Recently I've been playing with Google Voice more and I fell in love with some of the features I'm finding. Originally, I had set Google Voice up because I never checked my voicemails. Google Voice transcribes the voicemail into text and sends the voicemail via text and/or email.


Now I've found a couple more uses for Google and Google Voice:

• A second phone number
• Free SMS through Email and Web Browser
• Incoming/Outgoing calls through Gmail
• Transcribed Voicemails through Text Messages
• Custom Voicemail Messages for callers/groups
• Contact Management (Sync with iPhone)
• Fluid to run Google Voice & gMail as an application

A Second Phone Number

Setting up a second line through Google Voice is free. When choosing a number, you can search for letter patterns so you can put catchy phrases or your name within the number, like 555-FRYE. You can use this second line as a business line or for any type of side work that you'd like to keep separate from your personal phone number.

To setup a second line through Google Voice:

• Login to your Google Voice Account
• Click Settings then Voice Settings on the top right
• Click the "Phones" tab
• Select "Get a Google Number"
• Follow the wizard through completion

Now you have a Google Voice Number.

Here are some other settings you might find useful:

• To receive calls through Gmail: Voice Settings > Phone Tab > Select "Google Talk" with your Google ID/Gmail Address.
• Turn off Call Screening: Voice Settings > General Tab > Call Screening Off/On (Asks users record their name before connecting them to you)
• Caller ID Options. Incoming call showed as Google Voice or the Callers Number: Voice Settings > General Tab > Caller ID
• Forward Voicemail Notifications to Text or Email: Voice Settings > General Tab > Voicemail Notifications
• Forward SMS/Text Notifications to Email (good for iPad use): Voice Settings > General Tab > Text Forwarding

Setting up Gmail and Google Voice to run as an application:

If you're on a Mac download Fluid here. Fluid is an application that turns a website into an independently running "application".
Once you've downloaded and installed Fluid enter this address in the URL field of Fluid:
https://www.google.com/voice

Some Fluid Settings:

• To open Gmail in another tab: Go to the File Menu> Google Voice (or whatever you named it)> Preferences> Tabs> Enable Tabbed Browsing
• To change the icon: Go to Google Voice (or whatever you named it) > Preferences > General > Application Icon
• To browse within Fluid and not open a new window to your default browser: Google Voice > Preferences > Advanced > Click the + > Click the new gray line > Type "*google.com*"
• Also go to: Google Voice > Preferences > Behavior > and make sure "Open new tabs instead" is checked

Now you can right click (Command Click) the "Gmail" link in the top left of Fluid and have two windows open. One with Google Voice and one with Gmail. With Fluid you can leave them up and receive text messages, voicemails, incoming calls, and make outgoing calls all for free! You can also drag the Google Voice icon you created (probably in User/Applications) into your dock bar and with one click have Google Voice up on your computer.

Recently my I had to reset all my network settings on my iPhone due to some dropped calls. This also deactivated Google Voice.
To reset Google Voice do this:
1) Login to Google Voice
2) Click “Deactivate Voicemail” under the phone line you want to fix.
3) Click Done
4) Click Active Voicemail and enter the number to dial.
Then it should work. w00t!