Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
C
allXpress3, AVT’s feature-rich We completed the software installa- good. The reference guide was particu-
voice processing/auto attendant sys- tions without any problems. We should larly helpful. We should also mention
tem, can be used with a variety of note that a technician from AVT visited that CallXpress3 comes with a multime-
client-side application modules to deliv- our site when we were setting up. He dia training program, called Coach,
er powerful unified messaging capabili- helped us get up and running pretty which familiarizes new users with
ties. These applications include Desktop quickly. He also took us on a tour CallXpress3. Coach interactively guides
Message Manager; Desktop Call through some of the software features. new users through the many features of
Manager; Fax Mail; and E-Mail Access. We encountered only one problem: CallXpress3’s telephone and graphical
In this review, we will concentrate on
Message Manager (Figure 1), a unified
messaging product that runs under
Windows 3.1 and later. We didn’t
receive Desktop Call Manager with our
package, so we will review it in a future
issue. However, we will list Desktop
Call Manager’s features. We will
briefly discuss the other application
modules, Fax Mail and E-Mail Access.
Another unified messaging product
from AVT is called CallXpress3
Desktop For Exchange. It is, as the
name implies, Exchange-compliant.
Also available with CallXpress3 is the
ability to integrate and unify your mes-
sages into other major e-mail packages
such as Groupwise and CC: Mail. Figure 1. CallXpress3 Message Manager: Main screen.
When we reviewed CallXpress3, Note the variable speed (slider bar) fast forward, rewind,
which runs on IBM’s OS/2 operating and play controls; volume control; and message folders
(such as those for new messages and saved messages).
44 CTI TM May/June 1997
C T I L ABS
user interfaces. We expect that Coach audiotext and transaction processing For example, callers have more options
will save system administrators and MIS (which allow you to automatically dis- to choose from than are available with
personnel hours of user training. Overall, seminate and capture information to basic “leave a message” functionality.
we gave the documentation a 4.5 rating. and from your callers) as well as caller CallXpress3 offers many other stan-
queuing and extension-specific pro- dard features. Live Reply, for example,
FEATURES cessing. Such features are appreciated transfers you directly to the sender of a
CallXpress3 Server by callers when they find that a sub- message, so you don’t have to spend
Each CallXpress3 system provides scriber is unavailable to answer a call. time looking up the person’s extension,
or going into a separate menu in the
c
voice mail system to reply to the mes-
sages. Another useful feature, called
Immediate Message Notification, will
AAlternate
selection of CallXpress3 Server
features is as follows:
Personal Greeting:
machine. If the fax machine is busy,
CallXpress3 stores the fax (provid-
ed you have the Fax Mail module)
Server Features.
CallXpress3 Desktop
With a special personal greeting, until the fax machine is available. Message Manager
you can notify callers that you are Your callers never hear a busy tone, Desktop Message Manager provides
on the phone. and you never miss a fax. a visual approach to managing your
Audiotext: You can provide your Flexible Message Ordering: You messages. Since you can see what’s in
callers with commonly requested can listen to your messages in the your mailbox, you can easily discover
information, without a live operator, order you want them — oldest, who sent each message, when the mes-
24 hours a day. Use Audiotext to newest, or urgent messages first. sages were received, and which mes-
provide information such as direc- Group Processing: You can save sages are most important. Several mes-
tions to your company or a listing time by processing multiple mes- sage notification methods are available.
of upcoming events. sages simultaneously, with a single You can decide whether you want a
AutoCopy: You can automatically command. tone to sound, a window to pop up, an
forward a copy of specified mes- Live Reply: While listening to a icon to flash, etc. (Figure 2).
sages to another subscriber or fax message, you can transfer directly With Desktop Message Manager,
machine. to the phone number or extension of you can:
Caller Queuing: You can give the message sender to reply in • Instantly see all of your voice and
your callers the option to hold for “real-time.” fax messages and all pertinent message
you while you wrap up another call. QuickConnect: By pressing one information.
Cascade Notification: You can key, you can transfer directly to a • Sort your messages by any catego-
receive your messages at any of subscriber extension from the com- ry and prioritize the information to
nine telephone or pager numbers pany directory. respond to the most critical messages
you specify. CallXpress3 will con- Ready, Set, Go!: You can ensure first.
tinue to call your specified list of that all of your users can easily set • Place a call to any telephone num-
numbers until it successfully deliv- up their mailboxes with this auto- ber or extension by using LiveReply on
ers the message to you. matic subscriber setup program. any received message.
Coach: You can save training CallXpress3 guides new subscribers • Archive messages on your local
time for the system administrator through the process of recording hard drive, network drive, or medium
and users by using this multimedia, their name and personal greeting of your choice for long-term or perma-
interactive tutorial. and setting a security code. nent storage of vital messages.
Daily Message Reminder: You Registered Mail: You can receive • Record and playback voice mes-
can set your clock to receive your immediate notification that another sages with the telephone, or PC sound
messages at the same time and the subscriber has received your mes- device, using the application’s play-
same place each day. sage. back controls (Figure 3).
Extension-Specific Processing: Speed And Volume Control: You • Control the speed and volume of
You can give your callers a unique can change the volume and speed at message playback.
set of options — in addition to that which the system plays messages to • Give each message a written title
for leaving a message — when you accommodate different messages and create notes summarizing message
are not available to take their calls. and differing environmental condi- content.
