Phone King Beta

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.applian.com/thoughts?code=RPK' target='_blank'>http://www.applian.com/thoughts?code=RPK</a><br /><br /></div>If you use your Pocket PC with a Bluetooth phone, this application currently in beta might be very useful to you. When released it will sell for $19.95, but you can download a 21 day trial of the beta today.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.applian.com/screenshots/pocketpc/phoneking/dialer.gif" /><br /><br />"Applian Technologies announces Phone King for the Pocket PC, the most powerful way to control Bluetooth phones from a Pocket PC. Using a phone like the Sony Ericsson T68 and a wireless headset, you can turn your PDA into a powerful telephone controller. Some of the features include<br /><br />• Full support for Bluetooth headsets<br />• Dial the phone<br />• Dial by selecting names from your contacts list<br />• Send SMS<br />• Get Caller ID<br />• Get live signal strength and battery indications<br />• Fully customizable speed dialer<br />• One tap access to voice mail<br /><br />Plus, Phone King allows you to make your own Phone Layouts, or customize the ones that come with the software. You can move and resize buttons, or change functionality and appearance of any button."

[sponge]

Is there any security built into the phones so I can't walk up to people and start dialing the phone? I don't quite see it..

[laner]

Is there any security built into the phones so I can't walk up to people and start dialing the phone? I don't quite see it..

You need to pair two bluetooth devices, this requires them to be discoverable and then entering the same password on both devices. With at least the t68 it will only remain discoverable for 3 minutes at a time.

[Mexico]

"Phone King allows you to make your own Phone Layouts." Thank God, cuz those are some funky colors right there.

[EricMCarson]

I guess I don't quite get this application. It allows me to initiate a phone call using the stylus from my existing contact list (but I have to go into their application to do so), and then the phone transfers the audio to my headset. What I really need is an application that integrates into the existing POOM contact list (i.e., through Pocket Informant) and allows me to voice dial all of my contacts in that list. Now we're talking about an app that's worth $20.

[laner]

What I really need is an application that integrates into the existing POOM contact list

The socket bluetooth card comes with an app the integrates into the contacts and allows you to dial your phone from there. It's kind of nice since I have more phone numbers in my contact database then my phone will hold.

[ricksfiona]

Very nice. I've been waiting for something like this for a while now.

[kagayaki1]

I concur, delightful program. I've been waiting since I got my 3870 to have something like this. Now that AT&T offers the 6310i, and BT headsets can be found in stores, it looks like my 3870 has regained some usefulness.

-Jason

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I'd love to hear from someone that also owns BT headsets to discuss how seamless the operations are.

If it works well, you could theoretically leave your phone in your pocket while initiating and carrying out a call via your PPC.

From what I heard, mPhone can perform the same, but I wasn't too ecstatic by that app when I trialed it.

[jimski]

Using my 5450, I can select a contact from the built in PIM and send it via Bluetooth today. No additional software required. :)

I am using a T68i with a Motorola headset. If the headset is set to always receive calls when active (an alternative option displays a prompt on the phone that you need to answer yes/no) then a call originated from the 5450 will go straight through 8) to the headset as long as the phone is somewhere nearby.

This app has plenty of bells and whistles, but I really just need something to look through the 700+ numbers in my contact list and dial when required. If I need to tap out a phone number, I can do that on the T68i keypad with less effort.

[applian]

I'd love to hear from someone that also owns BT headsets to discuss how seamless the operations are.

If it works well, you could theoretically leave your phone in your pocket while initiating and carrying out a call via your PPC.

From what I heard, mPhone can perform the same, but I wasn't too ecstatic by that app when I trialed it.

Phone King will let you do this. The Bluetooth implemention on the T68 allows only the Pocket PC or the headset to be connected, but not both at the same time. Phone King gracefully disconnects when using the headset for either incoming or outgoing calls, and then lets you reconnect when the call has finished.

Phone King also does Caller ID using your contacts list, and shows phone battery and signal strength, neither of which mPhone can do. You can also design your own phone layouts, which adds a whole new level of cool!

