Google Gmail Logs 10M Calls in First Week

For users who can't place the number they're receiving a call from, users can click the "screen" button and the caller will be sent to voicemail to let the Google Voice user listen to it on the sly.

Google Voice users who pick up a call in Gmail but don't have time to chat at home can hit the asterisk on the Gmail dialer during the call to send the call to their mobile phone.

Users may also press 4 on the Gmail dial pad to record a call, clicking 4 again to record or hang up.

Call Phones from Gmail won't be mistaken for the polish and functionality of Skype's VOIP service, but its early adoption is promising, particularly with the continued integration of Call Phones with the Google Voice phone management application.

With Call Phones from Gmail, Google Voice and the Gmail voice and video chat capabilities it's become increasingly clear Google has a comprehensive VOIP platform on its hands, in practice if not in marketing speak.

Google's latest moves have sufficiently impressed Caris and Company analyst Sandeep Aggarwal, who wrote in an Aug. 26 research note:

"We think this is among the top low-hanging non-core search opportunities for Google, besides YouTube, Display, Apps and Mobile Net/Android," Aggarwal wrote.

"The global communication industry is $1.4 trillion including voice at $1 trillion. Even if Google just scratches the surface with its new offering, this could be a sizable incremental opportunity."

Indeed, while Google may make some money on international calls, this will be wiped clean in the cost to exchanges who connect these calls wherever they are supported.

Google is likely hammering out new ways to advertise against these services and could possibly add some click-to-call adds for these services in the future.