Develop Bugs

What do you like/dislike about Google Voice?

I have already switched to G-Voice as my voice mail provider, but I was wondering what else is good about it? I love the text transcript of voice mails, but I do not know much about this program.
Why would you want to create a Google number? What are the perks?
What are some things that are not commonly known about it? Tricks? I have a feeling there are a bunch of things I do not know about it because I have not had enough time to really get into it.

Basically a standard number, you can use it to make long distance calls, at a low rate, can even send texts.

teh roxxorz said:
Basically a standard number, you can use it to make long distance calls, at a low rate, can even send texts.
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If I am never anywhere near my minute allowance, there really is no benefit for me?

lehalter said:
If I am never anywhere near my minute allowance, there really is no benefit for me?
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Not so much, but you can use it to send texts, and long distance calls. If you go in the settings you can configure it. Also, if you sign out on that phone, you can use it on another phone and keep your messages, I find it to be nice.

First, a word of warning. When you use Google Voice to make outgoing calls, it is considered a call to a landline. So you are eating your Anytime minutes when using this. So the unlimited mobile to mobile on any carrier option does not apply. Keep that in mind. Someone on these forums ended up with a $5000 bill. lol Luckily they got it reversed.
#1 Block callers
#2 Ring all numbers you designate
#3 Calls can come through Google Chat/Gmail
#4 Can give your GV number to people you don't like.
#5 Voicemail screening. You can screen people leaving a voicemail and decide to answer as they are leaving the message or just have it go through to voicemail. Although almost all my friends just hang up and decide to just blow my phone up instead -.-
#6 Listen to your VM on any computer with internet access.

Couple of things:
1) Free text messaging through GV. You get texts in the GV app on your EVO, through google.com/voice, and you can get them through the GV app on other devices.
2) Cheap international calling.
3) One phone number for multiple phones. I have GV set up so it can ring my work phone, cellphone, SIP number, Gmail chat widget, and home phone simultaneously, or on a schedule.
4) Don't need cell service to text, call, or get voicemails. This is extremely useful if you have a WiFi-only tablet or device, such as the upcoming WiFi Xoom. Also, if I'm in an area of the building at work where there's crap service, I can just turn on WiFi, connect, and get my texts through there, and use SIP to make/receive calls.
5) Everything is saved online. Texts, voicemails, and call logs are all on google.com/voice so if I switch ROMs or whatever, I don't have to worry about saving my texts, voicemails, call log, contacts, emails, apps... You get the point.
Basically, Google Voice + Google Sync + Gingerbread/Froyo = 100% backed up to the cloud. I honestly only keep Titanium Backup on my phone for restoring apps that aren't in the Market, convenience (decrypting and unpacking some gzip'd tars is a LOT faster than downloading via 3G), and I have a few apps I'd rather not lose the data for (Google Authenticator, Angry Bids, Launcher Pro, etc.).
6) Customized voicemails (my mom was amazed when I had separate voicemail messages for her, my stepdad, the house number, my boss, etc.)
7) Call screening (Really nifty for those folks who block their phone number, 800 numbers, etc)
8) Free visual voicemail!

I got nailed using using one of the Google Voice callback free. Yes it eats minutes, but if you notice it is made by Xinlu and is not really google (same icon). This ap should be removed from the market and banned since it is not free. I have no idea how it can get 5 stars the rating on this is jacked. I have been tethering via usb and calling via ata ever since.
If you use GV via bowser it should be OK. I have not tried the real Google voice app. What is weird is that I posted a few threads on the google voice help and nevr really got a good answer. I am not sure if anybody realizes that there is a bastard GV out there.

conductive said:
I got nailed using using one of the Google Voice callback free. Yes it eats minutes, but if you notice it is made by Xinlu and is not really google (same icon). This ap should be removed from the market and banned since it is not free. I have no idea how it can get 5 stars the rating on this is jacked. I have been tethering via usb and calling via ata ever since.
If you use GV via bowser it should be OK. I have not tried the real Google voice app. What is weird is that I posted a few threads on the google voice help and nevr really got a good answer. I am not sure if anybody realizes that there is a bastard GV out there.
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It is free under the following conditions:
1) You use it to call your SIP number that has unlimited free incoming calls (such as Sipgate).
2) You have unlimited calling to/from specified numbers (Such as Sprint's call-home or w/e, T-Mobile/Verizon/whatever's MyFaves, My Five, etc.
Also, from the app's description in the Market:
Google Voice Callback can be combined with Gizmo5/Sipdroid/Fring/Sipgate or other VOIP solutions to make free calls over wifi or 3G.
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Perhaps you should read more closely, neh?

