The Google Phone!

Engaget has been spouting off rumors of a "gPhone" for quite some time now, but recently, it seems to be getting a bit more specific. Enough that I'm seriously intrigued now.

But, as usual, it comes with reservations. Mostly from the last couple of lines from this article...

HTC is being tapped to build a Linux-based Gphone to be launched on T-Mobile in the US in early 2008, with Orange getting the exclusive in France and other countries. Anian also says Google has been in talks with Verizon and AT&T, and that Verizon has already shot the big G down -- much like it did with Apple and the iPhone.

...already shot it down, did you Verizon? Seriously? That's the way you want to play?

With the exception of one or two LG phones, Verizon has the worst phone choices on the planet. I recently had to find myself a new one, after my current 2 year contract had run out, and there are slim pickin's, let me tell you. So, if Google comes up with a winner of a handset (which I'm confident they'll do, despite rumors of having to listen to ads before you make your call in exchange for free cell service...I find that hard to believe...) I'm thinkin' it may be time to give up on Verizon.

So, all that having been said, I guess what my rambling comes down to is that I'm intrigued. I'm a total Google whore, and I probably spend at least half of my web-surfing time in some Google-built application or site. So, when I hear that they may finally save me from my boring ol' cell phone, I can't help but perk up and listen. And get just a bit excited.

Grand Central - The birth of the HellaPhone

It's an idea so simple, you can't believe that no one has already created it. One number to reach all your phones. That's the genius of GrandCentral.com.


Who among us doesn't have at least two telephone numbers? Home phones, cell phones, work phones...how many friends do you have that require not one phone call to try and reach them, but sometimes as many as 3? ("Hmm...he's not answering his cell...I'll try his home phone...") Grand Central is the cure for all of that. The idea is to pick a new telephone number through the site (a free service, as of this writing), and then tie your various phones to that number. Now, hand out this new number to all your friends. The next time they call your new number, not only will they reach your cell phone, but they'll reach every number you have tied to your Grand Central number.

But that's just the start. They have online voicemail. They have "Spam" filters, that protect you from phone solicitors. They have a tool that allows you to record your phone calls. You can switch phones in the middle of a call, whether they use the same phone number or not.

I've only started to look through everything this site claims they can do, but I'm more than curious enough to give it a shot. I can foresee issues (who wants to get a work call at 9:45 at night?) but it looks like the pros far outweigh the cons. I'll be sure to post again when I get used to the service!

Google Calendar on your Phone!

So, my two years is up on my piece of crap flip phone at last. May 31, I can throw this thing with all my might across some vacant parking lot and watch it explode into teeny-tiny little pieces, as I've dreamed of doing for, oh, 1 year, 11 months and 364 days now...

(Flip phones. Why the fascination, Verizon? Why?)

So, for months, I've been dreaming of the normal, candy-bar, no frills, no web access, no mp3 player, no nothin' fancy phone I was going to buy. A phone that takes phone calls. That's all.

And then my work blocked Google Calendar.

I had no idea how much I relied on Google Calendar until the day I pulled up the site and was met with the message "Computing/Internet;Interactive Web Applications" content is forbidden.... At first, I cursed my employer (again), shrugged, and went about my business. But it slowly dawned on me that this was not a shrugging situation. This was a sit on the floor and weep situation. People kept asking me if I could join them for things that weekend (I don't KNOW!) if I had remembered the concert that took place last night (no! I wasn't on the computer at home, and I can't check my calendar from work to remind myself of ANYTHING!)

So now, I need web access. Access that can get around work firewalls, while I'm at work. And Google just made their calendar accessible to cell phones.

Helllloooo smartphone!