Better alternative to Google Voice?

[aquastorm]

I've been using youmail for about a year now and love it and actually prefer it over Google Voice for a couple of reasons. Youmail captures the callers number and the name that number is registered to when they call even if they hang up before leaving a message. Unlike Google Voice you can assign individual greetings and there are tons free on their site. Youmail charges for transcriptions BUT their app for Android is very nice. Youmail will also email a mp3 of the voicemail to your email inbox.

I've been trying out Google Voice lately but have decided that I prefer Youmail because of the features listed above. Just a pointer for those of you that may not know about youmail.

 

[drumcrazy]

I use YouMail, too

 

[milrtime83]

Youmail captures the callers number and the name that number is registered to when they call even if they hang up before leaving a message.

That is a feature I do like about Youmail.

Unlike Google Voice you can assign individual greetings and there are tons free on their site.

You can assign individual greetings with GV as well; there just isn't the list of random ones like youmail has to choose from, you have to record your own I believe.

 

[landis73]

I unfortunately don't even have a google voice account to compare. I submitted my email to google to let me know when an account becomes available.

 

[superdorf]

For me the transcription on GV takes the cake. I have moved from YouMail to GV for my VM.

 

[Barbara]

I like "FREE!" GV might not be the cadillac, but it costs nothing.

 

[mplevy]

landis, know anyone that HAS GV? Google gave all members 3 invites when they started opening it up.

 

[billbunton]

landis, know anyone that HAS GV? Google gave all members 3 invites when they started opening it up.

No, Google is in the process of giving members three invites. I'm a member and haven't received any invites yet. However, it's not taking long to just go request one. My wife put in her request a couple weeks ago and it was only four days before she got her invite.

 

[aaron5610]

Im on the waiting list as well..

 

[athflying]

If you only use Google Voice for VM, you are missing the point of it entirely.

 

[mplevy]

I have it, plan on using it for my text messaging, to avoid paying for a text plan...

 

[Howie]

I've been using youmail for about a year now and love it and actually prefer it over Google Voice for a couple of reasons. Youmail captures the callers number and the name that number is registered to when they call even if they hang up before leaving a message. Unlike Google Voice you can assign individual greetings and there are tons free on their site. Youmail charges for transcriptions BUT their app for Android is very nice. Youmail will also email a mp3 of the voicemail to your email inbox.

I've been trying out Google Voice lately but have decided that I prefer Youmail because of the features listed above. Just a pointer for those of you that may not know about youmail.

With GV (I have both) you can assign individual announcements for each caller, and even if someone hangs up it still tells me they called. It will also email me the audio file. If that is your only reason they they are equals.

I unfortunately don't even have a google voice account to compare. I submitted my email to google to let me know when an account becomes available.

send me a PM with your info

 

[superdorf]

If you only use Google Voice for VM, you are missing the point of it entirely.

Until I get my DROID and have a builtin GV app I don't think it makes sense to use GV. I'm not gonna change all my contacts number to my GV number, and I'm not gonna call them from my regular cell and expect them to call me back with my GV number.

 

[dlp211]

Until I get my DROID and have a builtin GV app I don't think it makes sense to use GV. I'm not gonna change all my contacts number to my GV number, and I'm not gonna call them from my regular cell and expect them to call me back with my GV number.

You can set Google Voice to use your mobile number now.

 

[karimarie]

I used CallWave (very similar to Youmail) and the only thing I miss about it vs. GV was the missed call feature (telling you whose call you missed even when they didn't leave a message.) I REALLY wish GV would do this.

But CW was $15/month, so really, I'm not complaining all that much.

 

[ergalthema]

I just got a Droid and now I'm going to finally use my GV invite and see what it's about.

Should I use my existing number or get a Google number? Basically, what's the disadvantage of getting a Google number? Is it not the same, except there are more features available if someone calls the Google number?

 

[karimarie]

I just got a Droid and now I'm going to finally use my GV invite and see what it's about.

Should I use my existing number or get a Google number? Basically, what's the disadvantage of getting a Google number? Is it not the same, except there are more features available if someone calls the Google number?

It depends. If you use a lot of mobile-to-mobile minutes talking to other Verizon customers (I'm assuming you're on Verizon) then GV will cost you minutes. However, I really really prefer GV--I've been using it since August (when I had a non-smartphone and had to use the call-around to get my GV # to show up when I called people.) I love it because I actually hate talking on the phone, but I'm an independent study high school teacher and so have to do a lot of calling to schedule my students. Most of my students have cell phones and texting, so I text them on my computer (I'm at my desk most of the day at work) through GV, and when they leave voicemails for me, I get the transcript and can read that.

