By Miguel Helft
Google Voice, the universal voice mailbox and call-routing service that Google rolled out in March, has always been accessible from mobile phones. Users dialed their Google Voice number and could access their voice mail or hit a button and be prompted to make a call.
But it was clunky, especially for placing calls. For example, users had to type in numbers they wanted to call, rather than accessing them directly from their address books.
Now Google is unveiling a mobile application that will address these kinds of problems. The app, which is only available for BlackBerrys and Android phones, will allow users to make calls directly from their phones. Those receiving the call at the other end will see the user’s Google Voice number, rather than their mobile phone number. Text messages will also appear to have been sent from a user’s Google Voice number.
These features have the potential to make Google Voice’s Internet calling service, a potential rival to Skype, far more useful.
The Google Voice app will also allow users to access their voice mail, to view message transcripts and have the app read them in what Google calls “karaoke style,” with the app highlighting the words being read.
The nifty new features will only be available to the limited number of Google Voice users. In June, the company said it was beginning to expand its user base by notifying people who had requested an invitation that they could sign up. A Google spokeswoman said the company was still working through a backlog of requests.
Google says it is working with Apple to bring its Google Voice app to the iPhone. In the meantime, iPhone users can access the service through their Web browser.
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