Posted on 01/23/2010 8:38:13 PM PST by newbie2008
The addition of extensions to the latest versions of Chrome have given Google some serious geek cred in the browser market, but for the most part the extensions we've seen to date are typically knock offs of versions that have been available to Firefox users for years. What Google needed to win over the hearts and minds of those on the fence was a feature nobody else could offer, and now they have it. The Google Voice extension for Chrome is now live, and adds some killer new features to the snappy little browser for anyone who also uses their free voice service.
One of the most useful new additions is the ability to click and call any phone number you find in a web page. This is extremely handy when surfing through business listings, and when you click the number you are given the option to use any of the phone numbers linked to your account. Users will also have a voice icon added directly to the right of their address bar which will allow them to call anybody in their address book, or even send and receive text messages / transcribed voicemails.
might be useful for mass Senator calling etc
If this is free, why would anyone pay for phone service I wonder?
If you make the calls from a computer, then calling all day is (for the call initiator) free all day —even from coast to coast.
If instead the call originated from a cell phone, then you would have 2 use your cell phone in order to call locally, but you would not be using long-distance minutes. In effect, long distance becomes local.
I use google voice now, and I love it. It is sort of iffy for 1-800 numbers however —lots of dropped calls.
Can others call you using the computer only? Or do they have to call your phone?
I’s heard of Snipe internet phone, so it must be similar.
Is this the end of telephone companies?
Meant to say “I’ve heard”
You say that it seems to require that one person has a phone.
1.) computer 2 computer voice = free
2.) computer 2 cell phone voice = free
3.) cell phone 2 cell phone voice long distance = billed as local call
4.) cell phone 2 international computer voice = small extra charge (have never done —I use skype for that)
5.) cell phone 2 international cell phone voice = I don’t know
Objections:
1.)Placing calls takes...about 7 seconds longer
2.) Duplex is not completely full duplex —you have to wait slightly longer for the other person to shut up
3.)Sometimes you get that mathy, “tinny” sound
What I like:
1.) It is absolutely FREE—no lies. I cannot tell you HOW ANGRY I was at always getting ripped off by those contracts. Oh suuuure it will be $40 —I just assume they’re ALWAYS lying, now.
2.) I like that I am using a new form of tech —I strongly think phones are ALL going to be VOIP, in maybe..3 years or less. We will think of the prevalent form of billing as being how we now think of house phones, with the weird piggy curly-que tail things...WEIRD.
Um, no. Neither party to the call needs use a phone. Strictly speaking neither party would have to OWN a phone, even. However, both parties in order to use google voice WOULD need to "own" a phone NUMBER --something that can be secured with a payment of just...like $30 for 4 months.
How one could do it is go to skype, then go to their billing area. Using a CC, you'd put $30 or $50 in your skype account under your user name.
Then you'd go to their shop and go about buying a SKYPE telephone number --they permit you to chose an area code, and so on. Also you have a little leeway in asking for a specific phone number (although to think of a one super easy for others 2 remember and that proved avaiable this took me about 2 hours).
OK so now you have a skype telephone number --which means you have reserved an absolutely REAL telephone number, just that you don't have a phone....OK
Now go over to google voice, knowing that "having a phone number" is a requirement. OK...so sign up (I already had gmail so for me this was easy), and then designate your skype number as the number you will use as your google voice number --OK?
What this means is that THAT is the number that will be rung when people call you (your computer makes a ringing sound), and that is the number shown when you call other people in the world.
The one weird thing is that when you initiate calls, the extra 7 seconds of waiting time comes into play when:
1. GV (google voice) calls your computer....
2. Then GV calls your call target...
3. Then hooks you guys together
The other side never suspects you are using a computer --the call seems just like you called from a $ucker phone.
And then you set up your voice greeting, and all that (you can have a different greeting played for each and every person who calls you. What this means is that when Chuck calls and you're away, your greeting says, "Hi Chuck..! Leave me a message, OK, ya slob..? BEEP..!"
Or when lovey calls, it says, "Thanks for your call, lovey! You're so sweet..! BEEEP..!"
Oh, if you're away, GV will also use voice reconition to TRANSCRIBE your voicemail into email, then email you that email (with a delay of about 15 min or so) --free.
Oh! And unlimited (short) texting to your friend's text-capable cell phones..! After using this, I NEVER send texts that I have to pay for --NEVER.
www.skype.com - take a minute to download - you can audio chat as well providing both computers have a mic
Skype will soon be integrated with Samsung HD TV sets. Also other manufacturers. I have seen demonstrations with a new prototype version, and it is just fantastic.
I use Skype every day.
<I use Skype every day.
I shudda used Skype for my last call to Norway, which cost me $200. I’ve used Skype and Google Talk, but hate how they always drop parts of the conversations, making a call quite aggravating.
Is any part of your connection WIRELESS? Are you close to the router?
During dropped sessions, are you also running video? If so, are you also running image enhancement?
What OS are you on?
We might run video as we talk, depends. We often look at things online together (which is how I got a $200 phone bill). I’ve got XP on high speed DSL.
I just want to talk to my friend and not spend a mint.
A mint, roger that —just where I felt I had gotten.
It is true that when I switched from XP to win7 about 3 months ago, I noted prolly....like 50% more stability —not great, and perhaps by my standards, not even good, but...it is free.
If I do suffer drop outs, it is usually in the course of a video call, and especially if both parties to that video call have elected to use image enhancement.
But then, in almost every case I’m using skype, I am also running wireless, so it is POSSIBLE that if I were physically plugged in my drop-out rate would be substantially lower.
All I can really say is that I think when you go over to Win7 you will probably get a more positive experience.
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