Vintage Culture on the Line: Novelty Phones Recall the Past

The saddest thing about the extinction of landlines and corded phones is the death of brilliant novelty phones: Here, Kermit, kicked back so he looks remiss without a cigarette dangling from his mouth, cradles the handset over his legs. (Courtesy of [Wired])

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Grand Central Evolution to Google Voice

We've just started to release a preview of Google Voice, an application that helps you better manage your voice communications. Google Voice will be available initially to existing users of GrandCentral, a service we acquired in July of 2007. The new application improves the way you use your phone. You can get transcripts of your voicemail (see the video below) and archive and search all of the SMS text messages you send and receive.

You can also use the service to make low-priced international calls and easily access Goog-411 directory assistance. As you may know, GrandCentral offers many great features, including a single number to ring your home, work, and mobile phones, a central voicemail inbox that you could access on the web, and the ability to screen calls by listening in live as callers leave a voicemail. You'll find these features, and more, in the Google Voice preview. Check out the features page for videos and more information on how these features work.

If you're already using GrandCentral, over the next couple days, you will receive instructions in your GrandCentral inbox on how to start using Google Voice. We'll be opening it up to others soon, so if you'd like to be notified when that happens, please send us your email address.

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Anniversary of the First Successful Telephone Call.

Today marks the anniversary of the first successful telephone call.

Back on March 10 1876, Alexander Graham Bell, the man who patented – and is heralded as the inventor – of the telephone, tested out his creation by phoning his assistant Thomas Watson. Bell’s topic of conversation wasn’t necessarily what you’d imagine of such a monumental moment in history, with him simply uttering: "Mr Watson, come here. I want to see you."

Information about the scientific and technological breakthrough was detailed in Bell’s scientific notebook where he scribed: "To my delight he came and declared that he had heard and understood what I said."