If you have ever taken your laptop with you on a trip, you’ve had this issue.  If you’ve ever taken more than one gadget (iPod, PSP, GameBoy, Camera) to work, you’ve been frustrated by this issue.  If you’ve ever used a laptop or messenger bag to transport your tech, you’ve fought this issue.  Carrying any kind of electronic device(s) means carrying the power cable and any/all other accessories with you wherever you go.  As soon as the second item hits your bag, things get complicated.

Cables tangle, screens get scratched and everything in your bag drops straight to the bottom.  This makes finding any one item next to impossible (without dumping the contents of the entire bag) and, most likely, it is going to shorten the life and look of your gadgets and devices.  For any tech/gadget nerd, this is just not acceptable and, if you are anything like me, you want to take care of the items that you paid so much for.  There is a bit of pride in owning an iPod that is 2-years old, but looks like you just bought it.  Throw-in the fact that “no scratches” and “like new” make great tag lines for any product you want to sell on eBay, and you’ve got yourself a good set of reasons for taking care of your gear.

That is exactly where Cocoon comes in. Their line of products is available “to protect and safely transport our most precious virtual cargo as we navigate the real world.” At the heart of the Cocoon line is the GRID-IT! system, “an internal organization system that allows the user to customize and reconfigure the interior organization as their needs and cargo evolves.”

The GRID-IT! CPG8 (just one of many available)

Pure genius! This year you are carrying an iPod Classic, a PSP 2000 and a Canon PowerShot Digital Camera.  Next year, when you switch to an iPad, a GameBoy DS 3D and a Flip HD, you won’t have to go out and buy a new GRID-IT!, or any other system.  Your items will still fit and stay protected in their Cocoon, thanks to the GRID-IT! organization system – “a rubberized woven elastic object retention system for gadget organization.”  There are a limitless number of configurations you can use to store your tech toys.

The Organization System is Available in Different Colors

GRID-IT! is going to find it’s way into my shopping cart today, but that might not be the only item I’ll be ordering from Cocoon.  They carry of full line of products aimed at creating “a place where the technological extensions of our lives and work could be kept safe and organized.”  There are hundreds of products, including:

• iPad cases
• Airport friendly cases and bags
• Blackberry cases
• Messenger bags
• Slings
• Laptop cases
• Totes
• Backpacks
• Camera Bags

By the way, I was not paid or compensated in any way for my review of Cocoon and their product line.  I am simply a fan of protecting my gadgets and I thought you might share that passion.  Check them out today and share this article with anyone you know that might be interested in doing the same.

Cocoon Web Site: http://www.cocooninnovations.com/

I recently went back to work, this time for a very large company with an IT staff dedicated to keeping things on total lock-down so we (the employees) can’t waste time or share corporate secrets via the internet or installed programs.  What this meant for me was a return to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as my one and only browser choice.  My first thought was “how bad could it be?”

Fast forward 6 working days and find me strongly considering the purchase of an iPad, just to use at work for surfing the internet and keeping up with my Facebook and Twitter updates and follows.  Just as I was about to justify the purchase cost to my significant other, we discovered something miraculous…. we could install Firefox!!!  Whether it was allowed via an error on IT’s part or simply the granting of my third wish, I couldn’t be happier.  Why, because now I was in control.

As soon as Firefox was finished installing, I jumped to the Mozilla Add-Ons web site.  From there, I can choose from thousands of add-ons, which let you add new features and change the way your browser or application works.  Think of them as little programs that run from within your browser and not your operating system.  Add-ons start when you open Firefox and can do anything from change the color of your navigation buttons to notify you when your friends are on their XBOX.  If there is a special need for anything internet related (in some cases even that doesn’t matter) add-ons are the resource you need.

