So some of you asked that I put together a guide about Google Voice and how to use it with the N900, so now that I'm sober from last night here we go.

First off, the N900 is going to have some kind GV support, either already coming built into the phone or through some kind of widget. If you watch the N900 videos of people playing with the contacts section, you'll notice there is a part where it says 'Google Voice', now this could just be a simple section ( but doubtful ), or it could be more. Okay so moving forward to the guide.

GV & N900

Google Voice is an application that allows you to combine all your numbers ( work, home, cell ) and tie it to a single number you choose through GV ( the number you choose can be changed at anytime ). GV can also be used on our wonderful N900 for visual voicemail ( explained in a bit ).

Switching Phones during Calls

So when someone calls your GV number all your phones will ring and lets say you answer on your cell but your battery is about to die. Simply press * on your cell, and your other phones will ring--go over and pick up one of your other phones, then end the call on your cell. The person on the line will never know that you switched phones.

Recording Calls

If you're on line with a pesky customer service person or just need to record the call ( abide by state laws ofc ) for whatever reason simply press 4 and you conversation will be recorded, and when you're done recording just hang up or press 4 again. After you've updated your inbox your recording should be their ( although I've noticed it sometimes takes an hour for it to happen.

Voicemail Eavesdropping

We all love to hit the reject button when someone calls whom we don't want to talk to, so instead we wait for their message. Well here's one of the best parts, simply hit the 2 button, wait a few secs and you'll start hearing their message as they are leaving it for you. As they are leaving the message if you hear something that is important just hit * and you'll be connected...kind of cool also if you want to mess with people as they are leaving the message.

N900 Visual Voicemail

Setting up GV to be used as visual voicemail on your N900 ( credit for this goes out to iKneaDough ). When someone calls and leaves a message on your GV account, it gets transcribed, emailed and text'd to you with the entire message. To set up the visual voicemail on your N900 using T-Mobile USA simply type in *004*yourGVnum# and hit send. This way all calls that would have been sent to your cell voicemail will go directly to your GV voice mail thus being transcribed, text'd and emailed to you ( you now have visual voicemail thanks to GV ). To take it off your account simply enter *004* and hit send--your original voice mail settings are back to itself. T-Mobile gives you 500 voicemail forwarding minutes a month, though if you have your GV number in your MyFav5 I don't know if it counts, maybe it does.

Unlimited Cell Minutes

Never use your N900 cell minutes ever again. T-Mobile has MyFav5, simply make one of these your GV number. When you call your GV number, it'll ask you for your pin, after you've entered it, you'll be told if you wish to make a call press 2. After you've pressed 2, enter the number you wish to call, area code first and BAM you've saved your minutes. Give out your GV number, so when someone calls, it goes to your cell and you're covered under the MyFav5 so again...minutes not used!

Connecting

We've seen the full Google Wave being run on the N900, GV is nowhere as intensive as Wave so running the full version on your phone shouldn't be a problem, but if it is just go to the GV mobile phone version of the site.

Everything Else

GV when logged in will also allow you to place calls and sms from your comp, as well as email all saved phone recordings, voice mails.

Caller specific voicemail recordings. This allows you to assign each specific number with it's own voice mail recording. EX: Jessica calls, I don't pick up, my voice mail recording says " Hey Jess I'm at the law library, phone is off just meet me here". It's a specific voicemail for a specific person and/or group of people.

Call Screening, unknown numbers and blocked id's. Phone isn't in your contacts or it's blocked, caller will be prompted to give their name, and after being notified you'll be prompted accept or reject.

Do Not Disturb. I'm going away for the weekend, so from 6PM Friday till 7AM Monday all calls go directly to voicemail and the caller is notified ( notification works 50% of the time, sometimes it tells you when I'll be back, sometimes not ) when you'll be available again.

Call widgets. Embed a direct link into your blog or website, or email. So when someone clicks on it, the caller is automatically connected to you.

Conclusion

All in all, GV has great potential ( just so long as the FCC investigation doesn't penalize them ) for us all. Never use minutes, never miss a call, and my favorite--Visual Voicemail on your N900.

GV is going to take an already awesome phone that is the N900 and make it 20 times more uberepicpwn.


We've set up a thread for GV invites. So if you have them, and want to give them out to the Maemo community please head over and post that you have some--same goes if you would like an invite. Invites will go to people who actually take part in the discussions we have on the various threads, so if you register yourself just for an invite and thats it, please go elsewhere.

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...169#post350169

Visual Voicemail Thread

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...834#post340834


If you have anything you'd like to add, just let me know and I'll edit it in. Hope you guys enjoy.

Very Useful thanks. Hope when I make a international calls from N900 it will use Google Voice automatically like it does in android phones, or may be have a settings to do that. That would come really handy and save a lot of money.

Awesome!

I wasn't sure if you were going to be sober today and actually do this. *lol*

Many, many thanks!

I read on LifeHacker that you had to change a GV setting to show the GV # when taking a call. But I've left it on showing whatever # is calling, theoretically since GV is the middleman between calls it shouldn't matter. But anyone test it themselves?

The problem with setting the GV setting to showing the GV # all the time is you have no idea who is calling you unless you leave presentation settings on and then it will tell you their # or name (if they followed directions) after you answer the phone.

I had no idea about the caller specific voicemail recordings. That's pretty spot on!

What programs are you running on your tablet, spinnukur?

Is it just Dial Central, RTCOMM beta 2 or something else?

don't forget you've got to add money to your gv account to make international calls

It's two settings. When someone calls you, you can either have it setup to show the person's number who is calling you, or you can show your GV number. That way you know the person calling you is actually calling you GV number, in case you only wanted them to have your GV number. It sucks because you can only have one turned on but at the same time, can also save you if you don't want that person having your cell, home, or work number. I just leave my setting on 'show caller phone number'.

Thanks for this - appreciated..

I was given a google voice invite, but Im in the UK, so it is of no use

Right, the rates are similar to what Skype charges for int'l calls.

Yes, I know. But what the Lifehacker post was saying was you need to have it on the show GV # in order for the incoming calls to be free. Though I was wondering if you could just leave it on the "show caller phone #" and still get incoming for free. Logically it should be yes since GV is the middle-man regardless. But I was wondering if someone had actually tested this.