Just a few questions I have as a new Droid user

[shadowdude777]

So I just got the Droid recently and I'm curious about a few things.

1) I just requested a Google Voice invite. I'm still waiting on that invitation though. When I do get it though, I've heard I can text from the number they provide me? How seamless of an integration is this? I don't have a texting plan and I'd like to be able to text without getting charged. Can I essentially give people my Google Voice number and have them both call and text me at this number and have everything work perfectly?
On that note, how long do you think it'll take to get that invite? I'm really eager about that service, it looks really cool.

2) What's the advantage or disadvantage of me being in Debug Mode? I'm running Windows 7 and when I enabled Debug Mode, Win7 was able to download drivers and get me drag-and-drop support when I mounted my SD card automatically, but then when I disabled Debug Mode, I wasn't able to get into my SD card anymore. I haven't downloaded any drivers manually and I'd rather not install more stuff on my system so I'm leaving it in Debug Mode unless there's a reason not to.

Thanks if you can answer my questions, and I'm SURE I'll come up with more.

 

[shadowdude777]

Bump, anyone please?

 

[doomedromance]

I signed up for Google Voice like in Sept/Oct and got an invite like 2 weeks later.

I haven't used it a whole lot but I think it just acts as a middleman so you'll still be charged text messages on your carrier. I think your text gets sent to google then google sends it to recipient and vice versa.

I was hoping I could get a Hawaii number b/c my grandma dropped her long distance and she'd be able to call the google number from her homeline instead of having to use her cell phone like she has to now. But when I signed up 808 area code wasn't available, darn.

 

[shadowdude777]

Really? I figured since there was a Google Voice app and GV gives you free unlimited text messages, it would work.

Google Voice

"Free SMS: send, receive & store text messages online"

 

[doomedromance]

Actually I just checked the google voice app on my phone. Ya you can send sms from the google voice app. The responses come into your regular sms inbox. So maybe send free but not recieve. I'll check my verizon account right now and see if the incoming showed up.

edit: verizon sms not updated for even yesterday so I don't know. The replies come into google voice app and as a sms to the phone by a number not from the caller. So i get 2 notifications of text, one on the phone and one in the app. I don't see where you could turn off the sms to phone but that one, probably, your carrier will charge you.