Smarterware

Google Profiles Now the Best Way to Get In Search Results for Your Name

People who don't live their lives online like I do often ask me: How can I make it easy for people to find me on the web? While before I might have suggested Facebook, LinkedIn, or just a straight-up personal nameplate site, now I'd advise 'em to set up their Google Profile.

Unless you have a well-linked web site you maintain with your full name all over it, Google search results for your name can vary in quality, and include lots of stuff that's out of date. So it makes sense that Google's trying to make people search results better by including Google Profiles in them. Your Google Profile is a pre-fab nameplate with your identifying vitals: name, location, title, company, and interests. Here's what mine looks like right now.

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Google Voice Makes the Phone Less Loathsome

If you hate listening to voicemail or getting interrupted by an unknown number ringing your phone during dinner, then you will love Google Voice. Google's new phone product (which re-brands Google-acquired GrandCentral) makes dealing with voice communication less than awful.

I've been a GrandCentral user for well over a year now, but Google Voice adds two key components that complete the must-have feature puzzle: voicemail transcription and SMS. Now that I can read (read!!) my voicemail and you can text message my Google Voice number, I'm making it my primary phone number. Alongside its awesome filters, Google Voice is essentially the Gmail of voicemail and phonecalls.

Here's what my Google Voice box looks like right now, and how I'm using it specifically.

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