Sometimes you just want to test an email address to see if it’s valid, but you don’t actually want to send them an email.

Instead of sending an email with the subject of “Just testing”, it’s a simple programming task to check the validity of the address. You can check the syntax, if the domain name is valid and if the receiving mail server will accept mail for the address.

I did a search today and found several websites. One was broken, but this one worked perfectly:

http://verify-email.org/

Do you have any other good ones that should be mentioned?

You may have seen GrandCentral or YouMail mentioned recently on other blogs. I know Mashable did a post or two on both of those in the last week or so. It’s a pretty nifty concept if you delve into it. Depending on who’s calling, you can set the service to ring to a different number, send them directly to voicemail, “ditch the call” or simply let it ring.

I did a little research into these services and I thought it would be useful to summarize the existing services out there.

Voicemail by Caller ID Apps

GrandCentral – Free
You are assigned a new phone number in your area – you get to pick which city the area code is, etc. This phone number can then be redirected to ring different phones depending on where you’re located or how your feeling. For instance, if you’re out of town for a little while, you could have it ring your cell phone instead of your home phone.

In addition to this, you can direct it to ring different phones depending on the Caller ID, or even send them to voicemail.

YouMail – Free
This service uses your existing cell phone number and redirects your voicemail to go through their service. You can log on their website and set it so certain callers are sent directly to voicemail, given a different message, or even hung up on – “ditched” as they say.

Voice to Text

GotVoice – $9.95/Month
“Converts your cell, home and work voicemail to text messages and sends them to your phone and email.”

SimulScribe – $9.95-$29.95/Month

“Utilizes cutting edge voice recognition technology to convert your voicemail
messages into text. We deliver your transcribed voicemail, along with the original audio, to your mobile phone,
PDA, and/or email account. “

SpinVox – No details on pricing – could be free.
“SpinVox is a service that can be accessed from any phone. Speak Freely and SpinVox will convert your words into text and send them wherever you decide: mobile, inbox, TV screen, blog and more.”
It appears you can blog with it as well. My guess is that you call a number and dictate to your blog and it posts it on the spot.

Jott – Beta, Free
“Blogging no longer requires being at computer. Use Jott Links, to blog
from your cell phone wherever you are. Call 866-JOTT-123, say the name
of your Jott Link, and start blogging with your voice.”
Create To Do Lists and Reminders, Send E-mail and Text Messages, Blog your thoughts from anywhere

CallWave – Different Pricing
Has VoiceMail to Text, Internet Answering Machine, Virtual Fax and more.

This is a little off topic, but I got this in my email today and had to pass it on. Apparently, there’s a bird in Scotland who figured out that he can just walk into the local store and snatch a bag of chips.

Folks think he’s a nice bird, though. It seems that when he tears open the bag, he lets all the gulls partake of his booty. (I, however, think he’s just not very skilled at keeping the chips to himself)