GrandCentral is a service that has the ability to connect one phone number to all the devices that one owns. For example, a home, work, and cell phone can all ring at once and can be used interchangeably in mid-conversation.
Rules can also be set so that family member or friends get redirected to certain devices. There is also a feature called ListenIn that allows users to listen to their voicemail in real-time while callers are leaving messages. Voicemails can be converted into MP3s and conversations can be recorded at any time.
Google bought the company because they believe GrandCentral “enhances the collaborative exchange of information between our users.” Going forward, Google is moving the technology onto their own networks and GrandCentral’s team will start working at Google. The service is still in beta mode and invitations are required to gain access.
TechCrunch broke the acquisition rumor about a week ago. Even though the price was undisclosed, the suspected deal value was pegged at roughly $50 million.
