I have to admit, Google Voice seems really appealing. Web based access to all of my phone “stuff”. Seems like a no-brainer.
I have been a devoted skyper for a few years now. Went through a few bumps in the road and tried Yahoo Messenger for a bit– but came back to skype.
Performance with skype, for the most part, is pretty good. The biggest drawback to skype, for some, is the inability to check voice mail remotely. There are some workarounds, but for the most part, this is not as straight forward as it should be. Personally, I am not on the road a quarter of what I used to be, so its not that big of a deal. Plus, between forwarding calls to my mobile and using the skype iphone app, I’m pretty much covered.
The first hurdle in using Google Voice is a new phone number. I know I sound 100, but that is a major pain in the neck. Sure, I could forward my skype number (which is my main work number), but that would be a hassle. This is trivial compared to the lack of integration with IM. I am sure I could use Google Chat, but I don’t know anyone using that – all of my connections are primarily on skype.
The ability to have IM and phone completely integrated in the same system is crucial for me right now. It is so a part of my process now. Plus, I use file sharing and screen sharing ALL THE TIME now. I rarely use webex unless its a group call and even then, we use skype for the audio.
What can skype do to improve?
- continue sound quality
- make voice mail easier
- offer a web only version, like yahoo
- ENABLE multi person screen sharing (charge if needed)
So, for the foreseeable future, I’m sticking with skype. Here’s why:
- Phone, IM, file sharing, screen sharing all in one location
- Don’t want the hassle of switching numbers.
- Video calling becoming more and more intriguing w. skype
