Archive for the ‘Google Voice’ Category

Make Calls From Gmail But Not Google Voice?

August 31, 2010

Google recently enabled telephone calling from within gmail accounts.

I have already placed several telephone calls and appreciate the convenience of making calls while I am in my gmail account.

Dialing phone numbers in gmail is as simple as typing an email – just type in the phone number and click call.

Gmail Phone

Gmail Phone

While placing calls from gmail, I discovered their service automatically syncs with a Google Voice number that uses the same Google account login.

Google Voice Account

Google Voice Account

How do I know?

Calls placed from gmail with an attached Google Voice account push the Google Voice number through the network with its ANI.

Simply put – calls made from a gmail enabled Google Voice account shows the Google Voice number in the call receiver’s Caller ID.

Pretty cool.

While there are surely millions more gmail users than there are Google Voice users, Google Voice accounts inexplicably don’t offer the same calling functions from Google Voice accounts.

Why not?

Seems like Google Voice would be the natural location for Google’s phone services.

Will Google eventually push its phone dialing keypads into Google Voice accounts?

I can’t wait to hear Google’s answer.

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When Can I Access Google Voice From My Gmail Account?

September 7, 2009

I have had my Google Voice account for nearly two months now and I am impressed by its functionality and features.

Welcome To Google Voice

Welcome To Google Voice

However, my Google Voice account would be much more useful if I could access it from my Gmail account as well.

Gmail UI

Gmail UI

Google Voice Account Activated

July 10, 2009

I finally received an invitation to open a Google Voice account.

Google Voice Invitation

Google Voice Invitation

The following is a partial list of what was once Grand Central – and is now the Google Voice service- offers:

A personal phone number that rings all of your existing phones when people call

All of your voicemail in one inbox with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts sent to your phone and email.

Low-priced international calling to over 200 countries and free SMS

Other powerful features like the first phone spam filter to protect you from unwanted callers, the ability to ListenInTM on your voicemail messages while they are being left, conference calling and more.

At the present time, Google Voice is only available for sign up in the US.

I have set up my Google Voice account:

My Google Voice Phone Number

My Google Voice Phone Number

Here is my Google Voice dashboard:

Google Voice Menu

Google Voice Menu

I have sent several SMS messages with Google Voice from my dashboard already and look forward to using Google Voice regularly.