Using Google Voice to call U.S. numbers can slash your phone bill.
If you are a regular Gmail user, you may have noticed the little "Call Phone" option in the Chat menu. Google now offers a service called Google Voice, which allows you to call landlines and cellphones directly from your computer. Calls to phones in the United States are free at the time of publication. Making international calls requires that you add credit to your account through the Google Voice website. You can also purchase additional features such as text messaging but the basic service is available free of charge.
Instructions
1. Install the Google Voice plug-in. You should see a link for this plug-in at the top of the Chat menu on the left sidebar. Otherwise, download it directly from the Google Voice website.
2. Plug a microphone into your computer's sound card or use the built-in microphone on your computer, if one is available. Open the "Settings" menu and click on the "Chat" link at the top of the panel. Under "Voice and Video Chat," you should see your microphone and speakers automatically detected. If you have multiple sound devices connected to your computer, select the ones you wish to use from the drop-down menus. Scroll down and click "Save Settings."
3. Click on the "Call Phone" link in Chat menu sidebar. A small panel with a dialing keypad will pop up in the lower right corner of your screen. To dial, click the numbers or type them in using your keyboard. Press the blue "Call" button to begin your call.
Tags: Google Voice, Chat menu, your computer, Call Phone, directly from, Google Voice website