Google Voice Extension Adds Killer New Features to Chrome
Google Voice Extension Adds Killer New Features to Chrome
Posted 01/23/2010 at 4:56pm
| by Justin Kerr
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The addition of extensions to the latest versions of Chrome have given Google some serious geek cred in the browser market, but for the most part the extensions we've seen to date are typically knock offs of versions that have been available to Firefox users for years. What Google needed to win over the hearts and minds of those on the fence was a feature nobody else could offer, and now they have it. The Google Voice extension for Chrome is now live, and adds some killer new features to the snappy little browser for anyone who also uses their free voice service.
One of the most useful new additions is the ability to click and call any phone number you find in a web page. This is extremely handy when surfing through business listings, and when you click the number you are given the option to use any of the phone numbers linked to your account. Users will also have a voice icon added directly to the right of their address bar which will allow them to call anybody in their address book, or even send and receive text messages / transcribed voicemails.
TechCrunch has reported some instability in the latest Mac version, but since most of our readers are typically running Windows, I don't expect this will be much of a problem around here. Is this enough to get you to switch to Chrome?
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stinger608
January 24, 2010 at 6:23pm
Well great idea!
The biggest problem that I have found.........It does not work! Will not dial out? I suppose if one wishes to use it as a message center, then it will probably work just fine. Other than that, it seems to be pretty much useless!
sirphunkee
January 24, 2010 at 10:43am
Have you already requested your invite? Mine only took a couple of weeks from the time I requested it...
Ken H
January 25, 2010 at 8:07pm
A few days ago. I'm O.K. with the wait time, just wish I jumped on this a few weeks ago. Having a local number may have saved me a load of trouble. On a side note maybe Google can give the jail free long distance calling.
Ken H
January 23, 2010 at 9:34pm
"Google Voice is currently invitation only." Just a side note I'm still waiting to try this out.
m1k3_flrs
January 23, 2010 at 8:12pm
I use IE and works fine and everything is good enough. This addon its enough for me to switch to chrome but there is one little problem. I have tried to download chrome but my firewall detects a trojan. Any idea what the problem might be?
roninnder
January 25, 2010 at 1:11am
Yes, the problem is that you use IE and think it works well enough, so you are mose likely not capable of downloading and installing programs without supervision.
dgourd
January 23, 2010 at 6:18pm
I just got this a day before this article came out. It is very helpful cause I can text while browsing the internet.
Tekzel
January 23, 2010 at 5:32pm
Chrome is definitely looking more attractive lately. I am still a Firefox fanboy though, too many extensions that work too well in Firefox (like Adblock) but don't work so well in Chrome as of yet. Once the dust settles in a bit more, I might find myself a Chrome user.
Edit: I do, sometimes, use the Google Voice service so I figured I would give that extension a try. Its VERY cool, but I got a huge kick out of this. It doesn't seem to work with Google Maps! The number isn't a link, I fired up www.yellowpages.com and the numbers on there were hyperlinks that I could click to call. Heh.
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