Morning Paper

Review: SimulScribe Part Deux

  This is the second installation in in my review series of VisualVoicemail services.   In my first post I asked which one is better, SimulScribe or CallWave?  In this post I will not attempt to answer that question, yet.  More to come.

In this post I will deal with SimulScribe only.  At the moment I am using the service with a number that is connected to my Blackberry 8830, not my Treo 755p, so I cannot give you an accurate summation of how the service works with a Palm Treo.  But I can't imagine it being too different from my Blackberry experience.  An experience that has been excellent!

SimiulScribe prides itself on it's "transcription" of email messages.  The company has worked very hard to fine tune it in such a manner that your message reads with 90% accuracy, almost word for word transcription of what has been said by the caller leaving the message. 

But I'm going to start out with what MP readers know is my pet peeve.

"Customer Service".

For me, and it should be for you as well, customer service can make or break a company or service.   No matter how good the product, if you can't get reliable, swift and understanding service from representatives, the product or service isn't worth your hard earned money.

This is where SimulScribe had me at hello.  The service rep that I spoke with was extremely knowledgeable, quick to answer questions and accommodating to needs.   I am on Sprint as most of you know, and by now anyone on Sprint knows that trying to setup a third party voicemail system is like trying to open a strip club in Dubai.   But unlike Dubai, fun can be had on Sprint openly, but like Dubai, one has to know the secret back alley tucked away cubby hole to get into the party.   

After going through this already with Callwave, and at long last figuring out how to get Sprint to make it work, I found myself in the same Sprint sea storm when I switched over to SimulScribe.  Only this time I had no luck.  SimulScribe to the rescue, they gave me the 411 to the Sprint White House,  and calmly politely got it squared away for me.  More on this Sprint problem in a later post.   But this is to demonstrate the excellent level of customer service SimulScribe offers. 

In the short few weeks that I have been using SimulScribe I have been very satisfied with the service itself.   SimulScribe offers two services, the regular transcription service that provides you transcribed read-outs of your voicemail along with an "Audio" file that you can listen to on your device, or on your computer in your mailbox that you setup.  You can forward your messages, receive them as SMS text or simply call in with your allocated number and listen to the message. 

Or there is SimulSays, The VisualVoiceMail add-on that rolls just like the iPhone VisualVoiceMail, but for Blackberry.  I will get into SimulSays in another post.

In practical use, the service "SimulScribe" does exactly what it says it will do.  My messages have been delivered to me with astonishing accuracy, even when they have been long winded.  And as a added bonus for me, the messages that I have wanted to hear have been simple.  I just click on the attached file, a few seconds later the mp3 player on my Blackberry opens and plays the message.  I then have the option to save it on the phone or just exit.  Pick exit, save your memory.  This is something that I could not do with the previous incarnation of the service I was using before SimulScribe.  But that was also with my Treo 755p, and I needed to get a third party app to perform the action.  Not so on the Blackberry.

As with most of these services, you can opt to delete the message, or hold on to it for the rest of your life.  Doing so automatically gains you entry into the GEEK club.

Here is the price break-down for the service.

 

"Features

Online voicemail management                                                  

Unlimited voicemail box storage                         

Voicemail delivery options include e-mail and/or text messages                                                  

Dial-in voicemail management                         

24/7 customer service and support                         

Benefits      

Read voicemail on your mobile phone, portable device and/or e-mail

Whether you are in a meeting, traveling, or on the golf course, you can instantly see who called, what they said, and you won't have to listen to all of your messages to find out about an important missed call

Use the SimulScribe online user interface to search, sort, archive and delete voicemail like email

You won't have to write down the information from a voicemail; important numbers, names and addresses are easy to find, easy to access and will never get lost

Respond in text by forwarding the message to another person

Voicemails delivered as text when you are roaming saves you money

You can still listen to the message as an audio file that is sent direct to your e-mail or dial in to the voicemail system

Keep the same voicemail functionality that you are used to; all dial-in voicemail functionality stays the same.            

Corporate Voicemail Integration"

I very highly recommend SimulScribe as a smart easy and far better way to deal with your Voicemail on the go.  The Transcribing of your messages is impeccable.  Even when the service doesn't quite get a word, the preceding sentence and following sentence is accurate enough that you can quickly piece together the word that was not understood by the service. 

