As of today, some users will be able make free calls (VOIP) to the US and Canada within their Gmail accounts. If you didn’t get the pop-up yet, don’t worry, it seems to be rolling out rather slowly. Only a few people on our team at GeekBeat.TV have received the “call” feature, me being one of them.
The new feature appears as a phone icon within the chat/contacts section in Gmail. There’s a requirement to install the Google Voice & Video plug-in before you get chatting but it only takes a few seconds.
Canadians, you haven’t been left out this time despite the huge shaft on Google Voice, we won’t be able to receive calls in Gmail but at least it’s something right?
International users ( and Canadians according to the blog ) will have to wait. “If you’re not a U.S. based user—or if you’re using Google Apps for your school or business—then you won’t see it quite yet” – Google Blog
If you already have a Google voice number, it will output the GV # when you make a call and you’ll be able to receive calls within Gmail.
From the dial pad, users can select the country and input a phone number to call. The user you call doesn’t need to have Gmail, it’s calling their phone directly. The call quality isn’t 100% but I’m not about to look this gift horse in the mouth, it’s for the most part really cheap — for now.
Pricing
Calls to the US and Canada are free until the end of 2010, that’s all we have heard from Google on North American calling.
International calls are dirt cheap, U.K, France, Germany, China, Japan (to name a few) at $0.02 per minute. Prices seem to vary from country to country as well as from mobile to landline. International prices may change after 2010.
(Source Engadget, The Google Blog)
Looking forward to trying this out. Now I just wish they would hurry up and bring Google Voice to Canada.
I know right?! The lack of Google Voice in Canada is a slap in the face.
I can’t wait to try it!!! And that video at the end is pure genius.
John P.