MetroTalk: New Google Voice client is now available!

[jollydogg]

Awesome. There is just another issue with the program....perhaps not even an issue. Sometimes when I open the application to see messages, I keep seeing old messages I've deleted. I can't get rid of them fully for some reason. Also, messages seem to start their own thread randomly, and even though a text will pop up on the notification bar when I receive it, it won't load when I open the application until I manually hit the refresh button. Nothing deal-breaking, just slightly annoying =)

However, this application has COMPLETELY satisfied me in my confidence for not signing up for AT&Ts 20$ unlimited texting plan! Thank you again. I purchased the full version.

 

[apoelin]

Awesome. There is just another issue with the program....perhaps not even an issue. Sometimes when I open the application to see messages, I keep seeing old messages I've deleted. I can't get rid of them fully for some reason.

This is quite embarrassing, but it seems that this bug has been around since day 1. Basically if you delete something, it goes to trash. If you try to delete it from trash, instead of deleting the item forever like it should, it instead returns it back to its original folder. This was identified and fixed last week after a user contacted me about it, but it didn't make it into the 3.0 update. It will definitely be included in 3.1.

Also, messages seem to start their own thread randomly...

Unfortunately this is an issue with Google Voice as a service. Basically, the app tries to mimic the website, so when the website decides to break a conversation into a new thread, the app just follows. MetroTalk could at some point move away from this by designing its own UI and handling messages/threads independently of the website, but due to so many other priorities, I honestly don't think this is coming any time soon.

...and even though a text will pop up on the notification bar when I receive it, it won't load when I open the application until I manually hit the refresh button.

When you tap the notification, one of two things should happen. If you have "quick reply" enabled in settings, then the message will be shown, without even needing to load it from a server. If "quick reply" is disabled, then the inbox should launch and automatically refresh, hence retrieving the content from the server. If you don't click on the notification and just open the app, there is currently no way of knowing that a message was received since the last launch. The folder will just refresh automatically if the update timer has expired (default is 30 mins and customized in settings), or if "refresh on start" is selected in settings (although this may use more bandwidth than you would like by doing a folder refresh on every new launch). Basically without an official API by Google, things are trickier. I am still looking into this though. I just wish Microsoft had a way for devs to know that a notification was received, while the app was suspended.

However, this application has COMPLETELY satisfied me in my confidence for not signing up for AT&Ts 20$ unlimited texting plan! Thank you again. I purchased the full version.

Thanks for the support

 

[Mystictrust]

Just downloaded the update today and I LOVE it! Great job! I misread "text-to-speech" as being the opposite, but this is still a wonderful addition - I didn't expect it to be in the voice I selected for the phone so I have my texts read to me with a british accent now... freaking awesome and highly entertaining (and also doesn't require a Bluetooth headset, like the OS does for reading back incoming texts). I like all the secondary tile options for pinning the call/text screen, I see how useful every option can be. This app is just light years ahead of any competing google voice app, and now it's even better! Cheers!

Constructive feedback: Contact photo for a contact that's pinned to start for direct calling/texting would be a nice future addition, or - failing that - a way to keep the text of their name on the tile when shrunk to small size. Speech to text for speaking a text message to a google voice contact would also be a great addition if possible.

I'm completely satisfied with MetroTalk now though. Thank you for all your hard work.

 

[apoelin]

Constructive feedback: Contact photo for a contact that's pinned to start for direct calling/texting would be a nice future addition, or - failing that - a way to keep the text of their name on the tile when shrunk to small size.

I agree. The picture should actually be very easy. The second suggestion is a bit trickier but I am sure there should be a way to do it, and I can see how it can be useful.

Speech to text for speaking a text message to a google voice contact would also be a great addition if possible.

You should see the version that I'm currently using then ...

I'm completely satisfied with MetroTalk now though. Thank you for all your hard work.

Thanks for all the kind words

 

[Amitava Guha]

Hi apoelin,

I am a new member on this forum. I am using a Nokia Lumia 800 running WP7. I came across your app on the marketplace and was extremely happy to see it. I installed the trial version, and wanted to test it out before going in for the paid version. However, the thing is I am outside US, India to be precise. So, I do not have a Google Voice number, while it seems the app is expecting one from my Google Voice account. Does it basically mean that I cannot use the app?

It would be a great feature to be able to call through Metrotalk, from any country without a Google Voice number, just the way Skype works. Is that technically possible?

Thanks

 

[mtmjr90]

Hi apoelin,

I am a new member on this forum. I am using a Nokia Lumia 800 running WP7. I came across your app on the marketplace and was extremely happy to see it. I installed the trial version, and wanted to test it out before going in for the paid version. However, the thing is I am outside US, India to be precise. So, I do not have a Google Voice number, while it seems the app is expecting one from my Google Voice account. Does it basically mean that I cannot use the app?

It would be a great feature to be able to call through Metrotalk, from any country without a Google Voice number, just the way Skype works. Is that technically possible?

Thanks

I can't speak for (possibly dubious) hacks to make this potentially possible...but Google Voice is US only and this app is a Google Voice app...so I wouldn't expect it to work for you. (At least not until Google rolls out GV outside the US.)

