It’s been a LONG time coming, but Google Voice users can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Not only is Voice not getting scrapped, instead it’s getting a major redesign with some long-awaited new features. Here’s a quick tour through the app which supports the only phone number you’ll ever need!
Google Finally Merging Google Voice with Hangouts, Offers Free Voice Calling
It’s about damn time!
Ahem…
Having lived in limbo for a while now, Google is finally updating Google Voice by making it a part of the Hangouts service. Google Voice allows users to send phone calls to multiple phone numbers, and manage text messages and voice mail from a web browser or app.
An update to Hangouts, rolling out over the next couple days will now absorb those Google Voice features, allowing you to make calls and send texts through your Google Voice number, and you’ll be able to make free voice and video calls through the app.
Google’s full PR is below.
Continue reading “Google Finally Merging Google Voice with Hangouts, Offers Free Voice Calling”
Google Voice Now Allows for Calls Through Hangouts
Progress has been painfully slow, but eventually Google Voice and Hangouts will merge into one super app of calling and communication. Recently we’ve been looking for changes to the Hangouts app, but Google has just announced an update to Voice that shows they are walking these two services together.
Alex Wiesen, a Manager at Google, posted this to G+ yesterday:
When I’m travelling I like to call my family from the Google Voice website on my laptop, but without a phone handy, it’s a little hard to use. To make things easier, we’ve just added Hangouts as an option when making calls from the web. It works even if you aren’t using Hangouts in Gmail, and doesn’t require a Google+ account. Try it the next time you place a call from the Google Voice website — I think it’s a much easier way to keep in touch with people.
You can check out the update now logging into Google Voice on a desktop browser. Hopefully this means we’ll eventually see updates to the mobile apps for these services soon.
How I Plan to Continue Using Google Voice on Windows Phone After Support for MetroTalk Ends
We posted a reminder yesterday that Google will soon be pulling support for 3rd party Google Voice clients. No big deal for people who use Android and iOS, as the Voice will likely get rolled up into the Hangouts app.
However Windows Phone users are getting caught in the cold war crossfire between Microsoft and Google, and it’s unlikely we’ll see a “Live Tiled” version of Hangouts any time soon. In the meantime, here’s how I’ll continue to use Google Voice on my Windows Phone…
PSA: Windows Phone Users Only Have One Week Left to Use 3rd Party Google Voice Apps
Just a friendly reminder folks. This is the last week to use those terrific 3rd party Google Voice clients like MetroTalk on our Windows Phones.
Rumors are pointing towards merging Voice and Hangouts on Android handsets, but that’ll leave WP users out in the cold as there is no Hangouts app for people who happen to prefer Live Tiles.
Live it up. Send a few extra texts. Make a few more phone calls. In seven days the cord gets cut.
Google escalates war with Microsoft, Shutting down 3rd Party Google Voice apps on Windows Phone
The cold war between these two tech giants is heating up fast.
Google is taking an extremely aggressive stance towards Windows Phone. None of Google’s services are currently officially available for Microsoft’s mobile operating system, and Google has been very vocal about not developing for the platform. Recently Google forced Microsoft to remove a nice and functional Youtube app from their Phone Store and replace it with a lame browser based version. Now Google has set their sights on 3rd party Google Voice apps.
As their Hangouts app looks like it’ll become the single backbone service for all of Google’s text, audio, and video communication they’ve issued a notice that all GV apps must be shut down by May 1st of 2014. Google Plus Product Manager Nikhyl Singhal had this to say: Continue reading “Google escalates war with Microsoft, Shutting down 3rd Party Google Voice apps on Windows Phone”