Each day I do at least two, and sometimes as many as a half dozen, audio conference calls. I make almost all of them from my iPhone when I’m walking somewhere or driving in my car. I find the process of dialing into a conference totally insane, maddening, and archaic. Here’s how it usually goes when I’m in the car.
I go to my calendar on my iPhone at the appointed conference time. I try to memorize the conference call id. If I’m lucky, the phone number is underlined so I don’t have to remember that. I dial the number (or it dials automatically). Once the conference bridge answers, I press the keypad (#) icon on the phone. As I’m driving, I try not to crash into something as I type the conference code. By this point, I’ve often forgotten the code, press the home button on my iPhone, go back to my calendar, read the code again, press the home button, go back to the phone icon, and try to finish entering the number before it times out. If it times out I get a second chance (usually) and go back to step #4. Usually I’ll get into the conference. But if I don’t, I go back to step #1, but only after screaming “fuck” at the top of my lungs at my phone. Once I’m in the conference, I once again go back to concentrating on driving. I usually realize that I’ve paid no attention to the road for the last 30 seconds. If I’m driving to the Denver airport, I can guarantee that at least one time during the call I will drop and have to start over at step #1. All I really want is a notification to pop up on my phone when it’s time for a conference call that allows me to have one touch access into any conference call automagically.
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