The International Data Debate

From reading recent news articles, it would appear that the team at Research in Motion (RIM) has had a busy few months working with international governments in a bid to avoid data bans on their BlackBerry devices.

In particular, RIM has agreed to allow both Indian and Saudi Arabian security agencies to monitor data that is being shared by its device. So, is this a trend that we will see expand to other countries over the coming months and what does this mean for you? 

We take the use of such devices for granted, however if this trend was to grow, does it make voice a more compelling medium of communication?   After all, if you are concerned about having your data tracked, perhaps the appeal of simply picking up the phone to make a quick call will become more popular?

Is a world, depicted in George Orwell's famous novel, 1984, becoming more of a reality and in some cases the norm?  The reaction to these latest stories has been moderate; does that mean we are changing our view of privacy in this data-driven world? Maybe it's time to return to the 'private conversation'.

It’s an interesting topic and one that I’m sure people who regularly travel overseas will be monitoring.

Ref:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/40350/20100803/research-in-motion-blackberry-services-indian-security-agencies-encrypted-messaging.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-10/saudi-arabia-lets-rim-continue-blackberry-services.html

HulloMail HulloMail review | Expert Reviews

HulloMail HulloMail review | Expert Reviews

The History and Future of Voicemail

The History of Voicemail
Some of you may think that HulloMail invented voicemail however we can not take that crown!  While doing some research into the history of voicemail prior to taking part in the Future of Voicemail series with Mobile Industry Review last month, we came across some interesting facts about voicemail that we thought we would share.
Many people believe the father of voicemail was Gordon Matthews.  Gordon was born in 1936 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was an American inventor and businessman and started one of the first companies which pioneered the commercialisation of voicemail, VMX.  However the first recorded inventor of this technology was a Stephan Boies of IBM which is documented five years before VMX was founded. Gordon however was granted the first voicemail patent in 1979 for his voicemail invention and sold the first system to 3M. Subsequent sales of the service were to corporations such as Kodak, American Express and Intel.
The History of HulloMail 
HulloMail, was formed in 2008, however our journey began back in 1999, when our CEO, on a flight back from Dublin, designed a web solution to allow his family to send him emails by simply using their phone. We believed consumers would benefit from having access to their email from any telephone.  We built a platform and signed up our first customer almost from day one.  Since these early days we have deployed our technology globally and have a wealth of experience in voice, video and related services. After years of working successfully alongside telco businesses, we realised that the services being demanded by consumers were not being addressed by operators because of the technology and feature focus inherent in these organisations. In 2006, we began to evolve our business model to address these consumer demands. This evolution has brought us to where we are today, a customer-led innovation business.
The Future of Voicemail
This has been a popular topic of late as consumers are demanding better voice messaging experiences that their new powerful devices can provide.  In order to get a broad perspective, Mobile Industry Review suggested a series of interviews with key stakeholders in the voice messaging eco-system to assess the future of this important feature which is somewhat taken for granted.  View the full series here 
Our CEO provides some great insights into the future of voicemail - check out what he has to say! 
Do you agree with these observations and comments, let us know your thoughts.  
Where do you see voicemail and voice messaging in 1, 5 or even 10 years time?

Holiday checklist: Sunscreen? Flip-Flops? Beach towel? HulloMail?

Following a survey from Post Office Travel Money http://bit.ly/b3VpUN which identified that hefty charges for using mobile phones abroad topped the list of "holiday rip-offs", HulloMail is offering holidaymakers a way to avoid such charges when jetting abroad for a break.  By downloading HulloMail’s free smart voicemail app in advance, it enables travellers to keep in contact with friends and family back home, at no cost. 

Before leaving the UK, users of HulloMail provide their contacts with a personal HulloMail UK number, which allows voice messages to be left without the need for calling them directly. Holidaymakers can then listen to messages using the HulloMail mobile app whilst roaming in a free WiFi location and can easily reply using a ‘Hullo’, which is a short voice message.  If friends and family are also HulloMail users they can also send Hullos directly to each other’s devices. 

When jetting off on holiday, you want peace of mind that you can make contact with friends and relatives back home, without racking up a huge phone bill.  HulloMail therefore recommends that before embarking on a break, holidaymakers download the free HulloMail smart voicemail and voice messaging app so messages can be sent and received, without incurring any charges. By accessing messages using a free WiFi spot either via the app or via your email, you can avoid unnecessary costs yet still update everyone back home on what a great time you are having by the pool!

Have a good summer everyone.

Next stop Ireland

Top o'the morning to ya!
Late last week testing began of HulloMail in Ireland.  We have managed to recruit a band of testers in the Republic who have kindly agreed to be our 'guinea pigs' in market.  We have given this intrepid group access to the Android and BlackBerry apps with iPhone to follow this week, so they can put the service through it's paces.
You have probably noticed that we have amended the HulloMail website recently to incorporate Ireland so all the details are there for when we launch the service shortly.
The Hullo Family are getting excited about filming their summer special in Dublin which will be available for launch, so watch this space.

You may ask why Ireland and not another country? Here at HulloMail we get regular requests to expand our service into new territories so that other countries can enjoy the benefits of HulloMail, particularly where operators don't support visual voicemail on any phones.
The decision was made to launch in Ireland first because we have strong links with the country and the potential user base is considerable.
When the service goes live in the coming weeks it will be available to all Irish BlackBerry, Android and iPhone users regardless of which operator they're with as all will be supported.  Unfortunately users on a pay as you go tariff will still not be able to use the service unless their operator supports unconditional diverts.
We will let you know how testing goes, but all is looking good so far. 

HulloMail™ integrates I6NET’s VoiceXML technology to extend smart voicemail services

HulloMail™ integrates I6NET’s VoiceXML technology to extend smart voicemail services

HulloMail wants you!

If you want to work for HulloMail, are passionate about process and could give Bill Gates a run for his money in the IT stakes, your just the person we're looking for...

HulloMail is recruiting an IT Operational Assistant based at our London offices.  Take a look at the job spec below and if you think it sounds like the ideal position for you send your CV to info@hullomail.com.

JOB & PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Position: Full time IT Operational Assistant, London (City)

THE COMPANY

HulloMail is revolutionising voicemail by providing innovative voicemail applications and instant voice messaging, letting you manage your day-to-day voice communications your way.  HulloMail is currently available for BlackBerry, iPhone and Android in the UK and US.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Head of Operations, the IT Operational Assistant will join the operational and support team to work on supporting the organisation’s IT systems, deployments and customer services.  This is a very exciting and varied role as part of an energetic start-up. 

The primary responsibilities of the job are:

• Assisting the Head of Operations in all areas of IT and Support
• Supporting office IT systems in order of priority      
• Consumer service customer contact - managing the consumer service contact system and  responding within agreed time scales
• Provide 24/7/365 consumer and corporate service support via telephone and email

BEHAVIOURS

• Process orientated
• Works equally well within a group or on own initiative
• Customer focus
• Calm and methodical approach
• Logical and good at problem solving
• Quick learner with an intuitive capability
• Possess and time management skill
• Have an attention to detail

SKILL REQUIREMENTS

As this is an assistant level position these requirements are desirable but not ‘must-haves’. For this position it’s important to have a good attitude, willingness to learn and enthusiasm.

MySQL, Apache Tomcat, IMAP, Scripting using PHP, Shell script, Linux Clusters

The ideal candidate would possess the above as well as knowledge of mobile devices (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry)

EDUCATION

Computer related degree