Phone King is available now from www.applian.com, and you can try it for 21 days during this beta period.

Bill Dettering
Applian Technologies Inc.

[applian]

What I really need is an application that integrates into the existing POOM contact list

The socket bluetooth card comes with an app the integrates into the contacts and allows you to dial your phone from there. It's kind of nice since I have more phone numbers in my contact database then my phone will hold.

Phone King also lets you dial from within the existing contacts app, if that's how you prefer to do it. Our Contacts dialer is a lot quicker for finding the right name and number, though. The choice is yours.

As far as I've seen, the Socket app doesn't handle the Bluetooth headset well.

Bill Dettering
Applian Technologies Inc.

[cessquill]

I've been looking for something like this, as my 3870 is mounted on my dashboard running a GPS application. If it can also be the front end to my T68, then this can stay out of site.

I'm currently trialing mPhone 2.5, which I was quite pleased with but didn't seem quite there yet. Does anyone know how it compares?

The problem is I want an interface that you don't need to use the stylus with, so some system that gives me a contacts list in huge letters might be useful.

[Andrew]

This application sounds great - but one thing I would live to see is the ability to 'accept' connections from my ipaq.
I have an ipaq 3870 and a nokia 6310i and by accepting the connection I mean that once bluetooth is switched on, on both the phone and ipaq, and I initiate a connection (gprs for example) - on the phone I have to press 'accept' before the phone allows the connection to be made.
This is really annoying and frustrating, especially if you have the phone in a pocket or something and you want to just quickly look something up.
I know I may be way of base here, as Im not sure how 'tight' the software allows the phone to be 'integrated', but if it would let me do this, youve got yourself a certified customer right here :)

[applian]

This application sounds great - but one thing I would live to see is the ability to 'accept' connections from my ipaq.
I have an ipaq 3870 and a nokia 6310i and by accepting the connection I mean that once bluetooth is switched on, on both the phone and ipaq, and I initiate a connection (gprs for example) - on the phone I have to press 'accept' before the phone allows the connection to be made.
This is really annoying and frustrating, especially if you have the phone in a pocket or something and you want to just quickly look something up.
I know I may be way of base here, as Im not sure how 'tight' the software allows the phone to be 'integrated', but if it would let me do this, youve got yourself a certified customer right here :)

The Nokia 6310 doesn't really do Bluetooth very well -- this is pretty brain dead. There are a lot of other omissions in their implementation, too.

For anyone who wants to do Bluetooth with phones and PDAs, I reccomend the Sony-Ericsson T68i -- they have done a much better job.

Bill Dettering
Applian Technologies Inc.

[Jason Dunn]

I have an ipaq 3870 and a nokia 6310i and by accepting the connection I mean that once bluetooth is switched on, on both the phone and ipaq, and I initiate a connection (gprs for example) - on the phone I have to press 'accept' before the phone allows the connection to be made.

There's a solution! When I was setting up the 6310i for a client of mine, the Socket PDF manual has a step by step procedure for making the "accept" automatic - it's buried deep in the Bluetooth settings. Trust me, it's there!

[rapidnet_rick]

I have found one issue I did not have with Mphone. If I have my phone keypad locked(and I do all the time, since otherwise I seem to accidentially dial my first number all the time) , PhoneKing can not dial! If I watch the phone, I see the display change, and inform me that the keypad is locked, press "c" and then Yes to unlock.

MPhone seemed to dial fine, even when the keypad was locked.


Also, PhoneKing dials very slowly...

Anyone else notice this?

[baralong]

Any one using a cheaper brand (eg Billionton) bluetooth card? From the Applian site it looks like it should work fine, as you just point to the com port mapped to the bluetooth card.

I've been waivering about buying a bluetooth card, and which one to get, but if this software can work with a cheaper card then I'll be all set.

BTW it would be connecting to a t68i phone from a Toshiba e740 (wifi), if I get the card.