I’m tellin’ ya, life is messy enough so I expect my technology to be a respite from that. That’s why I like the voice note taking application called Jott. Sure, this review is two months too late to the party, so let’s just pretend this is Car & Driver, and call this the long term test.
You call a toll free number, speak, hang up, and Jott sends you a transcribed email of your voice Jott. Reminders, your next brilliant idea, they’re all great fodder for Jott. All with no voice training! You never have to forget again. Well, until they have waterproof white boards or waterproof speaker phones, the shower is still a veritable black hole of brilliant ideas and important forget-me-yesses.
While I’ve always been a geek and often find myself in an early adopter role in regards to technology, I don’t suffer lack of function kindly. Do I get sucked into trying things for form only? Sure. But every year that goes by I find myself more and more able to eschew a sexy phone or PDA for one that looks a little daggy (translation = dorky) and works like a naked Brazilian model as a mood enhancer (translation = woody).
The experience of using Jott is one of leaving a quick voice mail with a free secretary (no, not free like that, heavens) who transcribes your rants. As long as your rants don’t go beyond 15 seconds (ed: independent third party testing (me and the wife) revealed that the time limit is more like 30 seconds). Perfect for an effusive driveler like me or for practicing your elevator pitch. To that point, Venture Capital schools and entrepreneurs should use Jott as a training aid like Rocky used Apollo Creed (in Rocky whatever) as a mobile punching bag.
Did I mention this was free?
Yeah, and this time I mean as in free and easy – just how we like ’em (rap translation = wife on the street and a freak in the bed). Sure, that won’t last forever (free and easy never does) but for the value I receive from Jott I can deal with the three likely scenarios when Jott has to turn a profit.
Which are: drum roll please:
– Ad supported model (shocking!)
– Subscription based (damn, more money)
– Probably a combo of both with an opt out if I’m willing to take a schalacking in my wallet, and not just for the latest mobile phone or the strip club ATM fee.
I’ve used voice recording technology for personal information management and task management for years. My first ventures were with microcassette recorders, followed by solid state storage devices that did the same thing (like the former these are embarrassing as hell to use), using my own voice mail, and ever since cell phones have had them, a voice recorder built into my phone. Note, the phone avoids the embarrassment because people think you are talking to a secretary and NOT yourself. In fact, I haven’t been willing to buy a mobile phone over the last few years that DIDN’T have some form of voice recording ability. Heck, you have to be able to get laid and when combined with a fantasy about getting some from the secretary, SMARTphone has an entirely new ring to it.
From that last paragraph you’d think that I was obsessed with…voice recording – but I’m not. I’m obsessed with remembering important things and getting that information into a trusted system so my mind can get on to more important tasks. No translation necessary brothers and sisters. If you didn’t pick up on those cues, you’re either a dolt or you haven’t read David Allen’s brilliant book about Getting Things Done, a book that can claim followers like that usually reserved for prophets and reality T.V. shows. I’m still waiting for the Southern Translation to come out so our friends in ‘Bama and ‘Saw can become more efficient, better life hackers (Larry the Cable Guy translation “Git-r-Done!“)
I find that there is nothing better than voice recording for its intended application. I know that sounds really badly written, and it is. Because until Jott, even if I used a voice recorder, flagrantly risking eternal dagginess and lack of sex, I had to waste HUGE amounts of time transcribing my recorded messages. No more!
And what are those intended applications when you can use Jott to record your voice?
- In the car, any make or model, provided it’s a car located in the U.S. and a few Canadian suburbs in lower Toronto with Caller ID. For now.
- Walking down the street. Heck I’ve heard you can Jott while walking ANYWHERE (see prior note on U.S. and Toronto suburbs)
- Out for a run, yes, you can also RUN anywhere and still Jott. Well, I can.
- At an airport or anywhere else away from your computer where typing into a PDA or writing something is NOT as easy as calling a speed dial number and talking
- Sorry, if you are a wingnut one turn shy of tightened, you should not Jott on your Ducati, BMW or Harley (those would be motorbikes I fancy). Bicycles, roller blades or skateboards could be OK *IF* you are gifted with balance and natural multi-tasking ability. Which if you are, you’re getting all the ass you can handle. Just remember, no motorcycles.
