# Google Voice Plugin **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 19, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064 "2015-04-19T20:29:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/1 "2015-04-19T20:29:12Z")
So, my google voice plugin stopped working today. Gmail says “Please download the voice plugin to make a call”. Huh, I use this all the time to make calls to the USA. But sure, _click_ install. Same thing. Reboot. Same thing. Try on my laptop. My other laptop. Same thing. After google’ing (ironically) around for an hour, I finally find this piece of google bullshit: > [@](#): > > In April 2015 (Chrome 42) NPAPI support will be disabled by default in Chrome and we will \*\*unpublish \*\*extensions requiring NPAPI plugins from the Chrome Web Store. All NPAPI plugins will appear as if they are not installed, as they will not appear in the navigator.plugins list nor will they be instantiated (even as a placeholder). Although plugin vendors are working hard to move to alternate technologies, a small number of users still rely on plugins that haven’t completed the transition yet. We will provide an override for advanced users (via chrome://flags/#enable-npapi) and enterprises (via Enterprise Policy) to temporarily re-enable NPAPI (via the page action UI) while they wait for mission-critical plugins to make the transition. In addition, setting any of the plugin Enterprise policies (e.g. EnabledPlugins, PluginsAllowedForUrls) will temporarily re-enable NPAPI. > > In September 2015 (Chrome 45) we will remove the override and NPAPI support will be permanently removed from Chrome. Installed extensions that require NPAPI plugins will no longer be able to load those plugins. [https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation](https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation) Deprecation indeed. Also, “unpublish” is apparently a word, now. Back to Skype. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/2 "2015-04-19T21:28:54Z")
Google really wants you to upgrade Chat to Hangouts. Though, as you pointed out, you can temporarily turn NPAPI back on in the options. Google is surprisingly incompetent about error messsages. For example, Chrome will give you an error if you try to download an extension from a non-Google site. That error tells you that you need to install it manually. You try to install it manually, and you get another warning which gives you an override button. Then, when you restart Chrome, it tells you that it turned the extension off. They could just say “You can’t install this extension.” Or, better yet, give you a link to a search for that extension or a similar one on the Google Play store. But, no, they’d rather give you a huge runaround. They’re doing it here, too. They want you to upgrade to Hangouts, but they can’t be bothered to tell you that. Click the little option button and choose “Try New Hangouts” if you’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/3 "2015-04-19T21:55:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Google really wants you to upgrade Chat to Hangouts. Though, as you pointed out, you can temporarily turn NPAPI back on in the options. > > Google is surprisingly incompetent about error messages. It’s only a little surprising. Until summer 2013 google talk worked nicely via WiFi from my tablet, before google cancelled 3rd party apps that used their VOIP technology. > [@](#): > > They’re doing it here, too. They want you to upgrade to Hangouts, but they can’t be bothered to tell you that. Click the little option button and choose “Try New Hangouts” if you’re interested. I am very interested. But I don’t see that option button. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/4 "2015-04-19T22:07:30Z")
I googled for “try new hangouts” and found this page: > **[Google Chat Help](https://support.google.com/chat?hl=en&visit_id=638201704155623061-297408461&rd=2)** > > Official Google Chat Help Center where you can find tips and tutorials on using Google Chat and other answers to frequently asked questions. There’s a link: “Open Hangouts in Gmail” It just opens Gmail. That’s it. Nothing more. I am using Chrome. Tried in Firefox. Same thing. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/5 "2015-04-19T22:08:04Z")
[https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd?utm\_source=chrome-app-launcher-info-dialog](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd?utm_source=chrome-app-launcher-info-dialog) ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/6 "2015-04-19T22:24:34Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd?utm\_source=chrome-app-launcher-info-dialog](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd?utm_source=chrome-app-launcher-info-dialog) Thanks for the link. After I installed it I got a different window that had my contacts. But when I tried to call them - nothing happened. I rebooted. Now the green phone link only opens the (now useless) voice plugin. I’ll take this to GQ if others have gotten google hangouts to work. Then perhaps I’ll just pit Larry fargin Page (CEO of GOOG) ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/7 "2015-04-19T22:36:31Z")
> **[Google Chat Help](https://support.google.com/chat?ref_topic=3187124&visit_id=638201704152518686-4114369134&rd=1)** > > Official Google Chat Help Center where you can find tips and tutorials on using Google Chat and other answers to frequently asked questions. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/8 "2015-04-19T23:16:12Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > [Google Chat Help](https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3187125?&ref_topic=3187124) Thanks **yoyodyne!** That installed, and now when Chrome starts up it shows my contacts and photos of any of them who have google+ I click on a contact and it looks like it’s ringing. No sound. This is more a tech-support thing - I’m on my laptop now - I’ll try tomorrow on my main PC (wife is playing Dragon Age) ---
**Author:** ![b3ard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9adbd/32.png) [@b3ard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/b3ard)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-plugin/718064/9 "2015-04-20T05:52:06Z")
I dont think Google is going to be updating Google voice as much and will be trying to move everything over to the hangouts side. Like the iphone app hasnt been updated in I think 3 plus years. But with the new Hangouts app you can send and receive picture messages which is pretty cool.