[UPDATED] SpinVox: We're going to HQ to see for ourselves

by Ben Smith on 31st July 2009

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spinvox_logo1You can’t fail to have seen the coverage Spinvox has been getting recently. Following articles from PaidContent and the BBC covering allegations of financial difficulties and that the transcription is entirely performed by call-centres there’s been much debate over whether the claimed technology works, the business is sustainable and the security of customers’ data. Further hostile claims in anonymous blog comments have added detail to the original claims and dismissed the firm’s rebuttals as ‘mis-leading’.

Today Ben and Dan are amongst a number of bloggers to receive an invitation to visit the firm’s HQ next Tuesday. The invite offers the opportunity to see the SpinVox Voice Message Conversion System in action and to get hands-on by acting as quality-control agents in a demonstration of the service. We’ll also be able to ask questions and that’s where we need your help…

We’ll be meeting with CEO and Co-Founder Christina Domecq as well as CTO Philip Marnick [Updated Mon 3rd with info from SpinVox's PR firm] CIO Rob Wheatley and Hugh Woolford, Director Infrastructure and Global Service Delivery. What should we ask them? Do the allegations that have been made concern you? Which aspects of a demo do you want to know most about?

Add you questions to the comments below and we’ll take them with us on the day.

Disclosure(s):

  1. James Whatley, co-founder of The Really Mobile Project, is a SpinVox employee and speaks for them in his role as head of social media - we’re also good friends. James won’t be participating in our coverage of the event, reviewing or censoring the output from Ben and Dan (who are attending). He has directly asked us not to limit or constrain our coverage in any way.
  2. Dan Lane is a SpinVox user and has a free account provided by the company for review. Dan has no current or past financial interests in the firm.
  3. Ben Smith is a SpinVox user with a standard account which he pays for. Ben has no current or past financial interests in the firm.
  4. We have agreed not to film or photograph the demonstration of the VCMS at Spinvox’s request (as have all attendees). However we are not limited in our description of discussion of it and will film interviews with staff.

Tagged as: demonstation, marlow, SpinVox, transcription, VCMS, visit

  • http://blog.mjelly.com/ jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • http://blog.mjelly.com/ jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • http://blog.mjelly.com/ jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • http://blog.mjelly.com/ jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • http://blog.mjelly.com/ jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • http://blog.mjelly.com jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • http://blog.mjelly.com jamescoops

    yeah why haven’t they signed any of the major UK mobile operators? I use the service, it’s brilliant - so why can’t they sign up vodafone, 02 etc?

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • recommendation

    Here is a test you could do, based only on my grammer school knowledge of how to construct a scientific experiment.

    Have independent people (who are not friends of JW, so we don’t doubt whether SpinVox was given advance knowledge of message content) record messages on mobile phones in realistic situations (in a car, outdoor background noise). Log when the message recording is completed for each message. Then at SpinVox, observe how long it takes for an automated version to appear on screen. Messages should be at least 30 seconds in length, to avoid suspicion that a Mechanical Turk is typing. Note the TAT (turn around time) for automated conversion to text, prior to any human intervention. Save a copy of this fully automated version of the message so that everyone can see the quality of the conversion. Repeat this process at least 10 times to provide a rough answer to the question (the core question, really) of what per cent of messages are converted automatically.

    If SpinVox is showing you any predictive typing capability that helps a human process the message more efficiently, that would be a different test requiring a separate experiment design for verification.

    None of this experiment should compromise SpinVox secrets of HOW they do automated conversion. This experiment is designed to show the PERFORMANCE of their system. It is no different in this respect than a performance test on an Intel processor.

  • http://denny.me Denny

    If I were a SpinVox user, or considering becoming one, I would probably like to know the answers to the following:

    * What percentage of messages are 100% machine-transcribed?
    * What percentage of messages are 100% human-transcribed?
    * Of the remaining messages (those which are partially machine and partially human-transcribed), what is the average percentage of the message which requires human transcription?

    That said, I’m not sure the answer ‘all messages are 100% human transcribed’ would actually deter me from using the service, so perhaps I’m not paranoid enough.

  • http://denny.me Denny

    If I were a SpinVox user, or considering becoming one, I would probably like to know the answers to the following:

    * What percentage of messages are 100% machine-transcribed?
    * What percentage of messages are 100% human-transcribed?
    * Of the remaining messages (those which are partially machine and partially human-transcribed), what is the average percentage of the message which requires human transcription?

    That said, I’m not sure the answer ‘all messages are 100% human transcribed’ would actually deter me from using the service, so perhaps I’m not paranoid enough.

