Google Chat/Voice From Gmail

[steelepulse]

I just noticed in gmail they now have a feature that you can call from gmail to a landline for either very cheap or free. I tried this calling a US landline and the quality was so much better than skype with no feedback and a lot better than voice chat via gmail.

I haven't noticed this before and those who want to call the US or Canada landlines, the calls are free. To other countries, they're about the same as other VOIP services.

http://www.google.com/chat/voice/

[lomatopo]

Google Voice has been around for a year or so. This Chat/voice app. seems different?

Google Voice is excellent, I've been a user for ~ 3 months.

[JusMe]

Seems like it could be a good idea, but I can't seem to get anything to work, and can only find "Don't see the Call phone feature? At this time it's only available for use in the United States. Please ensure that your Gmail interface language is set to English (US)." as a possible reason.

Am I doing something incorrectly? I've downloaded and installed the plug-in, but what do I do next?

[lomatopo]

The ability to make voice calls from your PC using Google Mail was added ~ August 26, 2010, and was initially supposed to be rolled-out within the U.S. only. Early on it was released to some international customers but then pulled back. AFAIK it only works if you are in the U.S. Would be interested to hear if the OP is in the U.S. or has some sort of VPN?

I have Google Voice, a different product, but I had to register when in the U.S. With this you get a free U.S. phone number and then get all sorts of free and paid features.

GV has a Web UI where you manage messages (SMS, voicemail) and it does have a call button. That call button does not work for me in Thailand, but it does work when I am in the U.S. GV also integrates into an Android phone, allowing you to make VoIP calls (using call-back) over 3G or WiFi.

GMail Calling and Google Voice are different front-end products but they do share a lot of back-end HW and SW.

[steelepulse]

I'm in TH and not on a vpn or proxy. When I was in KL last week I saw this feature and then when I came back I can still see it and in fact use it. On a separate note I did download the other google voice app over a proxy a few months ago, but I haven't used it and when I try to access it from a TH ip range, it's the old " this is not available line".

[steelepulse]

>>Am I doing something incorrectly? I've downloaded and installed the plug-in, but what do I do next?

Did you close and restart your browser? You'll know you have this feature if you can see a green phone icon in your chat window on the left hand side of gmail and it says "call phone".

[JusMe]

>>Am I doing something incorrectly? I've downloaded and installed the plug-in, but what do I do next?

Did you close and restart your browser? You'll know you have this feature if you can see a green phone icon in your chat window on the left hand side of gmail and it says "call phone".

Yes, stopped and restarted both browsers working (one for general browsing, and the other for internet radio in the background).

I looked for that icon on the chat window, and it just isn't there. I've got the chat option, and a few names of contacts under it, but seems I don't have the phone icon. Maybe it is reading my IP as Thai and therefore not working? Hmmm, but yours is.

[steelepulse]

Funny, I just looked and I don't have the option to place a call today. Some days it's on, other days it off. I must be one of the unofficial beta testers .

[steelepulse]

I found a simple workaround. I downloaded ultra surf, then turn it on and an IE browser opens up. At this point I go to google mail in FF and voila, then call phone option is right there. At this point you can make a call. If you want, you can even close ultra surf and the call phone option is still there so you don't have to speak through the proxy. I used this today through the proxy and the party at the other end said it sounded like I was next door.

[JoshuaCaleb]

Do you know how much it costs a person in Thailand when I use my Google voice account to call them? I purchased a credit, and I've called to a cell phone in Thailand. I am not sure if it is forwarded to a Thailand number, or they receive a USA number and are charged a lot.

A person from Thailand recommended this, but I would like to know how much the person in Thailand is charged when I call. My friend seems to think they are not, but I don't know if that is correct.