How to Use Voice Command on your BlackJack 2 with Windows Mobile 6.1

I’ve used Microsoft’s voice command for years with various Windows Mobile phones. I like using it in the car, so I don’t have to fuss with the buttons for dialing.  For the longest time, it was not a free piece of software, but with the release of WinMo 6.1 for the BlackJack II, they bundled Voice Command right in. This happens to be the best implementation of it yet, as it works perfectly with my bluetooth headset. Unfortunately, setting it up on your phone isn’t quite as intiutive. Here’s how to get it going on the BlackJack2.

• Go to Start > Programs> Voice Command
• Change Voice Enabled to “YES”
  If you are using Bluetooth, you can change Announcement Routing to “Bluetooth if Available” if you like. What this means is that when the phone wants to make a voice announcement like “your battery is low” , it will try to send it out over Bluetooth.
• The announcements setting will change when you want to hear announcements. You can choose to only hear them when your calendar is “Free” if you like.
• Call Confirmations Setting will let you choose to hear a short vocal confirmation of the intended dialing target. So, when you say “call home”, it will say, “Call home?” to verify.
• Dial confirmation will do the same as above, but for voice number dialing. So if you say “Dial 5-5-5-1-2-1-2″ it will repeat it back to you.
• Announce Calls, when turned on, will announce all incoming calls to you.
• Announce Messaging will announce incoming messages. You can further choose on ly to hear high priority messages announced.
• Calendar Reminders will announce your appointments for you.
• Media Selections will try to announce the name of the song that’s coming up.
• Once you’ve got all the settings the way you want, hit Done.

If you’ve got a compatible bluetooth headset, you can simply tap your button and start using voice commands. Voice Command automatically understands entries in your contacts and many other useful words. So you can simply say things like “Call Home” or “Call wife mobile” or “when is my next appointment” and it will understand.

Here’s the biggest gotcha if you dont’ have a bluetooth headset. The Help feature tells you to use the Voice Command button. interestingly, it doesn’t tell you which button this is on the phone. To activate Voice Command on the BlackJack II keypad, hold down the Att-Globe looking key next to Caps/Shift.

Now, let’s be careful out there.