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Tag: google-voice

  • KeKu Celebrates 500,000 Users With Group Calling App

    KeKu, the VoIP telephone service only launched early this year, but is already reaping the rewards of a fantastic service. With 500,000 customers internationally using their service on both iOS and Android devices, the sky seems to be the limit for this New York-based startup.

    KeKu’s apps allow free VoIP calls within their system, as well as inexpensive international rates for both mobile and traditional phone lines. The secret is that they provide local numbers to their users, which can be dolled out amongst their family and friends, regardless of their calling area.

    According to Manilo Carrelli, the company’s CEO, their success relies heavily on an exciting viral growth, especially in areas you wouldn’t expect that to occur within. The Middle East has been one of their biggest markets, probably due to the incredible expense of calling both locally and long distance in that region. Canada has also been a key area for them, with a 400% growth since the app’s launch.

    The international calling feature seems to be at the heart of their expansion. Users have found that they can use KeKu for local calls and often receive a better rate than they would from their area’s traditional phone service. And fans of Google Voice have been integrating with the KeKu app to direct Google Voice calls to an international phone line while abroad, a feature that Google does not yet provide on its own.

    With all of this unexpected growth, KeKu has been able to turn their attention towards additional services for its fans. First down the pipe is an iOS-based group calling app. All you have to do is drag the contacts you want to include into a group folder and tap the call button. It’s simple at the moment, without a lot of bells and whistles, but it certainly gets the job done.

  • Google Nexus S 4G Coming to Sprint

    Sprint has announced the upcoming availability of Nexus S 4G from Google. Coming to Sprint this spring, this Android 2.3-powered device features 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, Super AMOLED 4” display, Google Voice integration, NFC support and Mobile Hotspot capability.

    Manufactured by Samsung, Nexus S 4G comes packed with a "pure Google experience" using Android 2.3, Gingerbread, the fastest version of Android available for smartphones. It is powered by a 1GHz Samsung application processor that produces rich 3D-like graphics, faster upload and download times and supports HD-like multimedia content along with a dedicated GPU. 

    It is designed with Samsung’s Super AMOLED touchscreen technology. The 4-inch Contour Display features a curved design "for a more comfortable look and feel in the user’s hand or along the side of the face." It also offers a screen that is bright with higher color contrast, meaning colors are vibrant and text is crisp at any size and produces less glare than on other smartphone displays when outdoors.

    Nexus S 4G also features a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and camcorder and front-facing VGA camera.

    Additional key features include:

    • 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability, supporting up to six Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
    • Android Market for access to more than 150,000 applications
    • Google mobile services such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps with Navigation, syncing with Google Calendar, Voice Actions and YouTube
    • Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®), personal (POP & IMAP) email and instant messaging
    • Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows the device to read information from everyday objects, like stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips
    • 16GB Internal Memory (ROM)/512MB (RAM)
    • Wi-Fi® – 802.11 b/g/n
    • Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR
    • Integrated GPS
    • 1500 mAh Lithium-ion battery

    Sprint Nexus S 4G customers will be among the first to receive Android software upgrades and new Google mobile apps. In many cases, the device will get the updates and new apps as soon as they are available.

    "Nexus S 4G shows the strong commitment Sprint has to Android, and when combined with our 4G network capabilities, it gives customers the option of a pure Google experience," said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. "As the first 4G smartphone with Android 2.3, Nexus S 4G delivers on the promise of the advanced data capabilities of 4G to deliver an incredible Web browsing experience, offers quick and easy access to future Android updates and access to the services built into Google Voice."

    Andy Rubin, vice president of Engineering at Google, stated: "We’re excited to partner with Sprint on Nexus S 4G, which brings innovative hardware by Samsung and innovations on the Android platform, to create a powerful smartphone experience,"

    Nexus S 4G will be available exclusively from Sprint this spring for $199.99 with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade.

  • Google Introduces Gmail Call

    Starting yesterday, Gmail users can call any phone right from Gmail. The new service is integrated into the web-based email client and enables to call anywhere in the US and Canada for free and get low rates for other countries.

    According to Gmail Blog, calls to the U.S. and Canada will be free for at least the rest of the year and calls to other countries will be billed at our very low rates. “We worked hard to make these rates really cheap, with calls to the U.K., France, Germany, China, Japan—and many more countries—for as little as $0.02 per minute,” said Robin Schriebman, Software Enginee at Google.

    Dialing a phone number works just like a normal phone. Just click “Call phone” at the top of your chat list and dial a number or enter a contact’s name. If you have a Google Voice phone number, calls made from Gmail will display this number as the outbound caller ID. And if you decide to, you can receive calls made to this number right inside Gmail.

    “We’ve been testing this feature internally and have found it to be useful in a lot of situations, ranging from making a quick call to a restaurant to placing a call when you’re in an area with bad reception,” said Schriebman.

