Free Web-based Voice Mail Services Let You See, Hear Mail

PCWorld reviewed Google Voice, Phonebooth, Ribbit Mobile and YouMail, testing the ability of each to transcribe voice messages to text. The accuracy of the transcription was "middling at best."

"Over the past few years, Web-based voice mail services have been adding features that go beyond just storing your messages online. Most can automatically transcribe recorded messages. And some have evolved into virtual command centers to handle your calling needs, whether it's receiving calls, making them or forwarding them to other phones.

In a typical Web voice mail service, your messages are stored online and you access them through a Web page. Your voice mails are arranged within a user interface like that of a webmail in-box. To listen to one, you click its title heading -- as you would to open an e-mail message -- and an audio player embedded in the Web page opens to play the caller's message."