Google Voice

I've been using Google Voice since before it was called Google Voice (originally it was called Grand Central). It's really, really useful. This summer Google Voice made the news when Apple kicked the Google Voice app out of the App Store. Describing Google Voice is a little tricky, because it really doesn't fit into a specific category.  It's not a VOIP service, and it competes only with the cell carrier's voice mail service.  Here's why Google Voice is so useful: most cell carriers haven't updated voice mail since I was using a Motorola StarTac (pictured) in the 90s.

So, here's what you can do with Google Voice if you don't have an iPhone (well, you can still use it, you just don't get an app for that):

• Dial phone calls and optionally record them. People who live on single party states can use Google Voice to record their calls and Google Voice will even send a semi-readable transcript (more on this later).
  
• Have a single number that hunts you down like a dog.
• Sending text messages without having a cell phone. (this is actually super-duper useful)
  
• Screen calls from people you don't like. You can even designate phone numbers as "phone spammers."
  
• Have transcripts of voice mails sent to you.  Often, they are terrible transcripts, but it still beats actually listening to people drone on for two minutes before they bother giving you a phone number.
  

Typical Google Voice Transcript:

Before I would you tell Bob wanted me to shut the up and i mean he's making it sound like the culture like sleep in the last place or something. And it's only the first half of the in for the number point facebook on the board this year, but I still say their chances in the second half of better than most even wanted to get even. We'll talk to you.

Translation

Some guy named Bob is really pissed.

At least you get a phone number so you can call to find out why Bob is pissed. And you can record the call with Bob. All while texting about whatever Bob is pissed about.  You can get Google Voice at http://voice.google.com.

phone, voip, googlevoice, google

Google's Big Move

Google just announced an operating system for low cost netbook computers. Google's Android is poised to to take over the smart phone market (here's a look at new Android Phones you'll see by Christmas 2009). I've been working developing a few Android applications, and it's pretty clear what Google is up to.

This isn't about pushing MS out of the box. It's about getting into the application distribution business and extending the advertising business. Of all the places where MS has totally screwed up over the past few years, two stand out:

• Microsoft missed the boat on the iTunes model for applications. Much of this has to do with MS reliance on their retail partner channel - which is about as obsolete as the corner record store.
• MSN and MSN advertising have performed abysmally compared to Google. Mobile is a new and huge market - and Google wants in on the ground floor, a ground floor that would be fully occupied had MS done something better than Windows CE.

Enter Android's Market and whatever they call Market for the Chome operating system. Retailers sell devices, Google sells the software (splitting 30% between Google and the carrier and 70% going to the developer). It's a better deal than retail software publishers get, companies wanting to use the cell phone giveaway the device, collect on the subscription model love it, and it simplifies support dramatically by leveraging software package management technology that allows for brain dead easy installs and automatic updates.

There's even one more market to create: Ebooks, which to date Google has not entered but seems poised to do so. Netbooks make great ebook readers, as evidenced by the picture here.

So far Android has been a resounding success (18+ devices by December). Companies wishing to give away netbooks using the cell phone model are facing real problems with Windows - they get little revenue from software sales to users and have massive support headaches due to Windows XP's security issues. The combination of a free operating system, an Andorid Market like model and low support costs is a combination that distributors will not be able to ignore.

Notes:

• Here's Google's official post on the new Chrome Operating System.
  
• If you want some Google Chrome screenshots, your wish is my command.
• Yes, I think Android is going to eat the iPhone's lunch this holiday season. Too many devices (LG, Samsung, HTC and Motorola, are you kidding me?) and carriers for it to fail.
  
• So far as game support goes, if you are buying a netbook to play games, it's like buying a Y2K era 400 Mhz PIII machine. Gaming is really a non starter in this market so far.
  

Android is the game changer

2009 is not the year of the Linux Desktop. It is shaping up to be the year of the Linux powered smartphone as Palm re-enters the game with the Palm Pre and most importantly Google's Android is positioning itself to be the de facto standard in smartphone operating systems. With companies like HTC, Sony Ericson, Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Archos, Motorola and Yuhua all announcing phone and netbook products based on Android (there are a total of 18 promised Android products heading to market), Android is going to be an instant player and rapidly pass up the iPhone in sales. Incidentally, both Google's Android and Palm's Pre run Linux.

Android Strategy Parallels Microsoft in the 80s
Google has pulled off a coup: while others were focused on creating walled gardens and vendor lock in, Google has quietly built the modern equivelent to the DOS/Windows value proposition of the 1980s. Back then it was, "you make the hardware, and we'll provide the software." DOS and Windows weren't as nice as Xenix or later the Mac, but hardware manufacturers cranked out the PC clones because the R&D costs were much lower than trying to sell a proprietary OS. Users like the fact there was choice, and that choice led to competitive differentiation between PC manufacturers. Google's Android is uniquely positioned to deliver the same benefit MS delivered back in the 1980s that led to it's current monopoly of the PC market. Ironically, Android is positioned to take off where

Good Enough is Good Enough
One surprise is that Android is very, very good. It's easy to use, has lots of eye candy and most importantly is very reliable. More importantly, the developer's tools are strong and a vibrant community of application developers have emereged cranking out thousands of add on applications for Android. While Android comes just short of the level of eye candy on the iPhone and Palm Pre, it comes close enough to get people excited.

Best Bet for Developers
Software developers should give Android a long hard look as it has a promising future with a user base that is set to explode as the new Android devices hit the market though the fall and winter. Google has taken the time to provide a strong development environment and there are lots of open source applications to play with to learn. Because Android supports persistent processes and multitasks smoothly, you can create applications that are always on and always working (this is a particularly big problem with the iPhone)

The Andorid Market makes selling and distributing applications to users easy, and you are not solely dependent on Google's Market to sell your application - most Android phones can download applications directly from your website.

android, iphone, smartphone, palmpre