Fax Follow Thru: You can save tions. • Create custom folders to organize
money and improve customer ser- Transaction Processing: You can your messages into specific categories.
vice with this feature. When capture spoken information from • Request return receipt notification
CallXpress3 detects fax tone, it your callers, without a live agent, on voice and fax messages you send.
automatically routes the fax to a fax 24 hours a day. ■ • Save voice messages as audio files
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and fax messages as standard graphics your favorite contact management pro-
files and embed them in other docu- gram, PIM, or database application can
ments for true multimedia messaging. automatically pop up on your screen
• Create and send mixed documents with a display of the caller’s informa-
(you can easily combine voice and fax tion, conversation history, etc.)
media) to other subscribers on your • Direct calls to the person most qual-
system. ified to complete the call without
• Edit distribution lists directly on bouncing the caller from one extension
your computer screen. to another.
• Institute preferences for call screen- Figure 2. CallXpress3 • Request that the caller hold until
ing and call blocking, change your Message Manager: you complete your current task.
security code, record your personal Message notification modes. • Set hold time thresholds to ensure
greeting, and set other options from the all calls are handled professionally and
Settings menu (Figure 4). courteously.
Desktop Message Manager also • Direct callers to voice mail when
allows you to access a variety of fax fea- you are unable to take their call directly.
tures. For example, you can create docu- • Initiate screen pop data transfers
ments for your Faxtext library in any that are simultaneous with call trans-
Windows application, and fax them fers.
directly into CallXpress3 from your • Track call statistics on every call.
workstation. In addition, with the Fax Figure 3. CallXpress3 Message (User-defined fields could include date
Mail module (discussed below), you can: Manager: Record/play options. and time of call, connected or aban-
• View fax messages directly on your Here, you may designate your doned, call group, hold time, call dura-
screen (while simultaneously listening preferred recording and playing tion, wrap-up time, and called party.)
to the attached voice comment. device (phone or PC audio). • Monitor agent activity within a
• Print your fax messages on a net- workgroup to determine the availability
worked laser printer, as well as any fax of each agent. (You can track idle,
machine. wrap-up, and busy status conditions.)
• Create fax documents in any • Establish an unlimited number of
Windows application and send the fax call groups to help manage and track
directly from your workstation to any incoming call traffic.
subscriber or outside fax machine —
without adding expensive hardware to CallXpress3 Fax Mail Module
each PC. When CallXpress3 is augmented
with AVT’s Fax Mail module, you can
CallXpress3 Desktop Call Manager easily create and send faxes from any
Desktop Call Manager brings real- Windows application. You can send
time call control to your desktop com- faxes to outside fax numbers or other
puter. You can see who’s calling and Figure 4. CallXpress3 Message subscriber mailboxes directly from
why (call screening) before you answer Manager: Drop-down menu dis- your workstation computer.
the phone. Basically, you are given the playing some of the call manag- CallXpress3 Desktop Message
information you need to decide how to ers functionality, including call Manager includes a feature-rich fax
best handle each call. You may choose screening and call blocking. print driver that allows you to send
to take the call, ask the caller to hold, faxes from your workstation using any
ask the caller to leave a message, or how long they have been holding, etc.). of the message sending features of
transfer the call to a co-worker. • Decrease call durations and hold CallXpress3 such as specifying future
Users in a workgroup or call center times by automating the process of delivery, requesting a return receipt
who draw calls from a common queue identifying who is calling and why they notification, sending to a distribution
can view displays of pertinent informa- are calling. list, and recording a voice annotation
tion such as hold time, the caller’s name • Take advantage of AVT’s when sending to another subscriber.
and phone number, account status, and SmartScript technology, which helps When you receive a fax message,
call history (acquired via interactive you identify callers through ANI or CallXpress3 Desktop Message
voice response). With such information, caller ID capture, caller screening, or Manager displays the document portion
call centers can route calls to the most DTMF responses to the questions you of the fax message directly on your
appropriate agent, minimize call dura- devise. (In addition, SmartLink inter- computer screen so you can view your
tion, improve overall call throughput, faces with most popular PIM and con- fax message and listen to the voice
and provide better customer service. tact management software applications, annotation simultaneously. Printing the
With CallXpress3 Desktop Call including Act!, Ascend, Ecco, Day- faxes is also available.
Manager, you can: Timer Organizer, Goldmine, Metz CallXpress3’s multi-application plat-
• See all incoming calls (you can see Phones, Microsoft Access, and form offers a single solution for all of
who is calling, why they are calling, Sidekick. Once you accept a new call, your faxing needs: fax store-and-for-
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KNOW IT!
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sage, rather than into “play/view,” ety of products, from modems to video
RATINGS (1-5)
where you would listen to the voice devices. Although all this activity should
mail message. The user should be able be exciting, one cannot help but feel a lit-
Installation: 4.75
to decide the default functionality. tle resigned. After all, so much of the
Documentation: 4.5 work associated with this technology is
GUI: 4.90 CONCLUSION more complicated than it should be.
Features: 4.90 CallXpress3, a very powerful voice The problem is that ISDN itself is
processing system, can be enhanced with more complicated than it should be.
software modules to provide fax and e- With almost two dozen types of order-
differentiates the different message mail functionality as well. These modules ing codes, several switch types, and
types with different icons (fax icon, include Desktop Message Manager, a esoteric options, ISDN poses quite a
phone icon, etc.). All the same, we’d great unified messaging solution; Desktop challenge to product designers. If you
still like to see a patch to have one mes- Call Manager, an excellent call handling designed a modem that was compatible
sage store for Exchange users who are product; and E-Mail Access, which gives with a Nortel switch, how could you be
not running Exchange Server and who you true remote access to all of your mes- sure it would be compatible with the
don’t plan to upgrade to Exchange sages (voice, fax, e-mail) with its text-to- AT&T switch?
