31: Tag, You're It!
2008-11-09
Download MP3 For Geekons Episode 31
Pop-Up: PhoneTag
- An online voicemail box that transcribes messages!
- For a quick demonstration, here is the transcription of a voicemail I left myself:
- Hey, for some reason the Mac book (air?) transport over some Mac book air settings to the new Mac book, and it's telling you that, the Mac book here bluetooth device, is not working properly maybe, the new Mac book things but it's a Mac book here. Can you check this out on Monday? Thanks.
- Obviously not perfect, but gets enough of the point across.
- Reasonable rates
- $0.35/message
- $9.99/month for 40 messages ($0.25/message after the initial 40)
- $29.99/month for unlimited messages
- Unlimited sources (multiple cell phones, etc)
- Easily integrates with popular providers
- AT&T
- Verizon
- Cingular
- T-Mobile
- M5
- Alltel
- Cincinati Bell
- SaskTel
- Skype
- Sprint
- and more...
- You can also forward calls
- Customizable with multiple email accounts, so you can have them send the transcribed text to your cell phone and work email and send the audio file to your gmail account.
- Does not have an API
- Forums are not very active
- Allows you to upload address books for easily determining who sent you a message.
- Replaces your existing voicemail.
- 3 out of 5 stars, Pretty cool, but lacking an API and premium human-converted services.
Geek-Tweak: How to get started with google apps for your ministry for FREE!
- Why?
- Gmail mailboxes (7GB of storage per account, mail search tools, integrated chat, etc)
- Docs & Spreadsheets (create and share documents without using email!)
- Google calendar (Coordinate meetings and manage resources with sharable calendars)
- 24/7 assistances, including phone support for critical issues.
- You will eventually need these services, and you can either pay high monthly fees, or get this for free. There are benefits to handling this stuff in-house if you can afford it, but the startup costs for in-house are in the thousands and ongoing support is in the tens of thousands per year.
- Make sure you are a registered non profit. (I don't know how to do this, sorry)
- Get a website from a reputable host (NOT a sketchy host, like godaddy!)
- Make sure your host allows custom MX records, so you can host your email elsewhere (like google)
- Be sure to register an easily spelled, easily understood domain. (avoid AOL speak, like the number 2 instead of "to")
- Never pay more than $15/year to register a domain
- Pay up to $10/year for "domain privacy" (some hosts provide this for free)
- I use BlueHost and have been happy, PowWeb is also good.
- if you intend on signing up for either of those, here are some referral links that help pay for Geekons bandwidth and my future child's baby stuff
- If you don't intend on using either of those, that's cool, I don't want geekons to be all advertising driven.
- Head over to http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/npo/index.html to sign up for a free Google app account.
- Follow their instructions, and don't hesitate to call their support for help.
- Once all is said and done, as long as your host is accurately pointing MX records to Google's servers and your Google app account is set up you should be able to send and receive email from your hosted Google account!
- Go through some of Google's tours and demos to learn how to make the most of this service.
- shoot me an email from your new Google app accounts with some recommendations for future episodes!
View-Source: I am a workin' man!
- In Colossians 3:22-24 we are told to obey our bosses, supervisors, lenders, etc.
- We should not "look busy" when the boss is around, we should be diligent all of the time
- Many people define integrity as how you behave when people aren't looking, according to this, God wants us all to be full of integrity.
- Earlier in verse 17 of Colossians 3 we are told to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, whether in word or deed.
- How many times do we forget that our Words should be spoken in the name of the Lord Jesus?
- When situations arise that make us feel justified in saying something rude in response, we need to make sure that what we say is spoken in the name of Jesus.
- Anything we say or do, when we claim to be Christians, is quite literally done in Jesus's name.
- Ephesians 6 paints yet another picture of how we are to obey those who are above us.
- In episode 30 we talked about how we are slaves to those we are in debt to. Try to think of ways you can pay back your lenders with respect and sincerity.
- Verse 9 tells masters to treat slaves in the same way, but keep in mind that is AFTER the instructions on how slaves should behave.
- We can't ignore verses 5 through 8 because our boss ignores verse 9.
- I have started reading some leadership books, including one on how to "Lead Up" and guide my supervisor to make decisions that I agree with.
- All of the books I've read so far, especially Leading Up, seem to focus more on how we follow rather than how to control the people around us.
- God set the stage for us to be great leaders in our families, churches, communities, and countries, but it all involves obedience to Christ and representing him in EVERYTHING we do.
- Being obedient does not mean letting your boss force you to do something against God's word, just make sure you truly understand God's word before you stand up to your boss.
- If my boss asked me to do something I knew was wrong, I would pray about it, and then have a private, one on one, loving conversation describing why I can't do what he asked me to do.
- My boss is not required to continue employing me!
- If I don't do something because God tells me not to, that doesn't guarantee that I will be safe from unemployment!
- I would much rather be unemployed while pleasing God than to get paid for disobeying God.
- Setting a positive, righteous, obedient example in the workplace is a great way to get people asking the questions that lead to salvation.
- Being a lazy sluggard only hurts our relationship with our supervisors, co-workers, and God.
- Our example is the world's standard of what a Christian is.
- Proverbs 6:6-11 warns against laziness and an unwilling heart to do what needs to be done.
- While this is especially true with our spiritual lives, and how we treat our understanding and study of God's word, it is also true with how we conduct ourselves in the things that need to be done.
- People want to emulate the actions of successful individuals. Let's be successful by God's standards and set an example that is worthy of being followed!