Larry is on duty today but that doesn’t mean he isn’t keeping his eye on things. He just emailed me with great news… Google Voice now has its own mashup that allows you to use thew service without having to give everyone a new number. It is an awesome new mashup, and I for one am thrilled.

Let me explain…

Until now you had one of two choices if you were using Google Voice. Either you gave everyone your new number, or you used the mashup offered by Skydeck to send calls that come into your cell phone to your Google Voice number assuming you don’t initially pick up. It wasn’t a great system but it did work.

Now Google has gone and done what Skydeck had, but with one huge difference… the mashup is offered from within the Google Voice system.

Simply go to Settings, then Phones. Next to your cell phone there is now the option to send voicemail directly to your Google Voice number.

Follow the simple prompts

and… that’s it.

Now when a call comes to your cell phone that is the only phone that will ring. BUT, if you do not answer the phone, the voicemail system will redirect your call to… your Google Voice number. Once it does, the other numbers on your Google Voice account will ring.

If you don’t pick up any of them the call goes to voicemail… only now it goes to Google Voice’s voicemail, is transcribed and, depending on the settings you chose, emailed or texted to you.

It…is…awesome!

Here is a quick video explaining the process.

You can read all about it over on the Official Google Blog.