Make Phone Calls From Your Computer With Google Voice VOIP
Make Phone Calls From Your Computer With Google Voice VOIP
By now everyone should know that Google Voice has gone public and ANYONE can get an account. Now with the latest upgrade, Google Voice has become a true Skype killer, land-line slayer, VOIP provider, and a threat to cell phone carrier’s minute planes. Why? Because you can make free phone calls anywhere in the United States and Canada using just your computer and an internet connection, no phone required.
If you are not entirely sure what this all means, Google has created a comical movie to help explain things.
Download the Google Voice and Movie Talk Plug-in
In order to use Google Voice from Gmail to call people over VOIP you will need the voice and movie talk plug-in. Download it here: http://www.google.com/talk/voice/
Make Real Phone Calls To ANY Phone Number From Gmail
After you’ve installed the plug-in a “Call phone” button will emerge on the left Gmail sidebar, it is located under Talk. When you Click the button a phone dialog will emerge just like the one you see in Google Voice mobile. Type in the number or Google Contact name and call away!
Again, all calls in the United States AND Canada are downright free!
Conference calls are still at a four person max, but they DO work with Gmail!
Receive Google Voice Calls On In Your Gmail Browser
Don’t have a phone handy? Or maybe it is just lighter to receive the calls on your computer. Either way, if you have the plug-in installed you can reaction calls from your internet browser, just make sure a Gmail window is open. But, before you will receive calls to your Gmail, you very first must set up call forwarding. This is done in the Google Voice settings.
On the Phones tab of Google Voice settings you’ll find the option to forward calls to Google Talk. Just Check the box next to Google Talk above your Gmail address and then you are done.
Once you have forwarding set up, if you receive a call on your Google Voice number it will now ring all of the devices you have checked and ALSO your Gmail window. A petite pop-up will show up on-top of your emails. You’ll be given three options: Reaction, Screen, or Disregard the call.
Reaction and Overlook are pretty demonstrable, but the Screen option is rather groovy.
Here you can listen as your caller leaves you a voice message. If at any time you want to hop in and begin talking, Click Join. If tired of listening to them, you can also Suspend Up.
Once your caller is done leaving a message, you’ll be given two options.
Gmail Texting From Your Google Voice Number, Possibly In The Future?
Google hasn’t yet integrated Google Voice’s texting features into Gmail, at least, not that we could tell. In the same talk pane of Gmail you have the option to call or to Send SMS. While it’s true you can send SMS to almost any mobile from Gmail, it doesn’t give the recipient your Google Voice number. In fact it doesn’t even give the recipient a reliable static reply number, instead they just see a improvised one.
Conclusion
Earlier today me and MrGroove were testing out this fresh Google Voice-Gmail feature. It sounds excellent, voice quality couldn’t have been better. I called his cell phone from my laptop, he called my laptop from his cellphone, I called his MacBook from my desktop… etc. It works! The only catch so far is that all calls are treated by Gmail and so you must have an internet browser opened up with the same Gmail account that is connected to your Google Voice account signed in.
I wouldn’t call this a real threat to mobile carriers yet, but if in the near future we get the same functionality as the Gmail voice feature on Android phones… that’s big. You won’t need “minutes” on your cell phone plan anymore, just Data.
Make Phone Calls From Your Computer With Google Voice VOIP
Make Phone Calls From Your Computer With Google Voice VOIP
By now everyone should know that Google Voice has gone public and ANYONE can get an account. Now with the latest upgrade, Google Voice has become a true Skype killer, land-line slayer, VOIP provider, and a threat to cell phone carrier’s minute planes. Why? Because you can make free phone calls anywhere in the United States and Canada using just your computer and an internet connection, no phone required.
If you are not entirely sure what this all means, Google has created a comical movie to help explain things.
Download the Google Voice and Movie Talk Plug-in
In order to use Google Voice from Gmail to call people over VOIP you will need the voice and movie talk plug-in. Download it here: http://www.google.com/talk/voice/
Make Real Phone Calls To ANY Phone Number From Gmail
After you’ve installed the plug-in a “Call phone” button will show up on the left Gmail sidebar, it is located under Talk. When you Click the button a phone dialog will show up just like the one you see in Google Voice mobile. Type in the number or Google Contact name and call away!
Again, all calls in the United States AND Canada are entirely free!
Conference calls are still at a four person max, but they DO work with Gmail!
Receive Google Voice Calls On In Your Gmail Browser
Don’t have a phone handy? Or maybe it is just lighter to receive the calls on your computer. Either way, if you have the plug-in installed you can response calls from your internet browser, just make sure a Gmail window is open. But, before you will receive calls to your Gmail, you very first must set up call forwarding. This is done in the Google Voice settings.
On the Phones tab of Google Voice settings you’ll find the option to forward calls to Google Talk. Just Check the box next to Google Talk above your Gmail address and then you are done.
Once you have forwarding set up, if you receive a call on your Google Voice number it will now ring all of the devices you have checked and ALSO your Gmail window. A puny pop-up will show up on-top of your emails. You’ll be given three options: Reaction, Screen, or Overlook the call.
Response and Disregard are pretty demonstrable, but the Screen option is rather groovy.
Here you can listen as your caller leaves you a voice message. If at any time you want to leap in and embark talking, Click Join. If tired of listening to them, you can also Dangle Up.
Once your caller is done leaving a message, you’ll be given two options.
Gmail Texting From Your Google Voice Number, Possibly In The Future?
Google hasn’t yet integrated Google Voice’s texting features into Gmail, at least, not that we could tell. In the same talk pane of Gmail you have the option to call or to Send SMS. While it’s true you can send SMS to almost any mobile from Gmail, it doesn’t give the recipient your Google Voice number. In fact it doesn’t even give the recipient a reliable static reply number, instead they just see a makeshift one.
Conclusion
Earlier today me and MrGroove were testing out this fresh Google Voice-Gmail feature. It sounds superb, voice quality couldn’t have been better. I called his cell phone from my laptop, he called my laptop from his cellphone, I called his MacBook from my desktop… etc. It works! The only catch so far is that all calls are treated by Gmail and so you must have an internet browser opened up with the same Gmail account that is connected to your Google Voice account signed in.
I wouldn’t call this a real threat to mobile carriers yet, but if in the near future we get the same functionality as the Gmail voice feature on Android phones… that’s big. You won’t need “minutes” on your cell phone plan anymore, just Data.