Customer Reviews

Hotfax Message Center 5

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Finally, an easy to use fax program! I thought simplicity went out with my old Cheyenne Bitware 3.30. This program is perfect for the home user and is not overburdened with a lot of complicated options like many of the other progams I have tried, specifically COMMUNITCATE! and BITWARE PROFESSIONAL. I also found the price very reasonable.

The install detected everything in my system and configured my computer in minutes! I didnt even have a chance to test it out and it worked FLAWLESSLY on the first shot. I tried WinFax Pro and it was SO much harder to use and the faxes i sent were ALWAYS too dark to read on the other end. I can now get faxes and print them quickly and edit them, send them, without ANY problems. WOW! this is the software i've been waiting for and it's less than half of the other ones i've tried. GET THIS SOFTWARE!!!!!

This is my 5th voicemail/fax system in the past 10 years,
and the only one that has ever performed as expected. It is simple, reliable, easy to use. Most of the other programs I had went out of business, or dropped support. The name is misleading
because it is more than just a fax utility. Voicemail with options is just as important to me. This software should be marketed as telephony. It just doesn't come up is searches for
voicemail or telephony. Glad I downloaded the demo. It made me want to buy the product at the store.

I called Smith Micro customer support when my demo version was restored on my computer and my purchased full version vanished. I called their customer service, it is horrible, or should I say "Customer NO Service" since there is none. They me to call another number "didn't work". I called the main number for service and find I need an access number. Bottom line, I paid for a fax software which I downloaded and they didn't send me a disk. They turned on the demo and that now doesn't work. All my files are stored on the demo version where I can't get to them. I'd be glad for Hot fax support to e-mail me a solution. If they don't support this, why do they build and sell such software, and who will buy that?

If you are thinking to buy it and will need support sometime down the road, forget it, give it up and look for something else.

I wanted to like it. I really, really did.
But I'm coming off of using WinFax (I've forgotten the version) under Win 98. Now I'm on Win2000 and wanted/needed a new program to act as a answering machine under this platform.
Ok, HotFax is that, but not much more.
Some of the more interesting features I had been use to are not there like having my Scroll Lock light (on the keyboard) flash when I have messages waiting. No big deal, but it was nice to see at-a-glance if I had to turn on my monitor and retrieve msgs.
HotFax also has made it more difficult (by comparison) to check out old msgs. It's not hard, just more difficult.
And do you want to add a personalized message that was recorded elsewhere - say by a friend or even a pro Voice Over talent? Forget it. HotFax only allows you to input your voice through a modem mike - no other formats allowed. Very sad.
Then there's other cool features that I miss like a speed control to listen to msgs slower or faster. Usless, you may say. Well I rather liked being able to slow down a phone number left by a fast speakerr, or speed up someone who just can't get to the point.
HotFax, in fact makes you either go to another button to skip around msgs or listen one by one - in order -through the main program.
Yes, the program seems to send and receive faxes and does indeed receive phone messages, and does so aparently flawlessly. It's just not elegant. It's just no fun.

If you are planning to buy this softwar, and have WINDOWS XP, forget it. You will cry. I had Windows ME, it worked, but now I upgraded to XP, and guess what, it doesn't work at all. They said it will work with any windows 9X OS, but it doesn't. I called them, their customer service is horrible. You know what they said to me was that my modem US Robotics V.90 doesn't support their (product). If V.90 doesn't support this, why do they build such software, and who will buy that?
If you are thinking to buy it, give it up and look for something else.

Installation was a breeze and setup very simple. Would like to see a clearer outline of how to import WinfaxPro files. After a very imformative reply from the vendor, it worked fine. Like the program very much. Frank

After much research and what I thought was careful planning, I downloaded the software and found it would not work with my computer. To make it work would require a new modem for around $300.00. Tried to contact Smith Micro and they were "on holiday". Unfortunately, the time frame to return product expired while they were "on holiday" and they said it was too bad for me. Terrible customer service and I encourage people to do business with another company entirely.

We had a hard drive crash, and lost our copy of Quicklink (and I couldn't find the original media anywhere.) I dl'd the demo, then purchased the new HFMC to install over the demo. The disk that Smithmicro sent was physically broken (they ship the CD in a flimsy envelope, no box) and when I asked for help getting my now-expired system up, they wanted me to send the broken one back before replacing (understand they had a credit card record of my original purchase) God forbid that you have any trouble with these guys. Their tech support is non-existant. They have one of the worst voice-mail-hell systems I've ever seen. I was absolutely furious by the time I actually got to speak with a human. And he was just useless.

I'm using this product to support a remote office call-in system and due to the above non-support, I finally had to buy another copy (downloaded this time) to get my remote ops back up. I feel like an extortion victim. I'll never buy from these guys again. Stars: one for product, ZERO for customer support. I am now searching for a replacement.

This software was a waste of time and money for me, as it does not function unless you already have a voice mail system in place with specific drivers. I already have fax capabilities in my computer, so this software was unnecessary and useless.