I’ve never been happier with my cell phone features than I am right now, but apparently that has just made me more demanding. Two issues have caught my attention lately and I decided to throw my support behind them. Here’s what I left on Apple’s iPhone feedback page regarding their recent rejection of the Google Voice application, which I would really like to use.
I am disappointed with the rejection of Google Voice applications from the iPhone App Store. I assume the rejection is rooted in the interests of AT&T or other iPhone carries since Google Voice provides alternatives to their services. AT&T has denied that they are responsible for the rejection, though I believe their statement is deliberately ambiguous and leaves open the possibility that they are indirectly responsible.
As a consumer I don’t really care who made this decision, but I know that Apple has to be involved in correcting it. The innovation provided by Google Voice applications will be available in cell phones sooner or later, and I really hope the iPhone isn’t late to that party.
-Michael Askew
This issue has generated such ire that the FCC is investigating. I’m not sure I want the government interfering on this one; all I really want is the features offered by Google Voice available on my iPhone, and integrated as seamlessly as possible. This could mean that Apple and their carriers implement their own version of these features, or they work with Google to make an application that adds features without circumventing too many of the carriers’ revenue streams.
The second issue was brought to light by David Pogue; he wants cell phone carriers to turn off the idiotic 15 seconds of instructions that play between outgoing voicemail messages and the beep that signals you to start talking. He solicited suggestions for a campaign motto and chose “Take Back the Beep.” Read his article for all the reasons why, but to put it succinctly this stupid message
- Is obsolete
- Wastes everyone’s time
- Generates tons of extra revenue for carriers by using up your cell phone minutes
Something I’ve been pointing out whenever I post comments about this issue is that I don’t just want the option of turning off this message on my outgoing greeting, I want it off by default, on all existing and new voicemail accounts. Since people started being vocal about this issue Sprint has tried to placate its customers by telling them that they already have the option to turn it off, and Verizon has even lied about offering this feature (and subsequently back peddled and said they just meant you could turn of voicemail, lame!). This sort of pandering just makes me more angry.
So I’m cranky, and complaining about small annoyances. Join me if you want. That’s all.
