Google Voice Spam Filtering Stops Telemarketers In Their Tracks

One of the cool (and free) little services I use for my business is Google Voice. My GV number is what I use as my “official” business number…but I set it up to ring to my smartphone. That way, I don’t have to give out my personal number for business, and I don’t have to worry about missing a call since my phone is always with me…always.

Now SkyNet Google has added global spam filtering that let’s you stop telemarketers from reaching you if they happen to find your GV number. If your number was recycled by Google, this setting will stop folks that hassled the person that owned the number before you as well. By enabling the feature, Google will catch already recognized spam by Google (or other users).

Simply log on to your GV account online, click the “Voice Settings” cog in the upper right corner, go to the “Calls” tab and click the “Global Spam Filtering” check box. All spam recognized by the system will skip your inbox and go straight to the spam folder.

Since a Google Voice number is still a phone number, telemarketers will still try to sell you windows, siding, free vacations (if you SUFFER through a timeshare presentation) and everything else under the sun. At least now you have a weapon to push those persistent so and so’s to your spam folder.

[via Google Mobile]

BlackBerry Launches Mobile Conferencing App

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a story on making conference calls with a BlackBerry. Well the folks over at Research In Motion (RIM) must have read my article (Boom!) and pushed the BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing App out of Beta and into the BlackBerry App World.

The app is designed to work with your existing conferencing system to make scheduling, joining and rejoining conference calls from your BlackBerry quick and easy from almost anywhere. Instead of trying to remember conference call codes, and multiple button sequences, the app offers up a single ‘Join Now’ button to make joining calls a breeze.

Additional feature include:

One-Click Join – Before a conference call starts, a pop-up reminder displays a “Join Now” button that, with a single click, dials the conference bridge and enters the appropriate codes to connect the user to the conference. If the call gets disconnected or the user needs to drop off, the app will present a “Reconnect” button, which dials the user back into the call with one click.

Easy Conference Scheduling – A user can schedule a conference call complete with conference bridge details directly from the BlackBerry Calendar in an easy two-step process. To enable this capability, the user sets their conference call profile once in the BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing app, including dial-in numbers and access codes, then simply adds the profile as part of the calendar invitation. (The moderator code is kept hidden from participants in the calendar invitation.)

Optimal Conference Call Number Selection – If multiple dial-in numbers are provided to accommodate participants in different regions, the application can automatically choose an optimal number to use (for calls within North America), such as using the local number if the user is within the local calling area rather than a toll-free number; or a toll- free number if the dial-in number would otherwise be long distance. Users can also select or modify a specific dial-in number manually.

The app supports many of the leading audio conferencing systems, so no matter if you are trying to join or schedule a call, the BlackBerry Conferencing app has got you covered. The app is a free download from the BlackBerry App World (OS 5.0 or higher).

Square Moves Towards Mobile Wallet Reality with Card Case

Square was one of the first companies to make mobile credit card payment processing simple and easy for small business owners via its credit card readers and complimentary mobile app. If you’re not familiar with Square, it’s a free device that turns your tablet computer or smartphone into a point-of-sale (POS) device. Just plug in the small, square reader into the headphone jack of your iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet and you’re taking credit card transactions at the low, flat fee of 2.75% per transaction.

Today, the Square team is making it easier for small businesses to accept payments via a mobile wallet that customers use to start a tab, receive their goods and pay without ever touching a credit card or wallet.

Card Case is a new venture by Square that essentially puts a mobile wallet on a consumer’s iPhone or Android smartphone that they can use at any Square-enabled business. Users can store credit card information for each business they frequent. Upon entering the business, users can enter their name, select their virtual card from the Card Case app, order their stuff, and Card Case takes care of the rest.

In addition to the mobile wallet app, Card Case also doubles as a directory that will help users find “Squared up” businesses and help small biz owners reach a larger, more technology-aware customer base. Once businesses and customers find each other, Card Case can also provide customers with a product list, food/product menu, or deals/promotions the business might be offering.

Finally, with Square functionality built into Card Case, receipts are automatically sent to the customer per the email address they added to Card Case. This means businesses that use Card Case can stop fumbling around with those receipt rolls in that POS device that always seem to get jammed at the height of “rush hour” business traffic.

Like it? Love it? Hate it? The fact of the matter is that the future of financial transactions my look something like the Card Case service that Square has devised. It’s only a matter of time before Card Case, NFC technology, and QR Codes make your smartphone the most important tool in your everyday life.

