Hands On With Google Voice For iphone

We decided to take the iPhone version for a spin to see how Google Voice holds up as a Web app. (To test it yourself, go to Google Webiste from Safari.) If you've never used Google Voice you'll first have to set up a Google Voice account. You still need an invite to get in, so you can either request an invite from Google or from anyone you know with a Google Voice account. Overall, it works well for a Web-based app. It doesn't offer the functionality of, say, Google Voice For Android, a local app, but it gets the job done. The first thing you'll notice is that it looks simple and polished. (Take a look at the slideshow for more on its looks.) There are five tabs to work from: Inbox, Dailer, SMS, Contacts, and Settings.
Notably, all my Google contacts loaded without a hitch. It doesn't access your iPhone's contacts, so make sure to sync your contacts with Google if you need those contacts. SMS messages can be sent over your data connection, so textaholics who don't have an unlimited texting plan will find this appealing. The dialer responded to touches quickly, and the settings page let me change almost anything I needed to change on my account, including call forwarding and voicemail settings.
When you call someone, the program dials a regular number to connect to the Google Voice system. It still charges you minutes to your voice plan, but you get the basic benefits of using Voice. The number on Caller ID is your Voice number, while you can write and send SMS messages, and it logs the call on your visual voicemail.
There aren't really any downsides to using Google Voice for iPhone. It's definitely a niche product now, but over time it could catch on to the general public. The only problem we're seeing is that you can't text more than one recipient at a time. But that's a small gripe to deal with for the benefits of Google Voice.

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