The official YouMail Visual Voicemail Plus application was off to a rocky start. It was originally released with a good number of bugs that turned people off. Many people are still swearing by the free unofficial VyMail since it includes features that were not in the official client like saving to the SD card from what I hear. Maybe YouMail needs to cave and hire Joe Krill for their own app…
YouMail gave me the following change log for their latest release:
- Supports the BlackBerry Storm, WELL
- Uses compatibility mode (the keyboard is shown visually on the screen), providing users a true free alternative to the paid VV that comes on the Stor
- Added a number of settings that users can use to customize the application:
- Dealing with limited memory on some phone models, which was causing many of the reported issues
- Users can choose where to store the audio files (memory or cards)
- Users can select the maximum number of messages to store on the phone
- Control over how messages are played
- In general, it’s much smarter about speakers vs. headsets vs. handset
- Users have settings where they can override the behavior (e.g., always speaker, etc.)
- Users can control whether messages are played automatically or manually
- Download control
- Users can control whether messages are downloaded automatically or manually
- Dealing with limited memory on some phone models, which was causing many of the reported issues
- Addressed and improved numerous issues and reported by users including problems with the UI, connectivity and authentication issues
- Improved the visual appearance of the application (readability, icons, formatting better optimized on different devices, etc.)
Its good to see that the client is still in active development. Hopefully it will keep on getting better. I gave up ages ago on the official PhoneTag client…
You can pick up the latest version at m.youmail.com/ota
SoHood Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 11:34 AM EST from my BlackBerry 8320
I’m still getting a connection error like the previous version
Dave C Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 12:17 PM EST
OMG. This is an awesome application. I just installed it. Got two VM’s and was emailed/texted the notification. Clicked on the links, and worked perfectly! I love it! I am using the Blackberry Bold.
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 12:53 PM EST
Hi–
If you’re having a connection problem, it’s likely because you’re using the Blackberry Enterprise Server. We have one last fix ready to go out to address a non-standard use of certain URL parameters that’s causing the authentication issue that underlies the connection problem.
Feel free to contact us directly at support AT youmail.com, and look for a fix shortly.
Alex
CEO, YouMail
Kyle Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 1:26 PM EST
wow, seeing the CEO of any company hit the comments after a release is impressive! will be giving this another whirl (after giving up on its initial release).
Yo Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 1:32 PM EST
Alex when are you going to offer this service to more carriers? I’m on cincinnati bell and it isn’t available
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 2:09 PM EST
Hi Yo-
We are starting to work on trying to go live with some the smaller wireless carriers now.
It looks like Cincinnati Bell supplies the conditional call forwarding we need, settable from the handset, so we need a user of that carrier to work with us to help us test to see if the carrier is forwarding all the info we need to locate your mailbox.
If you’re willing to be the guinea pig, please provide your contact info to marketing AT youmail.com – and we’ll contact you and see if we can get it to work.
Alex
Brano Not Registered
Posted: June 18, 2009 at 2:39 PM EST
Have there been any developments with this?
Kyle Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 1:32 PM EST
“Improved the visual appearance of the application (readability, icons, formatting better optimized on different devices, etc.)” — Alex, I must say the icon on the BB Bold still looks pretty bad/sad in all its low resolution glory. PLEASE address this matter. I never understand wonderful apps that are obviously moderately complex to create having a crappy icon (which is very easy to get right). Get rid of the jaggies!
mikepags Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 2:09 PM EST
Ronen, what do you mean by this: “Supports the BlackBerry Storm, WELL”
Using compatability mode != well supported
Smartmouth Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 2:14 PM EST
much much better. i uninstalled the earlier version just minutes after i put it on……..(8220 by the way). it was terrible. vymail was much better. NOW THIS IS VERY GOOD. there still needs to have some more fixes or functionality added.
1. ability to set time intervals to check messages. how often does it do it now?
2. set up a notification in the profiles when it gets a new message.
contacts uploaded nicely, but without the assigned photos that i have in my berry. maybe that can be added too.
I RECOMMEND THIS PROGRAM TO EVERYONE!!!!!
Nathan
Nikolaus Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 2:25 PM EST
I think we should support Joe Krill! What the BlackBerry community needs in the face of the iPhone app store dominance is creating developers who create great apps and improve upon them. I love YouMail, but I’d rather see Joe Krill get something good out of all this, because he deserves it.
Stephen Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 2:54 PM EST
I must say, if the icon for this app had better resolution (i have a Bold) – than I would absolutely use it. The features are a vast improvement, but both the Youmail and Vymail icons look like garbage on the Bold…
chipk ( View Profile) Newcomer - Posts: 1
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 3:13 PM EST
Alex,
Any news on supporting US Cellular?
Thx,
Chip
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 4:12 PM EST
Quick lunchtime response to comments:
1) We’re fine with having people use Joe Krill’s application or ours, and he’s got full access to our API and whatever help he needs from us in using it.
2) We agree the “jagged icon” could be better – you’ll likely see a new version that addresses that in the next week or so.
3) Native support for the Storm is something that we’re taking a look at – no promises yet, though, on when that might come out.
4) We’re working with several test users to see if we can support US Cellular. When we do, we’ll let folks now.
Alex
Smartmouth Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 4:22 PM EST
hey, you missed my comments
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2009 at 7:08 PM EST
Hi Nathan.
