Posted on

How Not to Leave Blog Feedback at 7:00am on a Sunday Morning

There’s nothing quite like waking up early on a Sunday morning to a voicemail ping that a new message is waiting to be heard.  Imagine my non-delight as, at 7:00am, I listened to some woman start a five-minute rant against and article I wrote eight years ago — and she started it all off with this sentence:

“You’re a piece of sh@t.”

I’m not spelling out the her word of the day, but you get the idea of where the rest of her message was heading.

Based on the Googly mess that is a Google Voice email transcription of that voicemail, and the manner in which it started, I deleted the voicemail after that first sentence without listening to an insane person trying to wield imaginary power against ruining my day.

I found it highly amusing that the Google Voice email transcription ended the call with the woman admonishing me to be kinder and gentler and to become a “compassionate person!”  Harr!  There’s nothing quite like the cold fish of irony slapping a hapless caller right in the face as payback for drunk dialing!

Continue reading → How Not to Leave Blog Feedback at 7:00am on a Sunday Morning

Posted on

(212) 982-8888

With the demise of Google Reader, I am worried about my beloved Google Voice account, and so I set out to cover my backside in case Google ever decides to get out of the free phone calls business.  I found a fantastic 212 number from my 212AreaCode.com friend David Day, and the first thing you do when you are looking for a good phone number is search it on Google to see if it’s been churned, and I was surprised to learn of the varied history of my new want:  (212) 982-8888.  Yes, I’m revealing my new favorite phone number here, live, and in-person, because of what I discovered in my Google search.

Continue reading → (212) 982-8888

Posted on

Are Google Voice and Blogger Next on the Axeman’s Block?

I am still devastated by the news Google Reader will be killed as a service on July 1, 2013.  As a writer and publisher, 50 times a day, I get all my clean feed news from Google Reader.  Sure, Feedly seems like an okay replacement for now, but what concerns me most about the demise of Google Reader is what that closing means for other non-tip-of-the-spear products like Google Voice and Blogger in the Google arsenal of free services.

Continue reading → Are Google Voice and Blogger Next on the Axeman’s Block?

Posted on

Google Voice: Doctor Maryland Calling from Beverly Hill

I love it when technology coughs and the rest of us have to clear our throats.  Sometimes the onus is on us, and our tricksy ears, and sometimes the blame for the bits is placed squarely at the feet of our invisible mechanical overlords like Skype and Google Voice.

Continue reading → Google Voice: Doctor Maryland Calling from Beverly Hill

Posted on

The New Look of Google Voice

I’m crazy about Google Voice, and I was thrilled today to wake up to a refreshed interface for the service.  Gone is the ugly blue and white color scheme.  Now we have the “unified styling refresh” with the grey backgrounds and slimmer feeling formatting that is so much easier on the eye.  On August 26, 2010, Google Voice arrived in Google Apps, and today, Google Voice feels reborn yet again.

Continue reading → The New Look of Google Voice

Posted on

Google Voice Now Provides Spam Protection

There’s nothing more scandalous than getting a brand new phone number that formerly belonged to a deadbeat who did not pay her debts.  That’s what happened to Janna when we bought her a new 212 Area Code phone number and hooked it into her Google Voice account.

Continue reading → Google Voice Now Provides Spam Protection

Posted on

Keeping a Secondary Number with Google Voice

A few moments ago on the Google Voice blog, an announcement was made that carries great news for power users of that excellent communication portal:

Until now, if you changed your Google Voice number, ported your number to Google Voice, or opted in for the Sprint Option 1 integration (where your Sprint number becomes your Google Voice number), your previous Google Voice number remained on your account for 90 days before it was returned to Google.

Since many Google Voice users grow attached and become closely associated with their Google Voice numbers, we’re making it possible for users in any of the scenarios above to permanently keep the previous Google Voice number on their account.

This means that calls made and text messages sent to your previous number will still reach you, however, your new primary Google Voice number will display on caller ID when you make calls or send text messages.

I immediately logged into my Google Voice account and went into the Settings area to make my secondary number permanent.

I bought that secondary phone number from 212AreaCode.com and I hated flushing away the money I spent on that number when August 5, 2011 came trundling around.

Now, for only $20.00 USD, I have a way to keep that number, too!  I clicked on the “Make Permanent” link:

Continue reading → Keeping a Secondary Number with Google Voice

Posted on

How Find My iPhone Works from Afar

Janna is currently in Iowa visiting her mother.  I miss her heaps, and I am happy to help whenever the call for assistance arrives from the Midwest into my Google Voice Inbox via SMS.  Janna has her iPad with her and her creaky, water-soaked-and-barely-usable, iPhone 3G.  Her 3GS was stolen.  We skipped the iPhone 4 in indignant principle.  We will move up the iPhone 4S or 5 or whatever it will be when it is announced.

Continue reading → How Find My iPhone Works from Afar

Posted on

Why Did MSFT Buy Skype?

Why did Microsoft drop $8.5 billion on Skype?  Are they that terrified of Google Voice that they’ll drop major change on an acquisition they don’t really need?  The deal is ridiculous and upside down and backward.  What was Ballmer thinking?  Is MSFT really going to embed Skype in their products, or was this a proactive buy that leads to a mercy killing?

Continue reading → Why Did MSFT Buy Skype?

Posted on

Using Google Voice Call Me Badges for Directed Marketing

Now that I have my third 212 Area Code phone number in hand and successfully ported over to Google Voice, I can finally begin to set up that service to be my one-stop communications portal.  Since I have many online business interests, I am using Google Voice to create sculpted website responses by embedding “Call Me” widgets that are specific to the website they serve.  You can set up your own Google Voice “Call Me” widgets by clicking on the “Call Widgets” in your Google Voice Settings:

Continue reading → Using Google Voice Call Me Badges for Directed Marketing