In the technology world, there are plenty of pigs that can sing. There's a temptation to create a product just because it is technologically possible without regard for whether the new technology is better than the old. Sometimes these gizmos are nifty and impressive but just aren't as useful as the technology they attempt to replace. Using your computer as an answering machine is dumb. Many PCs come with software to let your PC's modem answer the call and then use the PC's hard disk to record the incoming messages as voice files.
Truth is, it works.
It also doesn't require keeping your PC on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Several companies, including Panasonic, now make tiny DVD players. We'll be looking at them in more detail in a later edition of this column. Maybe you already know, these are electronic gizmos that allow you to download the text of a book and then view the book on the screen. Also, if you drop the paperback or hardback, it will make a loud slapping sound and then work just fine.