Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ut-ngp.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!ut-sally!ut-ngp!werner From: werner@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: phone answering machine info wanted Message-ID: <277@ut-ngp.UUCP> Date: Fri, 3-Feb-84 04:48:19 EST Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.277 Posted: Fri Feb 3 04:48:19 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 07:16:46 EST References: <4962@umcp-cs.UUCP> Organization: Comp. Center, Univ. of Texas at Austin Lines: 63 RRRAAAiiidddddd...... > ... features do not vary significantly .... I must disagree, it is very important to analyze the features available, and create a list of features which you consider either a) a must b) desirable c) interesting d) unneccessary e) undesirable The list of available features keeps increasing all the time and checking the latest CR-report is not enough. For example, I just became aware, that now a recorder is available which does not require a beeper for remote control but which can be controlled by a call from any touch-tone telephone. Some features which I would want today if my 2 year old machine would go to recorder heaven are: - seperate cassettes for announcements and incoming calls - variable length announcements - unlimited length of incoming call recording (voice activated) - remote control without beeper (using touch-tone signals) - announce only setting - record conversation capability that last point (recording conversations) is worth a few extra words. A recent discussion on net.legal, I believe, pointed out, that a directly connected recorder must indicate with a beeping sound when a call is being recorded. Connecting a microphone to the phone to pick up a conversation, however, does not require either warning nor a repetetive beep-sound to indicate that you are recording. Given that we do most of our everyday business by phone it is very useful to record most of our conversations, as the exact phrasing of a "verbal contract" might be significant, at least, as a convincing reminder in a disagreement, if not as an effective helper in a court case. It can be a lot more convincing to play a tape, and swear to it, that this is the complete and untampered word-for-word exchange which took place, rather than to outwitted by the argument: "Are you ABSOLUTELY sure, that you remember the EXACT phrases, or could it have been that the words used were such-and-such, which you might have misunderstood to mean ..." So, if I may, legally, wire myself "for sound" when I go out to buy a used car, I'd also want to have the same capability on my phone. So, I would insist on a recorder, which has an external mike capability to be able to record "beepless" rather than one which beeps every 10 seconds making what's said unintelligable (particularly costly during overseas calls). I found another, unexpected benefit of the capability to record conversations which you may not have considered: Rather than tell a third party about the contents of a call, I can now simply hand over the tape. As calling has replaced writing as the preferred way to stay in touch with friends, there are no letters anymore which are easy to share and can be kept and reread. Recording those calls can be a big help. You can also record and keep your favorite obcene calls, of course :-) I have a PHONE-MATE, REMOTE 930, which is outmoded in that it requires the use of a beeper, and records conversations with an obnoxiously frequent (every 10 seconds) and loud-long beep -- otherwise it has all the features I know of which I would insist on today. Cheers, ~~~w~~~ werner@ut-ngp {.UUCP or .ARPA}