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Rumor: Google buys Gizmo5, expanded VoIP service coming soon?
TechCrunch is reporting that Google has purchased VoIP company Gizmo5. Google has its own internet telephony service called Google Voice, which lets you route your calls to different phones, screen calls, and receive email notifications and automated transcripts of phone calls. But Google Voice doesn't let you make calls from a PC to a phone. Gizmo5 does. If Google really has entered an agreement to acquire Gizmo5, it's a pretty safe bet that we're eventually going to see Google Voice add new features turning the service into a full-fledged Skype competitor. Gizmo already has services that let you make phone calls from a desktop client or a web site.
Gizmo5 also includes chat and video call capabilities, which would be a welcome addition to Google Voice, and which, as TechCrunch points out, would bridge the divide between Google Voice and Google Talk
Of course, right now the whole thing is just a rumor. But it's one that makes a lot of sense.
Comments
3
Subscribe to commentsChuckNov 9th 2009 3:08PM
It fits very well. I also noticed that Google Voice offers "Gizmo" as an option when you are choosing a phone to forward to or setup. That can't be a coincidence.
kamron_1Dec 16th 2009 6:29AM
This was carried over from when it was still GrandCentral. GrandCentral used to have a full tutorial on how to set up call forwarding from Gizmo and called it an official feature.
8complexNov 9th 2009 3:20PM
I just got back from a vacation in Europe where I used my Google Voice account linked to my Gizmo5 account to make wifi calls back home. Worked great, even if I was limited to 3 minute calls out... free is free.
Can't wait for the update for the GV iPhone client with this option, as my work is a complete dead zone (must have a Faraday cage built into the structure or something).