Google Voice - You Can't Stop It Apple

This week Google and Apple let their ever increasing rift become evident when Apple surprisingly denied iPhone users the ability to download Google Voice from the App Store. What is even more surprising is that some people expected Google to take it lying down. But before going too far into that story, it might be best to first go over what Google Voice has to offer.

What is Google Voice? This is the new software system from Google that allows you to have a new permanent number that will be controlled online by logging into to your account similar to gmail. Besides allowing you to place calls for free (something that AT&T can’t be thrilled about), it offers several awesome features that are difficult to figure out with a normal phone. Here are some of my favorites:

Block Calls – Don’t want someone to call you again? Simply add their number through your online login and you are all set.

Call Forwarding - Have a cell, office, and home phone? All of the calls to your Google Voice number can be routed to any phone or multiple phones if you would like.

Free Voicemail – Listen to voicemail online or anywhere else

Share Voicemail – Easily forward or download voicemails

Call Record – Easily record incoming and outgoing calls.

Goog-411 – Free and easy 411 assistance

Conference Calling – Easily sink up 7 different people in one call.

Those are just a few of the exciting advantages that are offered for free from Google Voice. You can bet that several more are on the way.

Now back to original roadblock. Since Apple iPhone users are the perfect market for a new, online technology such as this, Google cannot simply wait for Apple to design their own version. So Google, in their ever clever wisdom, has gone over Apple’s head. Now they are building an iPhone friendly Web page. The web page will offer all the same features that the App would have and it can also be installed on the main screen of the iPhone.

Some people are guessing that AT&T is the real force behind the Google Voice rejection. Google voice offers free text messaging, picture/video sharing, and cheap international calls. This is a project that is at the top of the list for Google and you should expect to see it ready to go in a couple weeks for every web access phone.

ijango : The Next Big Scam on The Web

If you haven't heard of ijango.com yet, you will soon. I have had at least 10 people send me emails asking if this site is legit or not. So I thought it would be a good subject to cover. The goal of Tech Ding is not just to review cool gadgets, but also to give readers information on websites and services that may not be such a good idea.

Let me start by stating this, the website, just like any other social marketing product will make some people a lot of money. ijenga has nothing but a login access on their main page. In order to join or get more information, you have to be given a link from one of the current members. And that is exactly how it works. The first people to join give out their links to as many people as possible and then those people give out the links and so on. The origional person gets a cut all the way down the line. I personally watched all of their marketing movies and read through their entire agreement and payment terms.

The site gives promoters anywhere between 20%-60% of the revenue generated from consumers/members that visit the site that they have signed up. They offer search, shopping, a social network, news, etc. Basically trying to be a one stop shop for the internet. When the consumers click advertisements or buy things from the site, then the commission is earned.

Here is why I am hesitant to believe this will really work for most people:

1. They require money upfront.

In order to join the site to get paid, you will have to pay upfront. There are different member packages. From what I can tell, it is $50 for their cheapest package.

2. It seems like a legalized pyramid scheme.

The first people in will probably make money, but everyone farther down the line will find it incredibly hard. Let me explain the math....in order to get the account to start paying at a higer level, you have to sign up 20 people on your own. This is 20 people that have paid at least $50. By the 6th generation, (20 people sign up that get 20 more people each, then it happens again, and again, and again, and again) it would require 64 million members. Lets just think about that, that is roughly 1 out of 4 americans. On the 7th generation, it would require 1.28 billion people to sign up to the site and pay the $50. That is basically 1 out every 5 humans on the planet earth. This is always the final flaw with any pyramid based process. You very quickly run out of people.

3. The site doesn't really look that great in my opinion.

It does offer all these services, but they didn't seem to come close to the competition in each category. Yes, they are all in one place, but its not that hard to simply type in a URL. There are already sites that specialize in each aspect. Is a consumer really going to go to ijenga.com to search for something when they can go to yahoo and google? Are people actually planning to shop on ijenga when they can go to amazon.com? I dont think so.

I highly encourage people considering joining ijenga to consider all these things and make an informed decision. You should probably let anyone that tries to sign you up know the math as well.

Bad Cell Phone Reception? (*Gadget*)

Getting good cell phone reception isn't as hard as it used to be, but it still happens. I personally live on the 11th story of a downtown building and the reception is horrible. I usually end up hanging up the phone when people call me and using the text message feature instead. I know it is not my phone (Blackberry) because it works great at my office. Since I don't feel like moving my entire life just to increase cell phone reception and raise the number of connection bars I see, I asked several of my friends in the cell phone industry what they thought my best options were.

It was then that I learned of a great new gadget called a "Network Extender" (pictured below). The devices are extremely easy to use. You simply plug the device into any wireless router at your home or office and BOOM! Maximum bars on any cell phone within 150 feet. Not only did I have perfect cell phone reception, all of my friends have noticed it when they come to visit. I even asked my neighbor two doors down and she said that her cell phone had worked perfectly lately. (Which actually led to a conversation about possibly going on a date, but that is neither here nor there)

Prices on these devices can range from $150 to $499. I highly recommend the Verizon Wireless Extender. It cost me $249.99 and includes online and toll-free technical if you have trouble installing it. It was a bit pricey, but absolutely worth it. As an added bonus, I noticed that the internet is going faster on my mobile phone too.

Take my advice, this little device can make a big difference.