Google Voice: Boon or Bust as an alternative "hobby phone"

[Thorn]

I have to admit it can be a bit daunting. The documentation on it is very limited and what there is of it almost seems to have been written by someone whose first language isn't English.

However, if you can get by the rather non-intuitive setup to get it working the way you need to so that Google's voicemail hasn't totally taken over you own cellphone providers voicemail, and other things you need to set right so that it works the way a "hobbyist" would need it to, I can see where this may function sufficiently to replace the need of having a second "hobby phone".

Anyone with any experience with it actually "in the field"?

[Bandaid]

I've got Google Voice and it works. The advantage is there's no hobby phone that can be found, arousing suspicion. The downside is somewhat similar to electronic mail security or chat logs, things like that.

[Duckman]

But you can't "call" from Google phone correct? You are still calling from your own cell number.

[thumbtax]

If you call thru voice, the # that shows up on the receiver's phone is your gvoice #.

[Thorn]

Which you get to select from a multitude of possible locations. So the number can show from Cliffside, NJ or Las Vegas, NV. Plus you can select from a list of available numbers.

[puffin]

If you call thru voice, the # that shows up on the receiver's phone is your gvoice #.

yep, gvoice makes the call. I think you'd still be better off with a pre-pay on one end of the call. Also craigslist verification rejects google voice.

Google can transcribe your voice mail, and I think it's another way of learning what people are buying, so if everyone here used google voice, and left messages saying "I use twisted pleasure Trojans", then google would diligently transcribe these calls in the background and make a note the there is interest in this brand. They probably even try to correlate these calls with ad campaigns. It is this type of intel that they sell.

I'm saying that they have programs that listen in on our calls, and I believe the NSA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency) is invested in google in some way.

[popeye]

I'm saying that they have programs that listen in on our calls, and I believe the NSA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency) is invested in google in some way.

Now this is highly informative. I didn't know this, and I have been relying on my GVoice number for the hobby. Well I guess disposable cell phone is the way to go. No wonder drug dealers, spies and informants prefer the virtually impossible to trace throw away phones.

Regards,

Pops

[martiny]

I'm saying that they have programs that listen in on our calls, and I believe the NSA is invested in google in some way.

Try saying something like "I am going to k_i_l the P___res__i*d^ent" (garbled here on purpose) on your phone and see what happens.

[cthulhu]

If you really want to get freaked out check out about government surveillance on a large scale check out a software program called NarusInsight "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narus", or it's predecessor Carnivore "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore_software"

[Onehornyguy]

Ok i installed it but how does this protect me from anyone? my phone will still ring and i dont see anyway i can tell if the call went to my real number or my Google number. I like the voice mail feature a lot as previously i could not tell when i had a message-now i get an email and a Text with the message translated to the written word but how does it help with the Providers?
Thanks

[NateInNYC]

I use google voice on an android phone, and it's great. Every time I call, I'm given the choice of using google voice (GV# shows in caller ID) or not (my regular # shows in caller ID).

onehornyguy, if someone calls your GV #, when you answer, GV will ask you if you want to take the call. Obviously this doesn't happen when someone calls your regular #.

I don't recall if there is any indicator of whether the call is coming in on your GV or regular # prior to you picking it up. But because of what I've described above, there's no risk that you answer and find yourself talking to a pro without meaning to because you'll have to tell GV you want to take the call.

[mister pervy]

yep, gvoice makes the call. I think you'd still be better off with a pre-pay on one end of the call. Also craigslist verification rejects google voice.

Google can transcribe your voice mail, and I think it's another way of learning what people are buying, so if everyone here used google voice, and left messages saying "I use twisted pleasure Trojans", then google would diligently transcribe these calls in the background and make a note the there is interest in this brand. They probably even try to correlate these calls with ad campaigns. It is this type of intel that they sell.

I'm saying that they have programs that listen in on our calls, and I believe the NSA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency) is invested in google in some way.

Google Voice is, in fact, being used as an input source to train a new generation of voice-recognition machine-translation software. Like most of the free services offered by that company, there's a whole agenda behind the scenes.

[Ruv Me Rong Time!!]

I dont see how Gvoice helps the hobbiest. ultimately you have to enter some legitmate number into Gvoice for it to ring when your Gvoice number is called. e.g. call to your gvoice number rings on your real life cell. What help is that? Once they find out its a gvoice number they just subpeana the record google has for your real cell number and trace you that way. it just adds work for them ... it does not isolate you

[Waterclone]

I dont see how Gvoice helps the hobbiest. ultimately you have to enter some legitmate number into Gvoice for it to ring when your Gvoice number is called. e.g. call to your gvoice number rings on your real life cell. What help is that? Once they find out its a gvoice number they just subpeana the record google has for your real cell number and trace you that way. it just adds work for them ... it does not isolate you

I use Google Voice in conjunction with a tmobile pre-pay. This way, I can replace the pre-pay phone as often as I want to, but people who have the google voice number will still be able to reach me.

Also, txting from the computer is extremely convenient for me.

And, just how big a crime are you committing that you are worried about subpoena's being issued for your phone number. This is a moderate bit of protection from basic prying eyes. But anyone who has the power and, more importantly, the just cause to get a subpoena is not going to have a hard time finding you no matter what precautions you take.


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I will not contribute to any drama, in my posts or replying to posts of others, on UG or off UG/backchannel. I will not "stir the pot", incite others to gang up on posters, providers, etc. I will do my best to ELIMINATE drama, rather than create it.