#1 Question about google voice Android App, Dealbreaker

[iPhoneMilk]

Title says it all, here's my question.

With the google voice android app (i'm hoping someone here uses it and knows about it)


How does it work with SMS/texts?

Will i have to go INSIDE the app in order to send and receive texts? or will it literally replace the built in text functionality on the android phone itself?


If i have to go inside of an app, then this is not for me, i mainly am a huge texter.. and i would like to resume using normal texting procedures not have to go inside of an app.

 

[dblake15]

You will have to go in the app. BUT there is a way around that.

Send a text from the GV app to someone and it will come back with a 406 number. You can then assign that 406 number to the contact and text them through any SMS texting by going to that 406 number. Then that goes through google voice.

How to SMS with Google Voice from Any Mobile Phone - Google Voice - Lifehacker

let me know if that does not make sense.

 

[iPhoneMilk]

no it makes sense... but it kinda makes me sad a little bit...

I mean if im going to be telling all of my friends and family "hey this is my new number you guys"

that kind of actually makes things less easy on me, now i have to jump through hoops to use this new number.

 

[dblake15]

yeah I had to do the same. But think about this, you know that google will come out with an update that will include sms as well. They did it for the phone dialer, so you know it has got to be coming with sms as well.

 

[iPhoneMilk]

like you mean the way that it integrated itself with the whole androids OS? i saw videos of it, and it looked like normal calling, or gave the option to call from google voice or something.


That's what i want to see with SMS.


Tell me something, you mentioned i could take the number that i receive from someone and reply to that.

Does it ALWAYS stay that number for that person?

and what about texts from multiple people are they all different 406 numbers?

 

[gadgetmom88]

Not sure if this will be an option for you, but I was an iPhone user using Google Voice. One option for SMS is to route it through GMail. So I get a text and it routes to gmail, I respond to it through gmail and it goes back to the person as text. They never know you're using the gmail gateway. If you have push email it's real time, and to me, essentially the same as using SMS. For a free sms service, it's not bad.

 

[dblake15]

like you mean the way that it integrated itself with the whole androids OS? i saw videos of it, and it looked like normal calling, or gave the option to call from google voice or something.


That's what i want to see with SMS.


Tell me something, you mentioned i could take the number that i receive from someone and reply to that.

Does it ALWAYS stay that number for that person?

and what about texts from multiple people are they all different 406 numbers?

yes everyone has their own unique 406 number. So I stored it in my iphone and blackberry and called and sent SMS to the persons 406 and my google voice number popped up.

I will tell you, the advantages of GV outweigh the disadvantages. It is a great service and will only get better.

 

[dblake15]

Not sure if this will be an option for you, but I was an iPhone user using Google Voice. One option for SMS is to route it through GMail. So I get a text and it routes to gmail, I respond to it through gmail and it goes back to the person as text. They never know you're using the gmail gateway. If you have push email it's real time, and to me, essentially the same as using SMS. For a free sms service, it's not bad.

how do you do that?? I like the threaded sms though. That is nice.

 

[JoeC]

You have to go inside the app to send and receive GV SMS messages, as stated above. When you configure your GV settings (on the site) to forward your SMS messages to your phone(s), they arrive via normal SMS messaging app on your mobile device.

The number that is associated with that contact does stay with that contact. It may be a 406 area code or a different one. The contacts name (resolved by your contacts list in Google) accompanies the message when forwarded to your phone, so that you know who is sending you a message.

Hopefully, Google will make GV text messaging a push service like its other apps. Then, forwarding SMS wouldn't be necessary. It probably has to graduate beyond beta status, though.

 

[iPhoneMilk]

Not sure if this will be an option for you, but I was an iPhone user using Google Voice. One option for SMS is to route it through GMail. So I get a text and it routes to gmail, I respond to it through gmail and it goes back to the person as text. They never know you're using the gmail gateway. If you have push email it's real time, and to me, essentially the same as using SMS. For a free sms service, it's not bad.

Wow thanks a ton for the information guys!!!! I think i will be using it then. That doesn't sound bad at all.

 

[iPhoneMilk]

i think the email forwarding part is not bad, and a good solution for now.

 

[QrafTee]

I'm not getting unlimited text with my new plan for the Droid so the gmail plan will work nicely.

 

[judolphin]

Title says it all, here's my question.

