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First Google Voice App Hits the App Store

Posted by timothy on from the waiting-for-cheaper-data dept.

silverpig writes "The first Google Voice app has hit the app store, and it's called GV Connect. Providing a front end to the Google Voice service, GV Connect allows users of devices running Apple iOS platform to have a native app with which to interact with Google Voice. What will be interesting to note is the order that these apps are approved in. I know Sean Kovacs was first out with GV Mobile back before Apple banned Google Voice, and while he is in the approval pipeline, this other app has some first mover advantage. I wonder what it means when Google gets their app officially approved, as surely it'll be free."

9 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Fail by Kickboy12 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No Push Notifications = Fail
    Basically just a front-end for the web interface. Not worth the money.

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    google.slashdot
    1. Re:Fail by rickyb · · Score: 3, Informative

      No, this is a front-end to the web interface. At least it has all the other Google Apps as well.

    2. Re:Fail by MikeFM · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The iOS versus Android argument to me comes down to that I prefer open source but what is the point of having the source to crap. Not that Android is really crap but the UI is poorly designed and the lack of control of end devices by Google results in a wide, and confusing, user experience. I get frustrated at the number of people new to open source or not even developers that like to rant about the evil that is Apple and the good that is Google. Obviously they haven't a lot of experience with the nice way Google makes it difficult to hack around on other devices they sell such as the Google Search Appliances (which I have). I think both Apple and Google are leading technology companies and both make some great products.

      If I was going to make my own device I'd start with Android to build from but I'd copy a lot of iOS design decisions at the UI level and iDevice design decisions. I'd also keep a lot more control than Google has done as I think Android gets a lot of the negative light coming off of the devices it runs on. And many devices are difficult to even run an unlocked copy of Android on which defeats the entire benefit of having the source. And comparable Android devices are no cheaper, and often are even more expensive, than an iDevice. I'm looking for a good Android tablet to develop on but there Google seems to be unsure if they want to push Android or Chrome OS.

      Apple's biggest short coming is lack of third party devices. If I was Google, along with fixing the UI and ecosystem issues, I'd be all over that as a way to really be better than Apple. I'm not talking supporting USB and SD, which are anti-features IMO, but defining good interfaces for mobile devices, licensing it for free, and really pushing it.

      Since nobody is paying me to make my own device I'm going to choose to own iDevices. At least until I see an equal Android device and see the Android ecosystem become equal.

      --
      At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
    3. Re:Fail by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In terms of software obviously having an open platform is way better.

      The carriers certainly agree, and they love the fact that Android is open, because it allows them to maintain control of the device and lock users to their own services!

      Yay for open source: maintaining the "wireless carriers fuck over their customers" status quo. What a triumph of the noble ideals of FOSS.

      If all you can say is "Android is open," as an improvement over iOS, then it's not an improvement, because for the vast majority of people, it's just as locked down as an iPhone. For about .001% of the phone-buying market, it's "open". For the rest, it's simply a tool the carriers will use to control the customers.

  2. Re:A Better Google Story by wmbetts · · Score: 4, Insightful

    wtf is going on with people pretending slashdot comments are twitter now?

    --
    "Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me". - stolen from Dan C alt.os.linux.slackware
  3. Re:*Apple App Store by socsoc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There is no other "app store" worth mentioning. You are speaking of "Android Market"

  4. Re:*Apple App Store by rickyb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Probably has something to do with the fact that it's the only one with "App Store" it its name. Notice that "App Store" is capitalized?

  5. Re:*Apple App Store by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Notice that "App Store" is capitalized?

    So is "First", "Google", "Voice", "App", and "Hits".

    This is kind of a nitpicky who-gives-a-crap thing, but I agree. I initially thought they were talking about the Android Market too and was like..uh, yeah, we've had that for like a year an a half...

  6. Re:A Better Google Story by Americano · · Score: 3, Funny

    RT @wmbetts: I'm waiting for /. to crash and a whale to show up.