Jott
From LIS 460 Summer 2007
Posted by Elisabeth Zimmer, 6/18/07. Revised 7/23/07
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What is Jott?
Jott is a free voice-recognition software. In their words, it is "mobile note-taking and hands-free messaging." You set up an account, call a toll-free number, and leave a 30-second message for yourself, one other person, or a group of people. The company is touting it as a quick, efficient, safe way to send text messages and e-mails when you're on the go (for example, you can send an email while you're driving without taking your hands off the wheel).
On their website, you can watch a demo of how the system works. To send a Jott, you dial the toll-free number, specify a recipient from your address book, and record a message of 30 seconds or less. The audio file is sent to Jott, who uses a combination of human and machine transcription to turn the audio into a text file. (The audio file is not associated with any personally identifiable information, so the transcribers do not know to whose messages they are listening). The text message is then sent to your recipients as a text file and an attached audio file. You (the Jotter) also receive a copy of the message. You can change how you and your recipients receive the files on your Jott account settings page.
Jott in the news
Jott has a list with links to articles and blog entries about it. It has been discussed in diverse publications including the MIT Technology Review, The Wall Street Journal, and the Seattle Times. I first heard of it from the Librarian in Black's post about it (June 18, 2007).
Ways to use Jott at school
Jott itself came up with a few ways to use the service at school--click on the "At school" tab to see. However, their suggestions seem to be "cool" ways for teens to use it (for example, "Schedule study groups" and "Jott your parents for more money").
More possibilities for teachers and school librarians:
- An alternative way for students with varied learning styles to contribute to an assignment. This could be a useful tool for students who aren't strong writers, are visually disabled, or process information verbally.
- Reminders to yourself or others while you're not at a computer--like a voicemail, only in writing. You can make a to-do list or send an e-mail that you forgot, even if you're not at a computer.
- Immediate blog updates--you can write while you're thinking of it. This could be especially helpful if you are traveling (for example, if you're at a conference). There are instructions on their FAQ page for many popular blog sites.
- Librarians or administrators could Jott a message to teachers (individually or as a group). This message could be a quick reminder of an upcoming meeting or a quick look at a new book in the library (like a mini-podcast, only in text).
- Quick e-mails or text messages. If you prefer to process things verbally, need to talk to someone whose preferred medium is text messages, or if you just want to send a quick informal e-mail, this could be a useful tool.
- Teachers could Jott messages to students or parents reminding them of upcoming events (due dates, forms that are due, field trips).
- Students could Jott messages to each other or the teacher, or they could Jott a message to a class blog. They could summarize works of literature or class discussions (I'm thinking of a use similar to the "Messaging Shakespeare" article). The 30-second limit means that the message has to be clear and get to the point quickly. This could be useful for helping students clarify messages and communicate important information clearly and concisely.
- Students could use this as a "getting-to-know-you" activity. In 30 seconds or less, they would Jott a message to a class blog introducing themselves and telling facts about themselves that most other people wouldn't know (for example, a trip they went on, the name of a pet, etc.). Students would have to match their classmates with their Jott entries on the blog. This would teach concise writing, encourage creativity, and get students talking to each other.
Potential drawbacks
- Most people don't organize their voicemail as well as they organize their writing--there's no chance to go back and edit. This may mean that people's Jott messages are not logically sequenced or that people ramble on and do not get to the point. It takes a lot of critical thinking skills to get a full message across in 30 seconds, and people may not realize this. The Librarian in Black summed up a major drawback nicely:
"Content is a lot more superficial, a lot less coherent, less formal, and a lot less structured...so it ends up being a little bit rambley and miscellaneous (kind of like this post, which was written with Jott)." (blog 6/18/07).
- Messages are limited to 30 seconds (this can also be a benefit, as it means you have to communicate important information quickly!).
- If you want to send a message to multiple people, you must have already created a group with a single name in Jott. You can't edit on the fly.
- It's free now, but will probably have ads and/or fees later (from the MIT article).
Questions and some answers
Q: Can you review a message before sending it?
A: I can't find any information on this. This would be useful to know, as it might give you a chance to listen to and re-record your message if you get cut off or you do not say everything you want to say.
Q: Can you send more than one Jott on the same call?
A: Yes. You have the option to send several Jotts to different people or the same people. The system asks you each time whom you would like to Jott. You can send multiple Jotts and hang up when you are done.
Q: How accurate is it? How does it handle homonyms?
A: The blog post I read was accurate, and the author of the MIT article said that they even corrected a spelling error he had made. Right now, humans transcribe all messages. However, the transcribers are in India. They do, however, send the original audio file with the text message or e-mail. You also receive a copy and you can rate its accuracy on their website.
Q: How much time does it take to set up?
A: There are three steps to set up a free account. However, it will probably take a while to add a lot of contacts, especially if you want to set up groups. (You also have to remember the names of the groups you set up.) You can import contacts from most Web-based e-mail programs.
Q: How large are the files? Will I be flooding someone's inbox if I sent her a Jott?
A: The recipient gets normal-sized e-mail or text messages. The audio files are stored online. The recipient can either call the Jott number or look at the attachment to get the audio file.
Q: Do all phones work with Jott?
A: The phone has to have Caller ID (they recommend cell phones). The Caller ID must also be registered to the person whose account it is (you can't send a Jott from someone else's phone).
Q: Are there any privacy issues? People are listening to your messages.
A: The Jott FAQ list assures you that they have strict confidentiality messages in place. Their employees cannot link a message to your personally identifiable info. You may also choose to transcribe your messages yourself (online at jott.com).
Q: How many people can use the service at once?
A: That's unclear. I didn't see any information on their website. I wonder how often you would get a busy signal or a delayed response time due to high call volume.
