Not only did the Google Voice application for BlackBerry get updated yesterday, but the services did as well. The application was updated to 0.2.0.2 with no official changelog. I imagine it was to support the new changes Google has made to the backend of the services they also made. Before, when you called through Google Voice, you would have to dial your Google Voice number, then dial the number you wanted to call, etc. In other words, it was a pain to use so all I ever used it for was free visual voicemail. Here is the official statement from Google explaining the changes that were made:

Faster dialing with Google Voice on Android and Blackberry devices

Thursday, July 22, 2010

At Google we are obsessed with speed. Our mantra is faster = better. This is true for our Google Voice mobile apps as well. When you want to make a call, your phone should connect you as quickly as possible, whether you’re calling via Google Voice or not.

Today we are launching an enhancement to the Google Voice mobile app on Android and Blackberry phones, which makes placing calls much faster. We call this feature “direct access numbers.” Here’s how it works:

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. 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. 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.

The updated Android app is available from Android Market starting today. For Blackberry users, you can download the app by visiting http://m.google.com/voice from your mobile device. You will need a valid Google Voice account to use the app, and at this time, Google Voice is available in the US only.

This makes calling with Google Voice much easier, faster, and more efficient in almost every way. Now, I’ll probably use my Google Voice number again to start calling people with. If you’re not exactly sure what Google Voice is or what it’s all about, click here.

via: BGR | BlackBerryCool