TechBays

Google’s GrandCentral is a web app that allows you to manage your phone numbers with a single GrandCentral number. For free. To get a free GrandCentral number, go to

http://www.grandcentral.com/signup/find_phones

Google GrandCentral simplifies the management of your phones (home, mobile, work) by setting up a single number that can filter calls and redirect them to one of your numbers, or simply allow that call to ring all the numbers simultaneously.

Once you have setup the basic data, such as choosing your number and linking your current home and mobile numbers with the GrandCentral number, test this by asking a friend to call you. If you’re at home, you’ll hear both phones ring. Pause and think about scenarios this would be useful.

If you’re not going to answer the call the usual voice mail will be recorded and reviewable online via your GrandCentral Inbox tab, as shown below.

Your inbox tab will file voice messages as well as call logs. You can expand options to each of your voice message, as shown below. You can pause, forward, reply, put notes, map each voice message. You can flag a number as spam.

There’s also a mapping feature. There’s even a Post feature where you can get an embed code of a voice message to post in your website. Or you can download the message as an mp3.

The voice messages are sent to your email address.

GrandCentral offers unlimited inbound minutes, unlimited voicemail, unlimited free phone call; however, only to the US and Canada.

The service is not yet integrated with Gmail. But it should be in the future. If you want to import your Gmail or Outlook contacts, create (by exporting from Gmail or Outlook) a csv file and then import this to GrandCentral. More help documents here.

There’s an extra layer of privacy with the service. It allows you to keep your original phone number and only give out your GrandCentral number to everybody. You can create a rule to filter who gets direct to your phone, or simply tag other contacts for voicemail-only handling.

Other special features include ListenIn (where you can hear someone calling before taking the call,) personalized greetings by groups (office, friends, family,) call record, webcall (people call you from a webpage without knowing your number,) and more.

GrandCentral is an effective product that has much potential when it finally integrates with other Google products. Think of Gmail, Android, orkut, and Google Apps. Still, it’s a nifty one as a stand-alone service.