Telephony package like Parliant ’s PhoneValet and Ovolab ’s Phlink ( , October 2005 ) can turn your Mac into a highly trained receptionist — and more . Not only do these tools answer your telephone set , they also log calls , storehouse voicemail messages , and record conversation .
With PhoneValet Message Center 3.0.2 , Parliant adds several new characteristic , like call block and custom ring tones . While they ’re not necessarily groundbreaking , these feature are useful improvements to the already - potent previous version ( , November 2004 ) .
At your service
PhoneValet ships with a USB dongle that allow you to tie in a phone crinkle to your Mac ( you ’ll need to buy additional retail packages to set up more lines ) . Also include is an arranger that has two-fold jacks so that you’re able to keep a headphone connected to the same dividing line that you have hooked up to your Mac — useful , although I prefer Phlink ’s USB dongle , which has two knave built in ( no surplus adapter needed ) .
PhoneValet features two main software package components : Phonebook and Log , and Message Center . The former keeps a running logarithm of all incoming and extroverted calls . Each logarithm entry contains identifying information ( if your phone servicing supports caller ID ) , the date and fourth dimension the call learn place , and a flag that indicate whether there ’s a voice mail subject matter . Every time you welcome an incoming call , you also get a pop - up notification of who ’s phoning ( again , if your crinkle has caller ID ) .
Unfortunately , PhoneValet ’s build - in phonebook is rather inept . In ordering to keep up changes , you must click Save for each record book , which slows you down if you ’re updating or adding a large list of contact . There ’s a Revert button in casing you make a misapprehension — but it only work if you have n’t yet clicked Save . I choose Phlink ’s method , which expend Apple ’s Address Book as its physical contact handler . When you edit a touch in Phlink , the entropy also changes in Address Book . ( PhoneValet will spell contacts from Address Book , however . )
The main increase to PhoneValet 3.0 is the conception of profiles , a way to group unlike phoner . Using this feature , you could automatically obturate certain plaguey caller by attribute them to a particular visibility and having PhoneValet instantly unplug those calls . you may also assign each visibility its own ring tone ( which plays through your Mac ’s speakers)—a skillful way to tell who ’s call just by sound . you may even jell up a custom outgoing message for a chemical group of caller — for instance , family members or a sure set of guest .
Just leave a message
Message Center is where PhoneValet really outshine Phlink . Message Center allows you to easy produce up to 11 distinct voicemail greeting and mailbox . ( Doing this in Phlink requires script savvy . ) you’re able to specify the numeral of rings PhoneValet should wait before answering , as well as tape an outgoing salutation directly within Message Center using a microphone link up to your Mac . ( With Phlink , you must create your own greeting using another program . ) you could also use pre - recorded effectual filing cabinet or have one of Mac OS X ’s built - in synthesized voices read from text you create .
One handy characteristic : PhoneValet 3.0.2 ship with a plug - in ( in late version , this regard a separate download ) that allows voicemail message to appear in Mac OS 10.4 ’s limelight hunting results . While Spotlight does n’t offer the same detailed search capabilities available in PhoneValet , it does enable you to look for all correspondence ( eastward - mail and voicemail ) associated with a special link — by name or by phone number . Useful , not to mention coolheaded .
Speaking of useful , PhoneValet also features a identification number of automation functions , including AppleScripts that you could expend to trip sealed actions in other coating . One playscript , for representative , pauses iTunes playback when you pick up the phone and resumes it when you flow up . PhoneValet ’s dial - in distant dominance feature is evenly nerveless — it take into account you to call your Mac from any phone and trigger an AppleScript or determine voice mail while you ’re on the route . you could publish your own scripts , or expend one of the samples Parliant cater .
Macworld’s buying advice
PhoneValet is corking for anybody who wants to log , criminal record , and automatically resolve calls with a Mac . The young customization feature article are easily worth the $ 30 climb fee , although first - sentence vendee or intemperate Address Book users should seriously debate Phlink — it ’s less expensive and makes the skilful use of OS X ’s tangency manager . But with its extremely configurable message registrar and user - friendly livelihood for multiple voicemail boxes , PhoneValet remains the best choice for those who value ease of use and simplicity .
PhoneValet extras
you’re able to greatly expand PhoneValet 3 ’s power by purchasing one of the usable add - ons or bundles . PhoneValet Anywhere ( $ 80 for two users ) lets you access many of the applications programme ’s features via a local net or over the Internet . you’re able to retrieve voice mail substance , as well as sift through PhoneValet ’s call log , from any Safari , Firefox , or Internet Explorer World Wide Web Thomas Nelson Page , provided you ’ve configured your firewall to provide incoming connections to your Mac .
PhoneValet Anywhere also include a remote agentive role , which give up nearby Mac or PCs to display caller ID promulgation when an incoming call come in . This feature make usance of Apple ’s Bonjour ( formerly Rendezvous ) connection monetary standard and work only with computing machine link to your Mac ’s local area net . ( Note that PhoneValet ’s primary competitor , Ovolab ’s Phlink , comes with remote - call announcements built in , though it does n’t support window . )
PhoneValet ’s Podcasting Option ( $ 75 ) consists of two program program to serve aspiring podcasters edit and strip up headphone interview or messages recorded with PhoneValet . The big money includes Peak Express , a functionally special edition of BIAS ’s first-class audio - redaction applications programme , and SoundSoap , a interference - reduction plug - in for Peak . Since it does n’t really expand the app ’s functionality , the Podcasting Option is n’t really an impart - on for PhoneValet , per se . But it ’s a moderately good batch if you project to employ PhoneValet for recording podcast content .
[ Ted Wallingford is a older system engineer withLCG Technologiesin Elyria , Ohio , and the author ofSwitching to VoIP(O’Reilly , 2005 ) . ]
