If talking out loud to Alexa (or your digital assistant of choice) feels unnatural, you're not alone. I've had Siri for as long as she's been alive, yet I can count on one hand the number of times I've spoken to her. It's always seemed easier to open an app on my iPhone or type in a Google query and get exactly what I'm looking for, rather than navigating a line of verbal questioning that eventually leads to my desired answer — or not.

Google Voice has always been a reliable service (even if it doesn't get much love from the company), but there's one obvious feature that's been missing for years: calls over wi-fi or mobile data. Not anymore!

Congratulations Google Voice loyalists. Your time has finally come. After years of languishing on the vine, Google has finally updated its phone service with a new look and some new features for its Android, iOS and web clients.

Android: Google has always loved its voice commands, but they're no substitute for a touchscreen. Until now, anyway. Voice Access is a new accessibility option that allows users to control their phone entirely with their voice.

Dear Lifehacker, Is there any equivalent/substitute for a fully optioned Google Voice service available in Australia? I would like to be able to use an app on my phone to send and receive texts and calls from an Australian mobile number.

Google Shopping arrived at last in Australia earlier this week. That's a welcome development, but it also served to remind us that there are still some services which Google doesn't offer down under. Here are the five we most want to see on the fast-track list.

Any post about Google Voice brings a small collection of sighs and aggravation from our non-US readers: "What about us?" Here's how you can obtain a US Google Voice number and use it overseas.

Last month, Google, Apple and AT&T all handed over statements to the FCC regarding the alleged rejection of Google Voice from the iTunes App Store. Apple claimed that they'd never rejected it to begin with, while Google redacted their one answer that might shed light on things. Well, now Google's dishing the complete letter, which does in fact state that Apple rejected Google Voice from the App Store, as well as Google Latitude, which they worried would replace the core Maps app because it had features Maps didn't.