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UPDATE (4/26/07): GV Mobile was approved by Apple and is now available on the App Store.

One of the iPhone apps I’m eagerly awaiting is GV Mobile. If it lives up to its promise, and Apple deigns to approve it, I will soon be able to use GV Mobile to make and receive calls using Google Voice.

If you haven’t heard about Google Voice, it’s a rebranded (i.e., Googlified) version of Grand Central, which Google purchased in 2007. As a former Grand Central user, I was able to upgrade my account to Google Voice last week. Since then, I’ve been slogging through the documentation and trying out its features.

At first I was skeptical — why do I need another phone number? — but I’m becoming a convert. The premise behind Google Voice is simple: One phone number and one phone number only. When you sign up, Google Voice generates a local phone number for you. Since I live in New York City, my Google Voice number starts with the 646 area code. Whenever someone calls this number, Google Voice automatically forwards the call. Based on rules I create, using individual contacts or groups,  Google Voice rings either my work, home, or mobile phone — or all three.

If this were the only service Google Voice provided, its appeal would be limited. (Frankly, this is about as far as I got with Grand Central before losing interest.) But Google Voice offers several other features that are quite compelling:

• Google Contacts —  Google Voice shares your Gmail contacts, adding the ability to edit Google Voice settings for each contact. You can even create custom voicemail greetings for different groups or contacts.
• Call Presentation — When someone calls your Google Voice number, Google Voice calls you. If Call Presentation is enabled (it is by default), Google Voice gives you four options. You can take the call, send it to voicemail, listen to the caller record a voicemail message, or accept the call and record it. The ListenIn feature is nice: while you listen to the caller recording a voicemail message, you can press * at any time to pick up. (Remember answering machines?)
• Call Screening — To some extent, this is the telephonic equivalent of Captcha. The first time an unknown person calls your Google Voice number, that caller is prompted to record his or her name. This filters out automated telemarketing and junk fax calls.
• Visual Voicemail — You tell Google Voice how to notify you when a caller leaves a voicemail message (text, email, or both). To listen to voicemail, you can phone your Google Voice number or use the web site. Google Voice even transcribes your voicemail messages for you, although this feature still needs some work.
• International Calls — This is the feature that should give Skype a run for the money. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to place these calls on the web site, but I’m hoping that VoIP or Gmail voice and video chat support will be added in the future. Until then, you have to call your Google Voice number, then press * followed by your four-digit PIN number. You’ll need to add credit to your account with Google Checkout, but the international rates appear to be similar to Skype’s.

Of course, Google Voice still has a few drawbacks:

• Contacts — You can add and remove contacts from groups, but you can’t move contacts from one group to another. Nor can you add or remove more than one contact at a time. Since I created a new group for my Outlook imports, I cannot easily move them to my Friends, Family, or Coworkers groups. Fortunately, Google does provide a way to suggest features if something doesn’t work as expected.
• Internet Calling — Because you have to call your Google Voice number to place an international call, you cannot rely on Google Voice as a cheap alternative to roaming while traveling. In other words, you cannot make calls over the Internet with Google Voice.

Since Apple, to the surprise of many, approved the Skype app for the iPhone, one can only hope they will also approve GV Mobile. I’d like to see Google offer its own, free iPhone app for Google Voice, but since Google is also behind Android, I’m not holding my breath.

Tags: Google, Google Voice, Skype