Google Voice app finally approved for iPhone

Google Inc.’s Voice calling application has won approval to be on the iPhone after more than a year of haggling with Apple Inc., reports the Washington Post. The breakthrough announced Tuesday resolves a stand-off that triggered a Federal Communications Commission inquiry into whether Apple and AT&T Inc., the iPhone’s exclusive U.S. service provider, were trying to stifle competition by keeping the app off the popular device. Google Voice lets people sign up for a new phone number, then route incoming calls out to cell, office or home phones. It also lets users place calls, offering steep discounts on international traffic, and includes voice mail. The free app already has been available for Blackberry phones and devices running on Google’s Android operating system. Google submitted the app to Apple about 16 months ago. In January, while waiting for approval, Google revamped its mobile website to make it easier to use the Voice app on the iPhone. Now the free app can be installed on the device…

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Google gives Voice to students, faculty as Gizmo integration looms

Google is now offering a Google Voice invite to anyone with an .edu eMail address, Fortune reports. The announcement, made on the official Google Voice Blog, lets the floodgates open to higher-ed users interested in managing their voice communications with Google. Google offers a free phone number, voice mail transcription, call routing, cheap international calling, and many other features with Voice. Until now, the free service had been available by invitation only, but now students, faculty, and anyone else with a school eMail address can sign up. The service now counts 1.4 million U.S. users but probably will explode with the current offer. Google also is expected to announce a fuller-featured VoIP service integrating its purchase of Gizmo5 last year. In fact, part of the Google Voice setup also includes a link to “Gizmo” SIP services…

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