    Google is rolling out this feature to U.S. based Gmail users over the next few days, so they will be ready to get started once “Call Phones” shows up in their chat list (they will need to install the voice and video plug-in if they haven’t already). But according to Schriebman, Google is working on making this available more broadly.

  • AT&T Enables VoIP over Its 3G Network for iPhone

    After “evaluating customers’ expectations and use of the iPhone compared to dozens of others AT&T offers,” the operator has finally taken the steps necessary so that Apple can enable VoIP applications on iPhone to run on AT&T’s wireless network.

    Previously, VoIP applications on iPhone were enabled only for Wi-Fi connectivity. At the same time, AT&T has offered a variety of other wireless devices that enable VoIP applications on 3G, 2G and Wi-Fi networks.

    In late summer, AT&T said it was taking a fresh look at VoIP capabilities on iPhone for use on AT&T’s 3G network, consistent with its regular review of device features and capabilities to “ensure attractive options for consumers.”

    In August Federal Communications Commission started the investigation asking both Apple and AT&T to clarify the reasons of the removal of Google Voice application from the App Store.

    Although we didn’t even know if the Google’s app would allow VoIP over AT&T 3G network, the company felt obligated to explain: “AT&T had no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application,” said Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president, external and legislative affaire.

    And the situation has changed. Dramatically changed. “iPhone is an innovative device that dramatically changed the game in wireless when it was introduced just two years ago,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets.

    iPhone users in the U.S. will now be able to use VoIP apps when they’re connected to AT&T’s 3G network.

  • Apple Explains the Removal of Google Voice from App Store

    Not long after Apple removed the official Google Voice application and any other applications that use Google Voice functionality from its iPhone App Store, the Federal Communications Commission has asked both Apple and AT&T to clarify the reasons of the removal.

    The companies just answered FCC and published their statements.

    A bit surprisingly, Apple stated that the company has not rejected the Google Voice application, and continues to study it.

    As they explain, “the application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail.”

    Apple seems to be concerned also about the proper data protection: “When using Google Voice the iPhone user’s entire Contacts database is transferred to Google’s servers, and we have yet to obtain any assurances from Google that this data will only be used in appropriate ways.”

    The company gives the examples of other applications that have also fall into this category.

    Answering the question if Apple did act alone, or in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice application, the firm assures that it is acting alone and has not consulted with AT&T about whether or not to approve the Google Voice application.

    “No contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T have been a factor in Apple’s decision-making process in this matter,” the statement says.

    “Let me state unequivocally, AT&T had no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application for inclusion in the Apple App Store. AT&T was not asked about the matter by Apple at any time, nor did we offer any view one way or the other,” said Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president, external and legislative affairs.

    “AT&T does not block consumers from accessing any lawful website on the Internet. Consumers can download or launch a multitude of compatible applications directly from the Internet, including Google Voice, through any web-enabled wireless device. As a result, any AT&T customer may access and use Google Voice on any web-enabled device operating on AT&T’s network, including the iPhone, by launching the application through their web browser, without the need to use the Apple App Store,” says the company’s statement.

    Apple reminds that “there is a provision in Apple’s agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T’s cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP session without obtaining AT&T’s permission.”

    For example, AT&T’s Terms of Service prohibit an AT&T customer from using AT&T’s cellular service to redirect a TV signal to an iPhone.

    “From time to time, AT&T has expressed concerns regarding network efficiency and potential network congestion associated with certain applications, and Apple takes such concerns into consideration,” Apple says.

    Asked to explain any differences between the Google Voice iPhone application and any VoIP applications that Apple has approved for the iPhone, the company answered that it does not know if there is a VoIP element in the way the Google Voice application routes calls and messages, and whether VoIP technology is used over the 3G network by the application.

    They also assured that they had never approved any application that works over AT&T’s 3G network.

  • Google Voice Testing Number Portability


    Google Voice is testing a number portability service that would allow users to have calls transferred from an existing number to any device chosen.

    Currently, the service gives users a new number for all their phones, as well as voicemail and many enhanced calling features like call blocking and screening, voicemail transcripts, call conferencing, international calls.

    However, according to Techcrunch’s Michael Arrington, users will soon be able to move a long-held phone number to Google, and avoid the switching costs.

    Arrington said that means you could switch your mobile number to Google and then choose where to receive calls – on whatever device you happen to have in your hand.

    He said Google plans to roll out the service as a general feature later this year.

    For outbound calls, Google is preparing to launch apps for the major smartphone platforms that will automatically route outbound calls through Google Voice.

    Arrington said that means whoever you call will see your Google Voice number as the caller.

    Google Voice is the Internet-based phone forwarding service by Google in the US. It was previously known as GrandCentral.