The voice of the BlackBerry community.
Vlingo has announced that they are available for the BlackBerry Storm 2. Right now, you can download Vlingo for Storm 2 and Storm 1 if you have upgraded to 5.0. If you have already paid for Vlingo Plus, you will get the premium features loaded on the new version automatically.
While it’s not yet up on App World, you can grab your copy from Vlingo themselves.
Yesterday, Ontario, Canada passed legislation that stipulates drivers can no longer use their handsets to call, email, SMS or chat. The penalties are around $500 per infraction beginning early next year.
There are a lot of BlackBerry users out there that like to send email and SMS while driving, so what should they do? There are several companies that manufacture hands-free devices, but are these the alternative we should be looking for? There is very little evidence to suggest that these products are actually making drivers safer.
Driving while having a conversation will ultimately distract putting yourself and others in danger. While the hands-free accessory can help keep your eyes on the road, it doesn’t address the issue of reaction times. Reaction times will always be diminished when someone is having a conversation.
If you’re a driver who is looking for a hands-free accessory, you could choose the BlueAnt Q1, the BlackBerry VM605 or a software solution like Vlingo.
Or, you could just wait until you get to where you’re going.
Vlingo recently completed a study that reveals teens use text messaging as their primary method of communications and 60% admitted to reading incoming messaging while driving.
The survey comes as the nation observes National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 18th-24th. According to the study, 94 percent of teens use their mobile phones to send text messages. Fifty-four percent send more than 500 text messages per month and 79 percent send more text messages than make phone calls. Teens use text messaging primarily to communicate with friends (72 percent).
While email is central to communication on a BlackBerry, the device is also used heavily for SMS. Many teens buy BlackBerry devices, not for the email capabilities, but for the QWERTY keyboard and the brand.
It is for this reason that BlackBerryCool.com would like to remind you not to drive while using your BlackBerry. Even though using voice-based user interfaces may show an improvement in your ability to focus on the road, the absolute safest thing you can do is just wait until you arrive at your destination.
Visit Vlingo and register to read the full survey.
Vlingo speech recognition software is trying to change the way you interact with your device. They see a powerful device that can be made even more powerful by making it totally hands-free. Well today they’ve announced version 3.0 of Vlingo, offering a rich feature set that really adds to their product.
Using the power of voice, Vlingo already enables users to send and reply to emails and text messages, search the mobile Web, dial the phone, look up contacts, and launch built-in applications — just by using their voice. With Vlingo 3.0, users gain an enhanced text-to-speech read-back feature for easy hands-free confirmation of what was spoken, the ability to speak action requests such as “send”, and support for wired headsets as well as many Bluetooth headsets.
Vlingo gives BlackBerry users the ability to power the most popular features by voice. They can simply press the side “convenience” key on their handset, which lets them speak commands into the smartphone. Vlingo 3.0 gives a user’s voice the ability to:
• Send and reply to text messages with users who also have Vlingo
• Web search
• Dial the phone
• Send a “note to self”
• Facebook & Twitter status updates
• Tell A Friend
• Optional read-back of the full text or email message that was spoken
• Speak action requests such as “send” or “search”
• Launch native and third-party applications
BlackBerry users can get additional voice capabilities, including the ability to send and reply to text messages and emails to anyone for a one-time charge of $17.99.
Existing users of Vlingo 2.0 can continue to use Vlingo 2.0 at no additional charge.
Following up quickly on their open beta last week, the fine folks at Vlingo have officially announced the release of Vlingo 2.0. Vlingo is a free and popular voice-powered application allowing users to take control of their BlackBerry without adding strain to their precious thumbs.
“We launched vlingo 1.0 for BlackBerry smartphones in June, and consumer adoption has exceeded our aggressive benchmarks,” said Dave Grannan, CEO of vlingo. “Our users have spoken more than three million times to our application, including over one million times to compose text messages with the power of their voices. This is validation of our unique approach to voice recognition, which hinges on making mobile data and applications easier to find and use. It provides clear evidence of the growing need to simplify the mobile phone user experience.”
New Vlingo 2.0 features include Facebook and Twitter status updates, full message read-back, and SureType support. You can find the full updated feature list after the jump, as well as download links for North American and UK users.
