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Is Google Voice going to be the next Skype?
Google Voice is great for voicemail and text transcription, call forwarding, and a bunch of other useful phone-related services, but it's not a full VoIP solution like Skype. That could change in 2010, though, especially since Google acquired Gizmo5, a company that develops technology for web-to-web and web-to-phone calls. Owning Gizmo5 doesn't necessarily mean Google's going to compete with Skype, but some recent quotes from a VP at Google suggest things may be headed in that direction. According to eWeek, a Google VP of Product Development, Bradley Horowitz, told the media that "voicemail transcription, inbox integration and threaded SMS are fantastic features, but we're really just scratching the surface. Gizmo5 gives us talent and talent technology. ... We want to make sure your communication is available to you irrespective of where you are at, what device you have in your pocket, etc." With Gizmo5's technology, Google's brand name and huge userbase, will we be saying "Google Voice me" instead of "Skype me" by this time next year?
I'm not willing to call it one way or the other just yet. What do you think, oh wise DLS readers?
Comments
14
Subscribe to commentsder_tuxmanDec 30th 2009 7:34PM
Hm, is {a product by a privacy-adverse company} going to be the next {backdoor-afflicted product}?
SIP ftw.
KyokoDec 30th 2009 7:47PM
One that I like from google voice is the ability to make overseas calls directly from a regular phone/cell phone which I couldn't with skype.
There already many tutorials on the web on how to make google voice talk to gizmo and I've made calls from my PC as well.
Even though google voice is much more convenient for me, the quality of the calls are still questionable. and as far as pricing goes, skype is still cheaper.
(call quality and pricing only tested when calling to Jakarta-Indonesia)
Mervin HernandezDec 31st 2009 9:31AM
I am very fond of Skype, use it almost every day. Google Voice is neat, but it does have a lot of catching up to do. I am excited however, about the possibilities of Google doing something completely new and extraordinary building on technologies like Gizmo5 and Skype. That I am looking forward to, and no, I'm not afraid to pay for something better. There are great free alternatives to services, but sometimes it is really worth paying for services you want done well.
Jash SayaniDec 30th 2009 10:11PM
Google Voice is great, and yes, it will have a calling from PC-to-phone software. This is because you are given 10 cents balance on new accounts and can buy more credit to make "cheap international calls". Isn't that what Skype is all about?
BlackCoffeeNoSugarDec 30th 2009 10:33PM
I really hope Google could reach some sort of deal with RIM in 2010 to allow real VoIP over 3G with Google Voice on BlackBerry.
techpopsDec 31st 2009 1:26AM
Still waiting here in the UK to try Google Voice. We miss all the good stuff, it's all passé by the time we get it.
I just got on usenet and am wondering, where did everybody go?
qakgobDec 31st 2009 5:06AM
Perhapse, if it gets international release (Please come to the uk!)
ChiliPeprDec 31st 2009 7:59AM
I don't think Google Voice needs to expand into the Skype feature set. Goodle Voice already has a very diverse feature set that addresses voice calls very well.
I would like to see Google Voice support faxes for the occasional fax I need to receive - it should be an quick and easy implementation.
Alex SchwartzDec 31st 2009 9:05AM
I just did a pretty lengthy writeup of the implications of this at my blog, investsmarter.wordpress.com.
Direct link to this article: http://investsmarter.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/goog-2010-outlook/
I think that Google Voice will have the advantage over Skype by nature of the fact that it will likely function perfectly on any Android or Chrome OS interface. Additionally, if Google's goal of moving the telephony industry to the internet is realized, it will probably result from Google having their own 3G or 4G (or whatever comes next) network that is also optimized for Google Voice.
Google seems so willing to enter the hardware business with the Nexus One (1/5/2010) and the Google Netbook (Q4 2010), I can't imagine they'll let something like a satellite network stop them from dominating the smartphone industry.
cipheroidDec 31st 2009 10:27AM
Before I ditch Skype voice for Google Voice, Google will have to improve the uptime of Gizmo5's VoIP. Every time I've traveled to Asia, Gizmo5 has had outages (usually due to some system-related account error, whatever that means) that lasted anywhere from 2 days to 10 days -- and their tech support has been notoriously slow in getting them resolved. I finally gave up on Gizmo5 and switched to Skype for voice calls, and haven't had an outage since. YMMV, but you might be wise to have a Plan B in place if you're thinking of going all-Google Voice.
generickyDec 31st 2009 11:44AM
What I like about the integration of Google Voice and Gizmo, is that you can have your GV ring your cell phone and your Gizmo account. If you are at home by your pc, you can accept the call there rather than burn up your cell minutes (I don't have a landline, and stupid AT&T has lousy coverage in my new apartment). This will solve all my problems. Please open up sign-up for Gizmo5 again!
cipheroidDec 31st 2009 6:17PM
Actually, I plan to use this particular feature of Google Voice next time I'm traveling overseas. I still have my Gizmo5 account, and I've bound my GV number to my cell phone and my laptop's X-Lite SIP softphone (which connects to my Gizmo5 account). That way, my family can call me for free on their cell phones, which is way more convenient for them, and it won't eat up my Gizmo or Skype paid minutes. Plus, I can text message.
KoolioDec 31st 2009 12:34PM
I've been using GV since it was GrandCentral. GV had several problems during the first several months but so far it's very reliable. I also have Skype but I hate their support and billing system which caused me so much trouble before. I also have Gizmo5 and mainly use it for international texting.
I just bought SIP phone (Nokia 5800) and installed Nimbuzz on it which support most of IM network including Skype & SIP. I prefer Nimbuzz over Fring eventhough it doesn't support video call for Skype. Then, I have GV ring to my Gizmo5 SIP account. Now, wherever I have WiFi, GV will ring my SIP phone through Gizmo5 for free. So I have unlimited incoming call through Gizmo5 SIP and I use Skype for outgoing calls. Both Gizmo5 and Skype have option to change your callerID to GV number. I am going to travel to Asia in 2 months, and it will be a good international test for me.
Anyway, I don't think RIM OS supports VoIP that's why there's no VoIP app out there for RIM, as I read from a forum mentioned about this. I am glad to see GV takes over Gizmo5.
not yayJan 2nd 2010 3:00AM
ALL google calls are THREE PARTY calls unlike skype.
Google calls you.
Google calls other number.
Google bridges together those two legs.
Imagine google transcription applying to every call you make or receive through the service (because they can and likely do... would certainly help place google sense ads)