A week ago we learned that GrandCentral would become Google Voice with an exciting overhaul and rejuvenated Google-esque UI. And now the opportunity has arrived to upgrade my account.

BUT — here’s the slightly annoying part — my archive doesn’t transfer to the new Google Voice site — I need to access old information and voicemails at GrandCentral voicemails migrated to Google Voice. But hey — Google even gave me a dollar ($1)!!!

Also, I have to re-record my Google Voice greeting and re-integrate other settings. Lame. But I’m psyched to actually have a reason to use GrandCentral Google Voice at last!

Help me test the transcription by leaving a message — the widget above will send you directly to my Google Voicemail.

Here is one [joke] call and subsequent (pretty hilarious) transcript:

hi this is carrie sherman from T R I A A settlement center we are looking for an individual named net C U N E T Z O R O who has been avoiding service process it in a file sharon case due to the fact that trip here at working isn’t radically it copyright infringement therefore this is missus last chance to respond to listen appear prior to the entry of it default judgment in the amount of twelve million five hundred sixty two thousand dollars carry sherman can be reached at the settlement center one eight hundred R I A A L A debbie that is one eight hundred seven for two two five two everything nothing contain sharon or omitted there from shall be construed as a way for mission of any right remedies release or other claims that may be home by the message weaver

Screenshots of the GrandCentral migration and Google Voice interface below. And sorry — I still don’t have any invites!

UPDATE per @googlevoice: “Yes people are still calling into our invite hotline. (408) 72-VOICE. Leave a funny message for an invite :-)”

Tonight, Google Voice was announced, but still — I can only log in the old-school GrandCentral way. The screenshots and features are awesome. And they’re even talking voice mail transcription. But again I must ask — when can I REALLY have my Google Voice?!? Supposedly at some point today [Thursday] according to Barron‘s and others.

More on the news here, here, and here. Now let’s see if it all functions and is available at some point today, as promised! And will I be able to finally invite more people to use the service again?!?

When I first learned of Ooma, the idea of having a box at home through which to make phone calls (for free) and having access to messages online and via e-mail was intriguing. I do not have a personal land line and was tired of paying for Skype. I was using GrandCentral but wanted an alternative since cell reception at my house is so spotty. I was lucky to meet Andrew Frame, founder of Ooma, for a tour of Ooma’s HQ in Palo Alto in the summer of 2007, when I was an intern at the San Jose Mercury News (video below).

When I returned to Los Angeles, I signed up as a beta tester and was impressed with the quality, and loved having a phone number that I could remember (909-0090 nearly trumped the AT&T land line number I had when I first moved to LA — 669-9969). I’d recommend it to anyone who uses VOiP and incurs charges above and beyond ooma’s one-time-only charge for their Core system — now $219.90 at Amazon. If it means anything to you, Ooma still has the endorsement of the almighty Michael Arrington as well.

So is Ooma about to take off into the mainstream?
Or is it nearing its last gasp?