In the ajoining article in this issue, written by John Markoff detailing Mr. Goodfellow and his lack of a patent for his wireless email invention. Mr. Markoff included an illustration in the form of the article from TELECOM Digest discussing it. I am repriting that issue of the Digest here, so that everyone can see what Mr. Goodfellow was talking about.
17-Mar-82 19:45:11-PST,10084;000000000000 Mail-From: JSOL created at 17-Mar-82 19:44:12 Date: 17 Mar 1982 1944-PST From: Jon Solomon Subject: TELECOM Digest V2 #33 Sender: JSOL at USC-ECLB To: TELECOM: ; Reply-To: TELECOM at USC-ECLBTELECOM AM Digest Thursday, 18 Mar 1982 Volume 2 : Issue 33
Today's Topics: Technology For Tomorrow - New Products Available Today "Unbelievable" Answering Machine Feature Try Sending A Telegram These Days Comparison of Long Distance Alternative Services - ITT, MCI, SPRINT ------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 17 Mar 1982 0025-PST Sender: GEOFF at SRI-CSL Subject: Real World services for the Technological Elite. From: the tty of Geoffrey S. Goodfellow Reply-To: Geoff at SRI-CSL
"Go out and see what the real world as to offer."
-Gerry Todd, SCTV
I did, and here are two spiffy services you can get:
1) Electronic Mail for people on the move . . .For the lucky residents of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Los Angeles area, you can get a device called a MetaGram Receiver (MR-80), which is, for the most part, a `Digital Pager'. An MR-80 (in the process of being trademarked as `THE MESSENGER') allows you to:
. Receive & store one or more messages up to a total of 940 characters in length --and selectively read, reread, or delete these messages.
. Take your MetaGram receiver anywhere [I have mine clipped onto my belt most of the time] because it is small 6.5" x 1.5" x 2.75", lightweight 10 oz., and battery operated. [operates for 18 hours and then requires 6 hours charge -- unit remains fully operational while its being charged.]
. The MetaGram Receiver can alert you by choice of flashing display (great for getting confidential messages passed to you in meetings), beep and/or vibrating action.
. You can have messages sent to you at anytime by simply calling (via an 800 IN-WATS #) a dispatcher [for those without a terminal and modem], or by dialing local numbers all over the Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles area and typing in the messages yourself.
. You can receive messages in any city in which this service exists. [I receive messages both in LA and SF areas with my unit].
. There is a hardcopy printer option which you can slide your unit into, and get automatic printout when msgs come in.
The MR-80 has a 20 char wide LED display which shows msgs line by line. You can freeze a frame in the display [handy for reeling off numbers to the mobile operator when driving and placing a call from your car phone]. The MetaNet system also sends out periodic msgs to all units about every 2 minutes, and if you miss two of these periodic `watchdog' msgs, your unit lets you know you're out of range.
An ARPANET to MetaNet Gateway exists (and an improved version is under development), which allows ARPANET users to send msgs to people on the MetaNet without having to run and find a terminal with a modem on it or go thru the human dispatcher.
I.e. so you can now do fun things like be driving down the road and have a message appear that says: [YOU HAVE NEW MAIL].
The service itself costs $60/mo, and that includes 4000 characters worth of traffic. Traffic above the 4000 characters is a half-a-cent a character. There currently is no different between self-dispatched msgs and msgs send via the human dispatcher.
Further information available from LIGHTNING COMMUNICATIONS, 6173 Purple Sage Court, San Jose, CA 95119 or via the phone: 408/354-1226.
2) Turn any telephone into a complete electronic message service.A service called `VoiceMail' allows you to purchase a VoiceMailbox. A VoiceMailbox differs from the traditional answering machine in that it is two-way (between two VoiceMail subscribers). I can call in (on an IN-WATS 800 #, tollfree Inter or Intra state), and leave a `Voice Message' for you in your VoiceMailbox. Later, when you call in, you `play' my message, and can then hit REPLY (a single key touch tone operation) to answer my message. VoiceMail also allows you to delay delivery of voice messages to other subscribers or call-out periodically (until the phone is answered) to deliver messages to non-subscribers.
With VoiceMail, you can:
. Send a message of any length to any VoiceMail subscriber or to a group of subscribers.
