GrandCentral renamed Google Voice

Google announced release of Google Voice, a product name designed to offer free phone related services for just one number assigned to you for all your different phone numbers. Craig Walker and Vincent Paquet are the founders of GrandCentral. GrandCentral new version was renamed as Google Voice on 11th of March 2009. Google voice has made voice communication simpler like emails that lets user manage its phones. It is more robust phone system offering lots of advantages to users. Google Voice uses a customer self-service webpage to allow customers to alter phone settings themselves, without any manual intervention on Google's part.


Just after any acquisition Google starts rebuilding the product from the ground up and integrating various components for complete synchronization. GrandCentral regains life after 21 months rebuilding process. The phone management system GrandCentral that started in 2006 was acquired by Google in 2007 for just $50 millions. Since then Google kept preparing under the skin for the public launch of the product under a new name Google Voice. The most striking feature of this product is that Google assigns one phone number for all your phones, using this number you can access all your phone, home, work, cell, office numbers but the Google Voice or GrandCentral number same irrespective of the regular change in these numbers which you may see very often to provide hassle free phone service. GrandCentral will also still remain completely a U.S. service and will remain free. Those all whose account your kept on hold can now login to old Grand Central account. Google Voice Working: When this number is dialed, all phone number associated with this number will ring, but Google takes care business phone may not ring during night.




Striking features of Google Voice over GrandCentral:

Google Voice gives you one Google Voice number for all your phones (number is not device or location based on your identity).

New User Interface - The traditional and primary user interface for Google Voice is through phone via an audio menu. But to manage your account details or to view activity detail users can login to their account. The Google Voice has tabs for Voicemail, SMS, Recorded calls, Placed calls, Received calls and Missed calls. Google Voice is easily integrated into the list of links to Google apps at the top left of each application. All SMS and transcribed voicemails are searchable and taggable, which is very useful and will change the way people interact with these messages. Google Voice conglomerates email, SMS and transcribed voicemails in a single inbox.



Automatic Voicemail Transcription searchable via the Google Voice in-box – All voicemails are transcribed easily saved into the searchable system, Google is using voice transcription service similar as Google 411. Users can add notes or tags to voicemails and each transcription details and Google Voice highlights word in lighter color that they are not confident were subscribed properly. Voicemails are now searchable which can be embedded in a web page and you can receive email notifications. Text messages sent to your Google number are automatically forwarded to your mobile phone and they are also available in the web account, where you can reply to the incoming messages.

Text messaging / SMS support – With Google Voice users can now send, receive and store SMS text messages as well as forward it on to your mobile number by using Google Voice number. Google is using Google Chat communication gateway technology for this. Thus, you can send and receive text messages and phone numbers which was not available with previous phone system.

Voice Mail Translation - Google Voice translates your voice message from your PC to text and emails it to you (similar to Spinvox).


Calling Directly From Voicemail - You can also respond to text messages from the interface and initiate phone calls and lets you talk to your designated call.
Conference Calling - Google Voice offers conference calling feature to link up to six people in conference call and offers conference recording abilities.
Friend Settings - Google has added new settings that allow users to route calls from specific people straight to voicemail, or your mobile phone, etc, rather than getting your name and then forwarding the voice mail.
GOOG-411 Integration - Simply call your Google number from one of the phones you've selected to access your voicemail directly.

Low Cost International Calling - Free calls within the country, you need to pay for international calls. With Google Voice international calls just like Skype from your system can be made at very reasonable rates.

It is expected that in near future Google Voice will be integrated with Gmail for better user experience. The only feature lost after acquisition and upgrading GrandCentral to Google Voice is lost is the RingShare feature.