But Mike notes that AT&T is already OK with setting up Windows and Blackberry phones with data only plans (but not iPhones) and that a data/VoIP-only phone is what Google proposed to the FCC when bidding on wireless spectrum back in the day.

The initial post that there would be a Google phone — an in-house, top-to-bottom Google developed handset running android — was met with scepticism by the press. Most people quoted previous statements from Google’s Andy Rubin stating that they would not “compete with their own customers” by releasing a handset of their own. That mimes Microsoft’s strategy with PCs and Phones, versus their in-house designed Xbox and Zune hardware.

But there is a difference here, despite the quote from Rubin: Google does not charge for Android, so are these people customers or beneficiaries of the only real modern mobile operating system that they can licence. And Free. I mean, WinMo is currently terrible and costs money and Symbian is a joke. Blackberry isn’t up for grabs. And does Google care if they lose a few points of market share? I don’t think so.

This isn’t even close to their core business, except that whenever someone gets on the internet, Google stands to make money. In this case, Google wins not by licensing more OSes to be used on phones, but in the very act of getting more phones in the world, no matter what the OS or platform. Now that’s scary power. [Techcrunch]

The scoop by TechCrunch suggests Gizmo5 and Google Voice could join forces to create a Skype-like service. Although they already work together well enough as separate services, we look forward to better integration. [Techcrunch via lifehacker]

Maybe the more interesting number though, is how many companies it takes to make Google Voice happen:

In its correspondence with the FCC, Google also reveals several companies that help it provide Google Voice. The list includes fiber-optic network operators Level 3 Communications (LVLT) and Global Crossing (GLBC). It also mentions Broadvox Communications, Bandwidth.com, and Pac-West Telecomm. IBasis (IBAS) is responsible for connecting outbound international calls on Google Voice and Neustar (NSR) provides “porting and carrier lookup services,” Google says in the letter. Syniverse Technologies (SVR) provides the free text-messaging service.

That’s eight, not counting Google itself. [BusinessWeek]

Bang & Olufsen BeoCom 5 Gallery

When “docked” on the speaker (or its second, smaller charger), the phone is held in place via magnets. And adding to the metallic chic, is an aluminium scroll wheel control.

It’s also very elegant and European, but no word on the price yet. But it’s B&O, so it won’t be cheap. [Bang and Olufsen]

TechCrunch is saying that Skype is looking to buy Gizmo5, a SIP-based service that isn’t quite as popular as the former, but works pretty well. SIP is an open standard that works with many, many devices—Gizmo 5 works with Google Voice even—so this could be a pretty good move even if Skype gets out of legal trouble. Imagine piping your free Google Voice number through Skype to get free calls like you can now with Gizmo5. [TechCrunch]

A brief recap: Google Voice doesn’t allow calls to some rural numbers, sexy talk lines or conference call services because the access and termination fees to them are pricey. AT&T has oh-so-kindly asked the FCC to investigate them for not following net neutrality rules (hilarious, since AT&T is quite pissy about the FCC’s serious desire to apply them to mobile broadband networks), largely because AT&T got smacked for doing the same thing back in 2007. The FCC these days, headed by Julian “Mr Neutrality” Genaschowski, is all about investigating stuff, so they’re dutifully asking Google WTF is up with that.

Google says they’re not providing a phone service like AT&T, but a free software/web service that’s a supplement to your phone, emphasis on the free part:

Google Voice is a free application and we want to keep it that way for all our users — which we could not afford to do if we paid these ludicrously high charges.

Given that Google Voice isn’t even a VoIP service and runs on top of your actual phone service—not to mention, is invite-only—they sorta have a point. Plus, um, free is good. [Google Policy Blog]

The FCC’s interested in part because some lawmakers jumped on its ass, but also because it’s very interested in making some new rules for telecoms. Currently, Google Voice blocks calls to some rural carriers, conference call services and naughty talk lines because they have pricey access fees.

You can read the full letter here (PeeDeeEff), but basically the FCC asks Google to describe how calls are routed with Google Voice, how it decides what numbers to block, what exactly Google means by saying the service is “invitation-only”, whether or not it plans to charge money for GV (!), and some other stuff.

Google insists Google Voice is software, not subject to common carrier laws. We’ll see, the new FCC is mighty feisty. [FCC (PDF via Bits]

I guess the “3-in-1″ means that you can move it, talk and listen to it. What a waste of plastic. [One More Net]