Server in the near future. speech conversion capabilities. Enter the ISDN simulator, a many-in-
We tested the record and playback of If you would like an idea of how good one black box capable of accommodat-
voice messages with the telephone and CallXpress3 really is, we suggest you ing several types of ISDN service. It is
the PC sound device, and found that the look at Applied Voice Technology’s a perfect tool for developers, who need
Desktop Message Manager’s playback demo program. Choosing CallXpress3 to test and demonstrate their ISDN
controls allowed us to switch between as a single solution for your voice mail, products, as well as end users, who
the two interfaces with ease. Both inter- auto-attendant, unified messaging, need to verify the functionality of their
faces worked flawlessly. We also liked remote messaging access, and fax pro- ISDN devices.
the controls for changing the speed and cessing needs has many advantages, The ILS-2000 by Teltone is one such
volume of message playback. The abil- including the product’s wealth of fea- device. It is literally a black box (see
ity to give each message a written title tures and admirable cost-effectiveness. product shot), and it functions in the
and create notes summarizing the mes- The product recently became avail- background, providing two lines of
sage information was very useful. able on the Windows NT platform. This end-to-end ISDN-BRI service.
version of the product, called
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT CallXpressNT, does not signal the end INSTALLATION
We were unable to find the “cross- of the version that runs on OS/2. AND DOCUMENTATION
hairs” on the column headings within Applied Voice Technology indicates it The Teltone ILS-2000 is shipped with
Desktop Message Manager to change configuration software, power and seri-
column width. We fiddled some more, al cables, a 25-9 pin serial port adapter,
and discovered you can find the cross- and a user manual. We were impressed
hairs when you put your mouse cursor by the attention to detail. The company
on the black lines on the rows where even included a pair of spare fuses.
your messages are located. Then you The documentation, no more than
can resize the columns. This approach stapled-together loose-leaf sheets, is
was not very intuitive. Since most peo- unprepossessing, but its content is more
ple expect to adjust column width up at than adequate. It starts out with a step-
the column headings, we’d like to see by-step operational summary. Next, it
this capability in the next version. gives an informative essay on ISDN-
One time we logged onto the BRI. Then, it delves into the details of
ILS-2000
CallXpress3 server and accidentally the operation and configuration of the
entered a “blank” for the password. The simulator. The reference section gave
system displayed an hourglass icon and adequate troubleshooting cases, and the
hung Windows 95. Curious, we repeat- Teltone Corporation glossary section was rich and complete.
ed this procedure. Sometimes we’d see 22121 20th Ave SE
the same response, sometimes not. Bothell, WA 98021 FEATURES
Perhaps there is a bug here that needs to Ph: 206-487-1515; Fx: 206-487-2288 The ILS-2000 supports two lines of
be worked out. E-Mail: info@teltone.com ISDN-BRI. (BRI service consists of two
Finally, we’d like to be able to prede- Web Site: www.teltone.com 64 Kb/s bearer channels and one 16 Kb/s
termine whether clicking on a message data channel — also known as 2B+D.)
brings the application into the “edit” Each BRI connection on the ILS-2000
mode or the “play/view” mode. For will continue to support CallXpress3. has two types of interfaces, “U” and
W
example, if you double-click on a voice ith interest in ISDN rising, many “S/T.” The U interface is to be terminat-
mail message, you could be brought companies are hard at work rolling ed at an NT-1 to which a Terminal
into “edit” mode, where you could add out ISDN-related products. A d a p t e r o r Ty p e 1 Te r m i n a t i n g
a subject or note to the voice mail mes- Indeed, ISDN is appearing in a wide vari- Equipment can be attached. The S/T
50 CTI TM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com
The ILS-2000 configuration software ID or ANI.
RATINGS (1-5)
is used to set up the simulator to behave •Terminal Display Text –
as a specific type of ISDN service. The Enables/disables formatted ASCII test
Installation: 4.5 configuration software can be installed delivery by the network.
Documentation: 4.5 on Windows 3.1 and higher versions and •Electronic Key Telephone Service
Features: 4.25 communicates with the simulator through (EKTS) – Enables/disables multiple
one of the PC’s COM ports. The user can Directory Numbers on the same physi-
select from several stored configurations cal line.
interface connects directly to a already available or create new configu- •Multi-point – Enables/disables mul-
Terminal Adapter or Type 1 Terminating rations and save them. The supplied con- tiple device support on the same line.
Equipment, bypassing the NT-1. figurations include National ISDN-1, •Call Appearances – Enables/dis-
To call from one device to another, at AT&T Custom, DMS 100, and ETSI. ables management of multiple calls at
least two devices must be attached to the The Default button can be used to revert one terminal.
simulator. The ILS-2000 will allocate back to the default settings for the cur- •Key Hold – Enables/disables hold,
both B channels if requested by a device. rently selected switch type if these set- drop, transfer, and conference features
The ISDN ports are pre-configured with tings have been modified. for EKTS terminals.
