I recall using HelloFax to sign and fax legal/tax forms, an upgrade from having to do it physically. This takes it to a new level of convenience; now one may apparently sign/fax docs, clicking right through docs stored on Google's cloud, which is a pretty nice reduction in friction.
EDIT: I'd also add that when you have a busy day, having a simpler way to manage/deal with periphery tasks like faxing, makes a significant difference to your workflow. I don't have a need for faxing people right now, but bmarked for when I do.
Hello Fax is the YC product I rave about most often to people. Fanatically, too. I can't describe how much I hate printing, signing, scanning/faxing documents. Now I just use you guys. Thanks.
BTW, I just checked out the application for the first time. The [Fax Document] [Request Signature] page is lovely-- Yes, those are exactly the two things that I this to do. There's no doubt I'll be using it at work.
why does it need access to manage my contacts? I'm pretty sure they're trying to take advantage of the hype to spam my address book. not positive though as I'm not going to sign up.
FYI, I was about to join up, but I declined because it wanted my contacts.
For the most part, contracts are signed by relatively new contacts (people not yet in my address book). E.g. new customers, partners, contractors, or employees.
I hope you'll get rid of this unnecessary intrusion into my privacy in the future. And, for what its worth, people who send around lots of NDAs, LIOs, term sheets, employee agreements and other sorts of contracts usually value their privacy.
And yes -- I understand that you say you won't be spamming my contacts or mining it for data. It's just that I don't know you.
pdenya, can Hellofax do without the auto-complete feature? I rather sacrifice that so I don't have to give up my personal contacts.
Plus... most of the people I am faxing won't be in my contact address book. Those are usually to some random numbers. If you guys can remove the request for address book, it'll be a no brainer to sign up.
Faxes are probably one of the most annoying things I have to deal with since I don't have a fax machine. Next time I need to send a fax I'll definitely try out this service - anything beats traipsing over to Albertsons!
This would probably be difficult. Google Voice can't know if it's a person or a fax machine calling until you pick up the phone and start talking, so if it offered this feature, you'd have to deal with your phone ringing whenever you were receiving a fax. (I suppose Google Voice could answer "Hello?", make the decision, and then ring your phone if the person at the other end started speaking in a non-fax-machine voice. But that would also be a shitty UX.)
HelloFax mentions in a post above that they can already receive faxes to your Google Drive, so the only compromise is that you have to have a separate phone number and fax number. Which is what most people do anyway.
Google voice already picks up the phone for you, prompts the caller for their name, then rings your actual phone. Adding fax detection in there doesn't seem like it would be that hard to do.
Or, they can answer the phone, listen for any fax modems, then continue to play their own ring sound.
Just a head up: looks like the promotional subscription they are offering ends Oct 20th. Not sure if it "renews" oct 20th or we get put on their standard free plan http://www.hellofax.com/content/pricing
What about those of us who are already paying customers? A few extra pages, for loyalty?
(I understand the need to market. Nonetheless, it's difficult at times not to feel a bit irked when "the new guy" is getting for free what you're paying for.)
Hellofax engineer here... just click Upgrade Now at the top of any page once you've logged in. You'll be able to pick a phone number for just about any area code.
We do not currently have a way to port an existing number that you have. We hear the feedback loud and clear.
EDIT: I'd also add that when you have a busy day, having a simpler way to manage/deal with periphery tasks like faxing, makes a significant difference to your workflow. I don't have a need for faxing people right now, but bmarked for when I do.