Press 4 at any time to start recording the conversation

flying_low said:
Press 4 at any time to start recording the conversation
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Is that true?
swyped from my cyanogenized and gingerbreaded EVO

Perhaps you should read more closely, neh?
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Maybe you should not beleive everything you read there Gizmo.
And then what sip to sip to sip Haha ha
Better yet lets try it with 3G good one.
You ever try to sip anything there Gizmo

twiz0r said:
Is that true?
swyped from my cyanogenized and gingerbreaded EVO
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Have not used it but it's in the tips section

One thing is for sure is that you usually thank somebody and not flame them when they look out for somebody so they do not get burned. Senior members without a clue should also give thanks when a noob has to straighten them out and also apologize for being a flamer so we can get back on the question at hand

Thanks for all of this guys. I was already using it, but know about these other things is cool.

I love Google but had nothing but problems with voice....half the time or more it would say # disconnected and a host of other problems......shy away from voice in my opinion
Sent from my HERO200 running gingerbread....suck it sprint

I love everything about GV except for the lack of MMS

I think somebody thanked me but it is now gone. Thanks if you did.
Number porting
Vanity Numbers
Blacklisting .
Gizmo was awesome but it is now gone I hope it comes back.
I used many of these apps and there is a lot to go over here so send a thanks or other if you are interested. I just do not feel like adding any technical information since I got flamed. I can also tell you that I gave a thanks to the member that informed you guys about how it can eat minutes and I hope that you did the same. Personally I would stay away from the bogus market app that is not made by gogle. It used to be called GV free dial.

[Q] Sending "Private number" to voicemail

I would like to find a way to send incoming "Private number" calls to voicemail, without downloading an app (with the security risks involved with this, as all apps I found want to read phone #, all of my contacts, and have access to the internet).
In Googling I found that on other, older, phones you could create a contact with "Private number" in the mobile phone field and select the "All calls to voicemail". I tried this on my Galaxy Nexus running 4.0.4 and it doesn't seem to be working.
Is there another built-in procedure that works to accomplish this?
Or does anybody know an app that is not a security risk (i.e. does not request access to the internet and/or my phone and/or my contacts)?
BTW, these are the permissions that one of these Apps (this one called Calls Blacklist) is requesting:
DIRECTLY CALL PHONE NUMBERS
SEND SMS MESSAGES
RECEIVE SMS
READ SMS OR MMS
EDIT SMS OR MMS
NETWORK COMMUNICATION
FULL INTERNET ACCESS
READ CONTACT DATA
WRITE CONTACT DATA
READ PHONE STATE AND IDENTITY
INTERCEPT OUTGOING CALLS
MODIFY/DELETE USB STORAGE CONTENTS MODIFY/DELETE SD CARD CONTENTS
RETRIEVE RUNNING APPS
CHANGE WI-FI STATE
PREVENT TABLET FROM SLEEPING PREVENT PHONE FROM SLEEPING
MODIFY GLOBAL SYSTEM SETTINGS
CHANGE/INTERCEPT NETWORK SETTINGS AND TRAFFIC
DISPLAY SYSTEM-LEVEL ALERTS

You can't have an app send private calls to voicemail, but not be granted permission to see who is calling.
That would be like me saying to you; "I'm sorry sir, you're not appropriately dressed for this restaurant." over the phone.
Read reviews, not all of those apps are bad (some are though), and most of them will do exactly what you are looking to accomplish.

Security risks? The app kinda needs that information. You're better off not installing any apps as any of them could steal your valuable phone number.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus running AOKP+Franco

Liskrig said:
You can't have an app send private calls to voicemail, but not be granted permission to see who is calling.
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Duh, of course, it's not listed above as one of the unneeded permissions above.
But none of these are even remotely needed to do the job:
INTERCEPT OUTGOING CALLS
FULL INTERNET ACCESS
READ CONTACT DATA
WRITE CONTACT DATA
RETRIEVE RUNNING APPS
DIRECTLY CALL PHONE NUMBERS
SEND SMS MESSAGES
EDIT SMS OR MMS
Liskrig said:
Read reviews, not all of those apps are bad (some are though), and most of them will do exactly what you are looking to accomplish.
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How exactly could a reviewer know that the app author isn't selling all of my contacts to some spammer? The tenet of good security is to not leave the door open unecessarily.
Besides the fact that yet another app means yet another thing that can go wrong (battery drain, system instability, etc.)
Back to the original question: "Is there another built-in procedure that works to accomplish this?"

