Today Vlingo announced an update to their very popular application. If you haven't used Vlingo before, its an application that uses your voice to perform such tasks as web search, notes, text/email messages, and Twitter/Facebook status updates on your BlackBerry smartphone. “Vlingo Everywhere” brings the addition of a lot of key programs making this a truly integrated application. These new features include:
- Instant Messaging: BlackBerry Messenger, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger
- Calender: Create/Edit calender entries
- Website Integration: Fill in any text box using voice
- Address Book: Add new contacts simply by speaking them
- 3rd Party Apps: Compatible with most other downloaded applications including Facebook, App World, and many others
Vlingo 4.0 Plus is a wonderful application whether you travel, frequently message, or just want the ease of using voice to perform your daily tasks. Currently it is on sale for a limited time for a one time fee of $14.99 (regular price $19.99) and compatible with most BlackBerry smartphones. Current Vlingo 3.0 Plus users can upgrade to version 4.0 for $9.99.
45 comments
Digg
Facebook
This is my most used app - actually my whole family practically uses it. I upgraded to Vlingo Everywhere this morning (from Vlingo Plus) and man oh man...it is freaking awesome! I can chat on Google talk now via Vlingo. The default has your text open in a separate window - go into options and set it to paste direct into the field you want and you are good to go!
^-- You sound like someone internal from Vlingo and endorsing your own product, just made me laugh haha =P
Actually, reading it over again, you probably are. EVEN FUNNIER hahaha!
Well this makes me exremely happy I didn't buy Vlingo 3, with an upgrade price like that on an already expensive app. I know the app does a lot, but really, the only time I need or even want voice activated commands is when I'm driving, but the app is hardly hands free so it really isn't as useful as it should be.
This added integration is nice, but so long as the app needs me to HOLD down a side convenience key as opposed to pressing it, I'll pass -- now, if this upgrade finally fixes that big problem, I'll consider paying out the ass for it...(even knowing it doesn't include upgrades) :/
Damn if I didn't buy this program about a week ago...now pay another $9...screw that...i got screwed by berry weather by about 2 week for their upgrade too...makes me want the dreaded iphone...at least their apps are reasonable...blackberry developers are crazy with these prices...
Really Vlingo? Gonna charge current Plus users for an upgrade? What a way to nickel and dime us. I wish I could get a refund, so NOT worth it.
Another 10 bucks for 3.0 users? I paid 18 for version 2 then when os 5.0 came out vlingo was useless. Did I complain no. Did I get a refund? No. Finally they fixed it. Now they want 10 bucks for the upgrade. Kiss my ass. I'm going to go use my reviews to leave terrible feedback and I would urge everyone else to do the same. Maybe they'll get the drift.
I agree, big time.
PLEASE email Vlingo support and complain. It will take 5 minutes and hopefully they will realize how bad this looks to us the customers.
http://vlingo.com/vlingo/contact_support.jsp
Not to mention that if you upgraded your phone after you already shelled out the $18 and it's been longer than 1 month since you bought this crap, you don't even qualify for the upgrade price! You gotta pay the full price. Screw that! Even if it is on sale! Greedy!
Very cool... If you turn on the 'immediate paste' option, it really does work in any app. I tested it on Yelp with a restaurant name and it even spelled it correctly... It works in Poynt, SuperPages, Pandora... at least those are all I tried so far... but very impressive.
Ok, it's not cheap compared to many other apps, but if you would use it, it is the best of its kind (at least so far)... It's subjective....
It is cool to use it when other blackberry users are around ;)
i totally missed that option! Thanks for pointing it out! So far i'm really liking this app. It's quick to launch the web browser, faster than when i do it manually.
i've been using Vlingo with Drive Safe.ly to shoot quick replies to messages read aloud. Very handy.
Since my name is an uncommon spelling, it took Vlingo a few (about 10) tries before it learned-but it did. Great app!
That upgrade cost for current users is ridiculous! Current users (most who have helped debug this application from it's beginning) should be sent an upgrade offer. But NOT $9.99!! That is a STEEP upgrade price Vlingo! It almost makes me want to remove version 3 and stop using and supporting you!
