Product Review: Jott

As part of testing another online service, I've been trying out Jott, and am impressed. It lets you dial up a toll-free (in the US) number, pick out a recipient from a contact list you've supplied, dictate a message, and have a transcribed version zip along via email to the destination. You can't dial it from just any phone; you need to register the numbers you'll be using with Jott. That could be a problem if you aren't calling from your usual cell. I tried calling from my home number (don't get out much, anymore) and sending messages to myself. Before you write that off as quasi-pathetic, remember that there are plenty of times you'll think of something when traveling and you'll want to make sure you remember. Instead of jotting a note, you can Jott an email. Simple messages worked well, so I decided to try something complex without taking the time to spell difficult words:

My eyes are fully open to my awful situation – I shall go at once to Roderic and make him an oration. I shall tell him I've recovered my forgotten moral senses,And I don't care twopence-halfpenny for any consequences. Now I do not want to perish by the sword or by the dagger, but a martyr may indulge a little pardonable swagger, and a word or two of compliment my vanity would flatter, but I've got to die tomorrow, so it really doesn't matter!

It's from the patter song in Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddigore. Here's what I got in the email:

Note: We had difficulty understanding some parts of this message. Please Listen to the original message [this part is a link to the actual recording] if some parts are unclear.]

My eyes are fully open to my awful situation. I shall go at once to Roderick and make him anoration(?). I shall tell him I've recovered my forgotten moral senses and I don't care to pen(?) sap(?) penny(?) for any consequences. Now I do not wish to perish by the sword or by the dagger, but a marker may indulge a little partanipple(?) swagger and in order to have compliment my vanity would flatter, but I've got to die tomorrow. So, it really doesn't matter.

A bit unintentionally humorous toward the end, but pretty good, and paired with hearing the original, you could certainly get the message. You cannot enter contacts on the fly, so if you suddenly needed to send an email to someone new, you're out of luck. But there is plenty of utility in this.

You can also send messages to various services, including Google, Blogger, and others, including some that manage projects and collaboration, reminder services, Trapster (alerts about speed traps), and T-Sheets (a time tracking system I'll review).

During the beta phase, and I don't know how long that continues, Jott is free, so no reason not to give it a shot.