The Audio files are crisp, clear and small, which makes listening on your device a pleasure. 

I will be setting up a direct link this week for a Morning Paper discount link to SimulScribe service.  But in the meantime go over and take advantage of the trial.

Also note: I will continue this series with reviews of SimulSays, and Callwave. After which we'll discuss the pros and cons of each service. 

SimulScribe

PALM CENTRO PHONE REVIEW!

After 11 years of unwavering commitment, I ended my once very happy marriage with VERIZON wireless and switched over to SPRINT. Why? Cause I couldn't get cell service in the one place I needed it most... my house! Dropped calls after dropped calls not to mention just a little pricey. In doing so with the switch, I was up for a new phone and was encouraged to get the PALM CENTRO.

Now, I'm not one to drool over all the cool things a phone like this can do. I'm happy with just phone service and text messaging. But since my plan and the phone came with internet and email and an MP3 player and GPS and what not, I thought, okay time to step it up and get with the program. I got say, after having the phone for 5 days, this thing ROCKS! It's small but not too small, sleek and navigates with ease. Connecting to the web is simple and fast and I wonder why in the hell I never did this before. The screen is big and clear and I dig the touch screen. I really haven't got all into the phone just yet cause I'm still trying to figure everything it can do, but so far I love it and for the price of $99, how could you not. There is however two things which I find kinda annoying. The keypad is just a tad smaller than what I had before on the Treo 650, which makes texting and typing a little frustrating, but I'm sure in time I'll get used to it. And the pen that comes with it is plastic which I don't like the feel of it. I wish it was metal like the Treo's was.

But overall, I really like the phone. And Sprint service, I know there's a lot of blogs out there talking about the troubles Sprint is having, but I got to say, I haven't had one dropped call since the switch and the service is great. I hope it only stays this way!

SplashID for Palm updated

SplashData has issued an update to its popular SplashID for Palm, as well as the companion desktop app.  I've been using SID for a very long time and it's a great way to keep up with your personal info securely.

The release notes show the following fixes:

• Desktop:
  • Sorting under tree branches is fixed
  • Search options added to the Options dialog - now you can select to search in Field 1 or All fields
  • Default backup path corrected to My Documents\SplashData\SplashID\Backup\
  • Custom icons displayed in Tree and List Views
  • Other bug fixes

• Handheld:
  • Fixed numeric keypad issue on Centro
  • Lookup Fields preferences added to Prefs menu - now you can speed up your searching by only searching on a single field

Get email notifications from multiple Gmail accounts with GmailAssistant

DownloadSquad has reviewed a little freeware Windows/Linux utility called GmailAssistant that allows you to monitor multiple Gmail accounts for new messages.  This fits for me perfectly, because I do have multiple Gmail accounts and I use them all for different purposes.  It can simply monitor your Inbox or even specific labels.

It requires Java Runtime Enivronment. So far it's working perfectly and not being too much of a resource hog, like I thought it might be.

Check it out.

[Download Squad via Lifehacker]

Easily create books from your pdf files with BookletCreator

BookletCreator is a nifty little online utility that lets you easily convert your pdf files to a book style.  It's rather simple, actually, since it just reorders the pages so that after printing and folding the pages you get     a small book.

You can set how many pages per booklet you want. You can add blank pages to the last booklet (back cover).

Now, if you happen to have the full version of Adobe Acrobat, which installs a printer driver by default that has a "Booklet" printing layout option, you can more easily achieve the same results that way.  But for those only using Adobe Reader and want to print a booklet, it's a convenient alternative.

BookletCreator

Watch your favorite TV shows anytime with PrimeTime Rewind

As any TV junkie will already know you can watch previous episodes of your favorites shows by going to the network's site and watching them.  PrimeTimeRewind has made this task much easier by consolidating the favs into one location.

What PrimeTimeRewind does is basically displays each network show that's available on a cube for you to easily select from.  You can also customize the cube. "When you click on a program, it will start playing directly from the network web site. In fact, the network web site will open up on your screen while the Prime Time Rewind navigation options will hang out in a sidebar. That's a really smart move, because it means you're basically visiting the network web site and viewing the videos exactly as the networks want you to. Thus, there's no good reason to sue Prime Time Rewind."

