First time I had ever heard of it:
http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

Using it can apparently cause some problem with outgoing calls using Google Voice/Gmail as detailed here:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/h...paign=Engadget

What I found most interesting, however, is the comment by Google's Nikhyl Singhal who says "Hangouts is designed to be the future of Google Voice."

Whoa! Say what? Sure wonder what he means by that. There hasn't been any significant news or update for Google Voice for quite awhile. I'm wondering if Google Voice is going to be integrated into some other kind of "iMessage on steroids" type of application??

Thoughts?

...full integration? I recently successfully transferred my Voice account from its own Gmail account to my main one, in anticipation of a possible future unified messaging app/service. I also began using Google Play, Now, & Latitude on the main account as well (anyone know how to merge the data from other accounts in w/ my main one?).

Is anyone else excited about a possible better platform than iMessage that provides full unified integration of all communications - IM, email, voice, SMS, videoconferencing, & social networking - for those who could really use it? I'm sick of having to open up different apps for doing virtually the same thing. I have to use GV to send most texts but have to check my phone's SMS folder at times too. Google Talk & G+ Messenger both do exactly the same thing too.

Is there any way now to get free cell phone with google voice??

thanks