Service Profile IDs (SPID) and The following options can be set •Additional Call Offering (ACO) –
Directory Numbers (DN). These num- using the configuration software: Enables/disables ISDN call waiting.
bers are usually requested by ISDN •D Channel X.25 – Enables/disables After the desired options are select-
devices and are programmed in before X.25 traffic on the D Channel. ed, the user can save the new configu-
these devices can operate. Some devices •B Channel Provisioning – Enables/ ration under a new name. To re-initial-
may require an additional number called disables permanent channels between ize the ILS-2000 with the new configu-
a Terminal Endpoint Indentifier (TEI), port 1 and port 2, or a LOOPBACK ration, the Download button should be
which must be assigned a unique num- configuration. pressed. This causes the new configura-
ber between 1 and 63 or set to accept an •Phantom Power – Used for ETSI tion to be downloaded to the simulator
automatic assignment. (This latter switch type. followed by an automatic restart.
option isn’t always available.) •Caller ID – Enables/disables caller The Query button can be used to inter-
O R D E R
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rogate the ILS-2000 and display the cur- and attached the Modems to the “U” uration software, and automatic device
rent configuration of the simulator. interfaces of ILS-2000. We were able to detection on the PC COM port.
easily establish a connection using one
OPERATIONAL TESTING and then two B channels. CONCLUSION
For a short test, we used two U.S. The Teltone ILS-2000 ISDN simula-
Robotics Sportster ISDN 128K ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT tor eliminates the trouble and expense
modems to make a RAS connection We suggest the following improve- of obtaining ISDN service for testing,
between a Windows 95 client and a ments: an integrated LCD screen for demonstrating, or developing ISDN
Windows NT server. We configured the status display, a more robust help file products designed for either U or S/T
ILS-2000 to simulate an AT&T switch (with search capability) for the config- interfaces. With the ILS-2000, users
P
honeRider 33.6, a high-speed we would be asked about. We browsed
data/fax modem with 16-bit sound the CD-ROM and found the file the DOCUMENTATION
card capabilities, provides computer was asking for. The documentation was very good,
advanced telephony and unified mes- •Installing The Wizard: This part of but for the installation instructions. It
saging features on the Windows 95 the setup includes setting up PBX set- appeared these were out of date. Which
platform. PhoneRider 33.6 is also a tings, testing the line and speaker- is a shame, since the instructions
powerful voice mail server and auto- phone, as well as the detection of when appeared well organized and easy to
mated attendant that provide an unlim- the handset if off-hook. All of these follow. Yet the directions didn’t corre-
ited number of mailboxes. tests performed flawlessly on the first spond to what we needed to install the
According to MediaPhonics, the attempt. software drivers. For example, the dri-
PhoneRider stands out because it •Verification Procedure: Next, the ver names were different, and directo-
uniquely integrates two Windows 95 installation instructions give you direc- ries for loading the drivers specified by
standards: tions to verify that the board is installed the documentation differed from those
1. TAPI — the PhoneRider can be properly in the System folder. We fol- on the CD-ROM.
used with any telecommunications pro- lowed the instructions, but found that the We suppose the documentation may
gram in compliance with the TAPI entry names were quite different from already be updated by the time this
standard for telephony devices. what was in the manual. For instance, review is printed (we worked with beta-
2. MAPI — the PhoneRider can be the manual said “Double click on version software). Thus, we didn’t
used with any mail program in compli- PhoneRider DSP Device”, but we saw count shortcomings in the documenta-
ance with the MAPI standard for mes- “Digital Audio/Telephony Accelerator”, tion too heavily (we assigned a rating
saging servers and clients. with “wwwMax Accelerator” under- of 4.0). All the same, we hope all the
By working with both of these stan- neath it. We decided to skip the verifica- wrinkles are ironed out. These include
dards, PhoneRider allows you to send tion procedure since the manual didn’t the absence from both manuals of
and receive messages, speed dial, talk, match our system settings and continue MediaPhonics’ phone number, fax
or transfer calls from Microsoft Phone, with the installation process. number, Web address, and technical
Address Book, Schedule+, or Outlook •Installing The Software: Next, support e-mail address.
97. In addition, you can send and we installed the PhoneRider applica-
receive and forward voice mails or tion software, which gives you inte- FEATURES
faxes from Microsoft Exchange or gration to Microsoft Exchange, PhoneRider comes in two plug-and-
Outlook 97. Outlook, and your phone. The instal- play ISA card configurations:
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C T I L ABS
General Figure 7. PhoneRider: Main GUI showing call control functionality. Here,
•Provides an unlimited number of the display indicates the date and time and notes that line 1 is in use.
mailboxes and an unlimited number of
speed dial entries (with optional pass- •Has mute capability. and multi-player games.
words). Hardware/Specifications •Automatically regulated echo can-
•Able to transmit many media types, •Analog Devices wwwMAX chipset. cellation.
including voice, data, fax, and (in the •ADSP-2181 DSP.
future) video. •AD1843 Codec. Handset/Headset/Speakerphone
•Allows you to speed dial, confer- •AD1815 Codec (in combination •Allows communication by speaker-
ence, and transfer calls from Microsoft audio, telephony, voice/modem/fax phone, headset, or telephone handset.
Phone, Address Book, Schedule+, configuration). •Digital quality, full-duplex speaker-
Outlook 97, or any TAPI-compliant •MediaPhonics ASIC and firmware. phone,
application. •Data Protocols include V.34bis •Automatic microphone gain control.
•Allows you to handle voice mail (33,600 bits per second), V.34 (28,800 •Allows the PC to act as a fully func-
and fax messages (send, receive, and bps); V.32bis (14,400 bps), V.32 (9,600 tional phone connection for personal
forward) the same way you would han- bps); V.22bis (2,400 bps), V.22 (1,200 (handset) and open room conversations
dle e-mail messages in Microsoft bps); V.42; V.42bis standard COM port (speakerphone).
