Tech Talk

We are pleased to welcome contributor Nancy Hall to the Tech Talk community.

She has written the following piece exclusively for the Hearst Connecticut publication.

By Nancy Hall
Special to Tech Talk

How many people would agree that their cell phone is their life? It’s certainly true for me. With no home phone line, my cell is my lone vocal connection to the outside world (aside from Skype, iChat and Google video chat, of course).

I’ve had the same phone number since I was a senior in high school. All of my friends and family know this number, and my 917 area code makes me feel a little closer to home wherever I may be.

As much as I love my number, it can pose an issue for freelance jobs. Some businesses and individuals may not feel comfortable calling a long distance number to get in touch with me, even though I may only live a few miles away.

Enter Google Voice.

On Monday, Tech Talk’s editor Jamie DeLoma introduced me to this incredible, free technology. I began to think of awkward exchanges I’ve had with clients, asking where my number was from and how long I had been in the state. Did they question my abilities because I didn’t seem to have local ties?

I signed up Tuesday, and am already impressed. You can search for a new number based on an area code, a word you’d like to spell out, or both. Once you’ve selected a number, you can decide to which phone line(s) you’d like your calls forwarded, select different voicemail greetings for different contacts, and much more. You can get emails with voicemail transcriptions as well as audio, and even reply to texts to your Google Voice number for free.

While I have yet to play around with all of the features, I highly recommend Google Voice to people with out-of-state cell phone numbers. With my personalized, local number, I hope clients will view me as more established, professional and reliable.

Google, you’ve done it again!

Nancy Hall is a media production specialist for Quinnipiac University’s School of Communications in Hamden, Conn. She is also a freelance writer, blogger and videographer, as well as an avid crafter. The Queens, N.Y.-native currently resides in Meriden, Conn. Check out her blog or e-mail her at NancyHall1@gmail.com.