Why use Google Voice: computers and telephones are happy together.

Today, I decided to write about advantages and concerns regarding Google Voice and why Google Voice can be a valuable tool for managing your telephone calls.

Google Voice is an internet based Google application.  It assigns you a telephone number from a calling area of your choice, and provides services such as voicemail, voicemail transcription, and text messaging (SMS).  It also offers advanced management of how your calls are handled.   It should be of interest to anybody that has multiple telephone lines, those who have a need for easy text messaging while at a desktop computer, and for those who would like to have their voicemails transcribed to text so they can be read within a text message or email.  If you choose to hand out this telephone number freely, you can configure the application (service) to route the telephone call to all of your telephone numbers, so you can simply reach for the telephone number closest to you.

A word on the assigned telephone number... the one advantage is that you can choose your calling area.  This may be to provide a long-distance family member or friend a way to call you without incurring long distance charges.  While most of the civilized world are using computers and cell phones, some people still choose to use "land lines" powered by telephones on hanging on the kitchen wall.

The advantages to Google's assigned telephone number relate to it's ability to:

1. Route received calls to previously existing telephone lines.
2. Execute specific actions for specific callers.  For example, you can choose to blacklist someone from being able to place a telephone call, or you can send them directly to email if you choose.
3. Make free national calls, and really cheap international calls - assuming that you can get around using cellular minutes - as described below.

Google's provided voicemail can also:

1. Be set up to replace existing cellular voicemail.
2. Transcribe your voicemail to email and/or text message.
3. Be listened directly from your computer, or smartphone.

While a telephone number is assigned largely for incoming calls, outgoing calls can be placed by:

1. Accessing http://voice.google.com from any HTML.5 compatible smartphone.  This is the workaround for using Google Voice with the iPhone.
2. Any smartphone that offers a "Google Voice" application - such as the Android based phones.
3. From your desktop using a service called "Gizmo5" - which allows you to connect calls using your Google Voice account.  Gizmo5 is a company that, from what I've been told, was recently purchased by Google.

So far, there area few concerns about Google Voice which should be considered before using the service.  None of these concerns are deal breakers, however, it's best to understand them before utilizing this awesome service.

1. Google uses the internet to decide how to route the telephone calls, however, instructs your device to dial an outgoing telephone number which is Google proprietary.  So, this means, that you're calling Google, and then Google is connecting to the person you choose to call.  Since the telephone call is not placed over the internet (VOIP), it will effect your cellular minutes and how they are billed.  If you do not have unlimited calling, the resolution is to add Google's telephone number to your cellular account if it offers free calling to specific telephone numbers.  If you can Google's outgoing telephone number for free, then this comes in handy for telephone calls where you know you may be holding for extremely long periods of time.
2. If your Google account is broken into or hacked, your call history and voicemails may be accessed and saved by the hijacker.  The resolution is to employ safe password habits, such as using at least 12 characters, a mixture of numbers and letters, and not using the same password for multiple sites.
3. Voice transcription is not perfect.  If the servers can not fully understand what your caller is  saying, it will make it's best guess.  The result is a message that looks as if it were written with funky automatic spell correction.  Most of the time, however, it is accurate enough to understand why someone called you.  The resolution is to listen to the actual voicemail.

So, this is Google Voice in a nutshell.  I like Google Voice because:

1. I have multiple telephone numbers, and it enables me to use one voicemail system for both cell phones.
2. I really like the voicemail transcription.  I configure it to send the voicemail through email, as well as a text message to both cell phones.
3. It provides a telephone number that I can give to creeps, businesses, and people that I'd rather not talk to.  In turn, I can route their telephone calls directly to email.

This is an excellent service worth checking out!  It's free, unless you intend to make international calls!