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Updates to our Google Voice apps
81–90 of 364 posts
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why did google mess up messaging in the first place? It seemed like this space was ripe for their taking. (Basically, just replicate the gmail concept for messaging. Keep it sorta-open-enough and free enough. Seems like a no-brainer.) I mean, what was the specific root cause?
The specific root cause is Google's practice of promoting based on product launches; it literally doesn't matter whether that product goes on to be successful. This practice creates a strong and perverse incentive to continually launch new products while discouraging iterative development of existing products.
I've never worked at Google, but... didn't Larry Page announce a full-blown program to fight that like 3-4 years ago? Work on features/depth rather than new products?
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#83I used to use my Google Voice number as my primary contact number, but when development of the product seemingly died for three years without addressing outstanding issues with group MMS or picture messages, I migrated back to my regular cell number. I've already told all my friends to forget my Google Voice number. I've changed my preferences in every service I use to contact my regular cell number. Now Google is so…
> I've already told all my friends to forget my Google Voice number. Why didn't you migrate your GV number? That seems a lot less painful than telling everyone to update your contact information.
This is a nerve-wracking process as there's little to no feedback on how this process is progressing, but it does work! I migrated my Google Voice number, which was long since my primary, out of Google Voice over to my cell carrier about a year ago.
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't understand what's there to be lost about? Those are separate chat services? Or is 2017 the year when understanding that e.g. Facebook Messenger, Duo (video chat), SMS and Hangouts are different services?
Suppose we're using Facebook. How do I send a text? Messenger. How do I make a call? Messenger. How do I make a video call? Messenger. Try answering the same question using Google's services.
WhatsApp?
(Disclosure: I work for Google, for three more days.)
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought Hangouts only got those features working with Google Voice numbers about a year ago?
Has it really only been that long ago? I honestly thought it was longer than that.
It's hard to say since they added features over time. Hangouts launched in May 2013, then got one side of the MMS features working via Google Voice numbers in September 2014 http://www.droid-life.com/2014/09/10/mms-now-a-part-of-googl... Depending on your carrier, it might send the SMS recipient a URL to the content instead of a real MMS. And even now, there's no way to search messages from within the Hangouts app. You have to search from your gmail!
There was some other limitation for a while that kept me from moving. Group messages, or voicemail maybe? They did eventually fix it though, so I can't remember.
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#86Nice - google voice is the one google service I use consistently. One thing that I think could improve it would be a usable / documented API or something like federation with other messenger services - could probably get by with a rate-limited outbound endpoint which starts one of the e-mail conversations you get when using the 'forward to e-mail' option. I wrote myself a google voice app at one point and wasn't able to get something non-hacky working- it feels a little bit like the current service locks one to android / ios, whereas some of their competing messenger services (e.g. messenger / skype / whatsapp) also work on windows platforms- not everyone uses that, but I think it's good to have freedom of choice of hardware.
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#87Can we just get them to stop screwing with all the different services? I have tried for years to use Google apps as my main communication routes, but their reliability is a joke.
My wife just texted me, "Hey, I got two calls today that went straight to voicemail?" I switched her to google voice a month ago, and it generally works. Stuff like this, the syncing issues with their messenger platforms, delayed or randomly missed messages, are just not acceptable.
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can port your number from Voice to Fi, you just can't use both on the same account.
Exactly. But, as I understand it, you can't port your Fi number back to Voice if you decide you don't want Fi.
You can. It's incredibly easy, too: https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6079398?hl=en
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#89I used to use my Google Voice number as my primary contact number, but when development of the product seemingly died for three years without addressing outstanding issues with group MMS or picture messages, I migrated back to my regular cell number. I've already told all my friends to forget my Google Voice number. I've changed my preferences in every service I use to contact my regular cell number. Now Google is so…
I had a GV as the primary in my resume for years. Last year, many recruiters emailed me that calls weren't going through with a recording stating "The person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time". I asked in GV forums to not avail.
I don't know how many nice job opportunities I missed when hiring managers saw my application but could not call me back until I detected the issue.
Ended up switching everything to a new VoIP number I can control in my asterisk server. Only feature I miss is the speech-to-text on voicemails.
Re: Updates to our Google Voice apps
#90As part of this they're touting much-improved transcription. Does anyone know if the the transcription system used for this is available for developers?