Most of the talk about the wireless Web, both good and bad, centers on WAP, the Wireless Access Protocol, which most mobile devices use to access the Internet. But while the experts argue about WAP's virtues, service provider Xypoint has developed a unique and useful system for pushing critical e-mail to people on the move that's based on two proven cell phone technologies: Short Message Service (SMS) and text-to-speech.
Nomad, which currently supports only Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, works from a user's in-box, using a 2.7MB downloadable desk-top agent that watches for important incoming e-mail, sorts it based on prespecified criteria, and forwards it to Xypoint's servers via S-HTTP (Secure HTTP). Now the fun begins. Each e-mail is assigned a claim check, a unique phone number for just that note. Nomad sends a text message to the user's cell phone that containsdepending on the details of his SMS implementationa stripped-down header, the claim check number, and some of the e-mail itself.
Next, the user dials the claim check number and hears a digitized voice read the message, as well as the date and time the message was sent and the sender's name. Nomad's menu system can be navigated by voice or through the phone's keypad. The text-to-speech translation and voice recognition systems are acceptable, but like most of these systems, Nomad has a long way to go. Still, the service gives you a chance to opt out of a garbled command, saying, "I think you said, 'Reply.' Did you?"
After listening to a message, the user can speak a reply or choose from a selection of canned text responses, such as "Yes," "No," "Thanks," and "On my way." The sender's e-mail address can also be added to the filter list to prevent someone from ever getting a message through againuseful against pesky coworkers trying to ruin a brief out-of-office experience. If the user chooses to record the reply, the recipient gets an e-mail response with a unique URL that links to the recording. The reply e-mail also lists an 800 number with a PIN, so the recipient can dial and listen the old-fashioned way. The recorded reply's sound quality is fine, and we especially like the variety of file formats available for listening to the message.