Voicemail

If You're There, Pick up the Phone!... New Apple Patent May Allow Live Voicemail Screening

Back in the days before caller ID, one of the only ways to screen an incoming call aside from having someone else answer and say you weren't home, was to let the answering machine pick up. Then, based on the urgency and content of the call, you could either pick up or ignore and let the recording finish. With caller ID, you can ignore calls you don't want to take, but you don't know the subject of the call, which can leave you with worries - what if it was an emergency? Of course you could always wait for a voicemail to show up and then decide whether or not to call back, but judging by Apple's new patent, you may soon be able to listen to voicemails on your iPhone as they are being recorded, and answer if you want to.

Apple patent for live voicemail screening

According to Apple Insider, Apple probably acquired the patent through Rockstar consortium's purchase of a collection of some 6,000 Nortel patents (Rockstar is a consortium of tech companies including Apple, Microsoft, Research in Motion,

Can I recover a deleted voicemail on my iPhone?

Yes it's possible to recover some deleted voicemails. However, it all depends on your carrier, and the age of the voicemail you're trying to reclaim. To find your deleted voicemails, open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, and scroll down to the bottom of the page until you see the words "Deleted Messages". If you do not see the Deleted Messages panel, then there are no messages to recover. To see what deleted voicemails are available, tap the Deleted Messages panel and it will bring up a list. Tap the voicemail you want to save, then tap the "Undelete" button.

How can I leave a voicemail without calling on the iPhone?

Back in the old days it was possible to call your voice mail box, choose the right option, and enter someone's phone number to record a voicemail message without calling them directly. The iPhone has changed all of that with visual voicemail. Although this option is no longer available, you can still leave somebody a voicemail without ringing their phone.

You can use Slydial, which can be found on the web at www.slydial.com. The service is free with advertising or can be purchased ad-free with a monthly subscription or per-use fee.

How do I access my iPhone voicemail from another phone?

You can access your iPhone voicemail from any phone by dialing your iPhone's number from the other line. After calling your number, to access your voicemail:

On AT&T:

Interrupt the voicemail greeting by pressing the star key (*).
Enter your password (the default password is your 7-digit phone number without the area code).

On Verizon:

Interrupt the voicemail greeting by pressing the pound key (#).
Enter your password followed by the pound key (#).

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Voicemail