Call Routing

by David English on December 30th, 2009

You may have three different phone numbers: a home number, an office number, and a mobile number. Wouldn’t it be great to have a single phone number that could ring all three phones at the same time? Or route your calls at certain hours to one of your phones? Or automatically route your calls to specific phones based on the caller ID?

You could route family member calls to your home and mobile, while sending business associate calls to your office and mobile. And while traveling, you might route all your calls to your mobile number. If that sounds ideal, but expensive and overly complicated, you haven’t tried Google Voice.

It’s free, though you currently have to request an invitation and wait (probably a few weeks) to be accepted. Once you receive your invitation, you can sign up for a new phone number or use one of your current numbers. In addition to routing your calls, Google Voice offers Web-based voice mail, along with the option to have the voice mail automatically transcribed and sent to you as e-mail messages. You can set up custom voice mail greetings based on caller ID and use your Google Voice number to make low-cost international calls. Despite all the options, I found the Web interface to be very easy to use.

There’s even a BlackBerry app that lets you access your Google voice mail directly from your phone. You can use the BlackBerry app to call out using your Google Voice phone number rather than the phone number that’s normally attached to the phone.

You can choose from a variety of phone numbers when selecting your new Google Voice number — and it doesn’t have to be in your area code. Choose carefully, though. While the phone number is free, there’s a $10 charge if you decide to swap it for another number.

Is there a downside to Google Voice? There could be privacy concerns. If you prefer that Google not have access to your phone messages or current phone numbers, then you may not want to use this service. Otherwise, it’s an incredibly powerful application that could dramatically change the way you interact with your phones.

Solar Phone

by David English on October 7th, 2009

Though you don’t usually associate Sharp with mobile phones—at least in the U.S.—it turns out that Sharp is the largest mobile phone manufacturer for the Japanese market.

At CEATEC, Sharp demonstrated a hybrid mobile phone that uses solar cells to extend the life of the lithium-ion rechargeable battery. For every 10 minutes you expose the phone to sunlight, you gain an extra 1 minute of talk time.

That may not seem like a lot, but it could be handy if you need just a few more minutes at the end of a charge cycle. And it could be very useful if the power is out, and you need to make an emergency call—assuming it’s still daylight, and the sky isn’t overcast.

One interesting thing about attending CEATEC is discovering just how many innovative Japanese products never make it to American shores. In addition to this phone, manufacturers were showing televisions with built-in Blu-ray recorders.

Convert MP3 Ringtones to iPhone Ringtones

by David English on September 4th, 2009

You don’t have to look far to find free MP3 ringtones on the Internet. They’re pretty much everywhere — including here on Beepzoid.

The problem for iPhone owners is, how do you convert them for your iPhone? iTunes can convert them for you, though the process is a bit confusing unless you have step-by-step instructions.

Here are 10 steps you can use to convert a standard MP3 ringtone into an AAC-based ringtone that’s compatible with your iPhone.

1. In iTunes, choose “Add File to Library” from the “File” pull-down menu.

2. Browse to the file you want to convert. Select it and open it.

3. Click on the newly created icon for the file to select it. You should find the icon in the Albums view of the Music Library, most likely labeled as “Unknown Album, Unknown Artist.” Once selected, the icon will have a blue border.

4. Choose “Create AAC Version” from the “Advanced” pull-down menu.

5. You can now delete the two new icons that were created for the Albums view — you won’t need them anymore. To delete an icon, right click it and select “Delete” from the menu options.

6. Now you’ll need to find the converted file in order to rename it. On my PC, the file is saved along this folder path: My Documents/My Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Unknown Artist/Unknown Album.

7. Change the extension of the converted file from .m4a to .m4r.

8. Back in iTunes, select the Ringtones Library. Then choose “Add File to Library” from the “File” pull-down menu.

9. Browse for the renamed .m4r file. Select it and open it.

10. Your converted MP3-format ringtone should now be available as an M4R-format ringtone for your iPhone.

That’s the method I used to convert MP3 ringtones to iPhone ringtones for Beepzoid’s Vintage Phone Ringtones page. I can’t guarantee this process will work for you, but it has yielded consistent results for me with minimal fuss.

Say What?

by David English on September 3rd, 2009

Do you fumble with your Bluetooth headset because you can’t remember how many times you’re supposed to press the tiny buttons? Or do you find yourself repeatedly taking the headset off your ear because you can’t distinguish the buttons just by touch?

Unfortunately, those are common complaints with Bluetooth headsets. BlueAnt’s Q1 headset promises to remedy those issues by making the commands almost entirely voice controlled.

I was highly dubious about this approach before I tried the Q1. What would I do in an exceptionally noisy environment if the Q1 couldn’t understand me? Would I miss the call? And how would I remember all the different voice commands, especially if I used the headset only occasionally?

BlueAnt has addressed the problem of exceptionally noisy environments — as well as situations where it may be awkward to speak out loud — by providing dual methods for dealing with incoming calls. Using the voice commands, you can say “answer” to accept the call or “ignore” to reject the call. Alternatively, you can press the Q1′s big button once to accept the call or twice to reject it. Both methods worked fine for me.

