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Comment by risotto | Hacker News Reader

Getting everyone to use my GV number is really paying off these days.

I don't pay any carrier anything for SMS service. I use Google Voice, generally via my gmail inbox, for all SMS>

Then my iPad is running a soft phone, configured with Gizmo5 SIP credentials. So at home, calls to my Google Voice number ring both my iPad and iPhone. I'm using the jailbreak `backgrounder` app now, but iOS4 will offer a sanctioned solution.

This is my mashup for shitty AT&T cell service, fast cable modem, no land-line, and nice and shiny but power efficient Apple hardware.

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When you write "generally via my gmail inbox, for all SMS" do you mean it's all email based, or is there a magical Google Voice/Gmail integration I'm not aware of?

Not exactly sure how he has it set up, but in Settings -> Labs there is a Google Voice player gadget and two SMS in Chat gadgets.

SMS to Email: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka3T0RXwIbw

I use this and on the whole it's very reliable, however sometimes messages seem to get lost. Maybe if they're too long, it's not 100% clear to me.

You just go to GV settings and check forward all SMS to gmail. From there on all your SMSs go to your Gmail account for you to read and reply. I have Boxcar which notifies me of a new SMS via a pop up in which I then go to the iPhone's mail client(configured it to work with my gmail) to respond to the SMS.

although you can reply to a sms from gmail, there is still no way to initiate a sms converstaion directly from gmail.

There is, I have plenty of saved Joe Schmoe (SMS) email addresses in my address book now. Writing a fresh email to this address sends a txt.

again, that person had to have text-ed you for you to be able to reply.

Yes there is.

Which soft phone app do you recommend for use on the iPad?

Whistle for iPad is good and free. It just has a walgreens advertisement in the middle of the screen.

Acrobits Softphone is quite nice too, for $6.99 I think. It offers tons of official support for lots of SIP providers, and push notifications for incoming calls. Though I've found push to be worthless for actually receiving a call in time.

Then there's Siphon in Cydia but I haven't really used that.

I am definitely seeing GV joining the playing field of these carrier companies. I can't wait.

Just forwarded all of my text messages to GV. Sweet!

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