An award winning software developer is bringing many features of Personal Assistants to a PC screen near you. Did you ever dream of handling your PA through a remote control while watching sports? Itís here and its lifetime cost is less than half a dayís salary of a flesh and blood assistant.
The telephone King TapiRex is actually a serious business tool. According to its award winning developer Christoph Buenger it uses the latest technology to help companies and call centres to identify the names of callers at the instant the phones start ringing. Displaying Outlook Contact notes on the caller or the callerís photograph allows you to get ready with the right answers or questions even before you lift the handset.
TapiRex channels the incoming caller data to screens on the office network to allow the right person to catch the call. According to its developer, TapiRex proved in field tests to be much more accurate in listing names and numbers of callers correctly than the receptionists it was compared against. Unlike humans, TapiRex provides the callerís name before answering the call and keeps a history of answered and missed incoming calls with time, date, name and number. TapiRex works through the lunch break and is not subject to working hourís regulations.
How does it work? TapiRex requires a PC connected through a TAPI device to the telephone line. This is straight forward on any computer featuring an in-built modem or ISDN card, in offices most traditional telephone switchboards can serve as a TAPI device to connect to. TapiRex uses the incoming callís number data to identify the corresponding contact on its database and on Outlook. It can also read most other databases on your computer. TapiRex even checks the internet and online telephone directories to find information on the caller. As soon as it finds the number it will display the entry, where available with notes (for example from Outlook) and photograph (if on record).
At prices starting from Ä19.90 (less than 15) within Europe for the single user version it is a bargain which the business user should be able amortise within hours. But it also becomes an affordable gadget for the home user. With its modern, open programme architecture TapiRex can be used with free addons broadening its range of features and use beyond the traditional office environment. There is a free addon to make it work with Skype, the popular free VoIP service. Using the addon mceTapiRex (nominated for the ÑEurope xpMCE Award 2004/2005ì), on a Windows XP Media Center 2005 system displays the incoming call on your TV screen ñ showing the name of the caller while you are watching Jeremy Clarkson advertising less sophisticated stuff. You can even use your remote control to check missed calls on the TV screen. The developer is so convinced that you will appreciate the value that you can download the application from http://www.cbuenger.com/tapirex/ using it during 30 days for free (after which it expires unless you buy it). Now that is something you wonít get when hiring a personal assistant.
Who is calling?
TapiRex makes your PC and even TV your Personal Assistant.