The Yoono Sidebar

Yoono

Once within the add-ons web site, I stumbled around a bit until I found Yoono!  What a discovery that was.  Yoono allows you to get all your updates, update your status and share across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube & more – all at once! As it turns out, that is just the tip of the iceberg.  Look at this list of features:

• Update your status across all your social networks at once!
• Chat while surfing the web via AIM, Google Talk, etc., right there in the browser!
• Discover “cool stuff” while surfing, all related to what you are currently viewing.
• Easily share links, images and video with all your social networks.
• Drag and drop links, images and video into your IM conversations.

The best part is, this is all done from within the browser, so if you can install Firefox, you can get Yoono.

Don’t Stop There

Yoono is a wonderful tool, but one of only thousands of add-ons available from Mozilla.  Visit the add-on web site now and see what is possible in Firefox.  Also, if you are interested in getting regular updates on new add-ons and updates, follow Mozilla (also known as mozamo or AMO) via one of these methods:

Add-ons Blog

Add-ons Newsletter

mozamo on Twitter

Related Articles

We’ve written about Add-Ons before.  Want to know more?  Check out these articles:

Take Back Your Browser with JumpstartMyFirefox

Firefox Add-on BarTap – How Did I Live Without It?

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 17

Summer is here and, with any luck, you’ll be vacationing soon. Family trips to Disney World, national parks and beach resorts (assuming they aren’t located on the Gulf of Mexico) are in full swing. In order to remember these amazing trips, or simply gloat to family and friends, we break out our cameras and snap away. The only question now is what to do with those digital images once you get home.

Pictures aren’t developed anymore. They are uploaded. They aren’t placed in albums, but in folders (conveniently titled albums). You don’t invite people over to look at your photos, you send them a link.

I forget which comedian said it, but I thought this line was great (and please forgive me, as I am going strictly from memory here). “In my day, looking at someones vacation pictures was considered punishment. Now people do it for fun!”

Flickr is the first name that comes to mind when I think about storing pictures online. I can’t tell you why, considering I just opened my first Flickr account recently, but the name is synonymous with online digital photo storage.

Upload your pictures, tag them, write a description, place them in sets… The list of options goes on and on. If you want, you can use Facebook Connect to automatically add those same pictures to your Facebook profile as they are uploaded. The only real downfall to Flickr, that I can find, is that you can’t order physical prints, but then again, who does that?

Twitter: http://twitter.com/flickr
Web Site: http://www.flickr.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flickr

Flickr is on Twitter - Now That's a Mouthful

Shutterfly as been my go-to photo sharing site for many years now. I started using it because I wanted to print out my digital pictures and, as time went on, Shutterfly added features and morphed into a real tool for storing and sharing digital images with friends and family.

One of the best features of Shutterfly, in my humble opinion, is the ability to create Share Sites. Share Sites are like individual web sites that you can edit to contain photos, calendars, weather and other individual components with simple drag-and-drop functionality. You can create a Share Site for your family vacation, an big event, a wedding, etc. or simply dump all of your pictures there.

Web Site: http://www.shutterfly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shutterfly
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Shutterfly

Shutterfly for Sharing and Printing

Snapfish is another of the many business arms of HP and a very similar service to Shutterfly.  You can upload, store, edit, share photos and order prints from their site.  The site looks a bit outdated to me (when compared to Shutterfly) but they have all of the functionality and great deals to offer a great service to their customers.

In researching the difference between all of these photo-sharing sites, I stumbled onto one interesting piece of information.   Snapfish offers a service called PictureMover that allows users to connect their digital camera and upload images directly to the SnapFish web site.  I have never tried this myself, but this seems like a great selling point for inexperienced PC users who are afraid of trying an online service.

Web Site: http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/welcome
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/snapfish
Twitter: http://twitter.com/snapfishbyhp

Snapfish is not Just for Fishermen

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

As with any new venture or activity in my life, I try to apply technology to improve the situation.  Today, as the ultimate test, I am writing this blog post between the office and home.  I’ll finish and post the article all from the comfort of my gray and red, high-backed recliner on wheels.  But how?  Well, without sounding too much like an advertisement, I am utilizing some fairly new technology available from CLEAR.

