Mobile can be smart and useful: check Dial2Do

I discovered Dial2to at Microsoft Launch 08 Conference in Montain View.

Dial2Do lets you do common tasks by just calling a number and speaking. Use it to send EMAIL or TEXT messages, record REMINDERS to help you remember things, post updates to your TWITTER or JAIKU stream and LISTEN to your favourite internet content. It’s easy and handsfree. A voice to text machine!

I received some news from them recently regarding new features:

• Some cool new commands - you can now post *and* listen to your email, calendar, twitter, friendfeed, blogs, evernote, i want sandy, mosio and more                         
• Some fun, simple content to listen to: Huffington Post, TechCrunch, New York Times, Yahoo Finance, etc. And if you really must, Perez Hilton!                         
• Roll-your-own commands: if you don’t like what we’ve provided - make your own! You can now make your own commands in Dial2Do and have something happen - post to a URL, send an email or read you some RSS content                         
• An improved layout to assist your navigation around the site

I asked few questions to Ivan MacDonald, CEO few days before last Mobile2.0 Conference in San Francisco...

So just to give a good example on what a great mobile application could be, some simple questions:

- What is Dial2do? 

Dial2Do is a phone-service for drivers. It lets you get things done safely and conveniently by just using your voice. You can send Text Messages, Send and Listen to Email, Create Reminders, Update your Twitter stream and use a range of other services by just calling a number and saying what you want to do.

- Could you tell us few words regarding Dial2Do background? What's the story behind the product? 

Well we looked at where people spend so much of their time - in the car. Over 80% of Americans commute to work.  I myself drive every day and of course some of my brightest ideas for things I should do come to me during this time :)  Without Dial2Do, this time is typically spent listening to the radio or maybe making phone calls. But that's about it.  So many ideas for things you should do come to you during that time, but you can't act on those ideas, especially with the increasing Hands-free safety legislation in the US and elsewhere.  So we wanted to make a service that would be kind of like the 'drivers assistant' a number you phone when you want to get something done.  It might be something simple, like creating a little reminder for a thought that just came into your head, or you might want to listen to your email to check for a particular message from someone, or add an event to your calendar.   We wanted to offer "One number to get things done."

- What is your vision of mobile space and how being successful in it! Is profitability a reachable target? 

Great new interfaces and 3G are finally making mobile a reality for data driven services.  Of course they don't really help during the time you are driving for 40-90 minutes per day. So we think that Voice activation has a huge future.  In fact users expectations that they can get things done while mobile, increases the opportunity to voice activate the services they use the most.  And of course the jury is still out on what kindof business models users like for mobile services.  We don't think there is a 'one size' fits all in the great debate about flat-rate subscriptions -v- pay as you use -v- advertising but we do think that if you create a compelling service that people use/call several times a day you can monetize it profitably.

- We met in Silicon Valley the first time. You come regularly. Are you looking for things you don't have in Europe and why?!

Well about 75% of our users are in the US right now and we have focused there which is maybe unusual for a startup from Ireland.  But the US is a good opportunity for us, Hands-free legislation has really just started to kick in in California and elsewhere just this year, so our offering is being received well by users.  Also, so many of the companies who are partnering with are in Silicon Valley, so it makes sense for us to be there.

There's some additional ideas around that product. My 10 cents (let's be optimistic).