hillrider said:
Duh, of course!
But none of these are needed to do the job:
INTERCEPT OUTGOING CALLS
FULL INTERNET ACCESS
READ CONTACT DATA
WRITE CONTACT DATA
RETRIEVE RUNNING APPS
How exactly could a reviewer know that the app author isn't selling all of my contacts to some spammer? The tenet of good security is to not leave the door open unecessarily.
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Get one that doesn't ask for those permissions then. You're so paranoid that maybe a smartphone just isn't for you. Ever thought of who could be hacking your Wi-fi? They could steal and intercept ANYTHING sent through your home internet.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus running AOKP+Franco

theking_13 said:
Get one that doesn't ask for those permissions then.
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None found, hence this thread.
A response to the OP, without flaming and personal attacks would be greatly appreciated.

theking_13 said:
... You're so paranoid that maybe a smartphone just isn't for you...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus running AOKP+Franco
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+1

If you're willing to install Google Voice (and really, it doesn't matter what permissions it asks for, you're running Google's OS which has access to EVERYTHING, so there's not much to think about) and switch to a Google Voice number, you can set it through the website settings that anonymous callers are directly routed to voicemail.

copkay said:
If you're willing to install Google Voice (and really, it doesn't matter what permissions it asks for, you're running Google's OS which has access to EVERYTHING, so there's not much to think about)
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Agree about this--somehow I got painted as someone who trusts nobody, but of course while I wouldn't give my house keys to anyone, friends and cleaning service all have them.I do run many apps from trusted providers!
copkay said:
and switch to a Google Voice number
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This is the issue: "Private number" callers will still call my regular, non Google Voice number, so it doesn't really do the trick.[/QUOTE]
So it seems that Google removed a feature that was available in previous versions of Android? Seems strange...

hillrider said:
Agree about this--somehow I got painted as someone who trusts nobody, but of course while I wouldn't give my house keys to anyone, friends and cleaning service all have them.I do run many apps from trusted providers!This is the issue: "Private number" callers will still call my regular, non Google Voice number, so it doesn't really do the trick.
So it seems that Google removed a feature that was available in previous versions of Android? Seems strange...
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Yeah, the replies haven't been particularly helpful so far. It's not "paranoid" to at least question the security of these apps, although the most popular ones are most likely fine.
You have a point with the non-Voice number. There's also the "no-turning-back" solution of porting your existing number to Google Voice for $20, which would then fix the problem, but it's not particularly ideal unless you're 100% sold on GV.

hillrider said:
Agree about this--somehow I got painted as someone who trusts nobody, but of course while I wouldn't give my house keys to anyone, friends and cleaning service all have them.I do run many apps from trusted providers!This is the issue: "Private number" callers will still call my regular, non Google Voice number, so it doesn't really do the trick.
So it seems that Google removed a feature that was available in previous versions of Android? Seems strange...
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Port your actual phone number to Google Voice and ask for a new one from the carrier. Thats what I did. I setup a contact in my phone with my old number and have it setup to send the caller ID as my old number. So any call to that number all display as "Personal Call". The carrier number is my "Work Number".
I actually have 2 Google Voice numbers and my normal Verizon one (3 total). One for Personal, one for my side Website business, and my normal job.
I don't restrict any callers but there are options in there for unknowns and the likes. At least you can setup CALL SCREENING, where it asks for the persons name. So I can answer ANY call, it will say, "Call from... Donut Marketing" and it gives me 2 options, 1 to take the call... and 2 to send to VM.
If you press 2, it then says, "Ok I've sent the caller to VM. Press STAR at any time to join the call". So if the VM is someone I WANT to speak with, I just pop in and say Hi. Most Marketers will shy away from leaving their name... no name, no call. They typically hang up immediately. Still prevents me from having to talk to them and try to get off the phone.
Even when they do leave me a Google Voice Mail, it gets translated to text and emailed to me so I can read it seconds after they've left it. Then just delete like a normal email.
Super easy.
You can probably also call up your carrier and say you are getting lots of Marketing calls from Unknown numbers and want them blocked. They'll probably want to charge you a fee... but maybe not.

player911 said:
Port your actual phone number to Google Voice and ask for a new one from the carrier. Thats what I did. I setup a contact in my phone with my old number and have it setup to send the caller ID as my old number. So any call to that number all display as "Personal Call". The carrier number is my "Work Number".
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how did you get verizon to port your number without killing your contract? i just called and they said its not possible.

Root call blocker does this.

call block

I have a unlocked and rooted nexus with miui ROM. There is a blocked number that calls me literally everyday of the year. Every time I answer there is nothing said and its complete silence. Sometimes this happens more than once a day. You can understand the frustration. I know that there are call blocking apps out there but none seem to have the ability to block anonymous calls, just numbers you know. Verizon albeing the money grubbers that they are want to charge me $5 to do so lol. Any ideas?

