When the App Store first opened two of the most significant apps (IMO) were tied to voice-to-text services and had the potential to change the way we live and work. Both reQall and Jott were already powerful web-based services and their iPhone apps extended their utility a great deal. It is nine months later and reQall has just announced a significant update to its service that steps up the game and goes a long way toward reaching that potential.

Not only has reQall upgraded its original free service, but more significantly they have added a Pro version.

reQall Pro provides location-based reminders, voice-to-calendar additions and “reQall Memory Jogger™” – a system to “boost productivity and enhance memory”, while reQall Standard continues reQall’s tradition of having a free service. (Take THAT Jott!)

I am impressed by the wealth of features available and can’t wait to get started with reQall Pro. I have been looking for a good organizational tool and have yet to find one that really helps me get the job done. With its voice to text transcription, Google Calendar integration, and now contact and email integration, reQall Pro looks like it just might be what I have been hoping to find.

I’m also impressed by the manner in which they are moving into a paid formula after such an extended period as a free Beta. The folks at reQall have found numerous ways to make the transition both painless and quite attractive. Yes, there is the continued availability of a free version, but the paid version’s structure reflects a good deal of thought and sensitivity. reQall Pro is $2.99/month or $24.99/year and just $19.99 for users who signed up before March 25. New users receive a 30-day free trial of reQall Pro, and existing users can try reQall Pro free for 45 days. For more information, please visit: www.reqall.com.

My recommendation is this: reQall is offering a 30 day trial of the Pro Version. TRY IT. You may just find that your super-userful-powerful-uber-device is even better with it!

Full Press Release…

The Industry’s Most Comprehensive Memory Service Introduces Contextual Reminders Based on Right Time, Right Place and Right Now

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – March 25, 2009 – reQall (www.reqall.com), the leading memory aid application company, has added a new, feature-rich Pro version and upgraded its original service. reQall Pro is an advanced memory system which provides location-based reminders, voice-to-calendar integration and the proactive reQall Memory Jogger™ to boost productivity and enhance memory. reQall’s free service, now called reQall Standard, has been improved with several new features to create an even more comprehensive user experience.

reQall Pro anticipates needed information and automatically augments users’ memory based on their context and location. It ensures that users never forget, regardless of where they are or what they’re doing. For example, users could be prompted to pick up their laundry when they’re near the dry cleaners or proactively reminded of the entrée they wanted to try on their next visit to a restaurant. They could also be prompted to drop in when near a client’s office.

Ultimately, reQall Pro is a virtual assistant that helps users to: be on-time and well-prepared for appointments; capture ideas whenever and wherever they come to mind; share reminders with family and co-workers; retrieve relevant information at the right time; and not worry about forgetting important events like anniversaries and birthdays.

“With the volume of information a mobile device can provide, mobile applications shouldn’t be simple download and run applications. With new mobile technologies and applications that focus on contextual information, a new class of applications is now evolving” said Michael King, research director at Gartner.

reQall Pro includes:

*Enhanced Memory Jogger – This unique, patent-pending feature constantly watches for opportunities to keep users sharp and well-prepared. It analyzes a user’s situation (calendar, time, location), predicts when they’ll forget, and automatically delivers relevant, up-to-the-minute memory assistance.

*Places – Organizes items based on where they need to be accomplished. For example, a task such as “Remember to give Joe the brochures” can be assigned to a geo-location of “Joe’s office” and reQall will automatically display that item when the user is near Joe’s office.

*Outlook and Google Calendar integration – Enables direct synchronization so that users can add an item by voice or text to their Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar or Outlook Tasks.

*Recurring dates – Allows the creation of ongoing reminders such as weekly meeting notices and anniversary or birthday reminders.

*Universal sharing – Users can send reminders to friends, family and colleagues—even if they’re not reQall users.

*Integration with smartphone contacts – For iPhone and BlackBerry users, reQall can access the contact list stored in their device.

*Helping hand – reQall not only helps iPhone and BlackBerry users remember their tasks, but also helps get it done. reQall recognizes phone numbers, email addresses and links in the content of reQall items so users can call, email and browse directly from reQall.

*Email reQall – In addition to reQall via voice, text, web, Firefox and IM, users who “live in their email program” can now add and update items by sending an email to post@reqallmail.com.

The upgraded reQall Standard lets users organize tasks, shopping list items, and notes in one place and receive reminders at the appropriate time. reQall Standard’s new features include support for recurring dates, sharing to non-reQall users, an improved contacts interface, direct actions on BlackBerry and iPhone, and integrated Memory Jogger. reQall Standard will continue to provide unlimited transcriptions of voice recordings – up to 30 seconds in length. While the Standard version does not include SMS updates, users will continue to receive reminders via email and IM and remains a free service.

“The vision of reQall Pro is to know how, when and where to step in and nudge someone’s memory,” said Sunil Vemuri, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of reQall. “With reQall, you can simply show up to a meeting and be reminded of relevant items based on your location, time, and the subject matter of the meeting you are attending. This frees you up to be as productive as possible and to make the best use of your time and, ultimately, your money.”

“Today, people are overstretched and stressed like never before. With reQall Pro, we’re giving everybody a mobile personal assistant who’s with them 24/7, yet costs less than seven cents a day,” said Rao Machiraju, co-founder and CEO of reQall.

reQall Pro is available for $2.99/month or $24.99/year. reQall users who signed up before March 25, 2009 can upgrade for just $19.99 for the first year. New users receive a 30-day free trial of reQall Pro. Existing users can try reQall Pro free for 45 days. reQall Standard continues to be a free offering. For more information, please visit: www.reqall.com