Google Voice

Sprint has two big announcements today. Not only did they unveil the new Nexus S 4G smartphone, but Sprint customers will soon be able to set their existing Sprint wireless phone number as their Google Voice number. Sprint is the first (and currently only) carrier to offer this capability.

The Nexus S 4G will ship with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and will come with 16GB of internal memory and 512MB RAM. It is powered by a 1GHz Samsung application processor and also includes a dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen contour display, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and camcorder and a front-facing VGA camera. Available this spring, the Nexus S 4G will also be able to take advantage of Google Voice integration.

What's cool about Google Voice integration is Sprint customers won't have to activate a second phone number or port their current number, the way Google Voice users currently do. Sprint customers will be able to manage up to six different phones through one number, allowing them to use their Sprint number across their office, home and wireless phones, and personalize settings so calls from friends ring their wireless device and home phone, while calls from the boss only ring at the office. Google Voice users can also receive transcribed voicemails and read or listen to them online. Read more

The GV Mobile App is pending approval, and will most likely be approved before the public launch of Google Voice. IP Telephony has been mobile for some time with Skype and the various SIP phones available. It will take Google's strength and market share to make IP telephony mainstream. I predict the white space that currently carries analog television will become WiMax, and SIP phones will become mainstream.

The iPod touch users who will be able to make voice calls with GV Mobile should be pleased with this application. GrandCentral users are still being converted to Google Voice, and most of these users had already found Grand Dialer for the iPhone. GrandDialer allowed callers to make calls from their GrandCentral telephone number.

Google Voice is free, and GV Mobile might cost some money. It is possible the price will be in the $2.99 range. It is most likely worth $9.99 or more. As a one-time charge to have voice function on an iPod touch, I am sure many people will pay what is needed.

Here is a great review with screenshots from iPhone Freak: www.iphonefreak.com/2009/03/gv-mobile-google-voice-iphone-app-screenshots-posted.html