KOCHI, Jan 30: K Jayakrishnan and Kurian Thomas, Kochi's computer whiz-kids who created a sensation on the Internet through `Shellsock,' are making news again by merging Internet technology with paging and cellular phone channels. They have designed and prototyped a system which can be used to provide value added services like e-mail notification, virtual e-mail, global paging et al to existing pager and cellular phone subscribers.Incidentally, the enterprising duo who run Xtend Technologies, which specialises in customised Internet applications for the Indian environment, have sprung a surprise on a couple of firms which had announced plans to provide e-mail on the pager alone.
Normally, e-mail can be received only when one is sitting in front of the computer. But, by using the new system, instant alert of incoming e-mail messages on pager or cell phone becomes a reality, thereby ensuring that receipt of no message is delayed, Jayakrishnan and Kurian told The Indian Express after a demonstration.The alert so issued will feature the sender's name and the subject of the e-mail on alpha-numeric pagers. On numeric pagers, a pre-determined number is paged to inform the subscriber of the arrival of an important e-mail. Those using cellular phones can also sent reply e-mail from the phone itself.
The service filters e-mail messages according to user-defined criteria for urgency, subject, keyword or sender. For example, if the user selects the word `urgent' or a frequent e-mail sender's name as key words, an alert will be triggered when a mail containing keywords anywhere in the message is received. The system allows users to route different types of e-mail from the main e-mail address to other e-mail addresses, including office or home.
Another beneficial provision is the facility to program it so as to automatically delete junk e-mail, a real menace on the Net these days.
Virtual e-mail can be provided to people who don't even have a computer, modem or e-mail connectivity. They can get the mailpaged to them or retrieve messages from a cybercafe or using a fax from anywhere in the world. Similarly, global paging enables sending of messages through Internet from anywhere.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
