So Google Voice is amazing. I highly recommend its services for anyone except non-jailbroken iPhone customers. Reason being, even with one number, you now have carrier independence. If you choose to move from say, Sprint to Verizon who cares about porting the damn number, your google voice number stays the same and you just change the phone numbers it links to if necessary.

Other advantages are visual voicemail, free text messaging, voicemail transcription and most importantly the ability to view all of this in a slick gmail like setup on your computer.

The most convenient way of accessing Google Voice is with a smartphone that has a google voice app. Windows Mobile, Symbian (Nokia), Blackberry and Android (duh) all have GVoice apps or have them forthcoming. iPhone customers are out of luck, as linked above Apple has stonewalled Google (they claim otherwise), and Apple is way to big a customer for Google to offend. If you want real GVoice on Apple, jailbreak it and it is in Cydia (requires firmware 2.2 or higher I believe, 3.0 compatible yes). ****update In addition it appears a Vonage app is approved for the app store. Let the uproar begin. Also, Google Voice > Vonage (albeit slightly different functions).

Non smartphone: All calls to your phone can be answered via your phone, it’ll ring with the right caller id. Calling out is tricky, only way to do it at this point is either A. dial via your computer (type in the number, hit call and it connects your phone with that number) or B. access it via mobile web at www.google.com/voice. ****Edit New way to call using your GVoice number, just dial your number from the phone, enter the pin, then hit “2″ to place a call. Not bad***Mobile Web support kinda sucks, it DOES have all your contacts, but you gotta first take the time to login to the damn site and then search for contacts.

******If you do not have either a smartphone or mobile web access, google voice probably isn’t for you. Sorry. ***see edit above for other possible calling option.***

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HOW TO BEST SETUP TWO OR MORE NUMBERS WITH GOOGLE VOICE

Sync both numbers with Google Voice (duh)

Recommend at least one be a smartphone. That phone should be able to make quick calls with google voice. If not, not the end of the world.

If available, go to voicemail options and set all forwarding options to +gvoice number. This should send all voicemail calls to your gvoice voicemail.

If you are on Verizon or some other retarded carrier, they have it set so you can “only use their voicemail.” After telling them they suck via customer service, all carriers should have a free “no answer” feature. Similar to call forwarding, but it will still ring the phone, and if you are either A. talking or B. don’t pick up after 5 rings it will forward it to the number of your choice. Set the “no answer” number to your google voice number, and people should be sent to your gvoice answering machine after 5 rings.

Seriously, American carriers are extremely restricted, even the ones with good customer service (T-Mobile). Nice way to edge out at least a little bit of freedom. Now, never sign a contract again and you’re set.