CLEAR is mobile internet that was launched in Houston back in April.  My plan, the Pick 3, came with a USB modem that connects to my laptop.  Within one minute of turning on my laptop, I can be on the internet and browsing the web at some pretty tremendous speeds.  Here is a screenshot of the speedtest that I ran just now.

3.0 Mbps Download While Mobile

For those of you not familiar with the speeds, numbers and what it all means, 3.0 Mb/s is far beyond anything dial-up could ever do, but slower than the speeds provided by “in-home” providers like Comcast, AT&T DSL and Uverse.  That number fluctuates as we move along the road and, from time to time, there is a quick signal loss, but I have been connected for about 90% of the trip so far.

To take things a step further, I could connect a CLEAR Spot portable WiMax-to-Wi-Fi device (shown below) and create my own wireless signal as well.  With the wireless signal I could:

• Share my internet connection with other travelers
• Use my iPod Touch to load apps, listen to music online, etc
• Use the Wi-Fi built into my phone to quickly download emails, texts, video, etc.

CLEAR Spot Means More Connections

CLEAR is available in many cities throughout the US (28 last I counted) and covers many homes, businesses and bus routes (like the one I am on now) to help users stay online while moving around town.  I have been using the service myself since April and I could not be happier with the service, the cost or the company.  Check it out for yourself today by contacting a representative (I just happen to be one), visiting the official CLEAR web site or stopping by one of the many kiosks in a mall near you.

Related Article

CLEAR 4G Launching in Houston – The Skeptic’s View

As always, we have a couple of things to remind you about before jump into our project.  First, keep your document and files protected.  Second, this is your project.  Our articles are suggestions on how to handle this type of project, but you should definitely structure and organize your document scanning in a way that keeps things simple for you.  After all, if a project like this became too complicated or confusing, who would actually finish it?

File Naming

For each of the documents you scan onto your computer, you will be asked to provide a name.  In the spirit of saving time and frustration, I recommend that you name them as you scan them.  Playing the “I’ll take care of it later” game will only cause you more headache when you have to go back through all of the files and open them up one-by-one to properly label them.  It is important to follow a certain naming pattern when saving these files as well.  Doing so will aid you in locating these files later on.

A naming structure can be anything you like, but there are several key bits of information that you should include:

• General description of document
• Year of document creation/coverage
• Company/Entity who issued document

Example Structure: year – gen. description – company
Example: 2010 – Car Insurance _ Civic – State Farm

The benefits of naming individual files with this type of system are numerous.  Mainly, should your folder structure get overly complicated or you simply forget where you stored things, you can simply run a keyword search for the document you need.  In the case of the example above, I could look up “car insurance,” “civic,” or “State Farm” to find the policy for my car.  If I stored scans of multiple car insurance documents, the results would be very east to look through and pinpoint what I need.  Also, by putting the year of the document first, the documents will always be labeled in numerical (chronological) order, since Windows displays documents in alphabetical order by default.

Folder Structure

Equally as important, if not more, is the structure of the folders in which you store these files.  Without a well-thought-out folder setup, your files will quickly become too much to handle and you’ll find yourself lost in the madness.  Again, this structure is ultimately up to you, but here are some examples of structures that might work for you

Example 1: Simplified Top Level

• Insurance
  • Medical
  • Home
  • Car
• Legal
  • Taxes
  • Will
  • Home
• Personal
  • Identification

Example 2: More Categories

• Home
  • Insurance
  • Taxes
  • HOA Paperwork
• Car
  • Insurance
  • Title
  • Registration
• Financial
  • 401k Information
  • Taxes
• Personal
• Medical
• Legal

Storage

SECURITY first!

