14 DAY TRIAL // Google introduced a great new feature, and made a big strategic move, with the addition of phone call support in Gmail. And, in true Google style, the feature was made available for free for users in the US and Canada. At the time, Google said the special offer was to be limited to 2010, but it is now expanding it for 2011 as well.
"When we launched calling in Gmail back in August, we wanted it to be easy and affordable, so we made calls to the U.S. and Canada free for the rest of 2010," Robin Schriebman, Software Engineer at Google, wrote.
"In the spirit of holiday giving and to help people keep in touch in the new year, we’re extending free calling for all of 2011," he announced.
Users in the two North American countries will be able to make free local calls for another year. Of course, there's nothing preventing Google from extending the offer further, or making it permanent, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
"In case you haven’t tried it yet, dialing a phone number works just like a regular phone. Look for 'Call phone' at the top of your Gmail chat list and dial a number or enter a contact’s name," Schriebman explained.
For now, users get to enjoy free calls from their computers and seamless integration with Google Voice. The two features make Google's VoIP and telecommunications offering one of the best on the market and not just because it's free.
And it may get even better, Google has now built VoIP/SIP APIs into Android enabling developers to create better Internet calling apps. Of course, Google is getting too cosy with the phone carriers to be making a bold move itself into the market.
But, maybe when Android will have a more solid position in the smartphone market, Google will give Voice and its VoIP services a boost with better integration with Android-powered phones.