It's just too easy!

[2horses]

If you're the kind of person that only ever carries a cell phone, then it's not much value. But I have 3 phones so it's nice for that, and I use the rules heavily.

I see, but yeah, I am that person that only has a cell phone, no land line for years and work is work and I have whole separate cell phone for that. Sometimes a pain to carry two phones, but I'm female and they both fit in my purse just fine.

I hope at least 80% of the texts wereto women

LOL!!! Please see above. They are mostly to my boyfriend, who is much younger (though not quite another generation younger) and lives through texting. I think I'm being converted....

 

[Clittzen]

There have been months where my texting is above 15000, and my gb usage for browser above 4. Thank goodness for unlimited. I would go for google voice but I'm on family plan and they wouldn't switch.

 

[Deleted User]

There have been months where my texting is above 15000, and my gb usage for browser above 4. Thank goodness for unlimited. I would go for google voice but I'm on family plan and they wouldn't switch.

15,000? With three zeros?

So let's see, 24 hours in a day, minus 8 to sleep, that's 16 hours to text.

30 is easiest to divide, so 15,000 / 30 days = 500 per day. 500 texts per day / 16 hours = ~31 texts per hour. So a text every two minutes for the entire day, all day, every day, all month. Holy cow. Do you have massively calloused thumbs? Do you wear little grooved tracks in the glass of the screen with Swype?

 

[defkorn]

Check out Ping Chat, it lets you send "SMS/MMS" messages for free. From what I understand, you can only communicate with other people who have the app installed. There is an iPhone and BlackBerry version of it, so pretty much anyone with a smartphone can use it. I just got it yesterday, but haven't played around with it too much.

The whole "new number" complaint with Google Voice is pretty much a moot point. You tell someone you have a new number and they program it in their phone. They don't need to memorize a new number, simply type it in and DONE! I agree its a bit of an annoyance, but it's not as difficult as you'd think to change phone numbers.

 

[Piiman]

Is there any way to make it so that Google Voice uses your normal phone number? I don't feel like trying to text people and every single time have the reply come back with "who is this?"

You have to give them the number and let them know other wise they will text you to your old number and that would counts against your text plan. (basically tell them to delete your contact and enter the new yuo can get calls through GV also) I have 4 main people that I text and I gave them the number. Went from 500+ to 10 text per month. There are also other great features of GV so it's not just about texting. Check it out its free.

I love the custom VM message. It's great to spoof people into thinking you answered and then 10 seconds later tell them its only a message. LOL They hate me for it

You can also kind of pick your number and I was able to get one almost exactly like my current number except the first three so it's easy to know its me and easy for me not to forget.

 

[Piiman]

Ummm, I think you get that now anyway? Have had the same number since mid-eighties, not looking to get a new one at all, in spite of the fact that I've moved and am not even in the same area any longer. Absolutely no need to change it.

Sorry, but Google Voice sounds like a giant PITA. And the upgrade was only a net increase of $15 (already paying $5 for the 250) - I spend more than that at lunch each day. Think I'll just stick with what works, and what all my friends and family know. Definitely doesn't seem worth the hassle.

Might work well for others, though. YMMV.

It's not really a hassle. Just tell the people you text (you can do in a text) to delete your number and use your GV # reenter your contact with new number.Done!

Or you can leave a message on your old VM that you now use the GV number and give it out that way.

It also has other features you may like and its free no harm in looking.

If you have a family plan you can add the GV number to your plan and basically all calls will be free and not count against your minutes.

Cheap International Calls

You can record calls, Screen calls, customize VM messages to the person who is calling. Transfer calls to other phones live during the conversion. (My last phone wouldn't get a calls in my office so when I got to work I would forward calls to my desk phone) you can have it ring all your phones (home, cell, grandma's house etc etc) Web based texting (you can carry on your texting from a browser and not that little phone) You get visual VM. It saves all you VM on a website. It transcribes VM and sends it to you phone via email or text. You can block callers and they get the message that your number is no longer valid or in use! you can set it to "not available" and it stops all calls and text. The list goes on .

 

[Piiman]

This out just today
They will also soon allow you to port your current number aand has new features coming soon

Google Plugs Free PC-to-Phone Calling Into E-Mail - ABC News