Google offers a universal phone number with GrandCentral, relaunched as Google Voice

Sometimes when Google buys companies they sort of disappear, and people were wondering what had happened to GrandCentral, which Google bought in 2007. The answer came today when Google's Official blog announced: Here comes Google Voice. The post says:
As you may know, GrandCentral offers many great features, including a single number to ring your home, work, and mobile phones, a central voicemail inbox that you could access on the web, and the ability to screen calls by listening in live as callers leave a voicemail. You'll find these features, and more, in the Google Voice preview. Check out the features page for videos and more information on how these features work.

American residents can use Google Voice like Skype, to make free local calls, or buy credits from CheckOut (Google's rival to PayPal) to make international calls at low rates.

Unlike GrandCentral, Google Voice also handles SMS messaging, and it can transcribe voice mails, which makes them searchable. The transcription might be good, but even if it's far from perfect, I'd much rather scan through text to see if there is anything interesting, rather than listen to all of them.

Another new feature: you can have conference calls, with recording, for up to six people.