If you prefer to just search for you show, you can do that as well.  Very cool!

TV Squad

Review: SyncTogether From Mark/Space

Really and truly, you gotta love Mark/Space. These guys just get it. From understanding how your Palm and Mac should work together, all the way over to making a Blackberry and Windows Mobile phone play nice with a Mac, Mark/Space scores big every time.

SyncTogether is no exception. Over the past month I have been looking at various titles to keep my Macs in perfect harmony. There are a lot of apps out there that offer this usability, since some of them are better than others, I wont name them here. But if you're running data from your Smartphone (in my case a Treo 755p) and two or more Macs, perfect synchronization can become a daunting task. Most of the time, I will remember to sync one machine and forget the others. Or enter a new contact on the laptop and forget to enter it on the Desktop, and then a week later it makes it to my Treo. When you have a lot of information floating on a daily basis, forgetting simple things like syncing number or a task is easy.

With a Mac, a good way to service this need is iDisk. But early last year I decided to not renew my membership because I didn't use it, and for what I used it for, I felt as though I was paying a hefty sum at $99 a year. This is what eventually lead me to my pursuit of the BEST application to keep my machines in Sync, a task previously handled by iDisk (very slowly I might add).

The apps that I tried first all fell into the categories of either being design for one function, I.E. iCal, or two or more conduits that I didn't really need. Then I remembered SyncTogether.

Here is the one thing that sticks out about SyncTogether. If you're using any other Mark/Space app (I use MissingSync) it not only keeps your Macs Sync'd up, it also keeps a few of those MissingSync conduits up to date on up to three Macs. Conduits such as "Call Logs, SMS Messages and Notes". This I liked right away.

The standard fare conduits include: Address Book contacts, iCal events and tasks, Notes and memos, Selective syncing of Address Book groups, iCal calendars, and notes categories, Apple Mail account settings, signatures, filters and smart mailboxes and Safari bookmarks. After my first Sync I knew I had found the solution I was looking for. SyncTogether quickly and seamlessly made all of my Macs one cohesive unit of info.

Setup was as easy as any other Mark/Space application. Select which Mac is going to be your primary, set the others to receive, give each a password and choose if you want SyncTogether to constantly sync whenever something new is entered, or if you want to do it manually. NOTE: Choose Manually on your first Sync. Then simply hit Sync and BAMM!! You're all hooked up.

SyncTogether has just been updated to work with Macs running Leopard. I have yet to put the new OS on my machine, but I can't see any reason why v1.0.2 wouldn't be just as good if not better than the previous 1.0.1 version that I am currently using.

Features at-a-glance
Mac-to-Mac synchronization for up to three users
Add additional users in groups of three
Selective sync keeps personal information private
Syncs contacts from Address Book
Syncs calendar events and tasks from iCal
Syncs Safari bookmarks
Supports other Sync Services-savvy apps, like Mark/Space Notebook, Bare Bones Yojimbo, Panic Transmit and others
Sync manually or automatically on a schedule
Bonjour networking supports local network sync
Supports IP and domain name addressing for advanced users
No annual subscription fee required!

Mac System Requirements:
PowerPC G4, PowerPC G5, or Intel processor
Mac OS X v10.4.8 Tiger or later.
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard or later.
Internet connection for product registration
Local Area Network (LAN) connection between shared Macs or for remote syncs the user must know the physical IP address of all the computers being synchronized and have Internet access.

Now for the rough part. For all my praise of this application I have to tell you, it's pricey. Clocking in at a hefty $49.95. But believe me, If I didn't think SyncTogther was worth your investment I wouldn't spend time reviewing and writing about it. When you consider that if you're using a Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm or iPhone, SyncTogether ability to use some of those conduits present in any of those MissingSync versions makes this a very, very good tool.

I highly recommend any multiple Mac user try this one out.

MarkSpace

REVIEW: mVisualVoiceMail For The Palm OS

I have been using MotionApps mVisualVoicemail for about a month now on my Treo 755p. Now, let me set the stage for you. mVisualVoicemail allows you to listen to your voicemail messages in the same manner that the iPhone shows you your messages, giving you the ability to choose which message you want to hear.

