While the web has been buzzing about [Twitter][1], I've discovered something far more useful -- [GrandCentral][2]. GrandCentral is an all-in-one phone answering service that gives you a number and can forward calls to any other number you chose. There's also a host of other great features like call recording, email message delivery, and spam blocking for telemarketers.

For those that missed it, David Pogue [wrote about GrandCentral][3] in his column last week, claiming "GrandCentral has rewritten the rules in the game of telephone."

Normally I'm a bit cynical about new services, I still don't see the point of Twitter, but in this case I don't think Pogue is being hyperbolic. If GrandCentral doesn't get hijacked somehow by the existing phone companies, this service is going to be huge.

Pogue starts off his column saying that the service isn't really for people that only have one phone, but I disagree. I only have one phone and I have still find GrandCentral to be indispensable. I've only been using the service for three days and I'm already hooked.

Rather than recap Pogue's review, which is quite thorough, here's a brief list of what I think are GrandCentral's standout features:

*	Caller Name ID. Every GrandCentral caller is announced by name when you answer the phone.
*	Listen to messages as they're being left. Every time you answer a GrandCentral call you have four options, answer, send to voicemail, send to voicemail and listen in with the option to pick up and answer and record.
*	Record your phone calls. For most people this may not be a big one, but it's what sold me on the service. Note in some states you are required to disclose to the other party when you are recording a call.
*	personalized greetings. You could, if you wanted,mid-conversation record a different greeting for every user in your GrandCentral phonebook. It's not essential, but it does add a nice personalized touch.
*	GrandCentral can call any phone you chose and you can witch lines anytime during a call. Say you answer on your home phone and decide you need to run to store. Just press the * key to make all of your phones ring again and you can pick up on your cellphone in midconversation, unbeknownst to the person on the other end.


While most people may not be interested in it the ability to record calls it's indispensable when conducting phone interviews -- something I do a lot. I can spend far less time trying to hurriedly type up notes when I know that I'll be able to review the call later, which allows me to focus more on the interview.

I also really like the ability to record individualized greetings for different callers, though several people have told me it creeped them out a bit, but even those folks immediately wanted to know how to do it.

The one drawback that I can see is that dialing out straight from your phone, the person on the recieving end won't see your GrandCentral number on their caller ID. If you place a call through the website they will see the number, but otherwise it can be a bit confusing for your friends. 

However that's about my only gripe with GrandCentral and it hasn't stopped me from changing my number. However, keep in mind that the service is a beta. I haven't had any problems and I have already entrusted it with some critical communications, but as with any beta -- YMMV.

[1]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/03/8_cool_twitter_.html "8 Cool Twitter Tools"
[2]: http://www.grandcentral.com/ "GrandCentral"
[3]: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/technology/15pogue.html?ex=1331611200&en=4df47d0c8f62356d&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss "One Number That Will Ring All Your Phones"