That is just plain wrong and greedy! If a better offer isn't made for existing users, I certainly will not be telling others about this app like I have been!
Bad business if you ask me . . .
How do you upgrade for the 9.99 price...I only see a link for 14.99 :(
I'm not an employee of Vlingo. I'm just putting in my two cents. If you don't think it is worth it, don't buy it; however like I said, it is my most used app and it saves me much time and trouble. It is a bit costly compared to most other apps I use - Tetherberry is my other 'biggie'. Just the fact I can chat on Google Talk with it makes it worth it to me.
Hey tarotmusic,
After setting to paste immediately, just exactly what does that feature set? It sounds like for example if I say, subject in the email box it should move to the subject box, but don't think that is the point, or is it?
I just purchased this app not that long ago, and due to having many issues and replacements with the flop. I was sent a bold. I will not pay 14.99 after purchasing at full price less than 2 months ago. (Not worth what it cost for version 3 at all!!!) I also provided valuable feedback to better the app. I would think about paying 9.99 but even that is just ridiculous. Have you no decency? Instead I have an overpriced app that is not very useful, and will be removing that shortly.
I had contacted Vlingo support about a week ago inquiring as to how i could get the app on my recently acquired s2. That's when i received the info about having to pay all over again as i outlined in my earlier comment here. I am pleased to say that Vlingo contacted me about an hour ago and made things right as far as being able to reinstall the app back onto my phone. They said that since i purchased through app world I was indeed entitled to have the Vlingo on my new s2 at no additional cost. They stated that app world was having issues with vzw and that was why the plus version wasn't available to me. Anyhow, they made things right by allowing me to download the 3.3 plus version to my phone and i am satisfied with that.
I will probably shell out the 9.99 for the latest version once i figure out how. Kudos to Vlingo for listening to their users.....
Sorry guys! But its just too funny hearing your frustration while I easily buy the app for the first time at a great deal.
Life sucks. Life isn't fair. But we have to move on right guys? Hahaha.
Wait until Vlingo 5.0, I hope you keep your sense of humor then too. You're supposed to laugh at life, not people getting ripped off. I bet you laugh at peoples misfortunes, and disfigurements as well.
Happy Holidays.
Agreed. He is gonna be just as pissed when 5.0 comes out.
sorry to hear you guys issues. I purchased Vlingo 3 months ago and I think since I was a premium user they sent me a beta of 4.0, after giving my feed back I was given a free copy of Vlingo 4.0. I am not 100% sure why they sent me a copy but so far in my eyes they seem like a good company to work with.
I am another victim of this Vlingo scam.
Customer #1:
Supported this company for over a year.
Paid an outrageous $18 for this app.
Will have to paid a total of $27 to have 4.0.
Customer #2:
Never supported this company.
Can get this app for only $15 total, instead of $27.
Tell me Vlingo, which customer is being scammed?
http://vlingo.com/vlingo/contact_support.jsp
^^ direct your anger here! Demand free upgrades!
I think there's a misunderstanding on the upgrade. I had no problem upgrading from my 3.0 plus to 4.0 for free. I think the $9.99 upgrade fee for 3.0 Plus users is to gain access to the "everywhere" feature, which allows Voice-to-text integration for most BB apps (AIM, BBM, calendar entries). The ability to speak SMS, notes to self, etc is still there in the 4.0 upgrade without paying an upgrade fee.
There's no new features in 4.0 that aren't in 3.3.
Them wording it that way is just part of their scam to get existing customers to buy the new version.
I can't get any new features without bringing my purchase total to $27. Ridiculous for any app.
Nevermind
You have to pay to update? wow. Its expensive enough as it is idk why I coughed up all that cash for it since it was FREE a year ago and did the same exact thing. And now they want another 10 bucks? No.
Thats it. Im switching back to iPhone so I can get 1000s of apps for free and at reasonable prices and actually have a web browser thats as fast as it should be and a phone that ALWAYS works. Not just when it feels like it. And oh ya, the reboot time is ridiculous on BB. Seriously.
