Google Voice Hack for mobile users

Last week I unveiled the Google Voice Hack which all allows non-US users to register and call US for Free from GTalk. Today im going to share another trick how to use this hack for mobile after a reader sent me the following e-mail:

Your blog about Google Voice hacks
8:18 AM (15 hours ago)

I have a Google Voice account and live in Japan. What software hack did you find to call to the US with this? I would really like to call my grandmother since she doesn't understand things like Gtalk or Yahoo Messenger, and my cellular phone costs too much.

Thanks!

Michele (last name hidden)

Well currently Google voice supports Blackberry and Android but it goes through the native dialer so you can't use that to call for free when you're outside US. So here is the trick to bypass that:

1. After using the Google Voice hack, use Gizmo5.com's Phone client to receive calls via SIP.
2. Open your phone browser to www.google.com/voice/m
   
3. from the site enter the US number you wish to call.
   
4. It will then ring your Gizmo5.com's Phone client, answer it.
5. Wait while it rings the US number and connects you.
6. The US receiver doesn't need to use this hack, they will receive the call like any other ordinary local call via their mobile or land-line phone.
   

Take note however that this trick uses data rather than native call so depending on your phone subscription it should be lots cheaper compared to calling US as an international call. Finally if your phone supports WIFI connectivity then just find a free hot-spot and call for free!

Google Voice Hack: FREE Outgoing Call to US

Today I'm unveiling the most anticipated hack for Google Voice which I have shared during the 1st Google Technology Users Group Philippines (GTUG PH) meet-up.

Here are the steps:

1. Get Gizmo account from Gizmo5.com, take note of your Gizmo SIP number.
2. Download and install the Gizmo for windows app.
3. Sign-up for IPkall.com number and use the following details details:
   - Account type = SIP
   - SIP phone number = Gizmo SIP number (no spaces,dash,parenthesis)
   - SIP proxy = proxy01.sipphone.com
   Note: takes about 3 days to be approved, you will receive an email
   with your new US number. This will give you already an incoming call capability but no free outgoing calls, we need Google Voice for that.
4. Reserve Google Voice account at http://voice.google.com, it takes about 5 days to get an invite.
5. AFTER receiving both the IPkall Number and Google Voice invite,
   Download UltraSurf from http://www.ultrareach.com/. You will need this to register for Google Voice since only US IP is allowed.
6. Login to Gizmo5 desktop app then use UltraSurf proxy and sign-up for Google Voice account using invite link sent to your email.
7. Use your IPkall US number when prompted by Google Voice.
8. Confirm you have a US phone number by receiving a call on Gizmo5 app, type the security code from Google Voice site using the Gizmo5 app's dial pad. Just keep repeating to input the security code (usually 1 to 2 digits) with a short pause
   between attempts until it hangs up.
9. Google voice will recognize the code and redirects the page to your
   dashboard.
10. Configure Gizmo5 call forwarding at http://my.gizmo5.com settings, select
    option "If no answer on Gizmo5, ring elsewhere (Call Hunting)" and
    forward it your Gtalk account. Exit Gizmo5 desktop app.
11. Using http://voice.google.com site call Google 411 at +18004664411, it
    will ring your Gtalk, accept and hear the tone ringing as it call the
    GOOG411 number. When you are able hear GOOG411 voice prompt then it
    means you have successfully configured Google Voice Hack and you will
    be able to make US calls for free and receive calls via GTalk.

I have not fully understood the Google Voice TOS but IMHO this hack basically fulfills all the requirements so you should be a legit user.

Feel free to send me feed backs!

Google Voice: Philippines makes FREE calls to US

This is probably the first hack for Google Voice allowing non-US residence to own a Google Voice Number!

Yes ladies and gents; I'm here in the Philippines (well outside US) but I was able to subscribe to Google Voice, get a legit US number, accept calls and SMS plus make calls to  US number for FREE*

What does this mean? It means a "Game Over" for Telco's international call revenue, NTC's ban on VOIP and don't forget Skype's market too!

... but that's not all, I'm also able to accept calls via Google Talk for FREE! This means that Google Voice + GTalk is inevitable!

 
(Note: picture edited to hide private numbers)

For now I'm keeping this hack a secret and this post is just for the record that "this is" the day Google Voice has been hacked. I'm still signing up for another Google Voice account and try record the entire hack in video as well as some demo calls (too sleepy right now at 4:31AM to do it X_X).

Finally before someone else blows up; I want to clarify that when I say "hack", I didn't break in and exploit something on Google's code. This is a business model hack by finding a way to circumvent current rules and using alternative routes to acquire legitimate way to sign up for the service.

Now time to sleep, I love Google XD ! Zzzz

Fix for Elastix on VirtualBox for Windows with SIP Having No Sound

Recently I installed Elastix VOIP server which is an Asterisk + CentOs linux distribution specially made for VOIP. Now, as if running VOIP isn’t enough of a challenge, I’m forced to install this on a Windows 2003 RC2 Server because we don’t have a spare box – It’s OK since the machine is an IBM Blade server with a very high spec.

The installation is pretty straightforward; just install VirtualBox, create a 10Gig virtual-disk and allocate around 1Gig RAM which is good for the 4 PSTN lines we have. The server has 2 gigabit NICs with static IPs so I assigned one to VirtualBox and named it Virtualization. Next, boot the virtual disk up with the Elastix ISO mounted and proceed with the installation.

Now after all the installation is completed, I tested SIP calls using Zoiper soft-phone and guess what – NO FUCKING SOUND!

So I fiddled with sip.conf, sip_nat.conf and sip_additional.conf which are the usual suspects when SIP goes awry. However this didn’t solve my problems!

Now there is only one way to solve this, TAKE A CIGARETTE BREAK :))

So after the puffs, I came back from the smoking lounge and did a network-engineer’s worst nightmare:

Configured Windows’ network card assigned to VirtualBox named Virtualization to disabled everything except “VirtualBox Host Interface Networking Driver”. This should not work right? The NIC must have an IP either via DHCP or Static configuration for it to work. Right?

Well, you’re wrong!

After doing this SIP works flawlessly!

So there you go, I just saved you months of tearing out your hair, crying without sleep and spending hours and hours wasting your time in Google search!

Gmail Launches Voice and Video Chat

Gmail adds video chat into its IM making it one step clear competitor to Yahoo Messenger. The great thing about this new feature is its web-enabled, that means every Gmail web users out there has access to this feature without need to install a separate application. To access this new feature, make sure to enable chat on Gmail and install the plug-in then click options on the chat window to reveal a menu to activate it.

 
Photo source from official press release email.

To learn more, you can visit the official Google KB site for voice and video chat.

This is clearly an awesome advantage to other IMs, but what makes me very excited about this feature is its inevitable API! Yes, imagine streaming videos not just for personal communication but for content broadcast itself and all powered freely by Google’s infrastructure!

Finally the only lame part to this new feature is the required installation of the plug-in; which is currently only supported in Windows and Mac; instead of using purely flash based video and voice technology like OpenFire’s Spark Web.