Rogers introduces Voicemail to Text service
While they still might have a ways to go with fair-priced data plans,
it looks like Rogers is introducing a pretty cool feature to their
network this month. It’s a voicemail-to-text conversion service,
and it does what you’d expect — convert your voicemail into
a text message automatically. While not free (it’s priced at
$15/month), the service will deliver any voicemails you have in your
inbox to you in real time. Pretty cool, right? The actual backend
conversion is powered by SpinVox, and we have no idea how accurate
the conversions will be, but we’re guessing they’ll be pretty
good. Damn Rogers? Voicemail to Text and Name Display caller ID on
cell phones? You’re making us jealous. As said previously, the
new SpinVox-powered service goes live this month, and it’s available
in seven provinces including, BC, Ontario, Québec, and the
Atlantic provinces. If you’re in Saskatchewan, Alberta, or Manitoba,
you’re going to have to brave the winter and wait for this to
come to your hood in early 2008.
T-Mobile’s 3G portfolio gains momentum, Samsung t819 next
December 12th, 2007
We’re starting to sense a trend here — much like T-Mobile’s Hotspot @Home lineup, the carrier’s nascent 3G lineup is quickly getting filled with bland, anonymous handsets that prevent power users from really getting into the tech. Then again, maybe that’s exactly the idea: keep the really big, important initiatives in the hands of perfectly average users that won’t be stressing it too hard before popping for the serious hardware. Anyway, here’s the SGH-T819 from Samsung, a WCDMA 1700 slider that keeps things low-key with a relatively unremarkable design and a 1.3 megapixel cam for the occasional candid shot. It’ll likely be T-Mobile’s first 3G slider, but let’s be honest — the lion’s share of buyers won’t even know what magical goodies lie beneath that blue plastic. No word on a release date or pricing for the t819 just yet.