Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!cos!hadron!decuac!felix!bonnie From: bonnie@felix.UUCP (Bonnie Zemon) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: Touch tone-controled modem/answering machine? Message-ID: <10096@felix.UUCP> Date: Wed, 21-Oct-87 15:28:53 EDT Article-I.D.: felix.10096 Posted: Wed Oct 21 15:28:53 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Oct-87 13:10:58 EDT References: <1702@dasys1.UUCP> Sender: daemon@felix.UUCP Reply-To: bonnie@felix.UUCP (Bonnie Zemon) Organization: FileNet Corp., Costa Mesa, CA Lines: 58 Keywords: modem, answering-machine, touch-tone In article <1702@dasys1.UUCP> samperi@dasys1.UUCP (Dominick Samperi) writes: > >Does anyone know of a touch tone-controled modem and/or answering >machine that can be used with a PC? What I have in mind is an >answering machine that answers the phone and waits for a touch >tone; if no tone is detected in xx seconds, the machine operates >like an ordinary answering machine, inviting the caller to leave >a voice message on tape. On the other hand, if a tone is detected >within xx seconds, the machine operates like a modem, issuing a >carrier signal, and going into data mode. >-- > Dominick Samperi, Manhattan College, New York, NY > ...!ihnp4!cmcl2!phri!dasys1!samperi > ...!ihnp4!cmcl2!manhat!samperi > ...!ihnp4!{pur-ee|iuvax}!bsu-cs!zoo-hq!magpie!samperi Yup. We have had one operating in our Zenith PC-clone for a few years now and love it. It is called Watson and is manufactured by Natural Microsystems. Their address is 6 Mercer Road Natick, MA 01760 and their phone number is (617)655-0700 It was quite expensive (~$500) when we bought it, but I believe the price has come down quite a bit. We keep intending to call them and find out if 1) it is now available with a 2400 baud modem (ours is a 1200 baud) and 2) if it will work with an AT or not, but haven't gotten around to it yet. By the way, they have an 800 number (or used to, anyhow) for a demo of the product - quite impressive. It is (800)6WATSON. Among its features are: 1) a card file for your phonebook, which it can dial from, of course 2) a card file for the incoming messages 3) a card file for outgoing messages, with codes for pickup What this means is that you can assign friends, relatives, salesmen, or whoever code numbers. When they call your phone number and Watson answers they use their touch-tone phone to enter their code. Watson then not only gives them any message you have left them, but records any message they leave with their name and phone number already filled in on the incoming message card. We also have two messages. One is for the general public that calls and is the general "hi, I'm sorry we can't come to the phone now" type and the other is for people with codes who call, and that message tells them where we really are. Then if we need to leave a specific message for someone we can leave that also. Anyhow, it is a nice toy, but also a useful business tool. If you want to get very specific on how messages are handled, you can even (for more $$$) implement a complete mail order business using Watson and never have to answer the phone yourself. If you decide to go for it, please send mail and let me know what you think. -- Bonnie Z.