GV's Elimination of Google Chat Disables Obi as a User Designated Calling Phone
mo832:
OK everyone---- please help me if you can.
I just today noticed that if I go to my GV web browser page as usual and try to initiate a call out, Google Voice or Google Chat is no longer an option for "phone to call with". It only shows an alternate phone number and Hangouts. But when I click on the gear icon/setttings and go to Phones, Google Chat is listed as a forwarding phone (which rings my Obi). But I cannot figure out how to recover the GV or Gchat option for "phone to call with".
In fact, today only a few hours ago I made a call from the web and clicked on Google Chat (or voice, can't remember how it looked) to place the call. So it just disappeared in the last few hours, and I am not aware of this ever happening before today.
I am completely stumped.
SteveInWA:
Your issue has nothing to do with the original issue in this discussion thread, which was a mistake. Google has been telling users for a good year now to stop using Chat, and to convert to Hangouts for PC-based calling. They're now removing the Chat pseudo-phone as a "call-with option" for the red and white "CALL" button on the GV web page, since it hasn't been supported for a long time, and it's creating too much confusion. This will not impact the ability of OBis to continue using the Chat/XMPP protocol.
Use Hangouts to make your calls on your computer. Hangouts works from Gmail, just like Chat did, and it also has been added to the drop-down list for the red and white CALL button, as you described, to replace Chat. You can also call via Hangouts using the Chrome Browser web app, or from Google+, or from the Android or iOS Hangouts mobile clients, all over VoIP.
mo832:
Steve, thanks for the prompt reply. Some follow-on comments:
I just checked with a family member, and he looked on his red CALL button, and he still has the option listed, but I forgot it is called "Google Talk". He just got his Obi about a month ago and signed up at that time for GV. He still has the option and I don't. Plus, my option just disappeared today. What gives? Is Google Talk still viable?
Also, if I use the Hangouts option as you say, to dial a number from the PC, will the call actually be made thru the Obi, or will it try to ring my computer? I don't want the computer to handle these calls.
Thanks.
SteveInWA:
Google Voice has millions of users. When Google makes changes like this, they're rolled out to batches of users, to make sure that, if a previously-undetected bug pops up, it impacts fewer users. Eventually, all users will see the change. Logging out of GV, clearing browse cache and history, and logging back in may also clear out stale data that is preventing a user from seeing a change.
This the same rationale that is used when Android OS or app releases are pushed out to new users in batches.
mo832:
Forgive me if I am reacting too quickly (you may be posting in progress), but I am eager to get back up... so could you please address the other question re: how do I simply start the phone call from the browser, but it sends the call to my Obi phone?
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page