  • http://denny.me Denny

    If I were a SpinVox user, or considering becoming one, I would probably like to know the answers to the following:

    * What percentage of messages are 100% machine-transcribed?
    * What percentage of messages are 100% human-transcribed?
    * Of the remaining messages (those which are partially machine and partially human-transcribed), what is the average percentage of the message which requires human transcription?

    That said, I’m not sure the answer ‘all messages are 100% human transcribed’ would actually deter me from using the service, so perhaps I’m not paranoid enough.

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • Gareth James

    As far as I am concerned their head office and a demo is just more spin on top of spin. If you really want to figure out what is what, and show the world how great/bad Spinvox really is, demand that they extend to you the right to visit any of their sites, anywhere in the world, with 15 minutes notice and receive full and unfettled access, as many times as you like for the next 6 months. This I would start from when your 20 minutes away from one of their overseas facilities. Then while you’re there make sure that EVERYONE you know and/or can reach that has a Spinvox account, turns their phones off and arranges to have someone leave them as long a voice message as the system will allow, all spoken at a very fast rate, with long eloquent turn of phrases and some technical/medical/legal jargon thrown in for good measure. That would be a proper look at how the system really works. Travel to as many of their facilities, including their head office, as you can in the 6 months and repeat the exercise! And as far as I can see if Spinvox really want to dispel any of the bad press that they have had recently AND market themselves in a stronger light to U.K. MNO’s then something like this, performed by gentlemen such as yourselves, would go a very long way indeed.

    If they want to play in the big boy’s world, I think they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else, come clean on working conditions and data seen/not seen now or get out of the way…

  • http://uk.techcrunch.com/2009/07/31/im-off-to-spinvox-hq-what-should-i-ask-them/ I’m off to SpinVox HQ! What should I ask them?

    [...] Tuesday next week, along with a few other journalists and bloggers, I’ll be visiting SpinVox HQ in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. SpinVox will be demonstrating their [...]

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres.

    It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)

    To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:

    ** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-generation-y-put-nike-in-its-place
    ** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0804.frank.html

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres.

    It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)

    To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:

    ** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-generation-y-put-nike-in-its-place
    ** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0804.frank.html

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres.

    It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)

    To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:

    ** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-generation-y-put-nike-in-its-place
    ** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0804.frank.html

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres.

    It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)

    To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:

    ** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-generation-y-put-nike-in-its-place
    ** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0804.frank.html

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres.

    It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)

    To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:

    ** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-generation-y-put-nike-in-its-place
    ** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0804.frank.html

  • http://www.newsjacker.co.uk/media/i%e2%80%99m-off-to-spinvox-hq-what-should-i-ask-them-2/ I’m off to SpinVox HQ! What should I ask them? 

    [...] Tuesday next week, along with a few other journalists and bloggers, I’ll be visiting SpinVox HQ in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. SpinVox will be demonstrating their [...]

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it’s patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox_mechanical_turk/comments/

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewer?AP=04728841&CY=EP&LG=en&DB=REG
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/John-C-Botts-60188

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it’s patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox_mechanical_turk/comments/

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewer?AP=04728841&CY=EP&LG=en&DB=REG
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/John-C-Botts-60188

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it’s patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox_mechanical_turk/comments/

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewer?AP=04728841&CY=EP&LG=en&DB=REG
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/John-C-Botts-60188

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it’s patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox_mechanical_turk/comments/

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewer?AP=04728841&CY=EP&LG=en&DB=REG
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/John-C-Botts-60188

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it’s patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox_mechanical_turk/comments/

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewer?AP=04728841&CY=EP&LG=en&DB=REG
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/John-C-Botts-60188

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it’s patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox_mechanical_turk/comments/

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewer?AP=04728841&CY=EP&LG=en&DB=REG
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/John-C-Botts-60188

  • http://denny.me Denny

    If I were a SpinVox user, or considering becoming one, I would probably like to know the answers to the following:* What percentage of messages are 100% machine-transcribed?* What percentage of messages are 100% human-transcribed?* Of the remaining messages (those which are partially machine and partially human-transcribed), what is the average percentage of the message which requires human transcription?That said, I'm not sure the answer 'all messages are 100% human transcribed' would actually deter me from using the service, so perhaps I'm not paranoid enough.

  • http://denny.me Denny

    If I were a SpinVox user, or considering becoming one, I would probably like to know the answers to the following:

    * What percentage of messages are 100% machine-transcribed?
    * What percentage of messages are 100% human-transcribed?
    * Of the remaining messages (those which are partially machine and partially human-transcribed), what is the average percentage of the message which requires human transcription?

    That said, I'm not sure the answer 'all messages are 100% human transcribed' would actually deter me from using the service, so perhaps I'm not paranoid enough.

