Google Testing Voice Calling In Gmail

Tootech writes "Google could be adding the ability to make phone calls from the Google Chat interface. Google is testing a Web-based service within Gmail that will allow users to place phone calls from their in-boxes. It's launched from the Google Chat window on the lower left-hand side of a Gmail page and allows users to place and receive calls from within their contacts through a user interface that strongly resembles the one used in Google Voice."

Finally

[gedw99]

this is great news. anyone know if it will be global, and not just US based ?

How to tie this into targeted advertisements?

[perpenso]

The real question is how will they tie this into targeted advertising (their real business)? Is it just a screen where they can display ads based on the personal profile they have already developed or do/will they use voice recognition to do keyword searches based on conversation content? This is not necessarily tinfoil hat territory, the already do this with gmail. The text of a gmail message is scanned(*) for keywords so that they can do contextual (targeted) ads on your gmail page. Voice recognition is a difficult but interesting and fun research area that might appeal to some at google. It might be interesting to keep an eye on the end user agreement.

"Ad targeting in Gmail is fully automated, and no humans read your email in order to target advertisements or related information. This type of automated scanning is how many email services, not just Gmail, provide features like spam filtering and spell checking. Ads are selected for relevance and served by Google computers using the same contextual advertising technology that powers Google's AdSense program." http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=6603 [google.com]

Re:Open Handset Alliance

[darkmeridian]

Why would it? Making a phone call from your computer has always been available using Skype. Gmail Voice would not be creating a new market. Perhaps it would widen the market but it wouldn't be a completely new threat to cell phones. Anyway, Android is allowing cellphone manufacturers to get in the game against iPhone. Before Android, it didn't seem like anyone had a chance against the Blackberry/iPhone juggernauts. Now all the best non-iPhone/Blackberry devices are based on Android.

Are computers a convenient place to make calls?

[eviljolly]

I've been using Google voice as my primary number for over a year now. It has it's downsides, but for a free service it's great. I like that I'm not tied into a single phone or carrier. No matter where I am, as long as I have a phone I can set it to receive calls.

I don't know how much I would even use calling built into Gmail, but I surely won't complain about added functionality. The problem I've found with using computers as phones is that you are tied sitting down in one location, most likely stuck with a headset on since using speakers would result in lots of echo. Applications like Teamspeak and Ventrilo make sense because usually when you're using them, you're already at a computer.
 

Re:Open Handset Alliance

[mauriceh]

But Skype and Fring sold us out on VOIP calling on Android.
Now to do Skype on Android you have to be on Verizon.

Re:Finally

[Defenestrar]

Keeping more than one version of anything requires effort and more people...

It doesn't mean that I still don't mourn the keyboard commands in Pine

Re:Finally

[davester666]

Are you sure it's Google's fault? The Telco incumbents went after Skype using the CRTC to limit what services Skype could offer in Canada. Bizarrely, the CRTC ruled Skype can't offer SkypeIn [where you get a number that other people can call you] because Skype doesn't provide proper 911 service [why they would tie a service where you call them with a service for others to call you].

It could easily something similar for GoogleVoice...