My friend Laura is having some issues w/ Verizon. And it reminded me of yet another reason I love Google. Google Voice.
When we relocated last year, my husband and I debated the merits of getting a land line through our local phone company. We’d had one in Philly, for internet access and “emergencies.” But save for ordering an occasional pizza, we never used the regular phone. We both have cell phones. No one – except telephone solicitors and wrong numbers – called us on the land line. In essence we were paying Verizon $30 a month to be annoyed. When we moved, we bid it adieu.
Ten months later, we are living in Maine. We still have our same cell phones, with our same (Philly) numbers. But thanks to Google, we also have a free local number, which will be ours forever and ever Amen, and for which we pay Google exactly zero dollars a month. For this hefty sum we get:
- Our own phone number, which rings both our cell phones (and any other numbers we wish to add) simultaneously
- Free voicemail
- Free voicemail transcription (i.e., voicemail sent via email)
- Call screening
- Voicemail screening (Listen as people leave messages, in real time)
- and MORE.
Just see for yourself.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua9Q5frlQ2M&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
Yes, it is that awesome. At present Google Voice accounts are by invitation only. The good news? We have one to give. If you’d like it to be yours, please leave a comment below. If you have a compelling reason why we should choose you, include that as well. We will be making our selection Saturday, January 16th, and will announce the winner at that time. Good luck!
Hmm. Had never heard about it till now. How accurate and how quick is the voicemail transcription? Does it actually transcribe and send text?
Rob, The transcription is immediately sent to all specified email accounts, as well as via text message (if desired). The transcriptions are rarely 100% accurate, but each email has a simultaneous audio playback feature. Typically I read and listen to each message. Not perfect, but for free I can’t complain. Another nice feature is that you can selectively parse calls to a given phone (or phones), based on caller specifications. My husband has calls from his work go only to his phone, and so on. Would you like to be entered to win?
haha…I thought maybe you found a new job. they should pay you for the nice commentary on their product.
Oooh Connie, I WISH. xo
Would you like to be entered?
MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME!
(cough) Ahem. I meant “I would love to be considered.”
You got it babe – best of luck!
Cool, Christy! When John told me his number, I wondered what it was all about, and when I posted my queries about landlines/internet to facebook, my tech savvy cousin told me to get google voice. I just requested an invite from them, so I don’t think I need to be in the contest– I think I’ll get the invite and sign up for a number eventually.
What do you use for DSL/Cable? If I drop our home phone, the price of DSL goes up $12/month– and I just dropped my home phone price down to about $17… so for $5, I might as well keep the home phone for now. In fact, last night, a friend that I last saw in 1994 called me– she found my number in the phone book! Unfortunately, I was ready to fall asleep and Joe answered the phone and asked her to call back… without getting her number. I hope she calls back!
If you don’t get the invite for some reason, just let us know. As for our internet – John’s work pays for cable modem through Time Warner. PS: Hope your friend calls back too!!
Ok. I’ll bite. *rubbing lottery ticket* and doing a lucky dance!
Hayden & Rob – CONGRATS!
I’ve emailed each of you an invite.
ENJOY!!
YAYAYAYAY!!!!
Woohoo! Thanks!