LOL!, I am the OP.

Sorry for being confusing. I did not mean CAN'T but I don't want anyone being charged $$$.

And actually I do mean the computer to be a N800, N810 or desktop computer for that matter.

You see when calling from the tablet you are using Voice Over Internet Protocol.

Now it varies per landline, but at least the last time I checked years ago, AT&T, Verizon, etc. were quite picky about what they consider to be "long distance". I recall the dialup days and I had picked a # within my area code but didn't pick a ISP callout number that was within my city. So they charged me $200! I got rid of my landline after a few of those issues -_-. Now cellphones usually consider any call within your country to be "local" while the new "long distance" being international calls.

So as you are tunneling through GV (in much the same way as we used to tunnel through a phone line to connect to the internet - now we are tunneling through a internet connection for phone calls). Keeping in mind the fine print in your teleco contracts is important so you don't get a huge bill.

GV is really meant to allow people to consolidate their phone lines (plus have a few cool features like transcribed voicemails).

So anyway as far as billing goes. Computer<=>computer like any other half-decent SIP service doesn't cost a penny. Computer => landline doesn't cost a penny (landlines aren't charged for received calls). Computer => cellphone costs the cell user anytime minutes (depending on their plan; it's same as any other phone call to them). Cellphone => computer is the same. Cellphone <=> cellphone affects both users plans. (that is the nature of billing in the US; I realize this is a o_O moment to those in Europe who are only charged for outgoing calls/text but in the US charged for calling and receiving as well as sending and receiving SMS!) Landline => computer/cellphone/landline well, remember you aren't calling direct. What the landline is calling is the Google Voice #. So what is considered long distance matters only in regards to whether or not that GV# is long distance or not.

Now if you don't care about your landline/cellphone carrier charging you for long distance, then this is all irrelevant (please also consider charges to the people you are calling/receiving).

The extend of the N. America limitations are as follows:
* Must register invite code with gmail account from a US/Canada IP address.
* Must register one (can be disabled but not deleted; can be replaced with an equal one though) US/Canada "physical" phone. Physical means landline or cellphone (however, this tutorial is about using a US SIP/VOIP number to fake this)
* Calls must be routed through a US/Canada cellphone, landline, or Gizmo "phone"
* Outgoing number (for billing AND callerID purposes) is a US phone number.

If that is not clear, well then, ummm check your phone's contract.

As far as "australia calls my google voice number [here in the States]" yes I am combining two quotes. In that situation. Your Australian friend should get a GV account (borrow it?) and call you using a computer using GV+Gizmo (their end).

I know that seems useless to you. I originally including the international use portion because someone on this forum was stationed in Japan and wanted to call their friends/family back home in the USA using their N810.

I suppose to simplify this:

If you are outside the US/Canada call/receive using a computer/N8X0.

If you are within the US/Canada you may call/receive using cellphone/landline (being careful to choose a "safe" GV #)/computer (N810 or desktop).