You want to store your documents where you can get to them easily after a disaster or simply to update them, but you don’t want them easily found by others.  Another important rule for storage is “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!”  Store your files in multiple places, even if one of those places is not easy to get to.  You don’t want to put forth all of this effort and have it wiped out by a tornado, flood, fire, etc.  You’ll also want to make sure that any storage method you use is password protected and encrypted, if at all possible.

Here are some ideas of storage devices you can use:

• Jump drives (also known as Flash drives or USB sticks)
• CD
• DVD
• External Hard Drive (most likely overkill, but maybe you want to store all of your photos as well)
• Online backup
• Online storage (like Dropbox)
• Flash memory cards

Keep in mind that you’ll need to be able to access the information stored on any device, so using something like a flash memory card will require the proper hardware to read it.  Jump drives and CD’s are far more universal and will be easier to open later.

Related Articles

Hurricane Preparedness – Scanning and Saving Important Documents

Hurricane Preparedness – Scanning and Saving Important Documents – Part 2

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 16

2010 Hurricane Names

Like it or not, hurricane season is here.  Alex, which came in as the second most powerful hurricane of June (all-time) has already dissipated, leaving heavy rains for Mexico and Texas.  For many, this storm will serve as a wake-up call that it is time to prepare for a busy hurricane season.

Being prepared means being informed.  Traditional news sources like TV, radio and print will provide us with valuable details as new tropical storms develop and head towards the U.S./Mexico, but the information does not stop there.  Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites are becoming equally (if not more) effective at spreading important news and, for those of you trapped in cubicles and offices during “normal work hours,” these social sources might be your only link to the outside world.

If you are a “hurricane tracker” or are just interested in staying ahead of the storms, you might want to consider following some of the following sites.

Hurricane Alerts (brought to you by the National Hurricane Center) was designed to track hurricane and tropical storm news and warnings for the coastal United States.  

Most of the updates (tweets) are links to articles on web sites, but the posts are frequent and you’ll have no problem keeping up with the latest details on any hurricane.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hurricanealerts
Web Site: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Hurricane Alerts on Twitter

The Weather Channel

Updates made during the approach of Hurricane Alex indicate that TWC’s Twitter account does a great job at keeping everyone informed regularly with great information on wind speeds, rain measurements and road conditions.  There are also occasional links to articles on weather.com.  If I were trapped somewhere with only my cell phone and no computer access, this is a Twitter feed I would want to follow.

Web Site: http://preview.weather.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheWeatherChannel
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TWCBreaking

The Weather Channel for Hurricane Updates

Weather Underground is the site to follow for people who like lots of detail.  The site was created to provide people with real-time information and they do not disappoint.  From advisories to Global Sea Surface Temperatures, you can find it all here.

The Twitter updates from WU are frequent and provide a combination of good details and links to their site.  What’s great about following Weather Underground is they post the coordinates of the storm in every tweet, so you trackers can mark it on your maps as new updates are posted.  I might get a map just to follow along.

Web Site: http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wunderground?v=wall
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wunderground

Wunderground is Where You Can Find All the Details

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

Before We Get Started: Once more, I would like to warn everyone that your personal documents should be protected at all costs.  This applies to the originals and the scanned images from here on out.  Identity theft is very real and very possible with the proper information.

Hardware and Software

Multifunction Device

In order to scan in your documents (or digitize them), you’ll need a scanner or multifunction printer/fax/scanner system.  These devices are readily available and fairly inexpensive ($75 – $200).  If you don’t already have one, now might be the time to make the investment.  Compare the low-cost of this device against the time it would take to locate all of your information after a disaster and the decision is a no-brainer.

There are several factors you need to consider when picking out a scanner:

1. Flat-bed versus Sheet Fed – Being able to scan multiple document in a sheet fed scanner would be great, but you’ll pay for the difference and the repairs.  The first thing to break down on sheet fed scanners is the motor the feeds the paper.  My opinion, go with a flat-bed scanner and save yourself the money and the hassle.
2. Size – Do you have a place to store this device.  Also, will that space allow you to get in and out of the scanning area (the glass) easily.
3. Software - Depending on the manufacturer, the included software might be the decision maker.  (see below for more information)
4. Size of Scanning Area – Some devices are capable of scanning up to 11 x 17, but many are limited to LTR (8.5 x 11) or LEGAL (8.5 x 14).  Keep in mind that some of your important documents might be LEGAL size.
5. Reviews – Use the web to research any model numbers before you purchase.  Amazon.com and CNET.com are great resources for product research.

