Author Archives: pbravin

Did You Know? A Full Blown Answering Machine on Your Mobile Phone with Z4 Mobile!

You got an iPhone, iPodTouch, Epic, Tab, MyTouch and you look at your hearing friends and see that people can leave voicemail on his/her phone and you wish you had it–the answer is YES! Videomail! All the mobile phones that have Z4 Mobile downloaded on them have a full-blown answering machine feature in which any deaf or hard of hearing person calling you can leave a message on your mobile phone if you couldn’t answer the call. Hearing people who call through ZVRS can also leave a message on your Z4 Mobile. You can retrieve the message with the dialpad that comes on your Z4 Mobile and off you go!

The answering machine (My Mail) that is part of Z4 Mobile, Z4 and all the Z-phones (Z-150, Z-340 and Z-Ojo) has so many cool features and by giving it to you piece by piece will allow you to appreciate the power of the Z4! Some of these features may be documented, some may be hidden and some may not be documented–but don’t let this bother you–as a software pioneer himself, Dr. Z has found it best to not “read the stuff”, but play with the stuff–the actual experience is usually the best way to learn.

Most of the other VRS providers have the answering machine feature, but it is usually just for VRS calls OR for point to point calls. The Z4 (and all Z-phones) feature handles BOTH VRS and point-to-point calls. We call this the My Mail feature. Messages are forwarded to your pager or smartphone. Messages can be picked up on the Z4 or checked on the web.

The second thing to do is to customize (or create) a video message for point-to-point calls. To do that, call the SAME number or click “My Mail” in the directory on the videophone assigned to the Z4 Mobile, Z4 (or the Z-150, Z-340 and Z-Ojo). You will get as screen asking you to customize. At this point, you only need to enter the number assigned to what it is asking for, like “2″ for “Customize Settings.” Then “1″ for “Customize Greeting.” At that point, it will record the message of you telling the caller you are not available and to leave a message. That message will be saved and will be played whenever a caller calls you and you are not available (like a missed call.)

The next time a call comes in when you are not available, the message you recorded will be played and then a new message will come up on the caller’s screen asking them to leave a message. The My Mail feature will record the caller’s message which usually is something like “Sorry to have missed you, please call me at .,…” That message is then sent to the Zvrs website (in your profile), to the email (or pager) address you specified in the profile and to the Z-Phone. You can pick up your message in any of these places by clicking on “My Mail” in the address book (My Contacts.)

Try it! This gets you close to full functional equivalence. All the hearing folks out there have voicemail and we now have our own videomail which works even better.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Who Can You Call with Your iPhone, iPod Touch, MyTouch and Epic?-(Smartphone Update #8)

This is an update of a post Dr. Z put up last November. How things have changed! There is new information regarding the iPhone 4, the iPod Touch as well as the T-Mobile MyTouch. It tells you which mobile phones can communicate with other phones. This is only for the 4 phones that ZVRS supports with the Z4 Mobile app.

Apple iPhone 4 (3G or WiFi) or iPod Touch (WiFi only)

iPhone 4 (using FaceTime or Z4 Mobile)
iPod Touch (using FaceTime or Z4 Mobile)
Apple Mac (using FaceTime or Z4 Mobile)
Samsung Epic (using Z4 Mobile)
any videophone or mobile videophone (Z150, Z340, ZOjo, VP200, P3, HTC Evo) (using downloaded Z4 Mobile app)
ZVRS interpreter for relay calls (using downloaded ZVRS app or Z4 Mobile)

Samsung Epic (3G or WiFi) or T-Mobile MyTouch 4G (3G, 4G or WiFi)

Apple iPhone 4 (using Z4 Mobile)
Apple iPod Touch (using Z4 Mobile)
Apple Mac (using Z4 software downloaded to a Mac)
any PC with a webcam (using Z4 software downloaded to a PC and downloaded Z4 Mobile to an Epic)
any videophone or mobile videophone (Z150, Z340, ZOjo, VP200, P3, HTC Evo) (using downloaded Z4 Mobile app)
ZVRS interpreter for relay calls (using downloaded Z4 Mobile app)

We have reached the ultimate–you can now call any videophone or mobile videophone point to point using the Z4 Mobile App for both the Apple or Android platforms. This is also true for ZVRS relay calls. You can use the same address book (My Contacts) that you have on your Z-phone with any Z-phone. You will not need to re-enter any contact information (name/phone number)!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #75-VRS Industry–Slamming and Number Ownership–What Does this Mean?

Dr. Z has received emails on some disturbing situations that have occurred in recent weeks in the VRS industry and as a deaf person he is concerned about such practices as they prey on vulnerable persons in our community. Slamming is a practice that the FCC does not condone and the FCC has fined some phone companies in the past who have violated FCC regulations on slamming. In our community, those situations that have come to Dr. Z’s attention are close to what is “slamming”–using a assumed signed letter of authorization as a way to say one wants to transfer their number when the deaf person in fact didn’t sign one. While this is not “slamming” per se, it leads to this situation and Dr. Z is upset about this.

In addition, some VRS carriers have asked deaf people to port their numbers back because the companies “own” the number. The fact of the matter is the consumer decides where the number should be assigned to whatever phone he/she wants it assigned.

It is Dr. Z’s sincere hope that this is a wake-up call to the industry.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #74-Freedom in Communication-Z4 Mobile for the iPhone 4/iPod Touch

Everyday, the world gets better for us deaf and hard of hearing folks…

Imagine–a complete videophone in a mobile device!