To find participating locations and more information on how to start using Card Case as a consumer or a business, get Squared Up and visit the Card Case website.

Your BlackBerry can STILL make Conference Calls

As interactive as we are via Skype, Twitter, Facebook, and instant messaging, there are times when you will actually have to make a phone call. Weird right? But that doesn’t mean your collaboration and productivity has to take a nose dive if one of your colleagues, business partners, or clients can’t “connect” using new-age methods.

Three-way calling and/or conference calls are still the sure-fire way to make sure everybody is present and everybody receives all of the information if you can’t meet face to face. As funny as this sounds, with all the technology packed into our smartphones that we take advantage of to do a number of things unimaginable by previous generations, how many people actually knows how to make a conference call on their smartphone?

The folks over at CrackBerry.com have a cool tutorial that breaks down how to successfully make a three-way/conference call on a BlackBerry mobile device that includes:

– Dialing and joining calls
– How to deal with dropped calls
– Swapping calls
– Carrier limitations (how many can be on a conference call)

…and other tips and tricks to increase your phone call productivity:

BlackBerry 101: Conference Calls and Three-Way Calling

In today’s age of social networking, instant messaging, video chat, etc. you would be hard pressed to HAVE to use your smartphone to create or join an actual conference call to conduct business. Old school yes, but; just like anything else, technology can fail. So it’s nice to be able to rely on the old school just in case the new school decides it’s “too cool” to work with you in the middle of an important meeting that you need to attend while you are on the go.

Dell Venue Pro Running Windows Phone 7 Lands on AT&T

One of the premier smartphones that was used to show off the new Windows Phone 7 platform in its infancy was the Dell Venue Pro. The combination of the full AMOLED touchscreen and vertical slide-out QWERTY keyboard, in addition to a 1GHz processor and 720p video recording capabilities, had WP7 early adopters salivating over what the platform and the device could do. The phone is sleek, black overall with chrome trim and has scratch resistant Gorilla Glass. Overall, a very professional-looking device if you ask me. And let’s not forget the attractive WP7 platform filled with Microsoft Suite capabilities that will ensure your Word Documents, Excel Files, PowerPoint presentations, and Outlook email (and XBox Live profile when you’re ready to close up shop) syncs effortlessly with your mobile device.

Once the Venue Pro hit the streets, it was only available on the T-Mobile network and exclusively from Dell. Now, AT&T has decided to make the device compatible on its network. Now, AT&T customers will be more than happy to snag the Venue Pro and give the WP7 platform a spin.

You can pick up the Dell Venue Pro on a 2 year contract for only $99 bucks ($500 unlocked). I checked AT&T’s website and it doesn’t list the device, so if you are thinking about giving it a try, it looks as if the Venue Pro is still being sold exclusively via Dell’s website.

Zipcar App for Android takes your car reservation experience mobile

Zipcar’s claim to fame is that you can go online and reserve a car, find its location, and use a special card to unlock the doors and go on with your business – all without speaking to anyone in person. Great for on the go entrepreneurs and business owners who may just be in town for a meeting and in need of some quick transportation.

Based on a study conducted late last year, most Zipcar customers are smartphone owners and a large number of those surveyed owned Android devices. The company put two and two together and decided to create an Android app to complement the iPhone app currently on the market. Now, the entire car reservation process is available on Android smartphones and tablet computers. In addition to managing your Zipcar accounts, making reservations, and locating your vehicle via the Google Maps app, the new Android app allows users to beep their horn remotely to further identify the car.  You can even lock and unlock your Zipcar’s doors right from your phone!

The Zipcar app is currently in the public beta phase, but I don’t see it staying there long as functionality like this is what many people envision their smartphones being able to achieve. I predict that rental car companies will follow suit and offering their own mobile apps that can handle a number of functions that normally requite a visit to the customer service desk and a wait in line. No more being stuck without a car while the customer ahead of you makes the life changing decision between an economy, standard, or full-size car.

AT&T and LG Team up to Offer a pre-paid Android Smartphone: Meet the Thrive

If you feel a certain kind of way about wireless contracts, but want to take advantage of all the business and productivity capabilities found in a full-fledged smartphone, well look no further than AT&T and LG as they bring you the first pre-paid Android smartphone to run on the AT&T wireless network.

