Updated Google Voice dials faster on Android, BlackBerry

Tweaks to Google Voice apps for BlackBerry and Android cut out some back-end steps to speed up the time it takes to place a call.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

July 22, 2010 11:51 a.m. PT

Not all smartphone apps for the Google Voice service are created equal, as we discovered back in September, 2009, when we put each through its paces on iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android phones.

On Thursday, Google updated its Google Voice apps for Android--our hands-down winner--and BlackBerry, the runner up. (If you must know, we declared the iPhone experience to be "a load of crap.")

A modest enhancement to Google Voice on Android and BlackBerry tweaks the back-end calling mechanism to make dialing a faster process when you call out. Though there's no real change to the feature set on the front end, Google says that callers should notice quicker connection times.

Calls took longer to place through the previous apps because the software needed to request an access number from the Google Voice server before achieving a ringtone. Google has cut out a few steps in the process it's now calling "Direct Access Numbers" by assigning a particular phone number to each person you call. This skips the load required by your phone's data network to communicate with Google's server, Google explained on its blog.

U.S. users of the Google Voice service can update to version 0.4 from the Android Market. Blackberry owners should go to http://m.google.com/voice from the mobile browser.

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