Google buys Gizmo5

By Alexandra Pullin on Nov 16, 2009 6:43 AM
Filed under Software
 

Makes good on promise to buy one company a month.

Google is hoping its latest purchase of Gizmo5 will help Google Voice become a Skype competitor.

Gizmo5 makes the software that lets users make voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone calls from their computers and mobile phones. The service it offers is very similar to Skype, which also offers VoIP calling.

Google announced the acquisition on its Google Voice blog where Wesley Chan and Craig Walker said that current Gizmo5 users will be able to continue using the service but Google will be suspending new signups. Existing users will also no longer be able to sign up for a call-in number.

"While we don't have any specific features to announce right now, Gizmo5's engineers will be joining the Google Voice team to continue improving the Google Voice and Gizmo5 experience," Chan and Walker said.

The acquisition of Gizmo5, which is similar to Skype, follows Google's two years back purchase of Grand Central, which is now Google voice.

Last week Google bought mobile advertising firm AdMob. It also said in an interview with Reuters that it plans to purchase about one company a month.

theinquirer.net (c) 2010 Incisive Media


Google buys Gizmo5
2 comments in this discussion
"Or perhaps voice recognition so while you speak any products mentioned in your conversation come up in an advertising box."
By deonast
 
Tags
google, acquisition, gizmo5, skype, voice
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Comments: 2
vaxa
Nov 16, 2009 12:30 PM
 And next they replace Background Noise with voice advertisements :) while you are on the phone
deonast
Nov 16, 2009 5:00 PM
 Or perhaps voice recognition so while you speak any products mentioned in your conversation come up in an advertising box.
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