A week ago we told you that Vlingo was running a closed beta for its Vlingo 2.0 voice-powered application. I’ve been told by our friends at Vlingo that the 2.0 beta is now open to all residents of the UK, US and Canada!
Because Vlingo is an application that learns and improves based upon user feedback, it’s really important that the BlackBerry Nation helps Vlingo out to make their application as useful as possible. This is especially true for UK BlackBerry users!
In addition to participating in the Vlingo 2.0 beta, you can also fill out a quick 10-15 minute survey. Doesn’t sound like your thing? What if I told you that everyone who completes the survey will be entered in a drawing to win an 8GB iPod touch or one of 3 $50 Amazon.com gift certificates! I thought that might peak your interest!
You can find everything you need to know about the Vlingo 2.0 open beta and survey after the jump. BlackBerry Nation, Assemble!
Vlingo 2.0 Open Beta and Survey
By now, you should know how we feel about Vlingo: we love it. But now, the makers of this great voice-powered application need your help to make Vlingo even better! Read this below:
Vlingo is currently looking for active BlackBerry users in the US, Canada and the UK to test the latest features and functionality of our voice-powered application. Be one of the first users to try it out and have direct input into how the product evolves. Sign up now!
To participate, you need to meet the following criteria:
* Have a Pearl, Curve or 88xx
* Are interested in using voice to interact with your BlackBerry
* Be willing to fill out a survey post beta
* Live in the US, Canada or the UK
As part of this program, you’ll be testing and providing feedback on vlingo features designed for social media, Web search, messaging and much more. The program begins on Wednesday, October 8 and runs for one week. All beta testers will be asked to include your e-mail address so that vlingo can contact you to fill out a brief survey at the end of the test period. We will never sell or provide your contact information to any other company. We ask you to keep your beta test experience private until the formal product launch later this month.
To sign up for the closed beta, hit the link below via your BlackBerry Browser:
After a few setbacks and delays (damn you, CTIA), the BlackBerry Cool Podcast is back! It’s also our 40th podcast, which is some sort of milestone, I guess, and a good place to implement changes. We’ve fiddled with the format a little, added some music and a new weekly podcast guest: Fake Ted Rogers. The BlackBerry Cool Podcast will also now be released on Mondays (apologies to all those who enjoy listening to podcasts while raking leaves on the weekend).
This week’s podcast is a bit of a catchup, as we discuss the major news of the past month: the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 and BlackBerry Storm, and Rogers new BES/BIS plans and BlackBerry Bold price drop. Coincidentally, we also discuss why RIM will never make a BlackBerry app store. Whoops. In fairness, the BlackBerry Application Center is the perfect compromise between what we said RIM needs and what they would never do, so give us partial credit. We also attempted to talk about RIM’s stock and the economy, but cut it because we had nothing significant to contribute on either subject.
Downloading/streaming options for the BlackBerry Cool Podcast can be found after the jump, as well as links to all the relevant news stories. Enjoy!
Special thanks to our new sponsor, Rove Mobile!
The BlackBerry Cool Podcast Episode 40
What the Gubernator wants, the Gubernator gets (or he’ll be back). Starting in January of 2009, citizens within the great state of California will no longer be able to text message while driving. This new law covers not only sending, but the reading and writing of text messages as well; violators will be charged $20 for the initial offense and $50 for each recurring violation. The primary motivation for the law was SkyNET
“Banning electronic text messaging while driving will keep drivers’ hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, making our roadways a safer place for all Californians,” said Schwarzenegger.
Californians take heart, however: you can have both safety and text messaging via Vlingo, a free voice-enabled application that’s extremely easy to use! Read our review below to learn more.
Vlingo 1.1 for BlackBerry Reviewed
As keen observers of cool new ways to interact with you BlackBerry, we’ve had our eyes on Vlingo since
WES back in May, when most people knew of them as the white label solution for Yahoo! oneSearch. We also helped to promote their open survey to provide feedback and improve their voice-enabled BlackBerry application.
But with the official release of version 1.1, Vlingo has stepped out of beta and into the spotlight. It’s time to answer the question of what a voice-enabled BlackBerry can do and whether or not you need it.
Vlingo for BlackBerry Reviewed
The voice of the BlackBerry community.