Scanning Software

Every scanner or multifunction device comes with it’s own software package.  My Lexmark came with something called Lexmark Productivity Studio.  Each company (Epson, HP, Lexmark, Canon, etc.) has it’s own ideas on what the software should do and how it should work.  The result is a wildly different experience from each of the major manufacturers.  Since you can’t really test a scanning software without a scanner, it is an almost impossible task to compare these software packages before committing to a purchase.  If you have already owned a scanner or all-in-one device, it might be best to stick with a brand name that you are already familiar with.  Otherwise, you could check with friends and family to see what they have and maybe even test drive theirs before you make a final decision.

Full versions of Adobe Acrobat and a few professional scanning software packages (which are usually very expensive) can control the scanning process of multiple devices.  If you are lucky enough to have either of these available to you, maybe on a work laptop that you can bring home, you’ll have some additional options.  I know first-hand that Acrobat makes for an easy and productive scanning session.

Scanning

Once you have the hardware and software picked out, it’s time to get to work on your documents.  Without going into a lot of detail, I will tell you that you want to keep your scanning simple.  Full color, high resolution scans of your documents will eat up tons of space and cost you more money in storage, reproduction and processing power.  Don’t go above and beyond here.

Settings

Keep it simple.  Black and White, 200 DPI scans should be sufficient.  The files produced from scans at these settings are small enough to transfer and open quickly, yet they still produce legible prints (if needed).  Also, scanning at these settings will go much faster for you and reduce the time it takes to get all of your documents scanned.

Example: My passport scan (below) was scanned at 200DPI, B&W.  The file size was 844KB.  As a test, I scanned the same exact document at 300DPI, in full-color and the final file size was 3,163KB.  That is a 374% difference.  In other words, every scan would take up 3.7 times as much space, time to transfer and time to open/close.

My Scan - With the Important Parts Covered Up

Review each document image after you have scanned it to make sure that it is legible and you captured the entire document.  If you rush through too quickly, you might find out later (when it is too late) that you cropped an important document or scanned in an all black image.  There are additional settings available in every software package (like contrast and brightness) that can help you fine-tune scans of difficult documents.  These settings require a trial-and-error approach, but are not difficult to use.  They just require some additional time.

File Types

Once you have scanned an image, your software will ask you what file type you want to save it out as.  There are varying opinions on what is best, but I personally prefer Adobe Acrobat (PDF).  Other image types can degrade over time and/or take up unwanted space.  PDF’s are fairly universal and most computers come loaded with Adobe Acrobat, which is needed to view or print the images later.

Some software packages (like my Lexmark Productivity Studio) require you to start your scanning from a separate area, if you want to produce PDF files.  Other software pacakages might not be able to save as a PDF at all.  In that case, you might want to save the files in TIF format and then convert them later, using a free PDF tool or the full version of Adobe Acrobat.   This sounds complicated, but I can assure you that saving and converting file types is very, very easy.

What Next

Due to the length of this article, I’ll pick up with the storage/filing system details next time.  For now, you can spend some time with your scanner and get a feel for how the software works and what settings are best for your scans.

For any hurricane season, there are a few basics to concern yourself with.  You should have a safe place to weather the storm and enough food and water to last for at least a few weeks.  Check for flashlights, batteries and other essentials.  But then what?  It seems like we always forget something important when rushed into situations like this.  Imagine the post-storm recovery.  You might have evacuated the area or worse, your home might have been destroyed by flooding or tornadoes.  What then?  Were you prepared to start over or deal with the enormous task of insurance claims and a mountain of paperwork?  Wait, the paperwork!!!!!  That’s where today’s article comes in.

