Google Voice vs Google Talk

Google Voice and Google Talk are two services that are helping Google be competitive in the telecommunications industry. Google Talk is an instant messaging client that you can install on your computer or smartphones and it allows you to chat with online friends and even call them via VoIP. On the other hand, Google Voice is a telecommunications service that allows the user to make phone calls to ordinary telephones.

The voice calls Google Talk provides is only between two computers and not between a computer and a phone. Although Google Voice is configured via a PC, it is not necessary in using the service. You can use any phone to dial into Google Voice. You can then listen to your voice mail or make phone calls to just about anyone. Calls within the US are free and international calls are charged a significantly minimal amount.

Another major advantage of Google Voice over Google Talk is its ability to work with multiple phones. All listed phone numbers would ring once the Google Voice number is dialed so you have the freedom on where you want to answer the call. It is even possible to transfer the call from one phone to another by issuing a command to ring all phones again so you can pick-up on another line.

The main limitation to the Google Voice service is availability as the service is only available within North America. Users who have registered to the service prior to the implementation of this restriction are still able to use their accounts but new users outside the US are no longer allowed to register. It is quite possible though that Google would expand the service in the near future, beginning with rollouts in possibly a few European countries. Google Talk doesn’t have such limitations and just about anyone with a computer and an internet connection is able to use the client. Another requirement to use Google Voice is a local phone number within the US, which should also verify that the user is truly from within and not just using proxy servers to bypass the restriction.

Summary:

1.Google Talk is an instant messaging client while Google Voice is a telecommunications service
2.Google Voice can interface with ordinary telephones while Google Talk cannot
3.Google Voice works with multiple units while Google Talk can only work with one
4.Google Voice is only available in North America while Google Talk is available worldwide
5.Google Voice requires that you have a local telephone number while Google Talk does not

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