Elgg Voices Google

Ever wake up after a long night and see you called a bunch of exes but don’t remember what you said? We’re sure you haven’t, but, well, we’ve heard it happens. Quite a bit. That’s why we’re excited to announce that today we’re launching the Voice-alyzer setting to hopefully prevent this from ever happening again.

The next time you know an eventful night is in store, head to the Calls tab in Google Voice Settings. Check the “Enable Voice-alyzer” box, and set the hour that you want the feature to go into effect.

With Voice-alyzer enabled, our IVR will prompt you to spell everyday words with your keypad, like “embarrassed”, ”dizzy” or ”Czechoslovakia”, before we connect your call.

If the Voice-alyzer determines that you are not in a fit state to be having a conversation, it will prevent the call from connecting and send you a text message with contact info for 3 local cab companies instead.

Concerned about sending poorly thought out texts? Don’t be, we’ve got you covered there as well. All text messages sent while Voice-alyzer is enabled are scanned for accuracy and held in your outbox if fat-fingered words or more than 2 exclamation points or question marks are detected. This new feature will be rolling out gradually to all Google Voice users over the next 24 hours.

We hope that you find it to be helpful, and as always, recommend dialing responsibly.

Posted by :Tina Donaldson, Anti-Embarrassment Enforcement Officer

Since our first birthday, we’ve been working hard to bring new features to Google Voice and make it available to as many users in as many places and on as many devices as possible.

As we mark this milestone, we want to thank all of our users in the Google Voice community. All of your support, feedback and stories have helped us improve the Google Voice experience.

We’ve seen the product evolve significantly over the last two years. In the last year alone, Google Voice went out of invite-only mode and became available to all US users, we brought calling to Gmail, launched apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, and made it possible to get the full set of Google Voice features on your existing mobile number by porting it to Google Voice.

We’ve got a bunch of new features and updates in the works and are working hard to bring Google Voice to even more users in 2011. Thanks to our users again for all of the support!

Posted by Vincent Paquet, Google Voice Product Manager

We’re often inspired by the creative and interesting ways that individuals and organizations use Google Voice, so we thought it was time to start sharing some of their stories. In the first of what we hope to be an ongoing series of interviews, we chatted with Todd Stanfield, an Associate Professor from Jackson, TN, who used Google Voice to communicate with his students during the snowpocalypse of 2011.

1. Tell us a little bit about you.
I am Todd Stanfield, PhD. I am an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Union University in Jackson, TN. I teach both undergraduate and graduate social work students.

2. How are you using Google Voice?
I collect phone numbers from students via a Google Docs form, then I text them via Google Voice to let them know when class is cancelled. Google Voice makes it possible to reach them instantly via their phones (which they always have with them) in addition to their email (which they may only check when at a desktop).

Some of them don’t have smart phones, so getting the text message in addition to an email means the difference between finding out about class being canceled during a 2 hour drive vs. arriving at campus only to find out class has been canceled.

I also have them respond with an SMS confirming they got it so I can quickly mark off everyone who has responded, and I have a record that they did so.

3. Sounds effective. How else has Google Voice helped you out?
I also use Google Voice as a second voicemail service that puts a layer of protection between my personal cell phone and my students. They call my Google Voice number, I get a transcript of their message via SMS and email, then I decide whether I need to respond right then. Helps me set boundaries between my personal and professional time.

If you or someone you know is using Google Voice in a unique way, we’d love to hear about it! Fill out this short form and your story may get featured on the Google Voice blog.

Posted by Michael Bolognino, Product Marketing Manager

Roses are so 2010. Whether you see your special someone every day or you’re in a long distance relationship, Google Voice gives you a bunch of one-of-a-kind ways to let your sweetheart know that you’re thinking about them on Valentine’s Day.

867-5309 could be one of the most iconic phone numbers of all time, but it’s not the only number that a lot of us remember by heart. Many of us have a phone number that we’ve shared with family, friends, and contacts over the years and are reluctant to let go.

One of the most frequent requests we hear from people who use (or want to use) Google Voice is that they’d like to get all of Google Voice’s features without having to give up their long-time phone numbers.

Today, we’re excited to announce that Number Porting is available for all existing Google Voice users. This means you can make the mobile number you’ve always used your Google Voice number, so it can ring any phone you want—or even your computer.

To get started with Number Porting, log in to your Google Voice account, visit the Settings page and click on “Change / Port” next to your Google Voice number.

Porting your number to Google Voice costs $20 and is usually completed within 24 hours. You may incur additional charges, including early termination fees, from your wireless carrier. Contact your carrier to get more details about the charges applicable to you.

After porting your number to Google Voice your mobile service plan will be cancelled, and there are a couple of steps that you’ll have to take to continue making and receiving calls on your mobile device. For more detailed instructions on how Number Porting works and to find tips for making the process as smooth as possible, visit the Google Voice Help Center.

Number Porting is currently available for existing Google Voice users and will become available to new users within the next few weeks, and at this time, Google Voice is available in the U.S. only

Posted by Robert Dong, Software Engineer