Finally found how to make calls using Google Voice on the N7

[samalex]

One of the things I hoped to do from my N7 was making and receiving calls using Google Voice , since I already have a phone number setup through Google that's tied to my DroidX.  Natively it can't be done since Google Voice wants to use POTS to connect, but I found Talkatone which does the trick.

Basically Talkatone is an VoIP app that somehow links to your Google Voice account and allows you to make calls. Unfortuantely on the N7 it doesn't tie into Google Now so you can't say "Call Mom" and have it dial out, but as long as its' running you can dial out or receive calls using your Google Voice phone number.  Also what's weird when I tested is when an incoming call comes in both my cell phone and N7 rang, and whichever one answered first got the call.

There are a few other apps in Google Play that do the same thing, but this has the best reviews and is the only one I tried.  Also it's free, but it does have banner ad's.  I'd gladly pay a few bucks to get rid of them, but thus far the free version is all they have.

So FYI if you want to have full phone capabilities using your N7.

[radiocycle]

Please keep us updated on that app samalex, and how it works for you over time.

rfg

[frank]

I've gotten Groove IP to work too.  Its just a novelty to me though.  I can't see why I would want to make a phone call from my tablet over wifi other than saying "hey, i can do this..".

[samalex]

Frank,

I guess for me while at home my cell phone generally gets unloaded out of my pockets to the counter with the wallet, keys, etc, and I don't mess with it until the next day other then plugging it into the charger.  But my N7 pretty much is by my side all the time.  Just last night I had to call my folks and instead of having to walk all the way across the house for the cell phone I just called from the N7...

Yeah, total first world problem

[frank]

Haha, worthy of a reddit post? 

With GrooveIP I had significant echoing (person on the other end hears their own voice) and was able to get it muffled quite a bit with the advanced settings, but not totally.  How were echos with Talkatone?

[samalex]

There was no echo using Talkatone, just about a second delay which made me and the person I talked to step on each other a few times.  But other then that the call quality was great.  The person i talked to said it sounded like I was in a tunnel though, but without a Bluetooth headset it's basically a speakerphone so that's to be expected.

The only miff I have is the volume is pretty quiet on all telephony apps I've used including Talkatone, Skype, and even Google Hangouts and Echolink.  But maybe that'll be something that gets fixed in an update since I've seen many others complain about it.

But all and all I'm impressed...  The only thing they could add that would make it even cooler is better phone integration so I can make calls from the browser, Maps, or even Google Now.   If I say "CALL ...." it just says "not supported on this device".