Sorry about that…and thanks for the recommendation.
1) Check messages. Right now, we check once, when you hit the button. However, we detect the txts that alert voicemails and pull messages down then. So for now, as long as you have txt alerts on, you don’t have to check by hand. We will also be improving this to work well for users who don’t have txt message plans.
2) Set up profile notification. This should happen automatically when we detect the txt message alert, and will get extended.
3) Photos for contacts. On the list, and you’ll likely see it soon.
Alex
Smartmouth Not Registered
Posted: February 27, 2009 at 4:38 PM EST
for some reason my voicemail icon is not being updated. i used to get the txts and when i had vymail it would update when i listened to it. with the you mail client it does not update.
(yes, i have it checked to update)
John L Not Registered
Posted: March 2, 2009 at 10:25 AM EST
This application still doesn’t work for me. I keep getting Connection Error. Try again Later. I will stick with VYmail.
John L
jrleny@gmail.com
John L Not Registered
Posted: March 3, 2009 at 11:13 AM EST
UPDATE
Just wanted to give a specia thanks to Alex the YouMail CEO and Jeff the YouMail Develper that took their time out to get my YOUMAIL visual app working. Make sure that the latest version 0.95.3 is installed. (Yes this was my problem)
This version seems to work very well, so far and the app fetches voices mail remarkably fast.
Try this app you’ll like it.
neng Not Registered
Posted: March 5, 2009 at 9:19 PM EST
downloading now to .95.3. all the previous versions have worked for me, so hope this one does too.
Smartmouth Not Registered
Posted: March 9, 2009 at 6:38 PM EST
not sure why it cannot be set to check every so often. i use the email option and not the text. i hate text messages and i also check my messages from my other phone. same email address.
also the icon looks worse now..when highlighted its just a black box with 2 yellow dots.
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: March 10, 2009 at 9:10 AM EST
We released a new version of the YouMail Blackberry application today. Among other changes, it now uses either the Youmail e-mail or txt message alerts to tell it when to check for a new voicemail – which should solve your issue, as long as you’re using one of the standard BB e-mail clients.
Alex
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: June 18, 2009 at 2:44 PM EST
Launched new upgrade today. Lots of internal improvements, but big user facing ones are customizability from app on how it finds out about new voicemail: by detecting SMS or e-mail from YouMail or by polling YouMail (with user customizable polling times). Some additional optimized setting.
Available at blackberry.com/appworld from mobile phone.
jason Not Registered
Posted: June 20, 2009 at 11:13 PM EST
I just downloaded the new verson off of appworld.
It looks good. I haven’t done extensive testing, but I had to add apn settings for it to work.
I would really like the ability for the program to follow the font settings from the blackberry, or at lest let me change it in the program, or at a minimum be small enough to show the entire 9 digit phone number. It seems strange that the default font size cuts off the phone number on the home screen.
jason Not Registered
Posted: June 21, 2009 at 12:02 AM EST
Correction: If you close down the program and change font settings, the program will update.
However, the home screen font size is fixed for some reason…. If that could use the same size as the settings, that would be fantastic.
Jason Not Registered
Posted: July 14, 2009 at 7:02 AM EST
Still not working.
“Connection Error. Try Again Later.”
I’ve never got past this point, and personally I’m agitated.
It’s a BlackBerry 8800 with OS version 4.5.0.81 on T-Mobile.
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: July 14, 2009 at 10:16 AM EST
Jason-
I’m assuming it gets to 10% and hangs up. We’re seeing this with some T-mobile phones, and fixing it requires 611-ing to T-mo and asking them to reset the APN. Have you tried that?
Alex
Jason Not Registered
Posted: July 14, 2009 at 11:22 AM EST
I was able to get in with the APN reset and was able to get in and change settings. The new issue was that the app would only download messages manually despite that I tried using the text message check option and the interval one (and both on at the same time).
I am still using youmail, but I’m using the vymail app instead of this one.
Jason J. Not Registered
Posted: July 14, 2009 at 5:24 PM EST from my BlackBerry 8800
Alex,
1st, thank you for following up with my concern, calling up T-Mobile did in face reslolve my issue. Here’s the info on that, I feel that this may be able to help you.
Apparently in order for this application to work, the APN must be correctly set. As a troubleshooting step, you can advise t-mobile customers to go to Options > Advanced Options > TCP. Make sure under APN “wap.voicestream.com” is listed (without quotes.) Username and password field should be left blank. This alone solved my issue.
Also, the Jason that replied to you isn’t me, so I’ve added a J. to my name to help distinct who you’re talking to.
I haven’t had a chance to check the other features, but at the very least I’m able to connect now and it pulled 2 voicemails that I already had, so it does seem to be working now. Again, thank you. I’ll report back with more information once it becomes available.
–
Jason
Typed entirely on my 8800
AlexQuilici Not Registered
Posted: July 14, 2009 at 11:44 AM EST
Jason-
Please send your contact into to our team at marketing AT youmail.com. We’ll take a look and see what’s going on in more detail. With our VV client, we do see some conflicts preventing the text message recognition, though polling has been working very well for us (no known issues right now forcing a manual check messages). Basically, we’d like to know what else is running on the phone at the same time.
Alex