Phone Amego User's Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

        Introduction Description Configuration Bluetooth Google Voice Landline VoIP Placing a Call Caller ID Lookup Call Records Daylite Integration Helpful Hints Spotlight on Innovation Phone Amego Application Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) FAQ 2 - Bluetooth FAQ 3 - Other Tools FAQ 4 - Phone Amego Thank You! Reviews & Comments About Us

Q: How does Phone Amego compare to ApiMac Caller ID?

A: The Caller ID feature is similar. Both support Bluetooth and landline phones connected via

modem. Where I think Phone Amego shines is handling proximity transitions smoothly, Google

Voice integration, dialing, canceling a call in progress, and support for iPhone. As of January

2011, ApiMac Caller ID is no longer listed on the ApiMac website.

Q: How does Phone Amego compare to BluePhoneElite 2?

A: BluePhoneElite 2 (BPE2) is certainly a powerful program. If you are looking for SMS

integration and extensive synching and call logging features, or support for a specific Bluetooth

phone, it's a fine choice. Phone Amego strives for a different balance of simplicity and useful

features. Where I think Phone Amego shines is simple usability, Google Voice integration,

landline support, VoIP support, Caller ID sharing, and sending SMS to contacts from your Address

Book (via Google Voice) even with iPhone. As of 10-Sep-2010, BluePhoneElite2 is no longer

available.

Q: How does Phone Amego compare to Dialectic?

A: Dialectic has a ton of features for connecting with IP phones and services. If you need more

options to work with your phone system, this is it. Where I think Phone Amego shines is easy

configuration, more focussed integration (iCal logging, event URLs, caller ID lookup), keeping

notes on each caller in a shared database, and support for Polycom IP phones and Whozz Calling

hardware.

Dialectic emphasizes dialing over caller ID in the way it interfaces with Bluetooth cell phones.

Dialectic doesn't open a connection to your phone until you ask it to dial, and then as soon as it

is done dialing it closes the connection. Phone Amego maintains a connection to your phone any

time it is within Bluetooth range so it can listen for incoming Caller ID. This makes dialing faster

but also means you can't use your phone with an external Bluetooth headset at the same time

(unless you select "Disconnect During Call").

If Dialectic is connected to your phone when a call arrives (inbound call notification), you will

need to manually switch the Audio Source back to your phone.  Phone Amego does this for you

automatically based on your selection (Accept Hands-Free: when selected, Always, or Disconnect

During Call). If your iPhone moves in and out of Bluetooth range, Dialectic will not automatically

resume monitoring for Caller ID each time your phone is within range.

Q: How does Phone Amego compare with VonaLink ScreenPop?

A: Both products provide VoIP Caller ID, but they use different approaches.

VonaLink ScreenPop monitors VoIP (SIP) traffic on your LAN, so is compatible with most SIP

based VoIP services. In order to monitor SIP traffic, you must use an Ethernet hub (not a

switch) to connect the WAN side of your VoIP adapter to the Ethernet port of the computer

running the VonaLink software. Wireless connections are not supported.

Phone Amego connects directly with Linksys/Sipura or OBiHAI VoIP telephone adaptors, and

Polycom IP phones to read call status. There are no restrictions on your network topology, but

you must use one of the supported telephone devices.

VonaLink ScreenPop can block calls based on the calling number. Google Voice and other VoIP

services now provide call blocking. Phone Amego can block calls when connected via Bluetooth,

USB Modem, or Polycom.

Q: Is there a similar program for Windows PCs?

A: The closest similar program I've seen is Ascendis Caller ID. Like Phone Amego, it supports a

range of phones (using Windows TAPI) and Whozz Calling hardware. Like Phone Amego, it

supports Caller ID, dialing, and keeping notes on each caller in a shared database. As far as I

know, TAPI does not yet support Bluetooth cell phones like the iPhone. Also, there is little web

integration compared to Phone Amego (reverse lookups, event URLs, iCal logging, Google Voice,

Growl, or Dropbox support).

Q: Can Phone Amego replace the answering machine feature in

Parliant's PhoneValet Message Center?

A: No, Phone Amego focusses on Mac-to-phone integration, not being another phone or

answering machine.

From a broader perspective, Phone Amego works with many kinds of phones which do not

consistently provide call audio. Telephone answering machines have become an application that

runs on the server. Almost every cellular and Internet phone service now includes this as a

standard feature allowing you to access your phone messages from anywhere. There's a quiet

revolution underway as the old 4 kHz narrowband phone system is being disrupted by a

combination of cell phones and Internet phones with advanced features and CD quality sound.

This trend no doubt influenced Parliant as they evaluated whether to continue developing

PhoneValet Message Center.

Phone Valet uses a private label OEM voice modem made by Conexant.  I understand this

particular model may no longer be widely available. Without a reliable source, compatible Mac OS

X driver, or technical documentation, it is difficult for Phone Amego to work with this device.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with Daylite from Marketcircle?

A: Yes, Phone Amego provides built-in Daylite Integration and also includes AppleScripts to work

with Daylite using FoneConnector.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with Contactizer Pro?

A: Yes, you may need a more recent version of Contactizer Pro available from here.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with other Network Caller ID services?

A: Not at this time. Phone Amego uses a two way protocol for sharing information so you can

reject an incoming call from a remote client, or dial a phone attached to another computer.

Phone Amego also uses Bonjour networking to make it easy to discover other services, see who

you are subscribed to, and who is subscribed to you.

The standard NCID (Network Caller ID) protocol just sends a line of text containing the phone

number, name, and date. Phone Amego offers a richer experience by showing which device

received the call and the current call state. Phone Amego also allows remote dialing and hanging

up or cancelling a call in progress.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with MagicJack?

A: Yes, in this way: MagicJack provides an analog phone jack which Phone Amego can work with

as if it was a landline. To use Phone Amego with MagicJack, you can use a telephone line splitter

to connect a USB modem in parallel with your telephone handset that plugs into the MagicJack.

See Landline.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with Ooma Telo?

A: Yes, in this way: Ooma Telo provides an analog phone jack which Phone Amego can work

with as if it was a landline. To use Phone Amego with Ooma Telo, you can use a telephone line

splitter to connect a USB modem in parallel with your telephone handset that plugs into the

Ooma. See Landline. If you have an Ooma Bluetooth Adaptor, Phone Amego can connect to your

Ooma as if it was a Bluetooth cell phone where Phone Amego acts as a Bluetooth Headset.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with VoIP Softphones?

A: Phone Amego 1.3.7 allows dialing with CounterPath X-Lite 4 or Bria 3. Only dialing is

supported at this time due to a bug in reading call status from the current version of these

softphones. I have reported the problem to CounterPath and understand they will investigate

the issue. If you have any insight to help resolve this, I'd welcome your feedback.

Q: Does Phone Amego work with Skype?

A: Not at this time, but I am looking to add this in a future release.

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