Exchange, Outlook 97, or any MAPI- emulation; 56K-ready via Windows 95 •Works with any analog telephone.
compliant application. driver software upgrade; V.80 compatible •Telephone handset functions nor-
•Works over most types of networks, with Intel ProShare, H.324 VideoPhones. mally with PC turned off.
including ordinary phone lines and the •Synchronous V.80 mode for H.324 •Allows the telephone handset to
Internet. (Allows you to engage in multi- videoconferencing, application sharing, operate normally when the PC is turned
media conferencing over POTS; confer- off, and the handset activates when you
encing over the LAN/Intranet is pending.) lift it.
•The application activates as you lift
Call Handling/Screening handset and switches naturally from
•Displays caller ID information, speakerphone to telephone.
which can be used to screen incoming
calls. Advanced Fax Features
•Allows you to listen in on someone •14,400 bps V.17 Group 3 fax.
leaving a voice mail. In addition, you •Supports Class 1 and 2 fax com-
can pull that person out of voice mail if mands.
you wish to speak to them. •Supports the following send-and-
•Has a ring-free “do not disturb” mode, receive protocols: V.17 (14,400/12,000
which transfers calls to voice mail. bits per second); V.29 (9,600/7,200
•Provides call forwarding to pager or bps); V.27ter; V.21.
cellular phone and remote access to
messages. Figure 8. PhoneRider: Voice mail Audio And Sound
•Records handset conversations. GUI for recording and playing (These features pertain to the
•Makes it easy to store and retrieve messages. PhoneRider 33.6 all-in-one telepho-
digital files for recorded conversations. ny/sound configuration.)
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•16-bit stereo / 48-KHz sound and unified messaging capabilities. We set •Distinguishing Between Voice And
OPL3 synthesis. Microsoft Fax to pick up on two rings. Fax: Once we got the fax working, we
•Compatible with Microsoft When we dialed into the board, the wondered if the product was intelligent
Multimedia Personal Computer II and Microsoft Fax software wouldn’t pick enough to distinguish between an incom-
Sound System; Sound Blaster Pro; and up the line, even after 6 rings. ing voice call and an incoming fax. Now,
Ad Lib games. Evidently the machine, for some rea- we knew that if we left Microsoft Fax on
•MIDI player (OPL3/external wave son, didn’t detect and add the modem. Auto Answer after two rings, there was
table). The instructions gave no indication no way we could receive voice mail mes-
•Wave player/recorder. whether we needed to add one. sages, since Microsoft Fax would take
•CD player. Regardless, we added one manually. control of the phone call. If our test was
•Mixer table. The Microsoft Fax picked up the phone going to work, the MediaPhonics soft-
on the first try, after five rings, even ware would have to answer the line and
External I/O Connections though it was set to two rings. determine whether it was receiving a
•Speakers out. We went into Exchange, then Tools, voice call or a fax.
•Line out. Microsoft Fax Tools, and Modem Tab, We decided to change Microsoft Fax
•Microphone in. and we saw two slightly different Back to Manual Answer and then send
•Phoneset line RJ11-4. modem/fax entries. One of them was a fax. When we faxed into the
•Line in. named “wwwMAX Modem 33.6(Data+fax),” MediaPhonics board, the voice mail
•Phone line RJ11-6 (wall). and the other entry was called system picked up after three rings. The
“wwwMAX SpeakerPhone+Data+Fax+Voice.” board detected the fax tone and intelli-
Internal I/O Connections The latter entry was the default, so we gently routed the call to Microsoft Fax.
•CD in. switched to the former. After this Similarly, when we called in by voice,
•Speakers out. change, the Microsoft Fax program we were able to leave a voice message.
•Joystick. picked up on two rings and was able to Thus, we had voice and fax capability
•MIDI in/out. receive faxes perfectly. In addition, the all on the same line.
•WaveBlaster compatible connec- faxes we received could be routed to We were able to play and record
tion. our Exchange inbox. voice mail messages from Exchange or
•Familiar phone interface.
OPERATIONAL TESTING
•Outbound Calling: As soon as we
lifted the receiver, the PhoneRider
application popped up. When we dialed
digits into the handset phone, the num-
ber instantly appeared on the screen
thanks to DTMF detection.
•Headset Capabilities: Next we tried
TS
to make an outbound call while using a
headset with a built-in microphone that
was plugged into the MediaPhonics
board. We used the mouse to click on the
phone keypad on the graphical user
interface and then clicked on Line 1. The
line picked up (we got dial-tone), and we
could hear the digits we entered being
DESIGN
played over the headset (Figure 7).
We talked to another engineer, con-
ferenced another call, put the call on
hold, and tested the muting capability.
We accessed all these capabilities with-
out difficulty. At first the sound was
muffled, but then we switched to anoth-
er headset which gave us much better
sound quality. Such problems are all
too common with microphones
plugged into sound cards. To get ade-
quate power, some microphones need
an amplifier, which is plugged into the
joystick port of a sound card.
