Skype signs agreement with SpinVox to convert voice mail to SMS text messages.

Just as friend Mark Evans is trying to detach himself from the "AlwaysOn" world and figure out how to take a digital sabbatical, another service comes along to put voice mail messages "in-your-face". Today SpinVox announced it has signed an agreement with Skype to offer the SpinVox voice-to-text service for its internet-SMS communication software. From the press release:

The SpinVox service will allow Skype™ users to have all their voice messages converted and sent directly to their cellphones as an SMS when they are not at their PC. The caller’s Skype ID, when available, will be shown and what they said converted into text. Skype users will have immediate access to all their messages on-the-move, giving callers the confidence that their messages can be seen quickly, whether the Skype user is online or not.

Of note:

• requires no software download to any mobile phone
• service available in English, Spanish, French and German initially
• first SpinVox agreement with an Internet voice service
• also provides a voice-to-blog service for SixApart
• no launch date announced.

Whereas three months ago there were no Skype-related services on my Blackberry, today I have choices to not only access Skype via either IM clients (IM+ for Skype Software, iSkoot) or voice commands (Mobivox) but also to receive my Skype voice mails via SMS text messages.

And of course this also means more etiquette standards to establish. To paraphrase Mark's comment on mobile messaging etiquette:

Somewhere in between being on and being off is making sure you’re focused on the here and now. Instead of checking your e-mail[/SMS messages] while having lunch with someone, for example, do the right/polite thing by waiting until afterward lunch is over. It’s not like an e-mail[/SMS message} is that urgent that it requires your immediate attention. If someone really wants to get in touch with you, maybe they’ll do something radical and call you.

P.S. Om was not pleased with the way this press release came out. And I just noticed that there was no "About Skype" or reference to Skype PR at the end. I have to even question if Skype was consulted on the press release when this type of omission occurs.

Tags: Skype Voice Mail, Skype, SpinVox, Mark Evans, digital sabbatical, voice to SMS