Release Notes for Speak-to-Mail 1.0, Release 23, March 15, 2005

This page contains new information about Speak-to-Mail 1.0, Release 23 that is not published in the Manual and Quick Start Guide as of the March 15, 2005 release date.

01 – Speak-to-Mail New Features 1

1. Speak-to-Mail Functionality Issues and Work-Arounds 2

2. SpeakPad Functionality 2

02 - Registration 2

1. Outlook Express Edition 3

05 – HOW TO USE Speak-to-Mail TO REPLY TO EMAILS 3

06– How to use Speak-to-Mail with Hotmail 3

1. Contact List 4

07 – How to use Speak-to-Mail with Yahoo Mail 4

1. To configure Outlook Express to work with Yahoo mail: 4

2. Can I also use Netscape or Outlook to send and read my Yahoo! Mail? 5

3. My Yahoo Contact List 5

08 – How to use Speak-to-Mail with other Webmail Services. 6

01 – Speak-to-Mail New Features

1. A message will prompt you if you do not have the correct default email program selected for your edition of Speak-to-Mail. In order for Speak-to-Mail to function properly, you must have the correct email program set as the default under the Programs Tab in Internet Options.

2. When you start Speak-to-Mail, if you have not created and selected your own speech recognition profile and are using the Default speech recognition profile, a message will prompt you to create and train your speech recognition profile. This message will appear whenever the Default speech recognition profile is selected. For best results, create and train your own speech recognition profile, and if more than one user is using speech recognition on your computer, make sure it is selected whenever you use Speak-to-Mail.

1. Speak-to-Mail Functionality Issues and Work-Arounds

1. The personalized greeting doesn't work after I enter my name in the start-up splash screen. This is a known issue that we are working to correct. Currently, the solution is to open Speak-to-Mail, go to About, Settings, then uncheck and recheck the greeting checkbox. Save the settings, and the next time you start Speak-to-Mail, the personalized greeting will function correctly.

2. If your email program is set to automatically send and receive emails, it will look for an Internet connection when its starts. If this is the case, you may encounter errors when starting Speak-to-Mail if your computer is not connected to the internet. We recommend that your computer be connected to the Internet before starting Speak-to-Mail, or that you email program be configured to not send and receive emails automatically when it starts.

3. The speech command “spacebar” is not included in the final release as stated in the manual. Use the spacebar key on your keyboard.

4. The speech commands for bold, italicize and underline text cannot be turned off once activated. This formatting will be visible in Speak-to-Mail, but will not carry through to emails.

5. The speech command "Cap Text" will capitalize all the letters in the selected text, just like “Cap All Text.” There is currently no command to capitalize the first letter of each word in selected text as stated in the manual.

6. The speech commands "go to end of sentence" and "go to beginning of sentence" are not included in the final release as stated in the manual. Use your mouse to place the cursor at the end or beginning of a sentence.

7. When the cursor is moved to insert text, after the insertion, the cursor goes to the end of the document. Workarounds include i) placing the cursor where you want to insert text before you begin dictating each new string of text, ii) user the keyboard to insert text, or iii) dictate the text you want to insert at the end of the document, then cut and paste the dictated text to the desired location.

8. The cursor indents one space from the margin after the first paragraph. Move it back with the mouse or arrow keys.

9. Select last sentence/paragraph selects only the last sentence/paragraph in the document regardless of where the cursor positioned. If you want to select other text, then use your mouse.

10. Background noise or speech while text is highlighted will overwrite selected (highlighted) text, just as if you typed over it. Do not highlight text that you don’t intend to copy or delete. After copying a selected block of text, unselect it by using the mouse or the arrow/end keys on your keyboard.

2. SpeakPad Functionality

SpeakPad was discontinued by CoolSoft, LLC when it acquired the assets of the former Yellow Tiger, LLC, the original developers of Speak-to-Mail. SpeakPad has been replaced with SpeakToText 2.0, an new and much more robust speech recognition program. To get your copy of SpeakToText 2.0, visit our website at http://www.coolsoftllc.com/store.asp?product=9.

02 - Registration

1. Registration keys are no longer required when you buy the full version of Speak-to-Mail. The trial version can no longer be upgraded to the full version, and must be uninstalled. The full install takes care of this for you.