A few months ago I switched the handling of my voicemail to "CALLWAVE", the visual voicemail service that provides transcribed and downloadable versions of your messages. These messages can come to your computer and be managed from there, and or to your email program on your phone. This is where mVisualVoicemail comes in.

mVisualVoicemail allows you to download those audio files that are your messages in your Treo's inbox, and play them through the application.

I had some problems at the very beginning with MVVM not being able to get the messages and play them from my server. But this was while the app was still in Beta and not yet released for the Palm OS. MotionApps has since released the full version that works a lot better in this area on my phone, but luckily mVisualVoicemail has another feature that worked great in beta and in its present form.

While still using the Beta version, I could after receiving a voicemail via Chatteremail, download the attached "Callwave" wav. file to my SDCard. Once on my card I then opened mVisualVoicemail and select "Open File" from the menu. The Program opens my card and I select the file which then opens in MVVM. I can then either listen to it or simply read the transcribed message.

The audio quality is excellent, although I'm sure a lot of that will depend on the quality of the sent file. The whole downloading process is pretty quick. It doesn't seem to take very long to get the message from the server or the SDCard at all.

One of the things that I really like about this program is it gives you quick and easy access to your messages. You can come back and listen to any message without the annoying ordeal of calling your service and using push key commands. All your messages are right there in your MVVM inbox until you delete them. One thing to remember. If you download to your card, remember to delete them as you are done with them, they can eat up space pretty quickly.

FROM MOTIONAPPS:
MotionApps mVisualVoiceMail provides voicemail user experience the way it should have always been.

Not only will mVisualVoiceMail add the visual component to the way you use voicemail, but it also includes an industry leading audio player specialized for playing voicemails in a number of industry standard formats. It is a unique player designed with voicemail in mind, capable of decoding audio data generated by commonly used PBX such as Avaya, Cisco or Nortel in G729.1, PCM, CCITT uLAW, CCITT ALAW, IMA ADPCM, GSM 6.10, MS ADPCM and OKI ADPCM formats.

With mVisualVoiceMail next time you get a voicemail you will be able to take a look at it - and then to listen to it.---

This is a pretty good program that has its benefits particularly if you're using a service like CallWave or Simulscribe.

$24.99

MotionApps

REVIEW: V-Moda Headset. Not Just For The iPhone, Great For Treo's Too

While Apple, Rim, Palm, Motorola, LG, Sony on and on fight it out for music playing mobile phone dominance, each new entry brings with it more need to aptly accessories.

Wether it is sexy leather bound flip lid carrying cases to secure your device from destruction, or cradles to allow you the opportunity to sit back and marvel at your beautiful new all-in-one mobile.

But with all of these all-in-one devices, one of the most important accessory is a hands free headphone. Bluetooth headsets have pretty much done away with the need for classic in-ear style phones. Bluetooth is far more comfortable and convenient then the typical wired. But, how do you enjoy all of those MP3's you've downloaded? V-Moda last year introduced their sexy headphones for the iPhone. I'm not one for sticking earbuds in my ear, but I have to say, this is a very good headphone set.

V-Moda headsets are not just for the iPhone though. With the help of my headphone adapter, I used the V-Moda vibe duo headset with my Treo 755p, Centro and Blackberry 8830, and on each one, the sound was fantastic.

One of the very first things I noticed about the headset is how comfortable they are in the ear. These are quite honestly the most comfortable in-ears i've ever used.

One of the reigning attributes V-Moda taughts is its bass response, and with good reason. I used them on my iPod knowing that out of the box the iPods EQ is okay, so hearing the highs and lows through them was as expected, very good. But I was surprise how rich the sound was coming from my mobile devices. I'm a bass player and drummer, so I want to hear and feel the bass and kick drum and i want everything else to envelope clearly and smoothly.

The vibe duo has a microphone that allows you to use the phone portion of your mobile while primarily using them to listen to your MP3's. This portion worked well, but I can imagine that without the extra adapter and on the iPhone that feature works far better than what I experienced.