Before it’s too late, before you say “I wish I had thought of that,” before you have time to forget about it…. you need to locate and backup your important documents.

Preparing Your Documents

Before you can begin copying, scanning or organizing your important documents, you must establish what documents you need and where they are currently.  There is no complete list of documents anywhere, but many different sites that can help jog your memory and get you started.  Here are a list of items I put together and a few helpful links.

Important Documents

• Identification (Drive’s License, Passport, Social Security, Birth Certificate)
• Insurance Information (Medical, Home, Car)
• Wills
• Property Records
• Power of Attorney
• Credit Card Information
• Financial Information (Bank Statements, Account Numbers, Retirement Accounts, 401k, Investments)
• Any original documents with a signature

Links to Lists of Important Documents

While all of these links don’t pertain to scanning or backing up important documents for a potential disaster, they do provide valuable information that can help get you started on your own list .

• Organize Important Family Records (Microsoft Home Magazine)
• What to Back Up (HP Web Site)
• List of Important Documents - PDF (PBS Article on Caring for your Parents)
• Emergencies: Are You Prepared – PDF (University of Kentucky – Agriculture)
• A Checklist of Important Family Documents (Portland Online)

Word of Warning

If nothing else, compiling this information into a Family Information folder or portable filing system will help you in the event you need to evacuate your home.  Just keep in mind that this information is of the utmost importance and should be secured and, if possible, hidden.  I read a recent article that said 40% of all identity theft is done by someone who knows the victim.  An acquaintance, worker or “friend” might use this information if you don’t protect it.  You cannot be too careful.

What Next

Now that you have this information organized and ready to backup, what do you do next?  You could photocopy it all and save the copies in a safe-deposit box or secure location, but with today’s technology and the accessibility of scanners and broadband internet why should you limit yourself.  In our next article, we will study the methods of scanning your documents, how and where to store the information.  Check back tomorrow or follow us on Facebook or Twitter to receive daily updates as our articles are completed and posted.

Related Articles

Hurricane Preparedness – Scanning and Saving Important Documents – Part 2

Hurricane Preparedness – Scanning and Saving Important Documents – Part 3

In today’s article, we’ve posted links to the tools you need and a simple “5-Point Maintenance Plan” that you can follow to keep your PC running like new (or better). The average user can perform these tasks in 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size (hard drive) and speed (RAM and processor) of the computer.

What You Will Need To Get Started – Tools

All of the tools you will need for this routine maintenance are posted and available for you on the JumpstartMyPC.com Tools page. We add new items to this area from time-to-time and keep all of the links updated with the most recent versions of each application. Simply locate an application that you would like to use and click on the Software link out to the right. You’ll be directed to an external site and the download will begin.

JumpstartMyPC.com Tools Page

5-Point Maintenance Plan

There are 5 main areas that you will need to focus on each time you perform maintenance on your PC.

• Defrag – A defrag of your hard drive makes it easier on your PC to locate files and extends the life of your hard drive.
  Program: Auslogics Disk Defrag (available on the tools page)
  Article: Defragmentation: A Simple Task for a Huge Result

• Update – Microsoft releases regular updates for your operating system. There might be a security or bug fix waiting for you.
  Program: Windows (already installed on your system)
  Article: Warning Lights on Your PC Shouldn’t be Ignored

• Scan – Malware, Spyware and other unwanted malicious programs are installed without your knowledge.
  Program: Spybot Search and Destroy (tools page)

• Clean – As you surf the internet, your browser collects files in a temporary folder. These files are not deleted until you tell your computer to do so.
  Program: CCleaner (tools page)

• Registry Cleaning – The registry stores configuration settings and options for Windows. Unfortunately, it never cleans out old files.
  Program: Abexo Registry Cleaner (tools page) NOT FOR WINDOWS 7 USERS
  Article: Your Registry is Probably in Need of a Cleaning

If you have any questions, concerns or programs you would like to share with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email, Facebook or Twitter.