Remembering the commands hasn’t been an issue either. Hold that same button down until you hear the Q1 say, “Say a command.” Then if you ask “What can I say,” you’ll hear the available voice commands, which include tasks such as “call back,” redial,” “check battery,” and “settings menu.” “Teach me” initiates an audio tutorial. “Pair me” pairs the headset with your phone (it can handle two phones simultaneously and remember as many as eight different devices). “Call speed dial 3″ automatically dials one of your eight stored speed dial numbers.

The only times I ran into problems with the Q1 understanding me was when I was in an exceptionally noisy environment or when I didn’t have the headset positioned properly toward my mouth. You need to have the two microphones lined up for it to understand your voice commands or for the built-in noise suppression to function effectively. The detachable ear hook is handy for when you’re physically active, though I found the two different-sized ear tips did a pretty good job of holding the headset in place.

Most importantly, the audio clarity has been consistently top-notch for both ends of the conversation. If you don’t mind the price (it lists for $129), the Q1 is well worth considering.

Instant Wi-Fi

by David English on August 24th, 2009

If you travel a lot, you’ve probably encountered a hotel, convention center, or remote office that supplies an Ethernet jack rather than Wi-Fi. That’s generally not a problem. Most notebook computers can handle both types of Internet connections.

Sometimes, however, I prefer to connect over Wi-Fi. I might want to use my notebook away from the desk in the hotel room. Or I might want an Internet connection for my iPod Touch or BlackBerry Curve — both are Wi-Fi enabled.

Being able to connect a Wi-Fi enabled phone can be especially handy if you’re traveling outside the country, and your phone isn’t compatible with local cellular standards. With a Wi-Fi phone, you may be able to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi using your regular phone number and be charged as though you’re making a local phone call.

So how do you convert an Ethernet jack into a Wi-Fi access point? You can use D-Link’s DWL-G730AP Wireless Pocket Router. It sells for about $50, comes with a durable carrying case, and supports three wireless modes: Router, Access Point, and Wireless Client.

Set up can be a little tricky, as the documentation isn’t as clear as it should be, though once you have it configured with your Wi-Fi-enabled devices, you can just plug it in and connect. (For tips on configuring the DWL-G730AP, check the comments section for the product on Amazon.com. Here’s a link to the review there that helped me configure it as an access point. Unfortunately, I can’t offer advice beyond that.)

The DWL-G730AP can handle multiple connected devices at the same time, so you could provide Internet access for family, friends, or co-workers. WPA security is built-in, and you can hide the SSID as an additional safeguard. You could configure the SSID and password for your own devices before the trip, and then supply that information to others while traveling.

Palm Is Back

by David English on January 9th, 2009

If you attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), you’ll inevitably be asked at least once during the day, “See anything good?” Or sometimes the question will be, “what’s the best thing you’ve seen so far?”

It’s usually not that easy to answer either question. This year, at least at the end of the first day of the show, the answer would have to Palm’s new phone, the Palm Pre. Most of us had counted out Palm as having been left far behind — with little chance of catching up. To recover, Palm needed to hit a home run, and that’s just what the company has done.

While the hardware is impressive, it’s Palm’s new “webOS” that makes the new phone innovative. Imagine the easy-of-use touch interface of an iPhone married to the integrated productivity of a BlackBerry.

Highlights include a hidden QWERTY keyboard (it slides out from the bottom), support for multi-touch gestures (zoom in and zoom out of a Web page), a dedicated gesture area separate from the main content area (your finger won’t cover up what you need to see), and intelligent searches that begin locally but seamlessly branch outward to sites such as Google and Wikipedia.

How will the Pre complete with the 10,000 iPhone applications available through iTunes? According to Palm, if you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you can create Pre apps. That’s how the built-in programs were created, and they’re both fast and relatively powerful.

The Pre will be available through Sprint in the first half of this year. If that turns out to be June, the Pre will have to complete with a substantial number of applications for the BlackBerry and Android phones. It has only 8GB of on-board memory, and there’s no card slot for additional storage. Also, the 320×480-pixel screen may be a tad small at 3.1 inches.

In its favor, Palm has been down this road before. There’s still a remarkable amount of good will for the company, especially among developers – many who started out writing simple productivity and communications programs for the Palm Pilot.

For any other company, it might be too late to successfully enter this crowded field during a downturn in the economy. Given that it’s Palm and based on the CES demo, I would have to say they have a very good change of succeeding. Sprint should be especially pleased as the Pre will likely attract a significant number of new subscribers.

Rugged Earware

by David English on May 17th, 2008

With so many different Bluetooth headsets available, how would you design one to stand out from the others? Here’s an idea. How about building it to withstand the rigors of an active outdoor lifestyle?

That’s the reasoning behind the Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized. If you’re fashion conscious, the bulky appearance could be a non-starter, but if you’re fashion agnostic, you’ll likely appreciate that it doesn’t call attention to itself.

The 370 is manufactured to the MIL-STD 810 military-grade standards issued by the United States Army’s Developmental Test Command. Besides being water, dust, and shock resistant, it filters out wind noise, so you should be heard clearly even from a mountaintop or speeding bike (signal coverage permitting). I found the call quality be very good (I didn’t try it from a mountaintop or speeding bike, however).

Though it’s quite a bit larger than the smallest headsets, it does weigh less than an ounce. It felt reasonably comfortable for hours at a time. If you’re especially sensitive to the weight of a headset, it may take some getting used to. I didn’t try dropping it onto concrete or rocks, but it was clear from examining the unit that it should be able to take more than its fair share of abuse.

The Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized has a list price of $79.95.