Although Google Voice is still a members-only application, Google has developed and released handy mobile apps for Android and Blackberry phones.

This is, perhaps, a preparation for the wild success that Google anticipates enjoying once the by-invitation-only Google voice is available to all users. Currently, only early registrants of Grand Central and Google Voice have received their invitation to join the service, though millions have signed up and are waiting in line.

Google Voice portends to revolutionize phone life. While most phone users juggle a home phone, a cell phone, a work phone, and a few phones in-between, Google Voice compresses all those numbers, voicemails, and other features into a single, one-number package: Google Voice. By integrating all of your phones into Google Voice, you can accept calls placed to any one of those numbers from any phone you use.

Ironing Out the Bugs

Google voice is a cool concept, but it was a little cumbersome. The original set-up required an awkward dialing process through Google’s online interface, which would then ring the person being called. All that was a bit much for those accustomed to voice-activated Bluetooth sets.

Now, Google Voice users are entitled to easier calling placed directly from their phone. The calls must still be routed through the online interface, but this streamlining feature eliminates the need for the caller to log on to his or her Google Voice account merely to make a call.

Another erstwhile disappointing feature, now corrected, was the caller ID frustration. While it’s wonderful that Google Voice bundles all your phone numbers into a single, customized number, those who you called would still see any one of the various numbers you use. If the particular number was not in their contact list, they may recognize the caller. With the fix Google Voice will now display your official one-stop-shop Google number to those whom you call. Thus, the extreme convenience of your single telephone number is a feature that your contact list can enjoy, too. The single-identification number applies to text messages, too.

Google is nice about text messages. For mobile phone users who are required to pay an additional fee for sending and receiving SMS messages, Google voice bypasses these charges, since the messages are transmitted through Google’s system.

Features, features, everyone

Google Voice isn’t finished. They have plans, big plans, for making Google Voice a dominant force in telephony. Soon, international calls, number porting and a variety of other bells and whistles will render Google Voice a service that is hard to refuse.

And…uh…what about a Google Voice iPhone app? Apparently, they are still working on that.

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