There have been very few game-changers in phones and phone calls since the invention of the cellular phone.  Sure, we have more sophisticated devices that rival the PCs of just a few years ago and those devices are capable of storing the phone numbers of our friends and family, but the way two people connect hasn’t been improved by much.  If you want to call your friend (let’s call him Troy), you need his number and he needs to be there to answer the call.  If Troy isn’t answering, you can leave him a voice mail (which he can check when he gets a chance) or you can send him a text and see if he responds to that message.

In a world where most everyone we communicate with has a cell phone, a work phone, a home phone, an email address, a Facebook page and (sometimes) a Twitter account, “getting in touch” with someone should be easier than ever.  Instead, you have to play the guessing game of where to start “looking” for Troy.  I think that must have been the issue that Google focused on when they decided to start Google Voice.  I was lucky enough to participate in the BETA of Google Voice (for about a year now) and the application/tool is now available for everyone to use.

What is Google Voice

Simply put, Google Voice is one phone number to rule them all.  Use your existing mobile number and add the Google Voice features or start with a brand new phone number.  Tie all of your phones (home, work, cell) to that one number and end the guessing games for everyone.  I could go on in detail, but Google has put together a great video to explain what Voice is all about:

Features

“The list of features goes on and on..”  That quote from the video above is an understatement at best.  There are hundreds of features within the Google Voice system and I think everyone will find something they like.  I won’t detail them all, but here are a few of my favorites.  These are features that I have used many times over the last year.

Voicemail Transcription – The Google Voice service converts your messages into written form and stores them within the application, forwards them to you as a text and/or emails them to you.  The next time you miss a call, just read the message and, if you want, listen along.  While the transcribing technology is far from perfect, it is nice to make out the general idea of a message before bothering to listen to the whole thing.

Personalized Greetings – Have one message for friends, one for family and another for business associates.  You can record as many greetings as you want and determine who will hear what, when they call.  Your boss will never have to hear “leave a message at the beep dawg!” again.  (side note: Hey Google, what does the guy in the sombrero have to do with personalized greetings?)

SMS to Email – Never miss a text again.  Have your texts sent to an email address (or several) and reply to them directly from your email inbox.  This might seem silly at first, but just leave your cell at home one time and see how handy this feature is.  And now, you can text at work while it looks like you are busy on that report that is already late.

Screen Callers – I’ll admit it, I screen my calls.  With Google Voice you can instantly push any call to voice mail, listen to the message as it is being recorded and jump in (if you want) or stop listening at any time.  This feature is also handy if you get a call while in a noisy area or somewhere you can’t talk.  Use the time to decide if you should excuse yourself and take the call outside.  I’m looking at you movie-goers!

Contacts – Although it is not listed as one of the primary features of Voice, the integration of Google Contacts with Google Voice is simply amazing.  See pictures of your friends as they call, save new callers into your contacts from the Google Voice application and add new numbers to existing contacts with the touch of a button.

Mobile App – Not only is Google Voice FREE, but so is the app for your smart phone (Blackberry, Android and iPhones).  Send text messages from the app (without affecting the number of texts on your monthly bill), check your messages and even place outbound calls from your phone without paying for the minutes on your cellular contract.  This might be a feature you want for your son or daughter.  After all, 5000 texts a month can get quite pricey without an unlimited plan.

Try it Out

Try out Google Voice today for FREE and begin playing with all of the features.  Sign up for the one new number you will ever need again.  Next time you change your home number, cell number, work number, etc. it won’t matter.  Your Google Voice number will never change.  While Google Voice does not currently solve communication issues with Facebook or Twitter, I think it is only a matter of time.  After all, it is Google!!!

Link to Google Voice Site – Click Here

Follow the Google Voice Blog – Click Here