03 – Issues Related to Install/Uninstall

Uninstall does not delete the log file, signature file and Speak-to-Mail folder. When you uninstall the trial or full version, the folders have to be removed manually. The default path is “C:\Program Filese\Speak-to-Mail v1 Trial” and “C:\Program Files\Speak-to-Mail v1” for the trial and full versions respectively. You can delete these folders from Windows Explorer or My Computer.

04 – Issues Related to Specific Editions

1. Outlook Express Edition

If Outlook Express was opened by Speak-to-Mail, Outlook Express does not close when you close Speak-to-Mail. You need to close Outlook Express manually.

05 – HOW TO USE Speak-to-Mail TO REPLY TO EMAILS

The procedure is the same regardless of your email program or edition of Speak-to-Mail.

Open Speak-to-Mail.
Go to the Body field. Say “Body” or use the mouse and cursor.
Dictate your reply.
Say “Select All” or use the mouse to highlight the dictated text.
Say “Copy Text” or right click and select “Copy.”
Go to your email program and select the message to which you want to reply.
Place the cursor in the body of the message, right click and select “Paste.”
Send your message.

06– How to use Speak-to-Mail with Hotmail

To use Speak-to-Mail with Hotmail, you need to configure an email program to work with Hotmail. We recommend using Outlook Express because it comes standard with all Windows operating systems and is designed to work with Hotmail. So if you are a Hotmail user, you should purchase, download and install Speak-to-Mail for Outlook Express.

How to configure Outlook Express for use with Hotmail:

You must be a paid subscriber to Hotmail. Hotmail does not enable you to use email programs with its free accounts.
Open Outlook Express
Go to Tools and select Accounts
In the Internet Accounts dialog box, select the Mail tab.
On the right side of the Mail tab, select Add, then select Mail
Enter the desired value for your name and click on next.
Enter your Hotmail email address and click on next.
Under the “My incoming mail server” drop-down box, select HTTP (if not selected already).
Under the “My HTTP mail service provider” drop-down box, select Hotmail (if not selected already).
Click on Next
Type in your account name (aemailaddress@hotmail.com) and password, and if you want your computer to remember your password check the remember password checkbox.
Click on next then click on finish.

1. Contact List

Speak-to-Mail cannot read your contact list directly from Hotmail. Currently, Hotmail does not allow you to export your Hotmail contact list. In order for Speak-to-Mail to work correctly with Hotmail, you need to enter your enter your contacts into the Outlook Express address book manually, or import your contact list into Outlook Express from another program.

If you are a Hotmail subscriber, to send and receive Hotmail from your computer, use Outlook Express instead of your web browser. When you are away from your computer, you can continue to send and receive Hotmail using any web browser on any computer. Hotmail will also let you use Outlook to send and receive emails if you are a subscriber.

07 – How to use Speak-to-Mail with Yahoo Mail

To use Speak-to-Mail with Yahoo Mail, you need to configure an email program to work with Hotmail. We recommend using Outlook Express because it comes standard with all Windows operating systems. So if you are a Yahoo Mail user, you should purchase, download and install Speak-to-Mail for Outlook Express.

First, you need to sign up for Yahoo POP Access and Forwarding. Yahoo no longer provides free access to its POP accounts from email programs like Outlook Express. This service is currently $24.95 per year. If you are a new Yahoo user, you can sign up for Yahoo Mail Plus account which includes POP Access and Forwarding.

1. To configure Outlook Express to work with Yahoo mail:

Outlook Express allows you to add a new email account to your existing profile. This means you do not have to replace your current settings in order to send and receive Yahoo! Mail messages. Here's how:

From the Tools menu, choose "Accounts."
Select the "Mail" tab.
Click the "Add" button.
From the Add menu, click "Mail."
In the text box labeled Display Name, type your name and click "Next."
In the Email Address box, type your Yahoo! Mail address (be sure to include "@yahoo.com") and click "Next."
Under "My incoming mail server is a..." select "POP3."
Type "pop.mail.yahoo.com" in the Incoming Mail (POP3, IMAP, or HTTP) Server box.
Type "smtp.mail.yahoo.com" in the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server box.
Click "Next."
In the Account Name box, type your Yahoo! Mail ID (your email address without the "@yahoo.com").
In the Password box, type your Yahoo! Mail password.
If you want Outlook Express to remember your password, check the "Remember password" box.
Do not check the boxes labeled "Log on using Secure..."
Click "Next."
Click "Finish."

