Google Grand Central

EDIT: Lookie what I got in My Mailbox today

Hello GrandCentral User,

We are happy to announce that GrandCentral has been upgraded and is relaunching as Google Voice. While not yet open to the public, we wanted to give you, our GrandCentral users, the first opportunity to start using Google Voice.

In addition to the GrandCentral features you already know, we've added voicemail transcription, SMS support, conference calling, Goog411, enhanced spam protection and low-priced international calling. We have also integrated GrandCentral with your Google Account and your Google Contacts list.

To upgrade your account to Google Voice, just log in to your GrandCentral account and follow the directions at the top of your inbox. Upon upgrading, your GrandCentral number, PIN, and forwarding phones will be moved to Google Voice.

Note that since Google Voice uses the Google address book, your GrandCentral contacts will not be imported automatically. You can import your GrandCentral address book with these instructions. You will also need to recreate any individual/group settings and greetings.

After you upgrade, all your new voicemails will be accessible at Google Voice, while all prior messages will remain available at GrandCentral.

Thanks for being a great GrandCentral user and we hope you enjoy Google Voice!

Original Post:

Ok, for all those that read this blog hoping to get in touch with your techie side I bring you another amazingly cool Google feature.

Grand Central

Excerpts from the FAQ;

GrandCentral is joining Google. We're excited about this. Being part of Google will helps us make our vision of improved voice communications one step closer to reality and bring innovative communications services to millions of users around the world. This will also ensure that your GrandCentral number is here for the long run, and that no matter how often you move, change jobs or phone providers, everyone can still reach you through the same phone number.

We have put together below a quick Q&A about the acquisition, but as always, we encourage our users to leave us some feedback through the feedback button above.

Craig Walker & Vincent Paquet, GrandCentral Founders

Background

Q: What is GrandCentral?

A: Based in Fremont, California, GrandCentral provides an innovative web-based voice communications platform that helps you manage all your phones and phone numbers through one simple interface. You get a single phone number that forwards to all of your phones, giving you one number for life.


OK in case you just missed that.

You get a single phone number that forwards to all of your phones, giving you one number for life.

That's right, one phone number in the area code of your choice that will automatically forward calls to a preferred list of numbers you choose.

I had a beta invitation and decided to try it out and I was immediately impressed.

You can check voice mail online, setup custom greetings, choose a routing preference. All for FREE (at least for now) I would imagine the service will cost the end users something eventually but who knows as long as Google continues to grow it may remain FREE forever.


Credit to Chris C for turning me on to this feature.