An upcoming release of the T-Mobile G2 build was leaked, along with some new Google Voice widgets.

While they don't offer VoIP, the widgets that were extracted from an unreleased T-Mobile G2 build allow easy access to Google Voices features, demonstrated below.

Google (GOOG) released Voice on Gmail last week in a surprise move that had many thinking Google was targeting Skype and Facebook. Having a full Google Voice VoIP application on Android devices would be a game changer.

It is very simple: If Google releases Voice for Android as a full VoIP client, the mobile telcos stand to lose their voice revenue and effectively become dumb pipes.

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My account hasn't even been activated yet.

Wow, how is that for scale?  Google tweeted today that it had already surpassed the 1 million call mark on its first day of Google Voice integration with Gmail. And not everyone has even had their Gmail accounts integrated yet (like me!).

In a tweet on their official feed, Google (GOOG) said:

Over 1,000,000 calls placed from Gmail in just 24 hours! Thanks to everyone using this new feature.

Google is thought to be building a Social platform called GoogleMe and Goldman Sachs thinks voice calling is a big part of it.  They are off to a strong start.

There are around 50 million Gmail users in the US and Google says they should all be able to make calls in the coming week.  Google Apps business and education users will get the functionality in the months ahead.

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Google is opening its Voice service to work within a Gmail window according to reports.  An announcement tomorrow is too much of a coincidence.

We know two things that very well may change the way you communicate over phones forever:

One: Google is having a press event tomorrow morning to unveil something exciting.  We don't know what.

Two: Users of Gmail are starting to see some exciting little extras in their Gmail chat windows. Google Voice is now a web app.

Normally, you see something like this:

That will soon change.  CNET has posted what some select people are seeing in their Gmail account's chat windows:

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Google had reportedly nixed their desktop Skype killer in favor of a browser-based version.  Now, a petition has started for Google to release the desktop client.

Backstory: Google purchased VoIP provider Gizmo5 last year in a move which seemed to indicate that they were going to merge their Google Voice and Google Talk clients to make a Skype-like service that would be able to call traditional phone numbers.

Since that point not much has emerged out of Google on the VoIP front.

Last week, however, TechCrunch obtained and reviewed a leaked Mac version of the fabled Google Voice desktop client.  It looks pretty ready for general release, even if for the typical Google Beta release program.

The leaked application came with the news that Google was reportedly going to forgo releasing a desktop client so that it could focus on delivering a better web client.

That news didn't sit well with some people who've been anxiously awaiting the Google Voice desktop client.  Some have even started a petition to get Google to release this application publicly.

If you are interested in seeing a Google Voice VoIP client released, here's where you can sign the petition.  The petition just started this morning but its creators are hoping to collect 500,000 signatures.

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Google's call-routing telephony service goes mainstream.

When Google bought Grand Central three years ago, many Google watchers saw this day coming. Google Voice is now a free service for everyone in the U.S., no invite needed.

What is Google Voice, you may wonder? The fine folks in Mountain View have put together a pretty good two-minute elevator pitch:

Google has been preparing for today's launch by buying up literally millions of phone numbers from Level3. Those numbers will be taken by users who often choose to have nearby area codes (otherwise, Google could just start its own area code!) as their hub of voice routing.

Google currently has over one million active Google Voice users and had opened the service up to students on an .edu domain just last month.

What does Google Voice have in store for its users?  I see two major directions they are going with Voice that will be huge disruptions to traditional services.

1. Google Voice will be integrated into the Google Apps suite of services, allowing companies to add voice call routing and voice mailboxes to the Apps control panel (a huge boon to IT workers using Apps).   Game Changer.
2. Google purchased Gizmo5 VoIP service last year and will likely turn Google Voice and Google Talk into one big Skype-killing telephony engine. Recent rumors say that Google will forgo the Windows or Mac VoIP client and build a web client that will also be available on mobile devices with modern browsers. This will also have huge implications on the mobile industry, which has been charging for these services.

You can give it a shot at http://voice.google.com.

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It is only a matter of time before Google's purchase of Gizmo5 turns into a VoIP service that is integrated to Google Voice.  Is this the first sign of it?

The (unofficial)  Google Operating System Blog has a supposed screenshot of what the Google web-based Skype-like client would look like.

It appears to be in the new web-based Talk window that is in your Gmail or iGoogle homepage.

Google purchased a company called Gizmo5 that builds SIP VoIP solutions. Gizmo5 was also courted by Skype when Skype's original founders threatened to pull the underlying technology from eBay. After an agreement was worked out Gizmo5 went back on the market and was picked up by Google.

