Google Voice...

[ChaseNYC]

Hope no one has posted about this yet. I've already expressed my rant too many times to go into the privacy concerns, the proliferation(right word?) of google into all aspects of life and the recording of so much information about us but...

My friend just got invited to test google voice. Free phone calls, the calls and voicemails received can be recorded and google will automatically create a text transcript of what was said(at this point you need to speak clearly)

* Call screening - Announce and screen callers
* Listen in - Listen before taking a call
* Block calls - Keep unwanted callers at bay
* SMS - Send, receive, and store SMS
* Place calls - Call US numbers for free
* Taking calls - Answer on any of your phones
* Phone routing - Phones ring based on who calls
* Forwarding phones - Add phones and decide which ring
* Voicemail transcripts - Read what your voicemail says
* Listen to voicemail - Check online or from your phone
* Notifications - Receive voicemails via email or SMS
* Personalize greeting - Vary greetings by caller
* Share voicemail - Forward or download voicemails
* Conference calling - Join people into a single call
* Call record - Record calls and store them online
* Call switch - Switch phones during a call
* Mobile site - View your inbox from your mobile
* GOOG-411 - Check directory assistance
* Manage groups - Set preferences by group

I'm going to leave it with: I hate that google produces such cool free products that I throw my privacy out the window 90% of the time.

[hanratty21]

I had used Grand Central for about 5 minutes due to few friends praising it's merits...when Google bought them and decided to 'expand' the concept, I knew it would be another privacy pig. You're totally right. I think they don't want to be in the search engine game. They want to own the data game by owning all of the data. Once they know everything, b/c they have it in the databases, search becomes a secondary thought. Personally, I'm out. (of Google, not the closet)

soylent green, anyone?

[ChaseNYC]

well there is actually a small excerpt concerning your inference on Google's desires in the following WNYC(NPR) clip: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episode...egments/136033

Basically what one of the guests say is that all these products that really have no income producing aspects and are just expenses for Google are to keep other companies on the defensive instead of letting them onto their turf in the ad world. They have such a surplus of money that they can afford to just create all these free services. Whether I agree with you or the point made on WNYC about their intentions, I'm not sure, and its probably irrelevant nonetheless.

Just wait till either the government forces them to hand over all their data, or they do backroom deals with the government, or the next Cheney starts secret C.I.A. programs to hack into their databases behind Congress' back. (All of which has happened with different companies not too long ago)

Even if Google has no interest in using this data in any sort of a bad way, how safe is all their/our data actually...

[/endrant]

[hanratty21]

It's interesting that Google has basically now become the 'enemy of the state' that all of the tinfoil hat community always felt that Microsoft would become. As you said, they don't get bundled into the same hatred bundle as MS because of all of their 'cool, free apps,' but Bill Gates seems more interested in stopping hurricanes now than becoming master of the universe. Perhaps it's time to rethink who the real bad guy is...

[jAQUAN]

This article was maybe a little prophetic. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/busin...8125/index.htm
Too bad they didn't put up the artwork that was printed on the facing pages.

[gerbick]

It's interesting that Google has basically now become the 'enemy of the state' that all of the tinfoil hat community always felt that Microsoft would become. As you said, they don't get bundled into the same hatred bundle as MS because of all of their 'cool, free apps,' but Bill Gates seems more interested in stopping hurricanes now than becoming master of the universe. Perhaps it's time to rethink who the real bad guy is...

To be honest, I never thought that Bill Gates was a bad person; nor Microsoft. Their business practices were pretty brutish but I couldn't get behind that whole "Microsoft is evil..." mantra that the geeks were running around with.

Google isn't really doing anything other than Microsoft's original "let them have it for free" mentality... Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Office 95... they were the most pirated software titles, ever for the most part. And Microsoft knew it. But they got themselves into homes, then into offices.

Google is "giving" away this free stuff but had learned one thing from Microsoft... if you know your target audience and their preferences and tendencies... "you got 'em". From this information, Google makes their money in terms of targeted ads, services that people "magically" want... and they provide that.

Google Voice... I was/am a GrandCentral user that moved on over before this current rash of invites. As somebody stated... my Google Voice number is the one I give out to people that I'd rather they don't have my cellphone number. The privacy concerns; they're there but I just don't really concern myself with it - too many other options for communication.

But... heh. I'm watching and learning... just not too sure what my reaction should be.

[Frets]

I'm simply too paranoid for google.


While I agree I never thought of Bill Gates as evil. I certainly had my doubts about Steve Balmer. I think in certain realms they were testing the waters/pushing the limits. When the world pushed back they adapted learned from the mistakes and moved on.
Remember when Netscape wasn't free and it was found that Microsoft deliberately provided false information to sabatoge Netscape? Netscape let the genie out of the bottle in regards to plug-ins and javascript. Once all other avenues had expired MS finally caved and adapted. The reason why browsers are free today is because MS offered IE for free thinking they could monopolize the market then after the other browser vendors closed shop they could start charging. It didn't work out that way.
What did happen is that browsers got better thru competition. Smart companies learn from thier mistakes.

[PAlexC]

I just got my number the other day. Can't figure out what to use it for other than to give out to fat girls.

[jasonsplace]

If anyone wants to try it out that doesn't already have an account, I just got 7 invites. Let me know.