•Faxing Capabilities: We sent a fax
to the MediaPhonics board to test its
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Remotely Possible/32
Address Book, making it easy to quick- The word “Incoming” was spelled
ly dial your co-workers or important “Incomming” in the display area when
contacts (Figure 11). a call is received. (Admittedly, pointing
this out is nit-picking, but the product Avalan Technology, Inc.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT gave us so few flaws to discuss as it is.) P.O. Box 6888
The only difficulties we encountered Holliston, MA 01746
were related to installation of the board CONCLUSION Ph: 508-429-6482;
and software. Some, if not all, of our The PhoneRider product, with its Fx: 508-429-3179
installation problems are attributable to board and accompanying software, gives BBS: 508-429-3671
outdated or incomplete instructions in you a very inexpensive means of attain- E-Mail: avalan@avalan.com
the installation documentation. Since ing unified messaging. With PhoneRider, Web Site: www.avalan.com
we had a beta copy of the software, the which is very tightly integrated with
Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, you
R
can have all your faxes, e-mails, and emotely Possible/32, a 32-bit
voice mail messages in one e-mail store. remote access communications
In addition to its unified messaging program, allows you to remotely
functionality, PhoneRider provides a control one or more Windows PCs, to
voice-enabled modem for dialing from exchange files, and to have an interactive
your PC, as well as a 33.6kbps transmis- “chat” session — all at the same time.
sion modem for connecting to the This program supports up to four differ-
Internet, BBS, or other online services. ent protocols simultaneously, including
Figure 11. PhoneRider: Speed dial
The built-in sound card functionality is a TCP/IP, IPX, Netbeui, NetBios, and
interface with integration to
nice plus, since it saves an ISA slot. asynchronous connections.
Microsoft Exchange address book.
PhoneRider’s impressive features make With Remotely Possible, telecom-
56 CTI TM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com
muters, home office workers, and busi- table of contents was well organized,
ness travelers can access their corporate and the text within the chapters was
e-mail and work on the corporate LAN. easy to follow. The manual was filled
This kind of access opens up myriad
possibilities. For example, you can
with helpful screenshots. The index,
too, was excellent, and the trou- System
even print 500 copies of a word-proces-
sor file to a laser printer before leaving
bleshooting appendix was helpful.
Actually, Remotely Possible was so Requirements
for work, and find the pages waiting for easy to use and so user-friendly, we
you when you arrive at the office didn’t even look at the documentation Hardware: IBM PC or compati-
(Figure 12). until it was time to write this review. Of ble, 2MB hard disk space, 3.5”
course, when we did read the manuals, floppy drive
INSTALLATION we were glad we did, since we picked Optional: Hayes AT compatible
Before installation, Remotely up a few things about the product that modem, RAS, PPP, or SLIP server
Possible recommends removing any we had overlooked. This experience Network: WinSock TCP/IP, IPX,
other remote control applications resid- lends credence to the motto “read the NetBios
ing on your computer. We’ve read from darn manual.” We gave the documenta- Display: All types, including
computer magazines that remote access tion a perfect 5.0 rating. Super VGA, VGA, EGA, CGA, and
programs interfere with each other, so Monochrome
Avalan’s Remotely Possible is not the FEATURES Display resolutions: All support-
only program which recommends un- The newest version of Avalan’s ed
installing other remote access pro- Remotely Possible/32 (version 3.1) fea- Software: Windows 95 or
grams. As such, we did not let this tures session recording, which provides Windows NT
affect the installation rating. training centers, help desks, call cen-
Installing the software was straight- ters, and support centers with the abili- savvy person. Typically, call durations
forward. It was a one-disk setup, which ty to record every detail of calls made double or even triple.
simply required that you choose the to the host computer during a remote Using Remotely Possible, a technical
destination directory, as well as enter control session. This allows you to support person can access the user’s PC
the serial number. (For the 30-day free monitor the session in real time as well. and perform all the necessary steps
trial version on the company’s Web site, A technical support representative himself. The tech doesn’t have to spend
10 default serial numbers are provided.) can install Remotely Possible onto a time explaining details. Call duration is
Remotely Possible does not modify user’s machine in order to troubleshoot shortened, thus reducing phone costs
your autoexec.bat, config.sys, or any a particular computer and fix any prob- for help desks, technical support cen-
INI files, which enhanced its installa- lems that are found. This is particularly ters, and the like.
tion rating. Overall, the product earned useful in instances when a caller has Remotely Possible’s multitasking
an installation rating of 4.98. limited computer expertise. Any MIS ability allows several remote control
person knows that troubleshooting with sessions to run at the same time, and
DOCUMENTATION a computer novice is more time con- you can task-switch between them. The
The documentation was superb. The suming than working with a computer- keyboards, mice, and screens on two
remotely connected PCs act as one.
Both keyboards and mice are active to
allow complete control of the host PC.
There are features, however, to disable
the mouse, keyboard, and monitor on
the remote end. Disabling the monitor
screen adds a layer of security, since
you may not want someone seeing what
is on your computer screen. Disabling
the keyboard and mouse accomplishes
a similar function with regards to secu-
rity (Figure 13).
Some other features of Remotely
Figure 12. Remotely Possible: Possible include:
Microsoft Word being remotely • Auto-pan for viewing computers
controlled in Windowed mode. with larger resolutions.
Windowed mode displays menus • Access codes and levels for securi-
and icons that can be used to ty, including chat access, remote con-
access file transfer, chat, discon- trol access, file transfer access, call-
nect, and other features. back access, and others.
• Ability to reboot remote machine.
• Disable wallpaper.
• Inactivity time to disconnect a ses-
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sion.
• Printer redirection to allow printing
both on the Host and Viewer PC.
• Option to reboot machine after a
disconnect at a user specified interval.
Overall, Remotely Possible earned a
nearly perfect features rating of 4.99.