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term ‘sweatshop’ used a lot in comments I’ve not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term ‘sweatshop’ used a lot in comments I’ve not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term ‘sweatshop’ used a lot in comments I’ve not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term ‘sweatshop’ used a lot in comments I’ve not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term ‘sweatshop’ used a lot in comments I’ve not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term ‘sweatshop’ used a lot in comments I’ve not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres. It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-gen...** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/...

  • pms

    The answers do sit in the call centres.

    It certainly is better to be like Nike than Steorn, not just for the company brand looking to defend its image, but also for the personal brand of the insiders and outsiders who stake their own personal brand and credibility on their public evalutation of the company. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steorn)

    To address the sweatshop allegations, if SpinVox and its blogger associates are serious about transparency, Nike provides a good model for the use of outside inspectors. Nike transparency has not been perfect. Here are two interesting reads taking opposite points of view:

    ** Will Generation Y Put Nike in Its Place? http://seekingalpha.com/article/147510-will-gen...
    ** Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/...

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it's patent portfolio. Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?Here is the comment>>>>>>>Patents # By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox...… the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewe...<<<<<<Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-pr...

  • pms

    This is BiiiiiiiiiG as Julie Meyer might say. When you are at SpinVox, you may want to ask the CEO about this…

    A comment at The Register indicates that SpinVox may have already given away (or sold, or traded, or…) significant chunks of it's patent portfolio.

    Question: did SpinVox disclose to investors, including employees who took the stock for salary exchange this month, that it no longer actually owns all the IP (70 patents) that it claims?

    Here is the comment

    >>>>>>>
    Patents #
    By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 30th July 2009 12:53 GMT http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/spinvox...

    … the UK IPO record on GB2435147 shows that TISBURY EUROPEAN MASTER FUND LIMITED (registered office in the Cayman Islands) have acquired rights in a number of SpinVox patent cases. European Patent Office records show that a debenture exists - full copy available through online file inspection here (click on “All documents” link on the left): https://register.epoline.org/espacenet/regviewe...
    <<<<<<

    Clues on the relationship between SpinVox and Tisbury can be found here http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-pr...

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term 'sweatshop' used a lot in comments I've not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Although I have seen the term 'sweatshop' used a lot in comments I've not actually seen an allegation that SpinVox operate sweatshops in any of the articles… Just comments around poor pay / unrealistic QC standards. Do you have a link?

  • anonymous

    What a joke. Steorn, the video, all over again.

    Look at Jon Hulholland tweets, for example:

    jonmulholland: So I’m going to @spinvox too! Looking forward to taking a peak behind the scenes. Hope I’ll get to see the Mac they’re working on as well.
    about 1 hour ago from Tweetie

    jonmulholland:@Whatleydude looking forward to see your next move. Rooting for you!
    about 22 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to Whatleydude

  • http://mobile-review.com markwebster

    Rather disappointed not to be going, blindingly obvious where Dan and Ben stand on this, i guess their looking for an easy time :p

  • anonymous

    What a joke. Steorn, the video, all over again.Look at Jon Hulholland tweets, for example:jonmulholland: So I'm going to @spinvox too! Looking forward to taking a peak behind the scenes. Hope I'll get to see the Mac they're working on as well.about 1 hour ago from Tweetie jonmulholland:@Whatleydude looking forward to see your next move. Rooting for you!about 22 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to Whatleydude

  • anonymous

    What a joke. Steorn, the video, all over again.

    Look at Jon Hulholland tweets, for example:

    jonmulholland: So I'm going to @spinvox too! Looking forward to taking a peak behind the scenes. Hope I'll get to see the Mac they're working on as well.
    about 1 hour ago from Tweetie

    jonmulholland:@Whatleydude looking forward to see your next move. Rooting for you!
    about 22 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to Whatleydude

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    ‘blindingly obvious’?

    You could at least give us a chance to make the visit before you cry foul Mark. What is it about the last 2 years of content Dan and I have produced here and elsewhere that makes you think we can be so cheaply bought?

    …and why would we invite readers’ questions if we *did* want to participate in some kind of whitewash?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Jon can answer for his own coverage - with so many people attending (and the guys from Techcrunch aren’t renown for giving anyone an easy time) you’ll have lots of opinions to choose from.

    We want to put the questions we and our readers have to the company and I’ll be perfectly happy to say I’m not satisfied if they dodge or evade them.

