This morning I received an invitation to try Google's GrandCentral. I promptly wrote about it on Pain in the Tech, after dissecting some of it's most prominent features.

I've been waiting for this day for a long time, ever since I included my email address to be alerted when I can try the service. The ability to archive and download voicemail matches my acquisitive nature. I can also consolidate all of my phone numbers into one.

To my surprise, there are a dozen more unique and exciting features that I didn't even know about, such as:

• Switch phones during calls. (Leaving the building and the connection to a land line? Switch the current call to your cell, and hit the road!)
• "Live" voicemail. (Listen to a voice message as it's being recorded, like a home phone. Is it important? Interrupt their message and talk to them right away.)
• Record calls. (At any time during a phone conversation, hit a button and the conversation starts recording. The recording can then be archived and downloaded.)
• Web call. (Provide an immediate way for web users to call you, without revealing your number. Perfect for eBay auctions or business sites.)

These features just scratch the surface. You get complete control over how GrandCentral handles your callers.

GrandCentral has the potential to be a very useful service.