Google Voice is cool.

Google Voice has been around, and I've had a (free) Google Voice phone number, for a while. It's functionality is now integrated into Google Hangouts (video calls, text messaging, etc.). -so it might stay around. One of it's main uses is to have a place to consolidate your calls. You can give out this one phone number, and have that forward to different numbers (mobile, work, etc.), depending on who's calling. You can have a default, then filter calls by individuals, groups, time of day, etc. Calls from/at certain callers/times can be immediately forwarded to voice mail, or dropped. You can even transfer your existing number (for, like, $15) to make it your Google Voice number. Domestic calls can be made from your computer, smartphone, tablet, etc., from this number, for free. This part of it's functionality is not new. I can remember making computer to phone calls, now called Voice Over IP (VOIP), with a program called DialPad (circa 1999). Vonage is probably the best known VOIP provider, currently.
Why do I think it's cool? I like consolidating and simplifying my information/communications, for easy (and future) access. Text messages  are integrated. They are free to send (and receive). They'll be saved, and easily searchable. You can set for them to automatically go to your GMail. Voice mails are saved. Voice recognition software (server-side) is used to transcribe these into text, which you can text search. So far, most of this is free. You'll pay for non-domestic calls. You also have to seriously consider the cost of Google having a little more access to your personal information. For me, I'm not sure how much worse this is from Verizon, T-Mobile, U.S.Cellular, AT&T, etc. having access to this. You can still bypass this by giving certain people the direct number to a phone. I do like that Google has started providing users a way to do bulk downloads of their data from their services: https://www.google.com/settings/takeout

So I'm seriously considering transferring my current mobile number (which I use as my "home" number), to Google Voice. Then I would have Verizon assign a new number for my phone.

Feel free to let me know what you think.