The recording is a radio‑style advertisement for General Magic’s Portico service, a voice‑activated virtual assistant that consolidates voicemail, email, and other communications into a single toll‑free number. The ad features multiple speakers who demonstrate Portico’s capabilities: unified messaging accessed by voice, hands‑free dialing while driving, Find Me/Follow Me call routing that lets callers reach the user wherever they are, call screening with the option to accept or forward to voicemail, and voice‑composed replies to emails. Testimonials from a Los Angeles professional, a business executive, an Episcopal priest, and other personas illustrate real‑world benefits. Media endorsements from Wired and USA Today are quoted, and the ad concludes with a call to action for a free 30‑day trial via 1‑800‑PORTICO, noting that no additional hardware or software is required.
Chapters
Welcome to Portico.
Okay, life as you know it is about to change, and Portico makes it happen. Just listen.
Well, living in Los Angeles, I'm always out and about, and it's very convenient to be able to get my voicemail and email from a single number.
This unique service transforms your phone into a virtual assistant that responds to your natural voice commands.
The Find Me, Follow Me feature makes my life easier, and it makes my clients' life easier. They have one phone number for me, and they get me every time.
There's no hardware to buy, no software. Portico works with the phone you already have.
The hands-free dialing is probably one of the coolest features of Portico. Trying to dial a cell phone at 70 miles an hour on the interstate is not a happy event.
Yes, people are incredibly passionate about Portico. Hey, it's changed the way they do business forever, and it can happen for you too. So check out the following demos and stick around for details on a free trial offer of Portico.
Before I got Portico, it was just a major hassle to check my messages. I had all these gadgets: pager, laptop, PDA, cell phone. Well, now that I have Portico, I access my messages from a single toll-free number. Check it out.
Welcome to Portico.
Check my messages.
You have 9 new messages. Here's your first message. Voicemail from Ann Balboa.
Play it, please.
Hey, it's Ann.
We just reviewed your credit report, and the good news, you got the house. Bad news, well, call me.
Portico, bring up my address book.
I have your address book open.
Call Ann Balboa at work.
Dialing.
So I say the word and Portico does the dialing, and that's great because I don't feel like crashing my car into that semi-truck. Thanks to Portico, I can live to listen to my other messages.
Here's the next one. Email from...
Terry Wilson. Concert tickets for tonight. Mark, I've got 2 tickets for a great show tonight. Let me know if you can make it. Terry.
Portico, send a reply.
Okay, I'll record your reply now.
Hey Terry, it's Mark. Uh, tonight sounds great. Hey, on the way over, let's grab a bite and talk about the presentation. I'll meet you at the office around 5:30.
Got it.
Send it for me.
Your reply has been sent.
So with Portico, I can check all my voicemail and email messages, then quickly act on the information, all in one continuous call, all with just the sound of my voice.
Welcome to Portico.
Okay, we've all been there before. Your biggest client needs to talk to you about the biggest job ever. He's got your home number, but you're gonna be in and out of the house all day. What do you do? Well, you can hope for the best, or you can get Portico. The service is smart enough to find me and follow me wherever I go. I give out one phone number and important people can always reach me. This is what an incoming caller hears when they dial my Portico number.
Welcome to Portico. You've reached the number for Sandy Jones. Please tell me your full name so I can say who's calling.
David Clark.
Would you like me to try to find her for you, or should I take a message?
Find her, please.
Let me try the number she left for me. This may take a minute. Please hold on.
So Portico screens the call, and in this case, the important caller is given the option to find me, and I can choose whether to accept the call or put the call through to voicemail. Great feature. Hello, this is Sandy.
Hi, this is Portico. I've got a phone call for you on the other line.
David Clark.
Do you want to take the call?
Put the call through.
Okay, you're connected.
With Portico, I can be where I need to be and still get the call to discuss the job of the century.
Welcome to Portico.
People love the Portico service. Wired magazine says it's more than just a cool toy. Portico makes technology do something useful— simplify your life. And USA Today says General Magic is getting cheers for its Portico virtual assistant.
Portico has made the entire United States my office.
Can Portico change your life? Well, you need to experience the service for yourself, and we've made it easy. Call 1-800-PORTICO for a free 30-day trial. The offer expires soon, so call now. 1-800-PORTICO. After all, when you work with Portico, life is good.
I'm an Episcopal priest, and Portico is the answer to all my prayers.
Some restrictions apply. Please see the Insight package for details.
