Once you're signed in, the system will

walk you through the process of selecting your phone number. You can choose the area code and select from any number that's available, even searching for specific letter- or number-based combinations. (Hint: If you can get a number that spells out the word "CHEESE," you will be the envy of Gouda-lovers everywhere.)

You'll also select a PIN and add your first forwarding phone -- your home phone, cell phone, whatever number you want to connect with your account. You can add more numbers later. This hints at the real core benefit of Google Voice: You can maintain a single permanent number that'll always reach you, wherever you are and whatever cell phone or landline you happen to be near. Moves and service changes are suddenly a lot less relevant.

Google Voice Settings

The first place you'll find yourself after signing in is at the Google Voice home screen. The main part of the screen is where your voicemails and text messages will show up. On the top-left of the screen, you'll see buttons that allow you to place phone calls or send text messages free-of-charge (when you place a call, Google Voice actually calls you and then connects you to the number you dialed; the person on the other end will see your Google Voice number in caller ID).

Let's start with some basics: Click on the "Settings" option at the top right of the screen. Here, you'll find options to add and manage multiple phones. Personally, I include my home and cell phone. Some people also include their work phones or other numbers they might occasionally use.

Clicking "Edit" next to any phone number lets you change its parameters. On the number-editing screen, select the option to "Show advanced settings." From there, you can customize specifically when Google Voice will ring each phone. You might, for example, want calls during the day to ring only your cell phone. But in the evenings, maybe you want calls to ring both your cell phone and your home phone, so you can pick up whichever is more convenient.

The next menu under the "Settings" section of Google Voice is "Voicemail & Text." This menu holds the options to record your own voicemail greeting; you can record as many as you want and set different ones to play in different circumstances, too. You can also tell Google Voice how to handle your voicemails and text messages from this screen.

The "Calls" section of the "Settings" menu is an important one to visit. There, you'll find the option to enable or disable call screening. If enabled, you'll actually hear a recording from Google Voice anytime you answer your phone. It'll tell you who's calling and give you the option to either answer or send the call to voicemail. (The person on the other end of the line will continue to hear ringing while you decide.) If you send them to voicemail, you can then listen in as they leave a message and opt to pick up the call at any point during the recording.

Up next is the "Groups" tab. This tab holds a lot of power: It lets you divide your contacts into different categories and then specify how their calls are handled. You could, say, tell Google Voice to route your boss's calls to your cell phone during the week but to send him directly to voicemail if he calls you on the weekend. (Google Voice will even give the appearance of the phone ringing a few times on the caller's end, so he'll never know.) You could similarly send an annoying relative's calls straight to voicemail 24/7. The options are endless.

You can also send outgoing texts from the app anytime; there's never a fee. The only downside is that multimedia messages -- texts that include images, for example -- are not yet supported.

Not to worry there are PLENTY of apps that let you do that = like TextPlus.

NOW to set up your TalkaTone !