A few weeks ago, Google launched an app that mobile phone users could take advantage of, but the problem was it was a mobile web app and not a native phone app. Some of the functionality that Google Voice users love like SMS notifications haven't been carried along to the mobile web app so other developers have stepped in to fill the void. Enter GVMax, a free web service that monitors your Google Voice account and notifies you when you receive a new SMS or voicemail. The work around uses Google Voice's SMS-to-email functionality using it to send the forwards to GVMax's servers which are then rerouted to the various ways a user wishes to be notified. When you recieve a new voicemail or SMS, the GVMax system can send you an IM, an SMS, an email or even a message [+]

Google Voice has been all the rage lately, and this week was no exception. In addition to reports and analysis of Apple and AT&T's removal of the Google Voice app from the Apple iPhone App Store, there have been some interesting takes on the service in general. Nerd Vittles has a really good primer on how to connect the Google Voice client to any Asterisk system, as well as reports on progress for a Python interface for Google Voice. Basically, with a little tweaking you can use a Google Voice account for free U.S. calling and SMS from Asterisk phone systems by leveraging a DID with free inbound calling. Nerd Vittles provides an in-depth look at the benefits of this set-up, as well as all the code necessary to make it work. VoIP opinion blog truvoipbuzz.com takes the opposite approach in an editorial [+]