OPERATIONAL TESTING
We tested Remotely Possible on sev-
eral machines on the advice of one of
our testing engineers who felt that the
video drivers could be finicky and per-
haps buggy. Since Remotely Possible is
dependent on the video driver for inter-
cepting painting of the video screen, we
were compelled to pay attention to his
advice. (Just because Remotely Possible
works with a particular video card does-
n’t necessarily mean the program will Figure 13. Remotely Possible: User preference screen (Viewer tab) for chang-
work with all of them.) The ensuing tests ing viewing preferences, including blanking the host monitor for security.
confirmed our suspicions.
We found that the first three video
cards we tried worked fine. Then we
tried using Remotely Possible on a PC
which was using a high-end Matrox
Millennium card with 4 MB of RAM. It
worked, but the throughput was
painfully slow. Just moving a window
took an unbelievable 30 to 40 seconds
over a 10-BaseT connection! When we
tried it over a 28.8-kbps connection, it
took 2 to 4 minutes, or Remotely
Possible would hang.
We downloaded the latest Matrox
video driver and BIOS and attempted it
again. It still didn’t work. We gave
Avalan’s technical support a call. They
told us to disable all the advanced fea-
tures of the Matrox — to no avail.
Avalan Technology told us they have a
few Matrox Millennium cards working
in their office, so we were optimistic,
but running out of options. The engi-
neer was going on a road trip and want-
ed access to his PC using Remotely Figure 14. Remotely Possible: User preference screen (Host tab) for
Possible, and so we couldn’t give up. It enabling host operation, printer redirection, and security options (dis-
began to look like remote access to his able mouse and blank monitor options).
PC would not be even “remotely possi-
ble” — pun intended! Font Size Matters We tried going into the Display set-
We decided to go back to basics and As luck would have it, the same engi- tings and changing everything to the
change to an older video driver. In fact, neer had one other problem with his original Windows 95 default values.
we switched to the original driver that computer setup. When he viewed from a For instance, under the Appearance tab,
came with the Windows 95 CD-ROM remote computer, he found that his we set the scheme to Windows Default
(version 4.0). This solved the problem, Desktop icons had their descenders cut and clicked on the Apply button. We
and the engineer has since been happi- off. The truncated type was bearable, but still had the descenders cut off.
ly accessing his PC remotely. Of nevertheless a nuisance, so we called Next, we to turned off all the
course, the drawback has been that his Avalan again to try to find a solution. Microsoft Plus! settings in the Plus!
machine doesn’t redraw as fast as it While we were on the phone, we had tab. Still the same problem. So, we
used to, without the advanced features their tech call directly into our machine went into the Control Panel, and then
of the Matrox card. and watched as he poked around. the Desktop Themes program. We
58 CTI TM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com
thought that we could connect to the
Internet using Remotely Possible. We
dialed into the machine, launched
Internet Explorer on the remote end and
actually started browsing the Web.
Now, using a 28.8-kbps modem to
connect to another 28.8-kbps modem
isn’t exactly the best or most efficient
way to browse the Web — but we were
online nonetheless. We scrolled
through some graphical sites and the
performance was surprisingly good.
The fonts didn’t seem to be exact, but
the difference was hardly distracting.
Accessing the Internet by accessing
another PC could be a nice feature if
you dial into a machine which has an
ISDN, ADSL, or other high-speed
Internet connection. You’d be getting
Figure 15. Remotely Possible: User preference screen (Dial tab) for high-speed Internet access over a 28.8-
selecting modem, dialing methods, and data transmission options. kbps modem!
chose Windows Default, which is sup- key was also transmitted to the remote Long-Distance Runaround
posed to change all the settings to their computer, since F1 is the default Help Not content with dialing long-dis-
original Windows 95 defaults. We screen key. But we were a bit mystified tance to remotely access our comput-
thought this would work for sure, but as to why Remotely Possible was pro- ers, we decided to try to get cheaper
alas it did not. grammed so the F1 key would “apply” access to our computers using the
We returned to the Appearance tab to both the local and remote machine. Internet. We knew the static IP address-
screen in the Display Properties win- We’d prefer a user preference setting to es of our machines (which are always
dow and clicked on the drop-down box select the default preferences. on the Internet), and we also had host
Item and selected Icon. Here, we saw For instance, when the program is in operation enabled on these machines
the default font size was set to 6 points. View Full Screen mode, we’d like (Figure 14). We have file-sharing
We thought this was a bit strange, since Remotely Possible to send the function enabled on the Dial-Up adapter (ignor-
the default size was supposed to be 8. keys to the remote end all the time — ing the Microsoft warning about securi-
We changed the size to 8 points, which not the local machine. In fact we’d ty) in the Network settings, which
fixed the problem. At first we thought it actually prefer a setting for disabling allows you to ping or access a Windows
was a bug in Windows 95, or that per- function keys within the local machine over the Internet. So, all we
haps using different video drivers Remotely Possible program to prevent had to do was enter a user name, pass-
caused the font sizes for the icons to Remotely Possible from interfering word, and the correct TCP/IP address,
vary, but we determined that somebody with our remote viewing. and we were all set. We were now
must have saved over the Windows Function keys are always important, remotely controlling a Windows 95
Default setting. In fact, one machine we but even more so if you are using a ter- machine located in Connecticut from a
looked at had a default icon font size of minal program. You don’t want laptop in California — all for free! (It
5 points! Remotely Possible switching to its was free because we dialed into a local
screen every time you hit the F1 key. ISP in California.)