I love it because of the voice transcripts and b/c it archives everything (voicemails and text messages) so that if I need to go back and look up something a student told me on voicemail or text message, I can just do a search for it. I also have a different voicemail greeting for my students than for everyone else.

I freaking LOVE the Droid b/c now I don't have to do the call-around to have it show my GV # on someone else's caller ID--I just hit "call". However, with my family, I use Verizon and my cell #, because they all have Verizon as well.

If you have the plan where you get 5/10/whatever "favorites" to call free, I've heard you can set GV up as one of those numbers, and then all your calls are free... I'm not quite sure how that works though. You'd need to look more into that.

 

[karimarie]

With GV (I have both) even if someone hangs up it still tells me they called.

Yeah, but they have to hang up on the voicemail message. I can't speak for Youmail, but for CallWave, if someone hung up BEFORE it got to voicemail, it'd still show that I missed a call from them. That was so so nice to have, and I miss it.

 

[Legacystar]

No, Google is in the process of giving members three invites. I'm a member and haven't received any invites yet. However, it's not taking long to just go request one. My wife put in her request a couple weeks ago and it was only four days before she got her invite.

how can i request a GV invite?

 

[ergalthema]

It depends.

Thanks for all the info.

I should clarify that my question was regarding GV's options to either use my current phone number with GV, or to get a new Google number to use with GV.

I'm still not clear on what the differences are.

For instance, if I sign up for a new Google number, does everything still work the same with my original Verizon number?

Sorry, this is very confusing to me. Maybe I should start a new thread?

 

[Barbara]

Thanks for all the info.

I should clarify that my question was regarding GV's options to either use my current phone number with GV, or to get a new Google number to use with GV.

I'm still not clear on what the differences are.

For instance, if I sign up for a new Google number, does everything still work the same with my original Verizon number?

Sorry, this is very confusing to me. Maybe I should start a new thread?

You want to request a google voice number. You can even do a search a get a number that you want. (I didn't know that when I got mine but my son-in-law got one that has the same last four digits as his landline.)

 

[ergalthema]

Everybody agree?

If I'm going to sign up for GV, I should definitely get a Google number?

 

[karimarie]

Thanks for all the info.

I should clarify that my question was regarding GV's options to either use my current phone number with GV, or to get a new Google number to use with GV.

I'm still not clear on what the differences are.

For instance, if I sign up for a new Google number, does everything still work the same with my original Verizon number?

Sorry, this is very confusing to me. Maybe I should start a new thread?

Well, if you use GV w/ your existing number, you can get voicemail, but it doesn't support texting, so it won't log your texts. If you don't care about that, then go for using it w/ your own number. If that's something you'd like, then get a GV number.

Check out this article--it explains it in a bit more detail.

 

[ergalthema]

Thanks! It's starting to make a little more sense.

I still don't understand how Google gets control of the voicemail. Are my saved voicemails in my Verizon box still available with *86?

Mainly, it's the routing of the calls and voicemail through Verizon and Google that I don't understand.

It seems like Google has to have some kind of permission from all phone carriers so that all calls go to Google before going to the intended destination.

 

[Howie]

I just got a Droid and now I'm going to finally use my GV invite and see what it's about.

Should I use my existing number or get a Google number? Basically, what's the disadvantage of getting a Google number? Is it not the same, except there are more features available if someone calls the Google number?

Sign up and get the Google number. you don't have to use it if you do not want to. You can also tell it to attach to your current number for a voice mail alternative (instead of Verizon/Sprint etc).

Yeah, but they have to hang up on the voicemail message. I can't speak for Youmail, but for CallWave, if someone hung up BEFORE it got to voicemail, it'd still show that I missed a call from them. That was so so nice to have, and I miss it.

I'm not sure what is wrong with yours, but mine always tells me that they called and didn't leave a message. If they hang up during the voicemail part it will send me an empty voicemail, so they are hanging up right when the system picks up and begins to play my annoucement. Check the "missed" label in GV. It still emails me that information, but in case you aren't getting the notice that is where to look.

Everybody agree?

If I'm going to sign up for GV, I should definitely get a Google number?

Yes - you don't have to use it if you wish not to.

Thanks! It's starting to make a little more sense.

I still don't understand how Google gets control of the voicemail. Are my saved voicemails in my Verizon box still available with *86?

Mainly, it's the routing of the calls and voicemail through Verizon and Google that I don't understand.

It seems like Google has to have some kind of permission from all phone carriers so that all calls go to Google before going to the intended destination.

You tell your phone to forward the calls to the Google Voice number instead of to your current number that Verizon preset for you. It is just call forwarding, so no permission needed