GenPhone (2010)

GenPhone

200px genPhone Home vendor image.
Creator	Nelson Jenkins
Launch year	2010
Company	Gentek Technologies
Availability	Marketplace & In-World
User Manual

The GenPhone (originally genPhone) was the successor to the smartPhone. The flagship product, genPhone Home, was created in 2010.

genPhone Home

The genPhone Home began at Version 2 to prevent confusion with the smartPhone. Originally, it was the same build as the smartPhone, but with updated scripts to support the far more reliable HTTP communication protocol. It was updated later with a new look, more themes, and more ringtones. The sculpted handset was created by Will Szymborska. The original handset can still be seen on unscripted NTBI phone props.

Version 2 brought a new naming scheme in preparation for the genPhone Mobile. The main phone was renamed the genPhone Home. However, the genPhone Home was sold as a separate product from the smartPhone, so users were forced to re-purchase (although they were given a discount). The smartPhone was discontinued soon after, and its service was shut down.

Setup

1. Rez the phone and click the MENU button, then click Register.
2. Enter your desired 7-digit number in chat or on channel 75. (For N11 - 311, 411, 911, etc. - or 112 or 999 numbers, just enter the 3-digit number.) You can also enter letters (A-Z) and they will be automatically converted to numbers. If you weren't able to read the instructions, open chat history by pressing Ctrl+H. Wait for the number to be registered.
3. Enter your caller ID in chat or on channel 75 when prompted.
4. Activate voicemail if you like by clicking the MESSAGES button, then Activate. You can also go back to the Voicemail menu and set a custom greeting if you don't want to use the default one.

Personalization

• COLOR: You can set the phone's color by clicking the MENU button, then Colors. The genPhome Home comes with 9 colors.
• RINGTONE: You can change the phone's ringtone by clicking the MENU button, then Ringtones. Scroll through available ringtones then click Done to use the currently-playing ringtone.
• NUMBER DISPLAY: You can show the phone's number in its name by clicking the MENU button, then NumInName.

Settings

• CALL LOG: You can read and clear your phone's call log by clicking the MENU button, then Call Log.
• BLOCK LIST: If someone is bothering you, you can block their number by clicking the MENU button, then Block List.
• ACCESS CONTROL: By default, anyone can make and receive calls on your genPhone Home. You can restrict this to the phone's group or just you by clicking the MENU button, then Access.
• PBX PREFERENCES: By default, your phone will NOT ring when connected to a split PBX that you do not own. This is to prevent harassment. If you want PBXes that you don't own to be able to ring your phone, click the MENU button, then PBX Prefs.
• IM/RST OPTION: By default, genPhone v2.3 uses a new communication method called RegionSayTo. However, some older third party viewers do not support it, and will result in the phone saying "[PHONE] say, Hello!" instead of "[PHONE] Hello!" If you're bothered by this, you can revert back to the original InstantMessage method by clicking the MENU button, then IM/RST Opt, then Old Method. This is not recommended as it will cause some delays (2-3 seconds) in conversations due to InstantMessage's limitations.

Call Features

• MAKING CALLS: Make calls by clicking the handset and dialing the number you want in chat, on channel 75, or by entering it on the keypad. You can also enter letters (A-Z) and they will be converted into numbers.
• TAKING CALLS: If the phone is ringing, answer it by picking up the handset. This will make you the caller and people around you won't be able to hear the other person unless you enable speakerphone (see below).
• HOLDING CALLS: If you don't want the other person to be able to hear what's going on on your end, click the HOLD button to hold the call. You will still be able to hear them.
• MUTING CALLS: If you don't want to listen to the other person, click the MUTE button to mute them. They will still be able to hear you.
• SPEAKERPHONE: By default in calls, people around you won't be heard by the other caller, and they can't hear the other caller either. To allow anyone around you to hear and talk on the phone, click the SPEAKER button.
• REDIAL: When you pick up the handset to make a call, you can dial the last-called number by clicking the REDIAL button.
• CALLER ID: If someone is calling you, you can find out who they are by clicking the CALLER ID button.
• TRANSFER CALLS: You can transfer calls that you're in by clicking the TRANSFER button then entering the number you want to transfer the other caller to in chat, on channel 75, or by entering it on the keypad.
• EXTENSION DIALING: You can call other phones with the same three digits by dialing # then the last 4 digits (e.g. 555-1111 can call 555-2222 by simply dialing #2222).

Autocomplete and Emergency Numbers

If you're registering an N11, 112, or 999 number, read this for helpful information.

