Visual Voicemail Free?

[JZ Wire]

Hey guys, dont know if this has been talked about but when Steve announced Visual Voicemail it was something that they created with Cingular right? This site seems to offer visual voicemail just like the iPhone. Isn't this patented by Apple or can anyone use visual voicemail?

http://www.callwave.com/landing/

http://www.callwave.com/widgets.asp

 

[macrlz9]

from what i recall when i had callwave, it was an internet answering machine for my house phone when i had dialup.... not for a mobile phone.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

check it again. callwave works with the cell phones. the Sprint network is still having some issues but it works with and seems to be set up for the cell phones.

 

[macrlz9]

check it again. callwave works with the cell phones. the Sprint network is still having some issues but it works with and seems to be set up for the cell phones.

sorry i didn't actually look i just replied appears though it's on your computer still, not your phone, so it's not quite the same then

 

[Rodimus Prime]

but it also takes over the voice mail on the phone because your cell phone forwards the unanswered calls to callwaves system for voice mail. Also in doing so you change the number you cell calls to check it voice mail. Both settings that can be change on I know on a cingular cell phone.

 

[JZ Wire]

So then this isn't something that Apple just invented? They made it sound like it was something so unique...

 

[NaMo4184]

So then this isn't something that Apple just invented? They made it sound like it was something so unique...

You should read the article by Tog. I think it is on http://www.asktog.com. He puts things in perspective since he works in R&D.

Like multi-touch was being researched in the late 70s early 80s but no one has ever brought to market a practical multi-touch system. The way these things work is that the can be around for years and they won't be come viable solutions for decades.

Apple doesn't just simply pull all these far reaching technologies out of a hat. They just package them real nice and bring them to market. That alone is hard.

 

[MattyMac]

hmmm...that is a good question.

Steve did make it seem like Apple and Cigular came up with it together.

 

[MacNut]

hmmm...that is a good question.

Steve did make it seem like Apple and Cigular came up with it together.

Of course he is going to say that, he needs to make it look good and try to sell the locked phone idea.

 

[Mal]

You don't have to be the first to do something to patent it or for it to be unique, it just has to be your particular implementation of it that's unique. Now, I haven't played with the iPhone or with this service, although I did set it up earlier today and it seems nice, but either the visual voicemail isn't patented/unique, or it's done differently enough to warrant such a claim. I'd actually lean towards the latter, since he seemed to be quite excited, but didn't show us that much.

Besides, why complain? Now you get one of the features everyone's been drooling about on your own phone!

BTW, anyone know if there's downloadable software for the RAZR for CallWave, or is it only on certain phones?

jW