Friday, 19 June 2009
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Monday, 8 June 2009
New HulloMail Android app drops tomorrow
The brand new version of our Android app goes live tomorrow. In addition to a slick new user interface, registration can now be done within the app making signing up to HulloMail even easier. Visit the Android Market to get your hands on it.
Friday, 8 May 2009
OMTP Proposes Visual Voice Mail Standards - and re-invent email?!
The OMTP recently issued a recommendation document which defines an open and standardised interface between Visual Voice Mail (VVM) clients and voice mail servers. Those who have reported it suggest that a key recommendation within the document is for the industry to implement a VVM protocol based on IMAP4.
So the OMTP is proposing that a visual voicemail client shoud be a souped up email client that connects to the voicemail server using IMAP4, making the voicemail server essentially an email server.
Its good to finish the week knowing all our hard work to date fits this proposed open standard - HulloMail is an email based solution. However the recommendation by the OMTP is a customisation of IMAP4 and by virtue suggest a parallel universe to the already prevelant spec used by email clients and servers.
I suggest the key recommendation is their proposed standard for the definition of message types such as voicemail (voice-email) or videomail (video-email). In my ideal world we would have one client that would optimise the inteface/experience according to the message type rather than have multiple clients for different message types. Just with this approach existing email clients could be extended to produce the desired effect.
What puzzles me is why the OMTP would suggest customising IMAP4 instead of say a simpler XML based protocol via a middle layer which in turn connects to the voicemail server via standard IMAP4? The OMTP approach does not help operators that may desire to have network based business logic associated to their VVM solution, e.g. to implement charging mechanisms. Going direct to the message store can also squew the performance on the voicemail servers that are already under heavy call completion loads.
Could it be advisors to the OMTP have already developed these VVM clients and are trying to sell this approach to the operators and handset manufacturers by claiming they are the first to follow the new proposed open spec?
if you want to read more:
http://www.omtp.org/Publications/Display.aspx?Id=92da615d-4cee-469f-b29f-53d7d82a2ce3#
So the OMTP is proposing that a visual voicemail client shoud be a souped up email client that connects to the voicemail server using IMAP4, making the voicemail server essentially an email server.
Its good to finish the week knowing all our hard work to date fits this proposed open standard - HulloMail is an email based solution. However the recommendation by the OMTP is a customisation of IMAP4 and by virtue suggest a parallel universe to the already prevelant spec used by email clients and servers.
I suggest the key recommendation is their proposed standard for the definition of message types such as voicemail (voice-email) or videomail (video-email). In my ideal world we would have one client that would optimise the inteface/experience according to the message type rather than have multiple clients for different message types. Just with this approach existing email clients could be extended to produce the desired effect.
What puzzles me is why the OMTP would suggest customising IMAP4 instead of say a simpler XML based protocol via a middle layer which in turn connects to the voicemail server via standard IMAP4? The OMTP approach does not help operators that may desire to have network based business logic associated to their VVM solution, e.g. to implement charging mechanisms. Going direct to the message store can also squew the performance on the voicemail servers that are already under heavy call completion loads.
Could it be advisors to the OMTP have already developed these VVM clients and are trying to sell this approach to the operators and handset manufacturers by claiming they are the first to follow the new proposed open spec?
if you want to read more:
http://www.omtp.org/Publications/Display.aspx?Id=92da615d-4cee-469f-b29f-53d7d82a2ce3#
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
We love the new Vodafone HTC Magic
Today I took delivery of the new Android mobile phone, the HTC Magic, available from Vodafone in the UK. The phone comes with the latest Android OS - 1.5.
It's a very nice phone! Great design, thin and light - it feels and looks high-end. Although I'm a diehard iPhone user, I'm also a diehard Android fan. The combination of the HTC Magic and Android is a tempting package that could lure me away from my iPhone. It would probably succeed if the email client was on a par with the iPhone's.
PS - The phone does not like "+" in a USSD code. If you are setting diverts using USSD and using international number format (which is how you should do it) then replace the + with 00 in the UK.
It's a very nice phone! Great design, thin and light - it feels and looks high-end. Although I'm a diehard iPhone user, I'm also a diehard Android fan. The combination of the HTC Magic and Android is a tempting package that could lure me away from my iPhone. It would probably succeed if the email client was on a par with the iPhone's.
PS - The phone does not like "+" in a USSD code. If you are setting diverts using USSD and using international number format (which is how you should do it) then replace the + with 00 in the UK.
Friday, 24 April 2009
My iPhone doesn't ring - keeps going to voicemail!?
Called O2 customer support.
I asked "My callers keep being diverted to voicemail. My phone does not ring even with all bars? I've even called it at my desk and can repeat the problem. I don't even see the missed call come up - what is going on?"
O2 " Yes sir we are aware of the problem. Do you use YouTube or browse the web much? do you use email push? do you use email polling?"
" Well yes but not all the time- what does that have to do with it, that's data and my calls are over normal voice circuit swtich - no?"
O2 " Well actually no sir - the iPhone can't handle a voice call and a GPRS connection at the same time"
"Ay?"
o2 "Yes Apple and O2 are aware of it and we are working on it. Actually you really need a good voicemail service so you dont miss any calls"
"You are kidding right?!??!??! What about 3G?"
o2 "That's a third party. We recomend you set up voicemail"
"Your voicemail does not support missed calls when my callers dont even leave a voicemail - so how do I know when I've missed a call in this scenario?"
o2 "ehm.. i'll make a note of that!"
This has to be a herring rouge?
I don't want to use this to plug HulloMail - but seriously if you have an iPhone on o2 and you dont want to miss a call well you know where we are!"
I asked "My callers keep being diverted to voicemail. My phone does not ring even with all bars? I've even called it at my desk and can repeat the problem. I don't even see the missed call come up - what is going on?"
O2 " Yes sir we are aware of the problem. Do you use YouTube or browse the web much? do you use email push? do you use email polling?"
" Well yes but not all the time- what does that have to do with it, that's data and my calls are over normal voice circuit swtich - no?"
O2 " Well actually no sir - the iPhone can't handle a voice call and a GPRS connection at the same time"
"Ay?"
o2 "Yes Apple and O2 are aware of it and we are working on it. Actually you really need a good voicemail service so you dont miss any calls"
"You are kidding right?!??!??! What about 3G?"
o2 "That's a third party. We recomend you set up voicemail"
"Your voicemail does not support missed calls when my callers dont even leave a voicemail - so how do I know when I've missed a call in this scenario?"
o2 "ehm.. i'll make a note of that!"
This has to be a herring rouge?
I don't want to use this to plug HulloMail - but seriously if you have an iPhone on o2 and you dont want to miss a call well you know where we are!"
Monday, 20 April 2009
BlackBerry Anthem
The only thing I love as much as mobile phones is “UK Funky” and the amazing dance routines that go with the songs. I really happy to see my worlds collide with the BlackBerry Anthem.
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