We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Nish, who needs to replace his voicemail to SMS/email system due to Ribbit Mobile's forthcoming closure. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"Hi there, I've been using Ribbit Mobile for the past few years for voicemail -- the voicemail to SMS/email function is brilliant. However, the beta trial is ending on the 31st January with no immediate plans to go live. Do you know of any UK-based alternatives for voicemail to SMS/email systems I can switch to? Thanks!"

So guys, come help out a brother from the motherland with your suggestions for digital telephony transcription, any Brits out there find Google Voice to be the answer? Is there something only a few of you know about that'll change the world? If you're in an animal home, sat down on your own, why not share your knowledge in the comments below.

Ask Engadget: Are there UK-based Voicemail to SMS / email alternatives? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Picture this: you roll out of bed, in all your ungroomed glory, and an important video call rings in on your smartphone -- what do you do? Miss the call, or subject the caller to your lopsided bedhead and pre-coffee grimace? If you route your video calls through Tango, soon you won't have to do either -- the outfit is updating its video calling service to introduce Video Messaging, a new feature that will let callers leave behind 30-second video clips when their hails go unanswered. Your five most recent video messages are free, but watching older clips costs a premium: $2.99 for 30 days of access, or $29.99 for a year Update: Tango will charge $0.99 for every 5 additional messages. Tango will also be introducing "Tango Surprises," a collection of animations and overlays that can be applied to videos to add a touch of whimsy. Again, the first taste is free -- all users will be given a single animation as a sample -- the entire set of "Surprises" can be purchased for paltry sum of $1.99. The update hasn't cleared Apple's approval process yet, but if you're hankering for a peek, head past the break for a pair of videos.

Update: Tango has updated us, stating that the previously listed prices were incorrect, and that they are being changed to comply with Apple guidelines.

Continue reading Tango adds voicemail-esque Video Messaging, gives you new way to ignore friends

Tango adds voicemail-esque Video Messaging, gives you new way to ignore friends originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have anything sitting in your voicemail that you'd prefer the rest of the world didn't hear? When's the last time you went about checking it, anyway? AT&T is now on a mission to save its carefree customers from themselves, and beginning today, all new subscribers will be required to set a voicemail password or affirmatively disable the security measure. Ma Bell's new policy is a reaction to the current unauthorized intrusion hubbub in the media, combined with the very real threat of caller ID spoofing. Shockingly, its current customers won't receive similar treatment until early next year, and only when they upgrade their handsets. Of course, you can easily secure your voicemail within the settings, and if you prefer the convenience of retrieving your messages without hassle, you'll still have that option -- much to Rupert Murdoch's pleasure, that is.

AT&T ramps up voicemail security, say hello to your new pin code originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For a while, leaving your cell unattended seemed like the biggest threat to phone security. But this recent business is a reminder that there are savvier ways someone can violate your phone—without even touching it. More »

Remember when your legitimate emails were flanked by dozens of grammatically nightmarish blurbs, peddling pills, x-rated services, and Nigerian scams? If you use Gmail, most of that garbage no longer arrives in your inbox, instead making its way to a spam folder, where it's held for a month before ending its journey at the Google graveyard. Now, Mountain View is applying that same concept to your Google Voice calls, flagging unsolicited calls, texts, and voicemails, then booting them to a spam folder. The company's servers use collected data from other users marking similar messages as spam, as well as propriety identification tools, to help ensure that those generic creditor or vacation sweepstakes calls never make it to your phone. And like GMail messages, misdirected calls can be marked as "Not Spam" from within the Spam folder, letting them slip through the fence the next time around. GV users can simply check the box next to "Global Spam filtering" on the Calls tab to activate the feature, or hit up the source link for the full scoop.

Google Voice adds spam filter, lets solicitors get caught in the web originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Ballmer may have confessed during today's WPC keynote that Windows Phone 7's market share is still "very small," but it's obvious the team is doing monumental things with Mango. As the mobile OS finds it own, things like indoor mapping and a pristine iteration of Visual Voicemail could be key to swaying folks who still believe that Microsoft's latest attempt in the smartphone universe still lacks the basics. The fine folks over at Pocketnow and WMPowerUser have been putting the latest build of Mango through those exact paces, and both instances are looking downright delicious. We won't bore you with textual details; head on past the break for a bit of visual proof.

Continue reading Bing Indoor Maps and Visual Voicemail shown in latest WP7 Mango demo videos

Bing Indoor Maps and Visual Voicemail shown in latest WP7 Mango demo videos originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Milly Dowler vanished in 2002. It set off a huge sensation in the UK, similar to the Natalee Holloway case in the United States. Now, reports have surfaced that News of the World hacked into her voicemail. More »

Remember when Google Voice assigned a number to your account with no option to port or integrate with Sprint? Oh how much simpler things were way back in Q1. When those new features first popped up, you were given a 90-day grace period to receive calls and texts to your old number after making a change. Now you can port, integrate, or just flat-out replace your number without sacrificing those old digits. After making the switch, head to the Settings tab in GV, then click "make permanent" within 90 days to keep the old number. You'll be billed for a one-time $20 "administration charge" (hey, computers need to get paid, too), but you'll forever be able to receive calls and texts sent to both, though outgoing calls and texts will only appear to be coming from the replacement -- so you'll still need to give your contacts a heads up after making the swap. We're always happy to see Google Voice add new features -- especially when they actually work -- so if you're ready to try your hand at phone number polygamy, get that credit card out and head over to GV.

[Thanks, Liam]

Google Voice lets you change your digits, keep the old ones for $20 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've been keeping a close eye on Sprint's Google Voice integration since its troubled release last month, and Sprint has confirmed that many more of you are now able to activate the feature. Previously, individual customers with discounted accounts were being grouped with corporate and government enterprise customers, but it appears that the issue has been resolved (though corporate and government accounts are still unable to activate). However, Sprint confirmed that readers in Puerto Rico remain unable to activate regardless of their account status, and was unable to provide as estimate as to when integration will be available there. That said, Google has been incredibly proactive in getting these issues resolved from day one, despite clearly having their hands full this week. It looks like Google and Sprint have managed to work out some of the major kinks, but let us know in the comments if you're running into any other problems.

Sprint / Google Voice integration now available for discounted accounts, still AWOL in sunny Puerto Rico originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's shaping up to be an epic week in tech news may be about to become even more exciting for T-Mobile fans. Internal employee docs are giving out some serious vibes that the company is ready to push out three important features to many of its phones as early as tomorrow. The first one to put a smile on your face is unlimited WiFi calling, which should be available as a free add-on to the Even More, Even More Plus, and 4G Do More plans. We're glad to see the service come back as a freebie, much better than the $9.99 per month asking price when it was hotspot@home. As if that isn't good enough by itself, the other services getting prepped for tomorrow's lineup include Name ID -- a caller ID service that shows the name, number, city, and state of anyone not listed in your contacts -- and Voicemail-to-Text, a new enhancement to the existing Visual Voicemail service that transcribes the full message into text form on select devices. Keep in mind that while these docs certainly do look official, it's all mere speculation until we hear actual word from T-Mobile about these new programs. With that said, we've got screenshots above and below, so feel free to glean as many details as possible from them.

Continue reading T-Mobile leak divulges return of unlimited WiFi calls, may add Name ID and Voicemail-to-Text

T-Mobile leak divulges return of unlimited WiFi calls, may add Name ID and Voicemail-to-Text originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 May 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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