Normally when you use Google Voice it requires for both parties to be logged onto a computer with headphones, but not any more.

Starting today users can now call any phone right from Gmail, yes no need anymore for both parties to be signed in on a computer.

Google has struck some great deals with US and Canadian phone companies and for now all calls to those two countries will be free. Unfortunately calls to South African phones are not free but works out way cheaper than calling from a normal land line or cellphone.

Calls to South African mobile and land line numbers will be charged according to the Google Voice rates that are currently 37c per minute to land lines and R1.25 to cellphones. For rates to other countries see the Google Voice rates list.

As with all things new on the web, South Africa is usually not first in line to get these features, but that does not prohibit you from installing the Gmail plugin you will need to make use of this feature when it goes live.