Awesome Freebie: Jott Phone-to-Email Memo Service

Wed Jan 3, 2007 1:50PM EST

See Comments (56)

I write a lot of notes to myself. Constantly writing things down on Post-Its. Sending myself emails. Making lists. If I don't, I wake up in a sweat in the middle of the night, suddenly remembering this thing or that thing that I've been forgetting to do.

Jott is a new service (currently in beta) that is going to make my neuroses infinitely better. It's obscenely simple: You dial a special toll-free number on your cell phone (or landline, if you prefer), you get a prompt to record a message to yourself, and then Jott converts the voice message to text and emails it to you. (You can also share messages with contacts you invite through the Jott system, which it calls "Jottcasting.")

That's it. Simple, but incredibly clever: You can send yourself a reminder email without being anywhere near a computer. I've tried it, and it works perfectly and quickly. There's not a lot of overhead in the form of prompts and extra button presses. It's all very intuitive.

Most interesting facet of the service? It's not run by machines: Real live humans take your messages and type them up by hand. That means everything is spelled correctly, and you don't get any of those "they're/their/there" errors. Nice touch.

Jott is open for service right now. Head on over and give it a spin!

Comments on Awesome Freebie: Jott Phone-to-Email Memo Service

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  • 26 Posted by k6h2o on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    How does a company pay for the real humans who are doing the business of sending emails? Someone needs to get pay so someone else can get paid. This is a day high technology, where virtually all phones have their own recorders. I'm a little suspicious.

  • 27 Posted by taymer03 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    what is the toll-free telephone number? This service sounds like the answer to my prayers.

  • 30 Posted by srv71420 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    i tried to sign up but did not get my confirmation email. and its not in my junk mailbox either. But after reading everyones posts here it makes sense. How do they pay for it? And all cell phones have recorders to do what this service does. And they can retain the info for themselves which all sounds fishy. nothing in life is truely free.

  • 31 Posted by srv71420 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    oh yeah. and for the people that cant figure out how to get to the website, lol, you click the word JOTT which is the first word of the second paragraph. bet you feel silly now...

  • 32 Posted by pikahatchu on Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:34PM EST Report Abuse

    "I have to agree with #6. It is a bit big brotherish." "I didn't really like this portion on the Privacy Policy: "When you create a Jott either by phone, email, sms, im or otherwise, we may retain that data in order to offer our service, display relevant advertising, process your inquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services." So they will retain our data?" Both great points. Plus to answer #22, they make their money by collecting user data and selling to other marketers/advertisers. When was the last time anyone received a free service for nothing? You know the saying, 'if it's too good to be true, it usually is." Read the fine print before signing up. Depending upon which cell phone carrier you have your account with, you will still be charged for messages (sending, receiving or both). "It's not run by machines: Real live humans take your messages and type them up by hand. That means everything is spelled correctly, and you don't get any of those "they're/their/there" errors. Nice touch." Finally, "Real live humans take your messages and type them up by hand."...hmmm, do I really want someone else listening to my messages I record and then relaying them to me. If I wouldn't want the President of the United States, Homeland Security, FBI or whomever to listen in on my phone conversations, snooping through emails or US Mail, what is the likelihood that I would want others to do so as well. But wait, "everything is spelled correctly." Forget everything I just said, if everything is spelled correctly, sign me up...

  • 33 Posted by nicelpura on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    Good communication via text to landline more advantage.

  • 34 Posted by mmhmbh2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    What number do you dial to get the service??

  • 35 Posted by missphilly1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    i really think thats cool. how ever with most people having voicmail on cell phones and land line phones u can automatically leave yourself a messag. that works just as good.

  • 36 Posted by sue_432001us on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    I tend to agree with the people that say their privacy is being invaded. I can just call my own phone and leave myself a message if I want or just write it on a note pad. It might be ok for some people, but, it is just more things to remember to punch in my cell phone, etc. too many numbers already!!!!

  • 38 Posted by chesterrayedlund on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    WHATS THE CATCH IT CAN'T BE FREE....EVERYTHING COST....SO WHATS THE CATCH..

  • 39 Posted by ldpylant25902 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:58PM EDT Report Abuse

    This sounds real good but you don't give any info about how to sign up..

  • 40 Posted by lfredperkins on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    what is it about the headlines, is it a joke to entice hits ?, or did it go over my head. I dont see where jott has anything to do with a 411 call to find a phone number send me a message at yahoo

  • 41 Posted by cate_bransfield on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well, what's the number for Jott????? Or is that part of the intuitive angle you spoke of:)

  • 42 Posted by eguess2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is a great service. I frequently dont have a pen to jot a note to myself. Calling a number to remind me of that call I need to make in the morning is wonderful. Helps my short attention span. Edgar Guess MD

  • 43 Posted by stooppidd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    Nothing in life is absolutely free. It will bite you in the end...There are lots of ways to remind yourself about things and using this service to give others access to your personal information is not one of them. Those poor saps who don't think this though and fall for this will regret in the end.

  • 44 Posted by dxqp05 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    WOW, how unfortunate that I will never know just how this free svc pays for itself.I am not completely against it

  • 45 Posted by jaakola47 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    This has got to be the most time consuming task, that is now made simple in a flash. What an ingenious idea. My hats off to the individual9s) who developed it. I hope they make million or two.

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