With the google voice android app (i'm hoping someone here uses it and knows about it)


How does it work with SMS/texts?

Will i have to go INSIDE the app in order to send and receive texts? or will it literally replace the built in text functionality on the android phone itself?


If i have to go inside of an app, then this is not for me, i mainly am a huge texter.. and i would like to resume using normal texting procedures not have to go inside of an app.

Honestly, it really isn't a big deal, and I'm not quite sure what advantages there are to using the "406" number to text.

"Messaging" on Android phones is an app in and of itself.

Just use "Google Voice" app instead of "Messaging" for SMS. It's not that hard! Or am I missing something?

 

[Deleted User]

Go into your contact list and select that you want to send a SMS to one of your contacts. It will ask you whether you want to use the "Google Voice" app to do it or the "Messaging" app. You can choose to have one set as the default from that point forward.

I do not have a text messaging plan. Whenever I select to send a text to a contact it will automatically address it in Google Voice rather than Messaging.

 

[Maverick0984]

I'm using Google Voice for the Visual Voicemail feature and that's about it. I'm loving it. Screw Verizon and their $2.99/mo for their version.

 

[chefboyardee]

I'm using Google Voice for the Visual Voicemail feature and that's about it. I'm loving it. Screw Verizon and their $2.99/mo for their version.

Same here. $2.99/mo is ridiculous! Eventually I may try power-using GV but for now it's for VVM only for me as well.

 

[powrful1]

anyone have an invite to send to powrful1 @gmail dot com

 

[benna12]

I am getting an invite from my brother in law, but wanted to check on a few things....

I know I get assigned a Google Voice number, but I do not necessarily have to use it, correct? I can still use my regular home line and cell line to make calls, but they will be linked to my Google Voice number so I can use the Google Voicemail features?

I think that if I do send SMS through the GV number, the recipient will see it as my GV number, but I can continue to send SMS through my unlimited plan I believe.

Will any voicemail messages I get on my regular cell number or home number still be accessible through the GV voicemail? Or do they need to call the GV number for me to use that feature?

I am new to all the GV stuff and just wanted to ensure I will still be able to make and receive calls on my cell and home numbers still...

any info for a new user would be appreciated.....

Thanks,
Ben

 

[judolphin]

I am getting an invite from my brother in law, but wanted to check on a few things....

I know I get assigned a Google Voice number, but I do not necessarily have to use it, correct? I can still use my regular home line and cell line to make calls, but they will be linked to my Google Voice number so I can use the Google Voicemail features?

I think that if I do send SMS through the GV number, the recipient will see it as my GV number, but I can continue to send SMS through my unlimited plan I believe.

Will any voicemail messages I get on my regular cell number or home number still be accessible through the GV voicemail? Or do they need to call the GV number for me to use that feature?

I am new to all the GV stuff and just wanted to ensure I will still be able to make and receive calls on my cell and home numbers still...

any info for a new user would be appreciated.....

Thanks,
Ben

That is correct as long as (a.) you set your GV to "Do Not Disturb" and (b.) your phone has a no-answer call forward feature that you've configured to forward to your GV number.

 

[lvlln]

What I wish is that Google Voice takes over the SMS app, so that the SMS app uses only the data connection and doesn't actually send texts. In other words, the SMS app acts as a front end to Google Voice and ignores the phone's SMS altogether.

Because, really, when you have an unlimited data plan, why should you have a texting plan? I have texting completely disabled on my Droid.

 

[droid99999]

Because, really, when you have an unlimited data plan, why should you have a texting plan? I have texting completely disabled on my Droid.

Because its much more likely that a SMS can be delivered to you if a data connection cannot work. If your texts are not really that important, maybe SMS isn't needed. If you plan to use texts when there is a major Internet outage or backlog (think 9/11), using your phone company's SMS makes it much easier for a message to get to you.

In other words, if you can get a data connection, you can plan on getting SMS. If you don't have a data connection, you have a higher chance of getting a SMS.

 

[Dragoro]

Go into your contact list and select that you want to send a SMS to one of your contacts. It will ask you whether you want to use the "Google Voice" app to do it or the "Messaging" app. You can choose to have one set as the default from that point forward.

I do not have a text messaging plan. Whenever I select to send a text to a contact it will automatically address it in Google Voice rather than Messaging.

Yeah, why not just do this instead of all those work arounds? Or does doing it this way still count as text messages?