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Free phonecalls, thank you Google!

By: Qwaider

On:Thursday, November 19, 2009 2:31:41 AM
In:Science & Technology
Viewed: (5995) times

Currently 4.7/5 Stars.
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Rated 4.7/5 stars (129 votes cast) Thanks for your vote!

If you have been following me, long enough, you would know that I'm the last person to jump on bandwagons of idiotic brain farts from anyone (A dictionary picture of Brainfarts should show Google Wave)

But this time, I think the almighty Google are on to something. HUGE, as amazing and impactful as Gmal. Remember what Gmail did? It brought the whole concept of Free Email to the rest of the practical world utilizing fantastic new technologies (at the time) like Ajax and offering serious storage with a whopping 5 GB at a time when the next best thing (Hotmail and Yahoo mail) offered a suffocating 2MB. Crap, my non-digital watch has more space than that!

Soon after, everyone followed. Yahoo, Microsoft and just about anyone able to compete with true Mega services with Millions, and Gigabytes per user storage.

Now, Google makes the rest of the Computer world appear foolish, yet again, with Google Voice...

Not only that, but the service comes with a TON of features that up-to-recently AT&T, Verizon, and just about every telecom company was charging an arm and a leg for. I remember paying $7 a month for caller ID. In Jordan, I used to pay JD10 to Fastlink for caller ID.

Now, services you can't even imagine are available at your fingertips for the prime price of $0 ... Yes, FREE! Completely. You can have your own US based phone number from Google, or bring your own phone into the service.

Rest assured, this will be EVERYWHERE soon. Especially in telecome last strongholds in places like UAE with monopolies like Etisalat. Let's see them stand against Google!

One would ask, why didn't the Major players before Google get in this business? Why didn't Mighty Apple take up such a challenge? Or Microsoft? Or perhaps IBM. Or the ever-losing-and-going-down-the-crapper Yahoo! The answer is simple, with the exception of Apple, the rest have lost vision.

I predict Google Voice is going to be a mega success at the caliber of Facebook and Gmail. Only time will tell. But with this new thrust, Google has gone head to head, yet again, with just about everyone in that domain. From Microsoft with Office Communications Server, to Cisco with Unified Communication.

Let the price wars begin... Give me free phone, and give AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and the rest of the damn Long Distance Carriers death.

PS, if you're wondering. The service is still, like many of Google's projects, by invitation only, but you can signup, and cross your fingers

Memories....

#1
Dave
Said
On: 11/19/2009 5:54:38 AM
SpamScore=[-0.47]

I've been using Google Voice for several months now. It works great but it's not super convenient...yet. To make a call, you still have to dial your Google Voice number from another phone and then dial the number you want to reach. Several phones have a Google Voice dialer app that makes it more convenient. I'm still waiting for the dialer app for the iPhone, however.

If one doesn't mind the extra dialing, one can really reduce one's mobile minute plan by setting up Google Voice and then listing the GV number in one's A-List (AT&T) or Friends & Family list (Verizon). That way, calls to the GV number don't end up sucking up your mobile minutes.

Overseas calls seem to be cheaper with GV. Calls to Jordan through GV are only $.12 per minute as opposed to $.20 - $.23 per minute with Skype.

#2
Qwaider
Said
On: 11/19/2009 6:47:36 AM
SpamScore=[-43.05]

Thanks Dave. I understand and agree with you on the inconvenient part of the service. But it's getting easier, and soon will be embedded in Android phones, Windows Mobile and of course iPhone.
I think in this price conscious consumer market, any savings with little inconvenience are pretty much welcome.
We're waiting for 100% free everything... I think Google will pull this one through, and make every other computer company in the world seem so idiotic as they score big-time with end users

#3
KJ
Said
On: 11/19/2009 10:48:26 PM
SpamScore=[-0.11]

It really is the next big thing and I knew it ever since I heard of the service a while back. Sadly Apple pulled it off from the app store (though you can find it in the Cydia store if the phone is jailbroken).

Regarding etislu... I mean etisalat, let them bask in their own misery. The new telecom provider, du, is giving them a run for their money with their services, packages, friendliness and attractive call rates (they charge by second). Number portability is on the table too, and the telecom authority here is forcing them to allow VoIP (woohoo!).

I'm just worried though about the tying-everything-into-one-account thing. If your google account gets compromised, you're screwed on as many levels as you have apps