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Dial2Do lets you call in emails or text messages

By Becky McCray

Dial2Do is my new favorite tool to get things done on the go.

Let’s start with basics. You can call in, Dial2Do records your message, and you can have it email or text that message to one of your contacts.

You can also specify Reminder, and the service will transcribe what you say and email you a reminder. This replaces how I used to use Jott. Even if I never explore another bit of it, this reminder service is a “killer app” for me.

For more business uses, set up your calendar. You can add appointments and hear existing ones. It will even read your email to you, as well as sending out new emails. Post business expenses to Xpenser by calling them in. It also works with Remember the Milk, 30 Boxes, Toodledo, and Vitalist.
The rural executive and her horse phone
Now let’s look at the more creative things you can do with it. Are you a big fan of Evernote to track information? Dial2Do will transcribe your voice note and email it into your Evernote account.

Need a word translated? Add the Translate service, call in and it will figure out the word you said, look up the translation, and then text or email it back to you. It works with 12 languages.

What’s the weather going to do? Set up your ZIP code online, and it will read you the forecast when you call in. (You could even change the ZIP when you travel.) By the way, Dial2Do has local phone numbers in over 20 countries.

We aren’t finshed. Hook up your Twitter, FriendFeed, your blog, and many more. Listen to feeds from a dozen or so different blogs. Add the RSS feed for any other blog you want it to read to you. Or easily set up a command to email or post to a URL to work with a whole bunch of other services.

OK, now we’re finished.

Technorati Tags: Dial2Do, tools, small+business, business, cell+phone, reminders, GTD, organization

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Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

www.beckymccray.com
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December 17, 2008 Filed Under: tools Tagged With: review

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Comments

  1. Kathy Drewien says

    December 17, 2008 at 4:48 pm

    WOW! I’ll be switching from Jott today. Dial2Do seems much more robust. Thanks!

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  2. Sheryl Schuff, CPA says

    December 17, 2008 at 4:53 pm

    Right on!

    Dial2Do is my favorite, too. I have it hooked up to RTM & my Google calendar which makes a pretty slick organizational system.

    And linking it with Evernote made it super easy to clear the clutter off my desk. I used D2D to read the sticky notes and send them to Evernote where they’re searchable.

    Both award winning apps for every entrepreneur’s toolbox.

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  3. Becky McCray says

    December 17, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    Kathy, I think it’s worth trying out!

    Sheryl, I *love* the idea of reading notes into Evernote. That sounds so useful!

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  4. Bradford Shimp says

    December 18, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    This sounds like a great idea, and I can’t wait to try it out. When I am out the office I try to put all of my notes into my Simpleology Dream Catcher. This will be great for when I am not in front of the computer and I am especially intrigued about a Google calendar application.

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