Try Root Call Blocker. Its one of the best apps I've used

matti861 said:
I have a unlocked and rooted nexus with miui ROM. There is a blocked number that calls me literally everyday of the year. Every time I answer there is nothing said and its complete silence. Sometimes this happens more than once a day. You can understand the frustration. I know that there are call blocking apps out there but none seem to have the ability to block anonymous calls, just numbers you know. Verizon albeing the money grubbers that they are want to charge me $5 to do so lol. Any ideas?
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Try the Youmail Voicemail Service. It has a setting that directs Private and Blocked Numbers to voicemail directly (Ditch option). And they have the option to select custom voicemails. So, when someone calls me private or blocked number, they hear that the DEA has control of my phone and they have tracked the person calling my phone and the DEA authorities are on their way. LMAO.That put a stop to the pesky telemarketer and junk calls I used to get.
vG

call blocking

My Evo had a nice call blocking setup built in (may have been after I rooted but am not sure) where you had the option in the edit contact menu to block them. It would not ring through unless I was on the other line which was fine and it would push them right to voicemail.
I just got my Note 2 and have not been able to find a way to do this. It has that block call built in that will disable all calls but that is far from ideal because I would need to allow permissions for every other contact and then I would have the call block icon on the top all the time.
Any ideas? I already did a search and came up empty save for a few apps that have their own caveats.

I use Google Voice for this. I think is better than blocking on the Note 2 (dunno about the setup on your Evo) because all blocking on the Note 2 does is make it so you don't get the call. On their end they still hear it ring four times and then go to voicemail. With Google Voice if you set it to block it tells the caller that the number has been disconnected. If you set it to send to voicemail, it doesn't even ring on their end, it goes straight to voicemail.
There is also call screening. You answer the call and then press 1 to let them through or 2 to send them to voicemail. I you send them to voicemail, you can hear what they are saying and can pick up at any time. And there is setting to have unknown callers say who they are before you decide to let them through or go to voicemail.
Plus it has really cheap international calling (my Dad goes to Thailand all the time for work and I can call his Thailand number for $.03/minute (yes 3 cents). I think Sprint charges over $3/minute unless you sign up for their international plan for extra monthly, and even then it is a lot more expensive).
And you can send and receive text messages for free from any computer in the world (and it will show up as your Sprint number so long as you choose to have your Sprint number be your GV number.
And probably more I am forgetting.
And all free. Well, except international calling. You have to pay (a little bit) for that.

bill323 said:
My Evo had a nice call blocking setup built in (may have been after I rooted but am not sure) where you had the option in the edit contact menu to block them. It would not ring through unless I was on the other line which was fine and it would push them right to voicemail.
I just got my Note 2 and have not been able to find a way to do this. It has that block call built in that will disable all calls but that is far from ideal because I would need to allow permissions for every other contact and then I would have the call block icon on the top all the time.
Any ideas? I already did a search and came up empty save for a few apps that have their own caveats.
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I hear ya on that one, I came from the Evo4G also and no you are not mistaken it was a stock option to send contact to voicemail. I too was amazed that this phone didn't have that option in the contact window/menu. As of right now unless you download a 3rd party app to setup a call blocker/blacklist that will either send to voicemail, answer+hang up, or block. Otherwise you have to do like you stated and create a block list and allow everyone but the specified contact which is just ridiculous. Cause in that instance you cannot let through people who are not on your contacts so basically if you want to block a certain contact you have to go to the market to the best of my knowledge. But I had the same issue the other morning, I had someone blowing my phone up when I was sleeping. I looked on my phone forever then went to google search and the forums, and came up with no STOCK resolutions to the issue.

Try hitting menu from the call log screen then call rejection
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks man, that did the trick.
notch8 said:
Try hitting menu from the call log screen then call rejection
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
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Send "suspected spam" calls straight to voicemail?

Is there a way to do this so that my phone doesn't even ring for calls the Google phone app thinks are spam?

you can block and report them as spam from the recents list of the phone app. no ring, no voicemail

I wish it was possible to do this. Every spam call I get comes from a new number, so blocking it doesn't make a difference and I'd rather not use a 3rd party app if I didn't have to.

Knossos said:
I wish it was possible to do this. Every spam call I get comes from a new number, so blocking it doesn't make a difference and I'd rather not use a 3rd party app if I didn't have to.
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It only wont make a difference if you dont take action.
Once blocked, how do you know its not coming from that same number in the future?
Only takes a second, and the number gets reported as well.

Some of my spam calls go straight to voicemail without ringing or even showing as a received call. I hope they are from numbers that I have already blocked but with no record of the call I can't tell. Ideally I would like to block them AND keep them from leaving a voicemail.