Parliant ’s PhoneValet has established itself as the premier telephone content transcription organisation for the Mac , and rendering , 4.0.3 extend the bundle ’s leadership position . Today ’s PhoneValet does a lot more than just reply call — it can also dial , record , log , let you search through calls , and even mechanically get in touch them to your cell phone if you ’re on the route .

How does it work ? PhoneValet connect one or more standard phone seam to your Mac using Parliant ’s USB dongle , which is included in the software . Several of these dongles can be connected at the same time , so the Mac can resolve — and phonograph record — multiple earphone lines simultaneously . Most of PhoneValet ’s features act upon with just a exclusive line setup . Installation consists of connecting a earpiece occupation and run a simple software program installer . Once instal , the PhoneValet software runs invisibly in the background . you’re able to even lumber off of your Mac , and the computer software will extend to deal phone call .

When you need to deepen a setting , supply a vocalization mailbox , or search the call log , you could launch PhoneValet ’s exploiter user interface from a commodious Menu Bar icon . PhoneValet will lumber all call , both incoming and forthcoming . With the OpenBase relational database at its heart , PhoneValet ’s call logarithm yield very fast search results , even after thousands of calls have accumulated in the log . you’re able to also use Spotlight to look for representative - post messages .

When you find an incoming call , PhoneValet can pop out up the company ID on your exhibit or audibly foretell the identity of the telephoner . The platform supports AppleScript , so when sure call consequence pass — such as move up the telephone receiver , connecting a call , or hang up — PhoneValet can be programmed to interact with other apps on your Mac . For instance , you could link a sales prospecting database you ’ve built in FileMaker to PhoneValet so that , as soon as you lift the receiver , PhoneValet will automatically dial the next issue from your tilt of gross sales expectation .

Since version 3.0 ( ) , Parliant ’s flagship ware has realize some great new capabilities . First , Parliant added call transfer mailboxes , which set aside you to automatically forward incoming birdsong to any other sound number if you have two or more phone line connected to your Mac . This direction , you could receive incoming calls on your cell telephone or at an alternate emplacement . Also new since 3.0 is the gain of removed control mailbox , which amend on PhoneValet ’s power to permit you see your Mac by dial into it from a phone while you ’re away .

Version 4 adds an automatic call transcription characteristic that allows PhoneValet to record all of your sound conversations without manually triggering the fipple pipe . reflexive amplification control ensures that caller and receiver are recorded at adequate volume levels . If you ’re recording every call , you may run out of heavy disk space quickly , so interpretation 4 also gives you an archiving feature that will burn atomic number 48 or DVD catalogs of your call recording . Once archived , these recordings can be cursorily located using the progress - in search function . Phone Valet ’s call transcription is markedly good than that of Phlink ( ) , a vie telephone mechanization product .

One thing PhoneValet still does n’t reinforcement is voice over IP ( VoIP ): The package ca n’t treat calls made or received using VoIP package tools like Skype and Gizmo Project . However , if you use a wideband phone service supplier like Packet8 or Vonage , you’re able to confidently connect the speech sound line from your supplier ’s hardware machine to your PhoneValet Mac , just like you would connect a traditional phone argument .

Parliant offer rendering 4.0 as a spare upgrade to owner of PhoneValet 3.0 and 3.1 . Podcasters wishing to use PhoneValet ’s recordings can buy Parliant ’s Podcast big money ( $ 75 ) , which include particular versions of BIAS Peak Express and SoundSoap that are tailored for podcast output . Networked situation can buy the PhoneValet Anywhere computer software add - on ( $ 80 ) , which reserve two additional exploiter on networked Macs or Windows PCs to question the call sign in a web internet browser and obtain company ID pop - ups on their CRT screen .

Macworld’s buying advice

PhoneValet Message Center 4.0.3 is a job - degree telephony mechanization tool that sports very powerful recording , call logging , and search functions . If you require to get take ascendence of your phone communications , there ’s no ripe choice than PhoneValet .

[ Ted Wallingford is the author ofSwitching to VoIP and VoIP Hacks(O’Reilly , 2005 ) and an self-governing applied science consultant based in Elyria , Ohio . He semi - per year update hisVoIP Weblog . ]