Most Readers Not Jumping on Google Voice

If you asked the Google-snuggling news media and bloggers who they thought would migrate to Google's new voice service, judging from their coverage, their answer would probably be, "Everyone, Duh!"

But a poll last week on Internet Evolution suggests otherwise.

According to our highly-unscientific, yet colorful, statistics, nearly 70 percent of our readers are not jumping on the Google bandwagon, with 40 percent taking a "wait and see" approach to the service, and 28 percent saying they wouldn't use Google Voice at all. Ever.

Also of note is that more than half of our poll respondents appear to be split on opposite sides of the spectrum, with the aforementioned 28 percent shunning the service entirely, and a separate 26 percent saying they're absolutely on board.

This split is also emphasized in message board comments where Internet Evolution readers have provided varied opinions about Google's jump into voice services.

"The sooner we can switch all calls to voice mail and re-route voice mail to e-mail the better," says a seemingly pleased Mike Acker.

"With all the emphasis [on unified communications] in the enterprise, Google Voice is a logical move and, for Google, a smart one," writes sbondy.

"Google belongs in the voice comm. business about as much as AT&T belongs in the Web Search game," suggests J DAmbrosio.

"One butt... too many chairs," says a succinct Mashka of Google's ubiquity.

Nevertheless, with 40 percent of our readers curious about Voice but more likely to wait until it actually takes off, we can speculate that plenty of people have seen the high and low points of Google's other beta projects, which simply could not sustain the hype.

And rightfully so: A Wall Street Journal reporter testing the service recently wrote that the voicemail-to-text feature, one of the most hyped attributes, translated only about 75 percent of the words accurately, with most of her messages confusing in text. (She writes that "Hey Courtney, it's Monique" read "Hey Connie, it's Bernie." She's splitting hairs there, I think.)

On the other hand, perhaps our poll takers are less concerned about Google's capability in Voice and just agree more with ThinkerNetter David Silversmith, who says, "I want a choice that says 'Yes. I trust Google implicitly with my voice communications as much as I trust my current vendors.' "

And we can all agree that kind of implicit trust is just plain bad for you.

? Nicole Ferraro, Site Editor, Internet Evolution