Thursday, September 9, 2010

Google Voice Updates

I'm providing an update to a post that I wrote on workshifting.com about the benefits of Google Voice for the workshifter. You can see it at this link. This update is pretty brief but provides some additional benefits for the remote worker and/or road warrior.

1. Call phones icon is now in Gmail Chat.
This really comes in handy for me. Now instead of my office phone being forwarded to my Google Voice number, which rang to my cell phone, it now rings to my cell phone AND gmail chat. The reason it's so nice for me is because I work in the basement of my home in my own office and don't get great phone service. Since I'm connected to the internet, I can take the call VOIP in gmail chat and not need to use my cell phone minutes. SCORE! This means I can keep my minutes low and save money on my cell phone bill!

2. Voicemail transcription to your e-mail or SMS
This is so nice for me. I have the opportunity to read the message, no it's not perfect yet, and get the gist of what's going on and can determine whether or not I need to respond right away.

3. Use your Google Voice number as your primary number in the event of an emergency.
My wife and I are preparing to become proud parents (her official due date is tomorrow, but will likely be pushed back a week). What if there is a problem at daycare? Who should be called? Instead of listing four phone numbers (my work, my cell, my wife's work, and her cell), why not list my Google Voice number? I can use this phone tree to ring all four phones at the same time when the daycare is calling me. Whoever picks up first takes the call and in the event that our child needs to be picked up, my wife and I can communicate who is going to do what, and when.

So...how are you using Google Voice? Do you have additional tips to share? I'd sure love to hear them and hope that you'll share with others.

p.s., I have decided not to share a specific write-up on the data from my ASAE Generation Y presentation because it might be written in a peer reviewed journal. I'd love it to appear there first, then retweeted and posted here. What I have done is embedded the slides below.