Google Voice now available for iPad and iPod touch, but no VoIP
by Justin Horn on Dec 14th, 2010 @ 11:17 amAt the top of the list was adding support for iPod Touch and iPad. Starting today, you can download a new version of Google Voice that lets you use all the features of the app on these devices, such as sending and receiving free text messages – except, of course, make cellular calls.
While you can’t use your iPod or iPad as a phone, you can use it to initiate Google Voice calls with your phones. We call this feature Click2Call. Simply click any ‘Call’ button in the Google Voice app on your iPod or iPad and then select which of your phones you want to ring. Google Voice will call your phone and then connect your call.
This phone call limitation is no surprise as the Google Voice app has yet to VoIP support. Not sure why this option isn’t available as the Google Voice platform added VoIP support a couple months. When using GV from a computer web browser, you can make and receive calls from the computer, no phone required. Also, there are no red tape roadblocks in the way, VoIP has been supported on the iPhone and AT&T 3G for some time now. I’m guessing the GV VoIP platform is still pretty new and they are waiting to firm it up before going mobile with it. When they do release it, Skype could be in trouble.
They also tossed in a couple new tweaks:
- When you enable Push Notifications, we will automatically disable Text forwarding for you, so you won’t receive multiple notifications.
- Want some quiet time? You can send all callers straight to voicemail by turning on Do not disturb in the Settings tab.
- We made it easier for you to place calls from the address book by adding a dedicated Contacts button to the Dialer tab.
- Sending text messages is now more streamlined since you don’t need to press the OK button anymore.
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