Important: The Yahoo! Mail SMTP server now requires authentication. To turn this setting on:

From the Tools menu, choose "Accounts."
Select the "Mail" tab.
Double-click the account labeled "pop.mail.yahoo.com."
Select the "Servers" tab.
Check the box next to "My Server Requires Authentication."
Click "OK."

To control deletion of messages from the Yahoo! Mail Server:

From the Tools menu, choose "Accounts."
Select the "Mail" tab.
Double-click the account labeled "pop.mail.yahoo.com."
Select the "Advanced" tab.
In the Delivery section at the bottom of the window, check "Leave a copy of messages on server" if you want to save your Yahoo! Mail messages on the Yahoo! Mail server as well as on your local computer. Do not check this box if you want your messages to be deleted from the Yahoo! Mail server once you have received them in Outlook Express.

2. Can I also use Netscape or Outlook to send and read my Yahoo! Mail?

Yes! Yahoo! Mail users can read their Yahoo! Mail messages in Netscape or Outlook by subscribing to the POP/Forwarding service. This service allows you to use Netscape, Outlook or another POP3 client to access and manage your Yahoo! Mail and also includes the ability to:

Automatically forward your Yahoo! Mail to another email account -- even another Yahoo! address.
Send larger attachments, now up to 5MB instead of the free 1.5MB limit.
Send email without the Yahoo! promotional text at the bottom.

Once you have subscribed, you're ready to set up your Yahoo! Mail account to read your messages in an email program. Click on "Options," choose "POP Access & Forwarding," and follow the directions on the screen

To learn how to configure your email program for Yahoo, please go to the following page and follow the link for your email program:

http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/mail/pop/index.html

3. My Yahoo Contact List

Speak-to-Mail cannot read your contact list directly from Yahoo Mail; however, Yahoo Mail does allow you to export your Yahoo Mail contact list to a variety of formats that can be imported into Outlook Express. In order for Speak-to-Mail to work correctly with Yahoo Mail, you need to export your contact list from Yahoo Mail and import it into Outlook Express using the following instructions:

Exporting your Contact List From Yahoo! to Outlook Express

To copy contact information from Yahoo! Address Book to Microsoft Outlook Express, please do the following.

First, export the information from your Yahoo! Address Book:

Go to the Yahoo! Address Book and make sure that you are signed into your account.
Click the "Addresses Options" link on the right of the Address Book page.
Click the "Import/Export" link.
In the Export section, click the "Export Now" button next to the phrase "Microsoft Outlook."
When prompted, specify a location where you would like the file to be saved, and enter a name for the .CSV file in the "Save As" dialog box.

The Comma Separated Values (.csv) file generated in the process above is readable by Microsoft Outlook Express.

Next, import that file into Outlook Express:

Open Microsoft Outlook Express.
Select "Import" from the "File" menu.
From the "File" menu, select "Other Address Book."
Select the file type "Text File (Comma Separated Values)."
Click the "Import" button.
Enter the location and name of the file you exported from Yahoo! or use the "Browse" button to find the file. Then click the "Next" button.
Check the fields you wish to import, and uncheck any fields you do not wish to import to Outlook Express. Or, click "Change Mapping..." to modify where to store the data from Yahoo! Address Book in Outlook Express.
Click "Finish" to import the data.

Please see the System and Software Requirements for Import/Export.

Please Note: Entries that you have added to your Yahoo! Address Book from Yahoo! Yellow Pages will not be exported.

Exporting your Contact List from Yahoo Mail to Other Email Programs

To find out how to export your contact list to other email programs like Netscape Messenger, please refer to the instructions on the right side of the Export section on the Import/Export page of Yahoo Mail.

08 – How to use Speak-to-Mail with other Webmail Services.

In most cases, you will need to use Outlook Express, and will need to purchase, download and install Speak-to-Mail for Outlook Express. Your Webmail service provider should provide instructions on how to configure their service to work with Outlook Express.

If you a Webmail service other than Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, and are not sure how to configure you service to work with Outlook Express and Speak-to-Mail, please send and email to support@coolsoftllc.com. Give us the website information for your webmail service provider and we will do our best to get back to you with specific instructions as soon as possible.

If you want to be able to dictate directly into a webmail window in your browser, try SpeakToText 2.0. SpeakToText 2.0 lets you dictate into almost any application, including a text window in your webbrowser. Visit http://www.coolsoftllc.com/store.asp?product=9 to get your copy.