Try this service. Three caveats:
- Privacy. a real live human will listen to and transcribe your phone call. It is assisted by voice recognition software but a human still listens in. Probably a nice little old lady from Bangalore in a colorful flowing robe. Wears the same one everyday – long, colorful, flowing. This is how Jott avoids your Aussie, Alabama, or Chinese accent without exhaustive voice training that doesn’t work even after 120 hours of head banging renditions of “For-t-for.” or “Phuk U!” Is that a privacy issue? Phuk yeah! But most of us clearly don’t care that much about our privacy or we wouldn’t employ our governments, or have secrets to keep like: “Remember to buy women’s underwear from Victoria’s secret for yourself tomorrow – size 34 waist…(remembers Granny) I mean size 8 for my wife.” According to Jott founders (I admit to not fact checking their biased selves because, translation = we need to leave something for the mainstream media to phuk up), this is not an issue that lawyers and doctors haven’t been able to deal with on transcription services for years. The handsome Jott founders suggest doing what lawyers have been doing (translation = nah, too easy) use some initials and code words about what you are saying and you should be fine. Besides, for people around you it will give them the impression that you’re undercover with the FBI or a terrorist threat, either way could lead to a really fun anal probe by airport security so you have nothing to lose except your lower octaves.
- Profit, Caveat two. You see, part of that whole profit thing could (in my opinion) completely hose (translation = technical Canadian term for a blown tap at the pub) the true value proposition of Jott. The founders plan to use more and more automated voice recognition technology to transcribe our Jott messages. You see, granny in Bangalore is still more costly than software and hardware. While I appreciate that (not as much as I appreciate Jott’s current VC’s) I do hope Jott will give me an option that’s not too expensive where I still get to talk to Bangalore Granny. I want my BangaGranny. She’s far superior in every way to a computer and likely will be for the remainder of my futile, vacuous life.
- Comprende. Even GrannyBanga has a hard time with my Ameristralian accent(yes, part Australian and part Yank). It’s messed up. Even when GrannyBanga messes up my Ameristralian slur I can still figure out what the hell I was thinking, which is living proof that those lawyers who leave codes have a system that can work (translation = they know how to beat the system).
That’s it. I was going to say that they need to support multiple phone numbers (I just got a second mobile phone for myself- don’t ask, just wait for the review) but I found today that they already support multiple phones. Wow, you guys are good.
Ready for a cool mashup? Combine Grandcentral.com (you gotta try it) with Jott.
Caption: Only boys this pretty could use the term Jottbox for marketing and get away with it.
Yes, Jott needs to support calls from places other than the U.S. but personally, I like the resonance of the founders ignoring the entire mobile calling world, where mobile phone penetration significantly leads U.S. mobile user penetration. And as a marketer by trade, let me assure you, it’s all about user penetration – especially the mobile kind. I’m guessing the founders have supplied their VC’s with a nice year 3 revenue model that features a hockey-stick growth spurt brought on by a launch in Japan (translation = VC’s with thought bubble over their heads, “Yeah! Those Jottboxx fuckers did say that!”). It’s charming really, this little imagined revenue model faux paus of mine is nothing more than me having a chance to give the founders a little shit – who no doubt are still shaking off the effects of working at Microsoft for years. Which is a testament to their fortitude and intelligence, they may have relied on Granny in Bangalore to deal with their lack of software capability, but god damn it, Jott does NOT have a talking paper clip option. Hurrah – all your transgressions are forgiven!
Crack a stiffie yet? If not, maybe I can interest you in a GrannyBanga? Thank you very little.
p.s. I think their time limit for recording a Jott is more like 30 seconds – not 15. I can’t find that on their FAQ’s but I seem to recall it from the Scoble interview where I first learned of Jott. Speaking of which, thank you Robert! So, instead of continuing to search Jott’s site in vain (translation = launching a denial of service attack on their pretty boy asses) I just jotted myself as a test. I was talking about getting Dos Equis Amber for the Wife while performing my Jott test and alternately rambling about Scoble – 30 full seconds of completely unintelligible Ameristralian – take that GrannyBanga!” You could see how the yoot’s of America (translation = youth’s) with too much time on their hands (translation = all of them) could really abuse this service. Think Spoonie Luv, aka Tracy Morgan.
Technorati Tags: Jott, Personal Technology, Voice Notes