In addition to just making and receiving calls–one can call point-to-point to any videophone, or to a hearing person through a ZVRS interpreter (not to mention VCO and HolaVRS)

And having an address book (My Contacts) on both your mobile device and the web (and they update each other automatically)

And having a full-blown answering machine (My Mail) that takes messages from your hearing callers as well as your deaf and hard of hearing colleagues

And alerting you with a message when someone calls you (Z Alert), and even delivering an video answering message if people leave you a message to your mobile device (or to your account on the web)

And more…

It is the Z4 Mobile app for the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch–try it, you will like it

To get more information–try these links: (Link 1) (Link 2)

Get a Z-life…this means you get connected anyplace, anytime, anywhere with any device you want!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #73-Connecting Everywhere with Choice – Which VRS Provider Does This?

Come to think of it…look at the VRS landscape…

Look at every VRS provider…

Look at ZVRS…

Make a comparision…

ZVRS has enabled video communication on…let’s count…10 devices (iPhone4, iPod Touch, T-Mobile MyTouch, Samsung Epic, Samsung Tab, Z-150, PC, Mac, Z-Ojo and the Z-340)…with much more on the way…

No other VRS provider comes close! This is all about choice…ZVRS gives the deaf and hard of hearing consumer a choice, with quality video communication and interpreters…

The rest is history…

Get a Z-life…this means you get connected everywhere, anyplace with any device you want!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #72-Working at ZVRS-A Guest Editorial by Karen Putz

Karen Putz–one of ZVRS’ Sales Managers in Illinois is a well-known blogger and writer. Some of her articles are published in the local newspaper. She has written a blog on what it is like to be a part of the ZVRS team. Dr. Z also works at ZVRS, while trying to be unbiased, and he shares the same sentiment as Karen.

The link to the blog is as follows: link to Karen’s blog

You can also enjoy the other entries in her blog.

One needs to walk in the ZVRS headquarters in Clearwater to see how deaf-friendly we are–and this carries over to everything we do!

Dr. Z (and Karen) cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

ZVRS for FaceTime–What Does It Do?

ZVRS has launched a new feature–ZVRS for FaceTime—it enables Mac users who use FaceTime for video communication to use FaceTime to call a ZVRS video interpreter. It uses the ZVRS address book (My Contacts) to select the hearing person you are calling.

Why FaceTime? and not iChat?

FaceTime has great video quality because it uses FaceTime to make the VRS call…far superior to iChat.

This is using the Apple’s future HD video product – FaceTime.

FaceTime automatically adjusts seamlessly to changes in bandwidth and maintains the video quality.

No waiting– just click the number (My Contacts) and then the interpreter is there…with iChat you have to talk to the AIM bot and then wait for an interpreter to call you.

Here’s the link to a video on ZVRS for FaceTime.

Get a Z-life…this means you get connected anywhere, anyplace with any device you want!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #71-What is Get a Z-Life?

Get a Z-Life! What does this really mean?

We in the videophone community have become so used to walking to our videophones, sitting down, using a remote control to make a call…this is by today’s standards a very ancient way of making calls. Look at our hearing counterparts–they don’t walk a mile to make their calls–they take their phone out of their pocket and make a connection right where they are—this is exactly what ZVRS wants to do for us deaf and hard of hearing people–to make connections from wherever they are–the answer is mobile!

ZVRS is making a big push into mobile–this is because it is the most convenient way of connecting us all–not just for point to point, but for video relay calls as well!

If you think the folks at ZVRS are sitting back with what is already on the market–the answer is no! Dr. Z has taken a peek at the labs at ZVRS where our engineers are hard at work in making connecting easy for us all…look for more developments in the weeks to come! Dr. Z is excited like a child in a candy store!

Get a Z-life…this means you get connected anywhere, anyplace with any device you want!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Want to Learn More On How the Samsung Epic Works?

This is a great video–Dr. Z continues to look around for a good prescription for you folks to learn more about your devices.

One of ZVRS’ deaf sales engineers (Ken Brown) came up with a great video for the Samsung Epic. You can click on this link and after viewing it, you will be in love with your Epic.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #70-The Future of Mobile Videophones from Las Vegas!

Last week there was a trade show in Las Vegas. It is known as the CES (Consumer Electronics Show). At this show many companies show off their phones, cameras, televisions and other electronic gizmos that they expect to roll out and sell for the next year.

Dr. Z has been browsing the web to identify some new trends that are emerging from the show and look for what we can expect this year. It is a dizzying array of devices and being a geek, Dr. Z’s mouth is watering!

There were many many tablets being demonstrated at the show. Samsung, Motorola, LG, HTC and many other manufacturers demonstrated their smartphones which have both a front-facing and a rear-facing camera. Remember, we need a front-facing camera to do video.

The one phone that stood out from the rest was the Motorola Atrix from AT&T. At first, it looks like a typical videophone–but Motorola (who makes the phone) went one step further–the phone has a laptop dock and a HD Multimedia dock. What that means is after you use the phone while you are out of the house, when you get home you attach it (dock it) to a laptop and the laptop accesses all the information on the phone and you use the laptop as a computer–while you are in the house. You can do many things with the laptop and any new information you out on the laptop is also put on the phone (because it is attached via a dock.) Then you can move it to a HD multimedia dock and the dock attaches to a television and it can play whatever you downloaded on your phone to your HDTV! This means your phone can do everything while you are out of the house, and do more when you are back home! Here is the link to the AT&T website about the phone. What a cool phone this is!

Dr. Z will post more blogs on other devices that have a great COOL factor.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.