Voice settings.

From the Phones tab, click "edit" for your mobile number. Uncheck the box that says "Receive text messages on this phone."

 

[MacManTexas56]

GV sounds so worthless to me. I guess cause I'm not 16, and don't feel a need to play with how I receive calls. If they add VOIP, let me know. Although, I already have VOIP, and it does most of what GV does, already. (it's just not marketed exactly that way)

it does VOIP in your gmail email. free texting etc. doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what it does.....but for you, maybe.

oh and they also bought gizmo5 voip, so chances are voip is coming real soon to the app.

 

[mudslag]

To bad no ipod/ipad official support at this time. I got it working on my ipod for texting aspects but cant get it to work on my ipad.

 

[jolie1]

great

this is a great new. But does it convenient to use?

 

[George Knighton]

I've decided Google Voice is actually too good to be true. How can they offer FREE calls nationwide and FREE texts? Doesn't make sense.

It'll make sense at some point after Google takes over the world, we're all using Android phones, and the Android operating system has booted Windows and OSX.

:scared:

 

[George Knighton]

this is a great new. But does it convenient to use?

Yes, it is very convenient. It's easy. It probably doesn't make as much sense as they'd hoped it would make, but it is easy to use.

If you do a lot of calling from your automobile's Bluetooth, you will probably find it a little less convenient. But if you're holding the phone in your hand, it is indeed very easy.

 

[George Knighton]

I wish google voice had a voip feature so I don't use me att voice minutes to place a call. What is the best solution to this?

I'll confirm what another poster has said, that you can add your Google number to your A List to avoid charges to your AT&T voice minutes...if you use it that much to be worth it.

, I hope we see a gmail app for iPhone soon. Sure, the built in iPhone app supports gmail, but it does not allow me to specify a different from address as does the gmail web client.

Is the setting available if you use the Google MS Exchange choices instead of the iPhone's GMail choice?

 

[therickt]

To bad no ipod/ipad official support at this time. I got it working on my ipod for texting aspects but cant get it to work on my ipad.

probably going to be a little while before we see this in action

 

[someone28624]

GV sounds so worthless to me. I guess cause I'm not 16, and don't feel a need to play with how I receive calls. If they add VOIP, let me know. Although, I already have VOIP, and it does most of what GV does, already. (it's just not marketed exactly that way)

I would imagine Google Voice would be completely worthless for a 16 year old, who wouldn't have contacts from work, family, and friends trying to get ahold of them- mostly friends and their parents. It would be worthless for someone who doesn't have multiple phone numbers as it is. It would be worthless for someone who is interested in not getting phone calls related to work on the weekend. Most adults, however, I imagine it would be quite worthwhile for. A lot of posts in this thread seem ignorant as to what GV is for. It's not about VOIP or free calls/texts. It's about simply managing who can reach you when and having all of your call information in one place. It's a beautiful thing if you can use it properly and have realistic expectations.

 

[someone28624]

I'll confirm what another poster has said, that you can add your Google number to your A List to avoid charges to your AT&T voice minutes...if you use it that much to be worth it.

I don't get how that works. The number is shows the app as calling is different each time.

 

[Robert1014]

You'll be happy you bought GV Connect

You all have me to thank for this.

Why? Because just yesterday I bought and paid for the app GV Connect. So naturally the free Google Voice app comes out today.

You're welcome.

Actually, you're going to be happy you bought GV Connect. It's MUCH more functional than Google's own app. I bought GV Mobile + when it came out and it has been a fine app. (I bypassed GV Connect when it came out because GV Connect's icon is HORRIBLE...a total embarrassment, one of the worst I've seen for an iPhone app! The reviews for each were roughly equal, so all things being equal...I went for the produce with better design.)

I downloaded Google's GV app the other day when it was announced...excited like everyone else. However, it became quickly apparent that it is a barebones, lackluster app that isn't even as functional as their HTML5 webapp is.

In the meantime, GV Connect has been updating more frequently than GV Mobile+, and it now appeared to have added more functionality, so I went ahead and bought GV Connect TODAY, after already having the other two apps on my iPhone.

I can say this: at present, GV Connect is the BEST and MOST FUNCTIONAL of the three Google Voice apps for iPhone. I like GV Mobile +, and a big new update is promised as "imminent," so I am keeping GV Mobile + on my phone...but I deleted Google's GV app.

(I still HATE HATE HATE GV Connect's miserable icon, but I found a better icon on the web and I replaced it.)

Believe me, you'll be happier with either of the third party GV apps than with Google's app. For push notifications with GV Connect or GV Mobile +, use either Boxcar (FREE) or my choice, Notifo, (also FREE).

 

[Dbrown]

haha i know right! wife and i cancelled our $30 text plan with AT&T and use google voice as our regular cell numbers basically. everyone calls/texts us on it. works great. can also make free VOIP calls via your browser in gmail too.

You must be like only the 3rd person in this thread who figured out how to *really* use google voice.