With traditional wireless contracts, you are subjected to credit checks, a hefty deposit if you are establishing credit, and lengthy contracts. AT&T GoPhone pre-paid services skips all of the former and offers customers the ability to pay only for the days and minutes they choose to use, add to the plan as needed, or cancel at anytime. Previously there was a wide range of cell and feature phones you could choose from with the GoPhone service.

On April 17th AT&T, will begin selling the LG Thrive Android smartphone that you can use in conjunction with the GoPhone service. Features include:

– Android 2.2 OS
– Exchange email support
– Unlimited WiFi usage
– 3.2 megapixel camera
– 2GB microSD card installed
– Text/Picture and Video Messaging support
– Access to over 100,00 apps on the Android Market

In order to utilize all of the smartphone goodness, you will need a data plan. AT&T has got your back and is offering special data plans starting at $5 for 10mb of data usage, up to $25 for 500mb. To add these data plans, customers must sign up for either the Smartphone $0.10/min or $2/day plans. The LG Thrive Android smartphone will be available for purchase nationwide at AT&T company-owned retail stores and in select national retail locations on April 17th.

What all of this means is whether for business or personal, smartphone and mobile device users are starting to see options and if they choose to, can break away from their sometimes restrictive wireless contracts but STILL play Angry Birds stay productive on the go.

Portable Power for Your Moble Devices

I don’t know about you, but I break out in hives and develop a slight twitch when my mobile device’s battery indicator drops below 15%. My symptoms really get bad when I am nowhere near a power outlet and/or don’t have my laptop bag filled to brim with cables ready to power each and every device I own.

For those times when plugging in to charge a mobile device is NOT an option, portable power is the answer. The arena is relatively new, but is a must as more and more people depend on mobile devices to get them through the day. So I am going to feature three different options that will wake you up from a mobile battery drain nightmare.

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AT&T Premier WP7 Phone and Car-kit for One Cent

Great Deal on Windows Phone 7 device with Extras

It can’t get any cheaper more monetarily advantageous for you and your business than a shiny new Windows Phone 7 mobile device and a car kit for one penny.

…Yeah, you heard me correctly

For a limited time, AT&T Premier is offering business customers (large and small alike) or individuals a sweet deal on an LG Quantum, running the new WP7 OS AND and a free car kit for the low-low price of one penny, provided you meet eligibility requirements (see legal mumbo-jumbo here).

The LG Quantum is loaded with features that will ensure your ears stay low to the ground all while not taking up every waking moment of your life. Features include:

– View video, applications, and the Web on a vivid 3.5” wVGA touch screen

– Fire off text messages and email with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard

– Multitask quickly via a 1 GHz processor and 16 GB user memory

If you’re an on-the-go business owner, you will appreciate the fact that the offer also includes a free car-kit that will enable you to keep your hands on “10 and 2” while ensuring your clients that everything is running as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

To get in on this deal, all you need to do is meet the eligibility requirements and sign up for a 1 to 2yr contract (voice & data) with AT&T Premier and you will be running your business hands-free while other so called “fast movers” are tied to their desktops/laptops.

For more information and to sign up, check out the AT&T Premier for your Business website.

Evernote Updates its Android App

Staying on my Evernote kick, Android users will be happy to know that Evernote updated its Android app with some cool new features to keep you connected to all of your important stuff.

In addition to a bunch of bug fixes…

– Fixed a problem that kept an edited note from updating properly
– Fixed a problem that removed intentional white space within notes
– Added higher resolution iconography (Android 2.1 and later)
– Placed the Save button onscreen on the audio notes screen
– Fixed a problem that kept the app from loading tags properly

…Instead of opening the Evernote app on your Android smartphone, you now can add an Evernote widget to your home screen to quickly browse through your stuff without opening up the app first.

Another feature is pinch and zoom support. So now you have more control over how you view your stuff in Evernote. No longer do you have to be subjected to the pre-determined views by just clicking on “zoom”.

Finally, any Android app that has a Sharing or “send to” option will list Evernote as one of the options. So if you want to save a website or a tweet for later, you can now “Share via Evernote” and send the content to your account…all without even opening up Evernote, or sending tons of emails with the content attached to my Evernote account (my current process since I am using a BlackBerry).

*Shakes fist at Evernote for BlackBerry app*

So if you are a heavy Evernote user, or need one place to store/access your info, and recently jumped on the Android smartphone bandwagon (for good reason) this is an update you should check-out