I might have a invite or two. Basically, what I use google voice for is:

1) visual voice mail that I can access on my computer or phone

2) If I put a for sale (or something public) up, I use my google voice number that way if I get someone spamming me or anything, i can block them.

3) You can link your google voice number to ring multiple phones. So if someone calls your voice number, it can ring your cell and house number, stuff like that.

4) you can send text messages on your computer using your voice number.

I dont use #3, but thats a pretty good overview of what it does.

I use google voice a lot for business.

Three main uses:

1. voicemail on my droid. Verizon allows you to have like 5 voicemails before you have to start deleting them. Google=unlimited.
2. voice to text. Reading a voicemail takes about 1/10 the time that listening to someone drone on and on. Also, google voice does a better job figuring out what the Indian guys I work with our saying than I do!
3. It's integrated with contacts, so dialing from PC is very fast.
4. when someone calls my google number, it rings in my office, my cell, and my home office at once.

Makes sense that this would kick ass with the Droid. The more I use this phone the happier I am with it. Integration is great, and this is from someone who's been a diehard Mac user for nearly a decade.

Glad someone resurrected this. If you have an invite PM me and I'll shoot you my gmail addy. Thanks.

ultimately google plans to integrate skype-like calling over the internet but who knows when.

that means direct dialing from your own number anywhere.

Google bought Gizmo5 which had some amazing integration with Google Voice for inbound calls. I'm more then certain that Google is going to release SIP/VoIP calling shortly!

I'm looking for an invite. Please send me a PM for lulzy e-cred.

I would like to get an invite too.
Thanks.
-Raj

Woot, I got an invite today. Dunno if it was from someone here (thanks, if it was), or my request to google finally went thruogh, but now I'm trying to decide...

...should I keep my mobile number, or go ahead and sign up for whole shebang with new google-supplied phone number?

From what I'm reading, I don't see any real disadvantage to signing up for a new number, other than having to notify all my contacts that my number has changed.

Anyone gone through this process and have some advice?

If you keep your current number, you loose many of the nicer features:

http://www.google.com/support/voice/...?answer=164819

If you're using any iPhone, you can use prowl to send push messages for text.

http://googlevoice.ub3rk1tten.com/voicegrowl/

Yeah, I decided to ahead and get a new google number...still deciding if I want to switch over completely or not, but I figured it was better to get one now.

always get the new number. you can still use the same features you would without the number.

Google opened it up for everyone this morning.

Enjoy

Was hoping for MMS. oh well.

now get your sipgate number and make lots of calls

Update: google voice is now open to everyone!

Nexus One bought outright + Sipdroid + PBXes.org + Google Voice + 39.99 no tax no fee data plan = Win

Just sayin. <3

I used this for a while back in beta and it was useless. All it did was make it more complicated for people to call me and for me to check my voicemail.

Here's the idea:
"With google voice you can use the phone you have now but with another number and voicemail box to make things completely confusing!"

If I had more than one phone number, I would use it so it would ring more than one phone at a time, but having only one phone really sort of makes google voice pretty useless. I have it, and I used to use it on my blackberry, but I don't any more. I might also consider using it if it had good iphone integration like I have heard it does on the Droid, but it doesn't.

you can set your voicemail to automatically forward to GV and then set your voicemail speed dial to your GV number. And if you have an android phone, you can set it to use your GV number for all outgoing calls and text messages seamlessly. and you dont have to call your voicemail either, you just pull up the google voice app and play it back or read the (admittedly spotty) transcription.

See above. the integration is so good the GV app has a place in the settings where it has your number in case you forget.