My response from Suppport:
"Hello
Thank you for contacting Vlingo Customer Support.
Your upgrade to Vlingo Plus 4.0 will still be free. You can just download Vlingo 4.0 and Plus should activate automatically. What will not be included in your upgrade is Vlingo Everywhere.
Best regards,
Amin
Vlingo Support"
So basically they are wording it in a clever way to get us to pay. I downloaded 4.0 and there is NOTHING new about it, except for the option to pay for "Everywhere".
The new people are paying $15 for Vlingo Plus AND "Everywhere". When we are paying $27 for Vlingo Plus AND Everywhere.
WTF?!?!
This is retarded. People that paid FULL price for the earlier version have to pay more to upgrade. We supported them on earlier versions and they turn around and charge us more for upgrade. People who didn't support them will pay LESS than what we are paying.
Time to email Vlingo and speak our mind.
I get what people are upset about now. I'll delete my remark above. Thanks for your clear explanation.
Ben -
I basically emailed them with exactly what you said before I saw your comment.
And I just got it a couple months ago and their 5.0 support only started on the curve a month ago...
Yeah
So here's an update...
I've been in touch with vlingo support numerous times since this has been brought to my attention. I have stated my situation. (that i have been able to use the app for a total of 16 days since purchasing the app full price on Oct. 30th. I was asked to provide further info to help them assist me. So I did (all pertinent info.)
Since then, I have recieved 5 emails from thier support team, Sam in particular for 4 of them. Sam is giving me the same response everytime, not answering my questions, and ignoring the issues I mentioned. He just keeps telling me to download version 4. And will not answer any of my questions.
He has repeated himself as many ways as I'm sure he could come up with. And now I have advised him that I have no confidence in his ability to assist me, and asked to have a superior contact me.
The bottom line, I can tolerate (Not like, or agree.) paying 9.99 if it will get me the full use of vlingo 4 and everywhere. Otherwise, version 3.2 I have now, will be immediately removed and I will forever flame this app for poor consumer support, and apparent lack of respect.
This is one of those things that could potentialy make people realize how much better other platforms are for 3rd party companies, and how far behind RIM really is in this aspect.
Show some respect to the ones who supported you and have already parted with their hard earned money once for you vlingo. This is outrageous!!!
There's my story.
How can I tell if I have Vlingo 4.0+ or Vling 4.0 Everywhere?
redhead, and others
I have barely had the 3.3 working on my 8330 5.0 (because they didn't support it before) with the paid version for not even a month. I received the same "automated" emails. I demanded for a person not an auto response that didn't even address me by name but by "Hello". I think it's terrible.
Emailed them back after a claim that real people look at it, but the email still sounded scripted and didn't help me.
I told them that I flat out want the code because this is scamming and considereing I have been using them since they launched and they are the ONLY program I have ever bought, I feel ripped off completely.
Why do we have to pay ?, to upgrade an application that will most definitely be worked upon until it reaches perfection. Once an App is bought this should include all forthcoming revision and upgrades. If we put our trust and confidence in an App when it was in its crawling stages and front out money for it we should be allowed to watch it grow for free as it develops. Vlingo you guys ought to be made to walk the plank ARGHHH
I wrote to the company and suggested that this was not good business and that the upgrade amount was too steep. I suggested that they offer existing users a $4.99 upgrade for the next so many days and that after that, increase the upgrade amount by a couple more dollars. This is typically what other vendors do and it seems fair.
The tech support person that helped me was responsive and genuinely heard my concerns so I think that they are trying. Some of the techs are probably trying harder than others are.
They made things right with me.
I'm a Vlingo user again. . .
I used the free 3.xx version and recently upgraded to the free 4.0 version of VLingo.
The only feature I use is the voice-dialing command feature, which to me, is great -- so much better than AT&T/BlackBerry Bold's voice command feature.
While I'm driving, it's easy for me to say, "Dial Lisa mobile," rather than accessing my address book and getting Lisa's mobile phone number. So, in my experience, VLingo's voice-dialing feature works really well for me when I'm on the road.