• ONE PHONE IN A SINGLE REGION: Enter the N11, 112, or 999 number during registration.
• MULTIPLE PHONES IN A SINGLE REGION: Register each phone using a non-autocomplete number (for example, 912-0001, 912-0002, etc.) then register a PBX using the N11, 112, or 999 number and connect it to the phones.
• ONE PHONE FOR MULTIPLE REGIONS: Register the phone using a non-autocomplete number then register a PBX in each region using the N11, 112, or 999 number and connect it to the phone.
• MULTIPLE PHONES IN MULTIPLE REGIONS: Register each phone using a non-autocomplete number then register a PBX in each region using the N11, 112, or 999 number and connect each one to all of the phones.

Auto-Updater

You can now have all of your phones in a region automatically update their scripts with no need for re-registration! (Note: this only works for v2.2 and above.)

1. Rez the Updater and click it.
2. When the Updater has queued the phones for updating, confirm the update.
3. Wait. The update process may take several minutes. When it's done, you'll get a dialog box saying how many updates succeeded. If you have any update problems, you may need to re-rez the phone and update manually.

WARNING: DO NOT unlink the genPhone, or it will be destroyed! Additionally, do NOT copy the scripts into other objects, or they will no longer work! The modify permission is only required by our auto-updater.

Updates & Release Notes

You can update your genPhone by simply rezzing it.

• v2.4
  • Added check for server failure
• v2.3
  • Fixed some stack-heap collision errors, pending script rewrite in v3.0
  • Changed most list operations to strings to save memory
  • Scripts no longer autodelete if someone sits on phone
  • Added RegionSayTo to help speed up communications, can be reverted in options
  • Fixed minor synchronization bugs that occur in laggy regions
  • Extended call timeout to prevent synchronization bugs
• v2.2
  • Fixed more stack-heap collision errors
  • Simplified access settings
  • Removed area codes
  • Expanded numbering limits
  • Simplified registration process
  • Changed N11/112/999 registration code generation
  • Color menu no longer changes all phones at once
  • Fixed /me bug in Viewer 2
  • Speed dial removed
  • Added status display
  • Added extension dialing
  • Re-textured phone face and added 6 colors
  • Re-sculpted handset and changed handset transparency
  • Re-scripted flasher
  • Phone is now modifiable (but DO NOT unlink, relink or rescript it, or it will break!)
  • Added transfer capability
  • Added PBX capability
  • Added number block list
  • Added call log
  • Added NumInName option to allow number display
  • Added server failure detection
  • Added remote updater
• v2.1.1
  • Fixed stack-heap collision error (read: out-of-memory error).
• v2.1
  • Fixed a bug in which area codes could start with a 0.
  • Now automatically converts vanity numbers (letters) to regular numbers when entered through chat.
  • Now ignores dashes and spaces in numbers when entered through chat.
  • Fixed 8xx activation code validation.
• v2.0
  • Primary public release.

genPhone PBX

The genPhone PBX was originally an attempt at touch-tone directory listings and line splitting. Its scripting was easily breakable in early versions, and misconfigured PBX units had a tendency to corrupt the database. However, several in-world companies set up dedicated phone lines, and used the PBX to direct calls. The most notable setup was in Gentek Interregional Tower in Lionheart, where the nearby Gentek Telecom building housed a chain of PBX units to direct callers to the correct department, as well as splitting lines among multiple phones.

genPhone Mobile

The genPhone Mobile was a series of dropped prototypes that allowed users to use the genPhone network on the go. While design concepts were prototyped and dropped due to complication or poor planning, the underlying network was not set up to properly handle mobile users, so the genPhone Mobile was repeatedly delayed. It is perhaps one of the most-delayed products in Gentek's history, if considered along with the smartPhone Mobile.

GenPhone Version 3

The prototype Version 3 outlined a somewhat more streamlined communication method which was more reliable compared to the failing genPhone v2 due to new, undocumented HTTP restrictions. However, it still used the old database system, which was extremely inefficient and caused problems with the server it was hosted on, where requests would occasionally hang and get stuck in an infinite loop, eventually overloading the server. It is currently awaiting an updated database system, although a more active web interface is being considered to handle line splitting & conference calling off-world to avoid the HTTP restrictions.

Another notable change is that the flagship product for Version 3 will be the GenPhone Mobile. Although it is not currently the top priority, it is considered a major update (or, in this case, technically a release). It will support a variety installable applications, a directly-modifiable display driver, and a more user-friendly registration interface. It will most likely not be mesh.