Some Google Voice Tips

I’ve been using Google Voice for sometime, as I was former Grand Central user that migrated early. As more folks are getting on board, here’s a few tips and tricks I’ve learned to make it more useful right off the bat. If you have a Google Voice tip or trick, just add it in the comments below. I’ll also update this more over the next few days as time permits.

Keep your existing phone # with GV. In order to do this, you’ll need to have at least one other phone # you can use to forward calls to. I forward my old number to GV and then let GV direct that number to wherever I am on whatever phone I’ll be near. I use the present caller option to make sure that the only VM that gets used is GVs

If you’re in the car, answering can be hassle if you need to pick up the phone and press 1. Turn off call presentation before getting in the car and if you’re forwarding your number elsewhere, only forward to the one phone in the car you are using. Using only one phone will present GV from sending VM to the wrong phone.

If you have a GV number and want a new personalized one. You can change it under settings for a one time fee of $10.

The mobile web UI for GV leaves a lot to be desired. Google offers native clients for some platforms but not the iPhone. On the iPhone, the best app I’ve ffound so far is GV Mobile. It’s reasonably priced and makes GV a lot more useful on the iPhone.

If you set caller presentation to on, you can not only find out who’s calling but also send callers to voice mail directly and listen in on the voice mail as it’s recording. Yep, it’s like answering machine screening at home as you can pick up at any time if you choose.

Calls from a corp number seemed to get assigned an ID based on who makes the first call. That means just because GV says someone is calling from a particular place, it might not actually be them.

How do you use Google Voice? Add your tip or trick in the comments please.

Loving the Loop

With more folks using their PCs and Game Consoles as media and entertainment devices the questions becomes, how do you best control them. The PC in particular was designed to be used with a mouse but newer UI elements such as Front Row and Media Center work best with a remote control. I’ve tried a variety of Bluetooth Mice, 3D wireless controllers and the like and none have worked well for me until now. So when I first heard about the Loop, it was hard for me to get to excited. What’s the Lopp? A new device from Hillcrest Labs that turns out to be a killer gadget for controlling your PC, Mac and even the PS3. The Loop itself looks like… a loop and while it feels a little strange at first, after a few minutes of use, it becomes a totally natural extension of the media experience. Using RF technology, you just plug a small dongle into your PC/Mac/PS3 and pretty much you’re up and running. Hillcrest Labs offers some usage scenarios and adjustment tips on their website in case you run into issues.

It’s great for PowerPoint presentations as well but the Loop really shines as media controller. It’s the perfect complement for using a Mac-Mini as a media center device with the ability to use and navigate things like the native Hulu app as well as launch and use Front Row. For the PC, it’s a great alternative to using the controller to navigate and control. At $99, it’s a little pricey but no more so than a high end mouse would cost and Loop does much more. It’s not for everyone but if you’ve got a home theater PC, looking for a new way to control presentations or just use your PC from across the room, this is one of the most innovative gadgets I’ve seen for that purpose since Apple put a mouse on a mainstream computer in 1984. This one’s highly recommended.