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Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

pcworld.com

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Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#21

Post by toomuchtodo »

stanleydrew wrote: post #6

For people like me who follow this space closely, this is not news. And to be fair, the article doesn't really claim it as news. The Google Voice team was rolled into the Hangouts team long ago. The only thing they haven't done is roll the Google Voice app's functionality into the Hangouts app.

I don't understand why you'd roll all of your products into something that has a terrible user experience. I'm a long-time Google/Android user, and its just painful using Hangouts. I disabled it and switched to Telegram.

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#23

Post by hert »

mdr25 wrote: post #2

Ugh, I hate that SMS is conflated with Hangouts as it is. It causes notifications for work-related chat to get mixed in with notifications for personal text messages on my phone. Can anyone suggest alternative SMS clients for Android?

My favorite is Textra. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#24

Post by stanleydrew »

baldfat wrote: post #14

The issues for a LONG TIME Voice user: 1) Voice Mailbox - What Now? 2) My mobile phone number IS my Google Voice Number (Sprint) 3) Ring at multiple locations (Isn't valuable to me anymore) 4) The google.com/voice web page is a lifesaver for searching through my text, and voice mail. (Most Needed Function)

I am also a long-time Google Voice user. It's been my primary number for about 5 years now.

The issues you raise are all irrelevant, except for #4. They are not killing off Google Voice phone numbers or functionality. They are just rolling it into Hangouts.

I don't know what they are planning to do with their google.com/voice web property though.

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#25

Post by matthewn »

mdr25 wrote: post #2

Ugh, I hate that SMS is conflated with Hangouts as it is. It causes notifications for work-related chat to get mixed in with notifications for personal text messages on my phone. Can anyone suggest alternative SMS clients for Android?

TextSecure is a fantastic, free replacement for the built-in SMS app on Android, even if you don't use any of its encryption features.

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#26

Post by stanleydrew »

gknoy wrote: post #18
stanleydrew wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Read the article. They are not killing Google Voice. They are rolling it into Hangouts.

... which will then require you to log in with a Google Plus-upgraded account. I have two Gmail accounts, and can't use the hangouts feature on one of them (in the browser or through their client) without enabling Plus.

Fair enough. But the GP seemed to be worried about inbound call forwarding through Google Voice numbers, which I imagine will continue to work even without using the Hangouts client, which would mean you don't have to use G+.

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#27

Post by ianbannerman »

chimeracoder wrote: post #8

Well, this kind of sucks. I use a Google Voice number that is associated with a Gmail account that I do not use for any other purpose (Hangouts/Talk or otherwise). It doesn't even have a Google+ account associated with it. It's nice to have single number that can ring all my lines. If/when this is killed, what's the alternative? (Article appears to be down/inaccessible for me).

Calling Vault is an alternative - https://callingvault.com

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#28

Post by rdpfeffer »

Hey All, definitely check out SendHub as a Business Replacement for google voice. It has all of the same features (and plenty GV doesn't). In my opinion SendHub also has better apps and a way better web interface.

Also, I'm a Co-Founder here at SendHub. So if you have any questions on getting this to work please drop us a line. (ryan@sendhub.com)

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#29

Post by JeremyBanks »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #21
stanleydrew wrote: post #6

For people like me who follow this space closely, this is not news. And to be fair, the article doesn't really claim it as news. The Google Voice team was rolled into the Hangouts team long ago. The only thing they haven't done is roll the Google Voice app's functionality into the Hangouts app.

I don't understand why you'd roll all of your products into something that has a terrible user experience. I'm a long-time Google/Android user, and its just painful using Hangouts. I disabled it and switched to Telegram.

Google Voice has never received a lot of attention or polish. (Disappointing to me, as a user since it was still named GrandCentral.) I hope it is integrated into Hangouts, because presumably it would see more improvement as part of such an important product than it sees now.

Re: Google to reportedly kill Voice, integrate it into Hangouts

#30

Post by berberous »

mdr25 wrote: post #2

Ugh, I hate that SMS is conflated with Hangouts as it is. It causes notifications for work-related chat to get mixed in with notifications for personal text messages on my phone. Can anyone suggest alternative SMS clients for Android?

TextSecure! Nobody I know uses it, so the encryption/privacy features are basically useless, but it's a fast, well-designed, pretty app regardless. It also has a feature I love: persistent notifications for unread texts.
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