  • http://mobile-review.com markwebster

    I live in hope then Ben, my assumption was based on the content of your Twitter output re the Spinvox saga, which i think even you might struggle to say was less than neutral :p

  • http://mobile-review.com markwebster

    Rather disappointed not to be going, blindingly obvious where Dan and Ben stand on this, i guess their looking for an easy time :p

  • http://mobile-review.com markwebster

    Rather disappointed not to be going, blindingly obvious where Dan and Ben stand on this, i guess their looking for an easy time :p

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    I didn’t intend my tweets to be neutral. They’re my opinion - which has varied over time based on the various allegations / responses and the lack of clarity from both sides. I remain undecided.

    However, in the main, I’ve actually just been challenging those making poorly-informed comment on commercial practice, IT security, data protection or outsourcing issues - things I routinely provide consulting to clients on.

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    'blindingly obvious'?You could at least give us a chance to make the visit before you cry foul Mark. What is it about the last 2 years of content Dan and I have produced here and elsewhere that makes you think we can be so cheaply bought?…and why would we invite readers' questions if we *did* want to participate in some kind of whitewash?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    'blindingly obvious'?

    You could at least give us a chance to make the visit before you cry foul Mark. What is it about the last 2 years of content Dan and I have produced here and elsewhere that makes you think we can be so cheaply bought?

    …and why would we invite readers' questions if we *did* want to participate in some kind of whitewash?

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Jon can answer for his own coverage - with so many people attending (and the guys from Techcrunch aren't renown for giving anyone an easy time) you'll have lots of opinions to choose from.We want to put the questions we and our readers have to the company and I'll be perfectly happy to say I'm not satisfied if they dodge or evade them.

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Jon can answer for his own coverage - with so many people attending (and the guys from Techcrunch aren't renown for giving anyone an easy time) you'll have lots of opinions to choose from.

    We want to put the questions we and our readers have to the company and I'll be perfectly happy to say I'm not satisfied if they dodge or evade them.

  • http://mobile-review.com markwebster

    I live in hope then Ben, my assumption was based on the content of your Twitter output re the Spinvox saga, which i think even you might struggle to say was less than neutral :p

  • http://mobile-review.com markwebster

    I live in hope then Ben, my assumption was based on the content of your Twitter output re the Spinvox saga, which i think even you might struggle to say was less than neutral :p

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    I didn't intend my tweets to be neutral. They're my opinion - which has varied over time based on the various allegations / responses and the lack of clarity from both sides. I remain undecided.However, in the main, I've actually just been challenging those making poorly-informed comment on commercial practice, IT security, data protection or outsourcing issues - things I routinely provide consulting to clients on.

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    I didn't intend my tweets to be neutral. They're my opinion - which has varied over time based on the various allegations / responses and the lack of clarity from both sides. I remain undecided.

    However, in the main, I've actually just been challenging those making poorly-informed comment on commercial practice, IT security, data protection or outsourcing issues - things I routinely provide consulting to clients on.

  • anonymous

    Ben, see allegations of “slave labour” here

    http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2009/07/alleged_shocking_insight_into_working_in_a_spinvox_call_centre.html

  • anonymous

    Ben, see allegations of “slave labour” here http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2009/07/all...

  • anonymous

    Ben, see allegations of “slave labour” here

    http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2009/07/all...

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Noted - thankyou.

  • http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2009/08/spinvox_mir_probably_isnt_going_to_the_hq_demo.html SpinVox: MIR probably isn’t going to the HQ demo | Mobile Industry Review

    [...] read the coverage produced by the like of Ben Smith and Dan Lane at The Really Mobile Project (who’re going along, obviously, SpinVox’s James Whatley won’t be participating in [...]

  • Anonymous

    Why don’t you leave a Voicemail in Spanish or Portuguese - seeing that the immediate prospects are with Telefonica??

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Noted - thankyou.

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    Noted - thankyou.

  • keithjamesmc

    Why don't you leave a Voicemail in Spanish or Portuguese - seeing that the immediate prospects are with Telefonica??

  • keithjamesmc

    Why don't you leave a Voicemail in Spanish or Portuguese - seeing that the immediate prospects are with Telefonica??

  • http://thereallymobileproject.com/2009/08/exclusive-james-whatley-announces-he-confirmation-or-denial-a-co-founder-of-the-really-mobile-project/ The Really Mobile Project » Blog Archive » Exclusive: James Whatley announces he [CONFIRMATION OR DENIAL] a co-founder of The Really Mobile Project

    [...] will be back soon and in the meantime we’ll be reporting on SpinVox and all things mobile that deserve attention without fear or [...]

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  • http://thereallymobileproject.com/2009/08/spinvox-demo-day/ SpinVox: Demo Day | The Really Mobile Project

    [...] with SpinVox and his current leave-of-absence from The Really Mobile Project. We have made a detailed disclosure statement in this post. If you are concerned this post is affected by a conflict of interest for the authors, other [...]

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