Pain in the Tech comments on [GrandCentral for easy (and fun) phone management] http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management Documenting technology pains and gains. en-us Copyright 2010, Pain in the Tech webmaster@paininthetech.com Pain in the Tech http://paininthetech.com/images/full_header_hifi.png http://paininthetech.com/ 150 149 Documenting technology pains and gains. Comment on [GrandCentral for easy (and fun) phone management] by zingo http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4635 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:44:35 -0800 Q: This sounds useful, I wouldn’t mind paying for it. Is there a service such as this that’s currently available for a fee? When I log into GC to get a phone # I'm told that its Beta and that I'll have to wait...

]]> http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4635 Comment on [GrandCentral for easy (and fun) phone management] by Norman http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4671 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:34:27 -0800 Another issue with GrandCentral, at least in it current form is that it appear insecure. First, login information is transmitted in plain text (not encrypted) across the internet. Given that all my phone numbers and those of my family and friends are now open for someone to steal. GrandCentral encrypt and secure your site. Second, should my cell phone be stolen or lost, there is nothing that prevents someone listening to your messages. GrandCentral should at least require a PIN to access your messages. The above makes me think twice about trusting such sensitive information to Grandcentral.

]]> http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4671 Comment on [GrandCentral for easy (and fun) phone management] by Matt Thommes http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4610 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 06:06:46 -0700 Aaron, I agree. The SMS and caller ID issues are important. GrandCentral is nice, but for real-world, practical use, it just serves to further confuse your callers.

Until these drawbacks are examined and corrected, GrandCentral is nothing but a toy.

Also, I still haven't become used to having to hit "1" every time I pick up a call. It's ingrained in our heads to pick up a ringing phone and say "hello." With GrandCentral, you have to pick up, hit "1" to accept the call, then say hello.

]]> http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4610 Comment on [GrandCentral for easy (and fun) phone management] by Aaron http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4612 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:17:48 -0700 I have had a GC number now for about a week and while it does seem "cool" now I am wondering just how much I need it... the texting issue is one I had just thought of as well. So in fact for thsoe I text with, I am now asking them to keep track of two separate numbers - hardly convenient (for them, at least). Also, when you call out, whatever phone you are calling from gets logged to thier mobile or caller ID. So if they just hit call back, then your GC number won't get called.

]]> http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4612 Comment on [GrandCentral for easy (and fun) phone management] by Andy Atkinson http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4596 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:47:35 -0700 This would have been more useful without Mobile Number Portability. Great write-up Matt, thanks for exploring this service for us. It will be interesting to see how Google fits GrandCentral into their portfolio, and whether they choose to incorporate audio advertisements into some of the features of the service.

]]> http://paininthetech.com/2007/08/31/grandcentral-for-easy-and-fun-phone-management/#comment-4596