Google Voice now for everyone

Google Voice was “invitation only” for a long time but now they’ve opened it up so I’m going to start using the number I’ve had for a while. Only way I’m going to get the hang of it. Video above runs about 90 sec. The link in the sidebar will probably take you to my voice-mail, at least until I learn the ropes.

Image above is the Google Voice in-box. Google Voice does a fair job of transcribing the voice mail message (close enough). I can also play the message, of course.

I also received an email that had pretty much the same thing. You can also set it up for a text alert.

Google voice does a lot more but I’m not going to try to explain it until I have a better grasp. And the video at the top of this post really has all you need.

While I might not wan to give out my mobile number to everyone, I can safely give out my Google Voice number (573-200-6776) and rely on Google to help me manage it all. For example, I can have Barb’s calls come straight to my iPhone… while sending calls from her sister right into voice-mail.

Dropbox

Dropbox is near the top of my short-list of apps/tools I can’t live without. When I need to move a file from my MacBook to the iMac, it goes into Dropbox icon in my menu bar… and a few seconds later I take it out of the Dropbox on the big computer. Much faster than plugging in a thumb-drive. And it works for files too big to send as email attachments.

And it’s great for files that I use a lot and what to have available anywhere. Sure, I could use MobileMe’s iDisk and do sometimes but nothing is as easy as Dropbox.

And the Public folder is the perfect way to share a big file.