First look at Google Voice. Video and screenshots

Last week, Google launched Google Voice, a new service that creates a single phone number and inbox for managing all your phones, translates voicemail into text, and much more. The service is still in beta testing, but we can spy.

If you recall, Google Voice is the former GrandCentral that Google acquired last year. Google Voice boasts much of what GrandCentral did, but the service has its own interesting features. If you are already a GrandCentral user, you can join Google Voice (if you haven’t already). Let's take a look.

Inbox saves voicemail and text messages

As shown in the picture above, all SMS and voice messages are saved in the Google Voice inbox. You can selectively set a filter to display only voice messages, SMS, dialed numbers, received or missed calls.

Convert voice messages to text messages

My test calls to Google Voice were instantly decrypted (the conversation lasted about two minutes), and the results were pretty good. It can be assumed that the decryption function will improve over time, but the results of my test call are already quite worthy. At first, however, some slurredness is sometimes expected. Google indicates the degree of confidence in the decoding accuracy in shades of gray: the darker the text, the more Google is confident in the decryption.

The coolest thing about transcribing voicemail is searching, you can find a voicemail community as easily as finding an old email address in GMail. And if you turn on the notification by mail when you receive a voice message, then you can find your message in Gmail, because transcription will be attached.

Call and send sms using Google Voice

Using the keys for speed dialing and sending SMS, you can call and send messages to any of your contacts. At first, it might seem that making calls through Google Voice is quite problematic, but if you look, then thanks to the self-completion of contact names, making calls will be very quick and convenient. As well as sports forecasts .

 

Integration with Google Contacts

If you filled out your contacts in Gmail, then your efforts will pay off. Because Google Voice has autofill features everywhere.

Group Forwarding Settings

One of the main features of Google Voice is the ability to divert phone calls and SMS based on the rules you created. For example, you can send all the calls of your boss or work colleagues only to your work phone, or receive calls from other significant people to any of the phones to be always available.

And now the creepy video

Google Voice (like GrandCentral before it) has options that are a little creepy, or at least for those of us who know etiquette. For example, there is a listening function:


But there are other very interesting things like blocking callers:


You will also have the thrill of a conversation recording feature:


... and call switching:


Call switching can be extremely useful in the future when Google (inevitably) adds something like VoIP or integrates with Google Video Chat.

Final thoughts

We were very impressed and pleased with everything that Google Voice can provide to manage your phones, as well as the ability to send voicemail and SMS directly to your e-mail. Welcome to the discussion!

Post: Danil Kuropov .