. Have messages sent immediately or sent later at a specific time.
. Receive messages from any VoiceMail subscriber or from non-subscribers you wish to allow access.
. Have a personalized announcement left for callers.
. Forward a messages from any caller to another VoiceMail user, or have the message forwarded to phone number.
. Have messages `screened' and sent to you on any telephone if its `important'.
There are provisions for having people operate the system who are not on Touch-Tone phones; Assisting in forwarding calls through hotel and office switchboards.
You can selectively play, replay, delete and store messages permanently.
VoiceMail has a special introductory offer, which gives you two VoiceMailboxes for the price of one. The cost is $25.00 per month which includes 50 messages. Additional messages are 50 cents each. There is a one-time set-up fee for both boxes of $10.00.
With the special introductory offer, you have the choice of subscribing to two VoiceMailboxes or, one VoiceMailbox and once `Tel-Answer(TM)' box. The `Tel-Answer' box is a "one-way" Voicemailbox through which non-subscribers can leave you messages. The Tel-Answer mailbox is ideal for use as a personal automatic answering service.
Further information from VOICEMAIL INTERNATIONAL, INC., 2225 Martin Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050, or via the phone: 408/496-6555.
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Date: 16 March 1982 2035-PST (Tuesday) From: lauren at UCLA-Security (Lauren Weinstein) Subject: "unbelievable" answering machine feature...
The most obvious way for an answering machine to tell the caller whether there are any messages (before answering) is to vary the number of rings before the call is answered. For example, if there were messages, the machine might answer after the first ring. If there were no messages, it might wait until after the fourth, to give the caller time to abort the call.
At least one answering machine manufacturer found itself in legal trouble after advertising such a scheme, since it is a form of toll fraud. "Toll fraud?", you ask incredulously. Sure! Because you are passing information over the network without paying for it! In fact, giving a friend a signal (like one ring) to have them call you back is also, strictly speaking, a form of toll fraud.
--Lauren--
[Thanks also to Michael.Fryd at CMU-10A (C621MF0E) for describing this method --JSol]-------------------------------
Date: 17 March 1982 09:45 est From: Sibert at MIT-MULTICS (W. Olin Sibert) Subject: telegrams Sender: Sibert.RDMS at MIT-MULTICS
Gone are the days when you could send a telegram and expect it to be delivered expediently. When I was in London last Saturday, I wanted to send a telegram saying my flight had been cancelled, rather than calling, since it was 5:00 AM in the U.S.
The person at the airport was apologetic, but said my telegram probably wouldn't be delivered until Sunday, or more likely Monday. She then suggested, only half facetiously, that I send flowers with my message, since I could count on that being delivered within a few hours!
(I ended up leaving my message with a ticket agent, who telephoned for me at a more civilized hour ... but it sure would have been funny to "Say it with flowers".)
P.S. I'm told there was once a time when you could send your answer saying you'd meet someone for lunch today by midmorning mail, in response to an invitation you'd received in early morning mail.
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Date: Wednesday, 17 March 1982 11:05-PST From: KING at KESTREL Subject: A difference between MCI, and ITT or SPRINT
There is one difference between the three long distance services.
All three services work by having the customer first dial an "access number", a seven-digit phone number that connects the customer to their computer. ITT & SPRINT give you an account which can be used anywhere in the country. You get a list of the computers' numbers all over the country. (with SPRINT you get a six digit password, plus a two digit code to use if you call from anywhere but your "home" local area. With ITT you get a seven digit password that will work anywhere in the IT&T system.) MCI accounts can only be used in the calling area for which they are issued (unless you are willing to incur long distance rates to call your "own" computer). For an extra $5/mo you get a "travel card". I don't know whether this gives you just one more computer to call, or it allows you to use the whole rest of the network. One common thing you certainly CAN'T do with basic MCI service is use one MCI account to support both directions if there are two people, each of whom calls the other often. I judge that to be a common situation. When I pointed this out to the saleswoman, she said that it "reduces code abuse". Can anyone figure out how it might? With so many people (about 3-5%, I believe) using some long distance service, I wonder how many people wiretap for the purpose of getting code numbers by decoding touch-tone touches.
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End of TELECOM Digest **********************