Edit: And just to clarify for those who might be trying this app or GV in general, this is not a VoIP app so it does not function like Skype does. Even if you place a call using Google Voice, it still is routed through your carrier's voice network, and thus uses minutes. There are GV VoIP apps on Android & iOS that use the new(ish) Gmail VoIP + GV feature to place real VoIP calls, but as of yet, I do not believe there are any WP apps that do this. ...that said, it would be a killer addition to MetroTalk

 

[apoelin]

Hi apoelin,

I am a new member on this forum. I am using a Nokia Lumia 800 running WP7. I came across your app on the marketplace and was extremely happy to see it. I installed the trial version, and wanted to test it out before going in for the paid version. However, the thing is I am outside US, India to be precise. So, I do not have a Google Voice number, while it seems the app is expecting one from my Google Voice account. Does it basically mean that I cannot use the app?

It would be a great feature to be able to call through Metrotalk, from any country without a Google Voice number, just the way Skype works. Is that technically possible?

Thanks

Hi!

The poster above me covered the answer in a comprehensive way, but I'll give it a shot as well.

MetroTalk is unfortunately just a frontend to an existing service. So it had to operate within whatever limitations Google Voice has. One of them, is that you can only use it with a US account. Basically, if you can use the service by logging onto http://www.google.com/voice from your browser, for a specific Google account, then you should be able to use it with MetroTalk as well. The opposite is of course also true, which I believe is your case. I know India is not in the list of supported countries by Google but if you really wanted to, I am sure a quick search can find you ways for creating a functional Google Voice account from anywhere in the world.

Also Google Voice is originally not a VoIP service. That means that calls through it, get redirected through your existing cellular phone number. Recently, some "hacks" that combine Google Talk with Google Voice have made VoIP possible, but that's currently not supported by MetroTalk. I hope this will change in the near future, but I currently don't have any details to share as development is still in very early stages.

Sorry I couldn't have more "positive" answers for you!

 

[mtmjr90]

Recently, some "hacks" that combine Google Talk with Google Voice have made VoIP possible, but that's currently not supported by MetroTalk. I hope this will change in the near future, but I currently don't have any details to share as development is still in very early stages.

That's detail enough for me!

 

[Amitava Guha]

Thanks mtmjr90 and apoelin for your prompt responses!

It would be partially true to say Google Voice is not available in India. I do have a Google Voice account, and using it I am able to generate calls from my browser to any number in the world. And I must tell you it is cheaper than Skype! In fact, I was able to log into MetroTalk using the same Google Voice account details. Only problem is I do not have a Google Voice number, or possibly I do but I don't have a US number to map it to.

Anyways, there is always tomorrow...

 

[apoelin]

Thanks mtmjr90 and apoelin for your prompt responses!

It would be partially true to say Google Voice is not available in India. I do have a Google Voice account, and using it I am able to generate calls from my browser to any number in the world. And I must tell you it is cheaper than Skype! In fact, I was able to log into MetroTalk using the same Google Voice account details. Only problem is I do not have a Google Voice number, or possibly I do but I don't have a US number to map it to.

Anyways, there is always tomorrow...

It's reasonable to be confused, as Google has mixed up two of their services pretty badly. Like I mentioned before, VoIP is served through Google Talk, which is available internationally, and that's what your account uses for placing the calls from your browser. It doesn't sound though that you have access to the original Google Voice service (e.g. having a US number assigned), which is what MetroTalk has been designed for. Like I also mentioned earlier, it is possible that in the future, the app will be extended to support VoIP. In that scenario, then your account will become usable from within the app. Until then though, to put it simply, anyone who can't send/receive text messages at http://www.google.com/voice, cannot use MetroTalk.

 

[Alex Rodriguez Jr.]

Can MetroTalk tap into the people hub the way Skype can?

 

[apoelin]

Can MetroTalk tap into the people hub the way Skype can?

The short answer is "kind of" !!

If the question is: can I have an entry in a contact card, which will automatically launch MetroTalk upon tapping the same way that Skype does, then the answer is yes. The problem is that the solution (a) looks a bit like a "hack", and (b) it requires a one-time configuration step by the user. More in the upcoming beta; if you are interested, you could see it in action as early as next week hopefully

 

[Mystictrust]

I'm down for the beta if it's open to people who request it

 

[apoelin]

I'm down for the beta if it's open to people who request it

See here: http://forums.windowscentral.com/marketplace-apps/208906-metrotalk-looking-wp8-beta-testers.html

 

[Windows8Beginer]

Hi , I have seen your app . But the biggest missing part in your app is the ability to receive the calls to your app with out consuming cellular minutes. I have been using TalkaTone as a free phone which has both free calling and free receiving functionality by using the Google Voice. I hope MetroTalk will soon have the similar functionality. let me know if you have any plans for this functionality soon.

 

[Sean Marriott]

Can you add a "missed calls" notification to the live tile indicator rather than only voicemail and text notifications (or at least the option to include missed calls in push notifications)? I'm an American living abroad with Google Voice forwarded to Skype on my phone so I don't see when I have missed calls unless I open MetroTalk (or Skype) and check.