Google recently announced updates to its Google Voice mobile apps for BlackBerry and Android smartphones.

 

The updated version of the mobile app adds a feature called direct access numbers.

 

"Until today, the Google Voice app had to make a request to the Google Voice server every time you wanted to make a call to send us the phone number you wanted to dial," company software engineer Flavio Lerda explained in a blog post announcing the update. "Then the call would be connected via a Google Voice access number."

 

"With direct access numbers, we assign a unique phone number to every person you call," Lerda wrote. "This means that we no longer need to use your data network to access the server each time you make a call, so calls will be placed much faster."

 

Android users can access the app at Android Market, while BlackBerry users can download the application at http://m.google.com/voice.