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Dell today detailed its upcoming Dell Streak (Mini 5) Android tablet with some interesting details.

The device will be released initially in the UK on O2 with follow-up rollouts in the US and elsewhere starting later this summer.  What's interesting about this device is that it isn't being branded as a 'Smartphone' and may not be sold with voice options, even though it contains 3G hardware for data (and in the video below the demonstrator mentions using it as a phone).

"The Dell Streak hits the sweet spot between traditional smartphones and larger-screen tablets," said Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions Group. "Its unique size provides people new ways to enjoy, connect, and navigate their lives."

PR jargon aside, this is a big turning point for devices.  If we assume that O2 and whatever US carrier (probably AT&T) carry this device will only charge for data which, using the iPad as a precedent, would be about $30/month.  But this device is small enough to fit in pockets and small purses so it can be used as a phone.  Even if you have to buy a laptop data plan, it is still less expensive than a smartphone data+voice plan.

Dell Streak: Dell.co.uk

That's where this gets tricky.  And revolutionary.  Google's Voice product (which you can hear Dell endorsing below) will soon integrate Gizmo5 VoIP solutions to become a full featured VoIP phone.  With optional 3G data plans from carriers, this becomes a full featured (some would say Google Voice gives you more than full voice features) smartphone.

Or if you only want to use Wifi or a Mifi, you can use this as a phone without its own plan.

You don't even have to wait for Google to release its VoIP product.  Currently, Skype doesn't make their application for Android, but other apps like Fring can be used to make Skype or SIP calls on Android devices.

The Streak also has a front-facing camera which could be used to video chat as well.  Google has been busy buying up companies that optimize voice and video over IP.

Dell Streak full specs and video below:

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Google signaled an end to its ambitions to bypass the carriers with its announcement that it would discontinue the Nexus One Store last month.

Andy Rubin, VP of Google Engineering, second from left.

In a media Q&A session today, Google's Android leadership told the press audience that they had given up on having an independent Android store because they wanted to focus on working with the carrier partners. The move was likely fueled by the lackluster sales of the Nexus One handset, which Google tried to sell independently and obvious pressure from the carriers.

A major technology innovation may bring Google back to independent Android sales. Google has been working on a VoIP project with its acquisition of Gizmo5 last year and it may move to give its customers a way around the carrier monopoly on overpriced voice plans.

Google clearly wants to get into Skype's VoIP field and already has phone number routing services provided by its Grand Central acquisition/Google Voice product.  But would Google bring these products to mobile?  Recent purchases of companies who optimize voice and sound over latency-ridden mobile networks indicate that Google is leaning in that direction.

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Google pays $68.2 million in cash for the voice and video over IP technology maker.

As part of their expansion into new technology fields, Google has recently been gobbling up companies at a voracious clip.

One area of strong acquisitions is in video and VoIP fields. Google picked up On2 last year and has been building an open source video codec called VP8 around On2's technology. The company also purchased Grand Central to become its Google Voice routing service and Gizmo5 to serve as its 'Skype-killing' VoIP provider.

Last night, Google (GOOG) purchased Global IP Solutions, a Swedish company voice and video over IP technology company with headquarters in San Francisco and offices in Stockholm, Boston and Hong Kong. Besides Google, GIPS customers include Nortel, Oracle (ORCL), Samsung, WebEx, Yahoo! (YHOO), AOL (AOL) and other players in the Video/VoIP market. Google announced that they'd support current GIPS customers throughout the length of their contracts.

One customer not mentioned is Skype, who used GIPS technology to build their original product.  Skype dropped (then named) Global IP Sound in 2006 and moved over to a different technology integrated from SPIRIT DSP.  Skype cut ties with GIPS in 2007.

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Google is now offering a Google Voice invite to anyone with an .edu email address.

The announcement, made on the official Google Voice Blog, lets the floodgates open to users interested in managing their voice communications with Google.

Google offers a free phone number, Voicemail transcription, call routing, cheap international calling and a bunch of other cool features with Voice. (Great video overview of Google Voice services here.)

Until now, the free service had been invite-only, but now students (and apparently faculty/staff/teachers/alumni -- really anyone with a school email address -- can sign up. The service now counts 1.4 million US users but will probably explode with the current offer.

Already Google is saying, "Update (5/17): The response to this has been higher than expected. It might take us a little longer to get you your invites -- but sit tight, they'll come as soon as possible."

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