I tried their email feature when sending VLingo feedback; to me, it creates extra work, extra time, and extra steps because VLingo's voice recognition still makes errors from my voice to text; hence, I end up having to re-type my messages. For me, it's just easier to directly type the message rather than correct VLingo's text errors.
VLingo does improve its recognition the more I use it -- at least in their voice-dialing feature.
It's a great voice-dialing product, which is free.
Since I only use VLingo's voice-dialing feature, I have not reason to make the purchase.
/s/ Alfonso Faustino
I think it is crap that if we have Vlingo 3 then we have to pay $10 to upgrade. That's not even a deal. That's bull. Maybe if it was $5 then I would concider it. This is poor customer service and I'm not going to waste more money in a product that I found was not even close to the stupid hype everyone gave it. They pitched this app as being the ultimate handsfree app but I still have to use my hands. Plus all you could do is basic functions. Then they come out with an update that is the same product that they originally said was going being to be released to make the current customers pay again. Give me my money back from Vlingo 3.
I've been a Vlingo Plus user for a while now, and yes, the app is more expensive than most. I was okay with that though, because it's so much more useful than most apps.
Yes, now it costs even more to get the newest version with vlingo everywhere, but I upgraded mine (and the Wife's) and didn't think twice about it (until I saw everyone whining about it here) because the new feature is worth the money. I can't tell you how many times I've been typing something on my BB while thinking "I wish I could just use vlingo for this".
I haven't tried any of the others, but I believe it's still cheaper in the long run than their competition which if I remember correctly was either a monthly charge or so much per minute.
In any event, I really don't care. It's well worth the price to me. Before I switched to BlackBerry I was a victim of Windows Mobile, and there was no such thing as a 3 or 4 dollar app. The useful apps seemed to start at maybe 15 to 20 bucks or so.
Maybe you guys are spoiled on cheap apps, but that doesn't mean that Vlingo can provide their service as cheaply as someone can provide another sudoku game. You only pay for the app once, but they have to keep their servers running from now on for the service to work.
Even with operating costs aside, they are allowed (and encouraged) to charge whatever the market will bear for their product. It's called free enterprise and it's what has made the U.S.A. great.
Say it with me people... "Companies aren't evil just because they make a profit." If it wasn't profitable, they would not have bothered, and we wouldn't have vlingo (or a BlackBerry) at all.
(Well done by the way!) Now try saying "Nobody owes me anything." and "The government is not a big benevolent organization like Santa's workshop, and they do NOT have my best interests in mind because they conflict with their own."
Oops, where did that soap box come from?
Bottom line: If you think it's too much to pay for an app, don't buy it. Voting with your wallet is a big part of what makes the free enterprise system work so well.
I love this application and I'm sorry for all of those that think they are getting ripped off. Nobody is forcing you to pay for the new vesrion. The old version will continue to work just as it did so you would be out nothing if you choose not to get the new version. This application is directly related to the safety of myself and other people on the road and there's no price I can put on that.
Like an idiot I bought this application and had to go through the PayPal crap. #1 the app still does not work correctly....meaning it doesn't display the words you speak and it doesn't add the correct recipient when you tell who you want to send a message to. #2 PayPal won't give me a refund because it was a software purchase. So now I'm trying to see if Vlingo will honor my refund, I'm kind of thinking they won't because I had to go through stupid PayPal but we'll see. I can't believe I paid that much for a piece of crap that doesn't work! UGH....seriously?
Just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it's bad. Maybe your phone has a problem. I have an old 8300 and it works perfect for me. The only time it doesn't correctly understand me is when I have a lot of background noise but I can usually speak again and it's correct. This thing even works through my bluetooth headset correctly. Well worth every penny, like I said before, you can't put a price on safety and that's what this program is all about.
I've never seen so many whining titty babies...
I don't see anyone being a whining baby. People don't want to be screwed. I was thinking about buying this app, but I think I will pass. Word of mouth can and will make or break an app. Vlingo needs to rethink some of their business practices.