Function Key Question We tested some of the other function This kind of access has profound and
We tested a few of the function keys keys, and Remotely Possible worked obvious uses. From anywhere in the
to make sure they worked over a remote fine, so it appears that the F1 key was world, you can remotely control your PC
connection. When we hit F1 while in a the only one with this minor problem. for just the cost of accessing the local
Microsoft Word screen, Remotely ISP! (To see the product’s dialing options,
Possible brought up its own help screen Remotely Surfing! including data compression, see Figure
on the local machine. Hitting F1 also To satisfy our curiosity, we dialed 15.) During our Operational Testing on
brought us back to the Remotely from a laptop into another computer’s the road, we were also able to download
Possible main screen on the viewing modem running Remotely Possible and
machine. This was not what we wanted tried to browse the Internet over the RATINGS (1-5)
to see. remote computer. You see, we were in a
We clicked on Viewer, Switch to Full hotel on the road and didn’t know any Installation: 4.98
Screen, to get back to viewing the local ISP numbers to access the Documentation: 5.0
remote computer screen. Here, we were Internet. (Being without Internet access GUI: 4.95
a bit surprised to see Microsoft Word’s for too long makes you think of inge- Features: 4.99
help screen pop up. Apparently, the F1 nious ways to get connected.) We
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User Preferences
Remotely Possible can be started
automatically either before or after log-
ging onto Windows. This is very useful,
since you may not want to leave your
machine logged onto the network. Also,
if your computer reboots (power loss or
intentionally rebooted), the computer
will be at the network password logon
prompt. Programs in the Startup group
will not yet be loaded, but Remotely should have been displayed to the user. Figure 16. Remotely Possible:
Possible does not use the Startup group Another thing we would like to see is File transfer screen displaying
to load itself. It uses its own technique an option to turn off remembering pass- options on local as well as
for loading before you enter your net- words for each entry in the address remote machines.
work or Windows password. Thus, you book. If a laptop running Remotely
can set Remotely Possible to start Possible is stolen, a thief could access information, we’d like the ability to
before Windows logs on, which will anyone’s computer using the entries in record mouse movements as well as the
allow you to still dial or connect to the the address book, since both the phone entire screen. This would be useful for
machine and enter both your network number and password are always recording sessions, which could then
and Windows passwords (if applicable). “remembered” in the address book. later be used for training. Avalan men-
Thus, a thief could double-click on an tioned they are working on just such a
Security address entry and log onto a machine. record and playback utility.
Remotely Possible offers good secu- Of course, the odds are pretty slim that We’d like to have the ability to save
rity. You can blank the host screen and this would happen, and you could system settings and preferences to dif-
disable the host’s mouse and keyboard. always change the passwords if a lap- ferent configuration files, which can
We do, however, need to make a few top was ever stolen (assuming you were then be loaded on-the-fly, as well as the
comments. First, there is one default aware of the theft in time for you to ability to change settings on-the-fly
entry in the user accounts with the name change the passwords). Another option after connecting to a remote machine.
“default” and a password of “default.” might be to have one general password Currently you cannot change settings
We had to make sure that we changed to unlock the entire address book. such as disabling or enabling the host
this password right away, since anyone keyboard, mouse, or monitor after you
running Remotely Possible could then ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT have connected. Once you choose cer-
access our machine. We felt a warning In addition to logging File Transfer, tain settings, you are stuck with those
or reminder to change this password Host, Viewer, Chat, and Communication settings until you disconnect, change
the setting, and then reconnect.
Following this procedure can be incon-
venient, especially if you are connected
over a long-distance connection.
As mentioned earlier, pressing the F1
key should effect an action on the
remote PC – not the PC you are using
to access the remote PC. This problem
is especially vexing when you are view-
ing in full-screen mode.
One minor nuisance involved con-
necting to a remote machine over a
TCP/IP LAN connection where you
could see the computers currently run-
ning Remotely Possible. You have to
select the computer name, and then
move your mouse all the way from the
W
hen Comdial is mentioned, what with the PhoneKITS software, for The PATI 3000 device has a headset
usually comes to mind is a PBX which we chose the full install option. connection. Of course, using a headset
system for a small or medium- After entering some basic informa- is a big plus when you are using CTI.
sized business. This preconception may tion, including our name and telephone Losing the handset means your hands
disappear now that Comdial is attempt- number, we breezed through the three- are free for the keyboard and mouse.
ing to assault the SOHO market with its disk installation. We noticed a message The other features of the PATI 3000
PATI 3000 product. Don’t get us regarding modifying the AUTOEX- lie within the accompanying software,
wrong, PATI 3000 is also an option for EC.BAT, SYSTEM.INI, and WIN.INI PhoneKITS, which consists of four
larger companies. Nonetheless, it really (such a message is usually indicative of main components:
shines as a SOHO solution. All the a 16-bit program). We were also asked • PC Phone: This is the heart and
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C T I L ABS
Centrex Options
PhoneKITS is able to understand
special characters such as “!” for flash-
hook and “,” for pause. Utilizing this
capability, a company can use PATI
3000 and Centrex service (most phone
companies offer voice mail services as
well) to achieve a working telephone
infrastructure with CTI. In this sce-
nario, all employees will have personal
extensions, voice mails, conferencing,
and (of course) CTI right from their
desktops.
If you are not in the market for a new
PBX with CTI features, but would like
to have the next best thing, this should
do nicely. Of course, PATI can function
in conjunction with a PBX as well, but
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RATINGS (1-5)
Installation: 4.7
Documentation: 4.4
Features: 4.4
CTI ™