V-Moda SPECIFICATIONS

Maximum mobility, convenience, and comfort
• Hands-free microphone for extreme mobility and convenient communication
• Microphone’s call control button quickly answers phone calls and operates music playback/fast forward features
• Comfortably secure fit with three sizes of ultra-soft silicone fittings (S,M,L)
• Durable and lightweight fabric cable complements the ergonomic design
• Suitable for intense activity or calm relaxation

High-Definition and Noise Isolating Technology
• V-MASQUE dynamic driver for high definition clarity and 3-D soundstage
• Noise-isolating (BLISS) technology to reduce ambient noises and enable deep bass
• BLISS introduces no artificial sound into your music and requires no batteries, unlike bulky active noise cancellation
Pinnacle sound, sight, and touch
• Vibrant bass, vivid mid-range, vivacious highs
• Solid alloy composition creates sculpted sound curve fashioned for discerning music enthusiasts
• Handmade premium metal craftsmanship and sophisticated design accentuates the modern individual

Specifications
• Frequency response: 12Hz-22kHz
• Speaker driver: V-MASQUE dynamic technology, 9mm neodymium rare-earth magnet
• Cable length: 32 in./81.3 cm plug to y-connector; 13.5 in./34.3 cm even-length earphone cables
• Cable diameter: 0.09 in./2.2 mm (optimal for sport)
• Plug: 24k gold-plated, 3.5mm (1/8”) dual standard stereo/iPhone compatible plug
• Weight: 13 g

This headset is truly the best in-ear headset I've ever used and I highly recommend them for whatever mobile device you have.

The V-Moda Product line can be purchased at any Apple Store and online. This vibe duo set sells for $99.

Software Review: Rockin' with Pocket Player 3!

With Windows Mobile, Microsoft tries to give you everything you need including a useable Media Player for MP3s and even video playback. It's a simple, utilitarian application that does the job for many. And then there are applications like Pocket Player 3 that show you what you've been missing.

I've always been the type of "if it aint broke, don't fix it" since, for the most part, Windows Media Player Mobile (or whatever they are calling it these days) works. I've always enjoyed the seamless integration with the desktop version to move media and play list to and from my phone with ease. One of the reasons I still don't have a Zune (or iPod) is because of Windows Mobile Media Player.

Now, Windows Media Player has been kicked to the curb in favor of this really great media application.

Pocket Player 3 by Conduits Technologies does what Media Player should: offer a bevy of options for all your media on your device in an attractive and well designed package. And it's compatible with the Standard and Professional flavors of Windows Mobile.

You get a whole heaping of functionality for this little program including:

Full music and video support: MP3, WMA, WMV, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, and WAV!

Protected WMA support, u-Law, A-Law, AU, and ADPCM WAV (used in Voicemail attachments) playback

Media Browser menu system, with touch scrolling and gesture support!

Media Library, with ratings support, auto-imports 1000+ tracks with ease!

10-band Equalizer and Preamp, with presets!

Universal Plug-and-Play (UPnP): browse and play content from your desktop!

Web guide for Internet radio, MP3 blogs and podcast streaming, with pause, auto-resume and seek functionality!

Voicemail playback (WAV attachments), integrates to your Inbox!

Visualizations and downloadable Album Art support

Plus full A2DP Bluetooth control

With all of the great features listed above, what I especially liked was the DSP controls that let you tailor the sound to your liking AND tell Pocket Player how to react while using your phone's functions (i.e. incoming calls, that sort of thing) . 

I struggle with Pocket Player not because it is a bad application, as there is so much to do with it. This is a full featured media application that can handle just about anything you can think to throw at it. Podcast? Check. Streaming Internet? Check. Audiobooks? Check. Transferred video? Check. Skinnable? Check. Preset EQ? Check. Customizable EQ? Check.

Luckily, the basic set up will get you started (like it did me) so that you can then dig into all the various menu options that any true audiophile would love at your convenience. The learning curve at start is pretty small but can go as high as you like after you get more familiar with the program.

A very extensive manual and user forum is also available online if you're not as much of an audiophile as you like to think (guilty).

An important note though, be sure to get the plugins that are freely available after your download OTA as they will greatly enhance the things you can do with Pocket Player 3, especially the all important Bluetooth usage.

Pocket Player 3 works very well. I use it via Bluetooth headsets at the gym, around the house and even in the car. It will give you a full featured media player that will greatly enhance the Windows Mobile device you already have at a price that is very easy on the pocket.

With all of the ways to customize the user listening experience found in Pocket Player 3, this should be application you use if you are serious about media on your WinMo device.