Outdated tech, side by side
Fax machines are artifacts from the past. They appeared some decades ago, revolutionizing the way businesses communicated with each other, but now they feel old and slow, especially when we compare them to more modern ways of communicating such as email and instant messaging.
Does this mean that faxing is dead? Not at all, it just has changed and has merged with digital mediums becoming what is known as email fax.
Thanks to email fax, we can send and receive faxes in the same way we take care of common email messages. All documents will be handled in the form of attachments. If you need to Google fax, there is not problem at all. Email fax works along all free email addresses including Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail.
To harness the power of email fax, we must get the help of email fax services. These services not only offer their Fax Over Internet Protocol technology, but they also provide you with a virtual dedicated fax number, which other people can use to send you faxes. Back in the days it cost some money just to install a dedicated fax line. With fax services the number is given you for free at the moment of signing up with the option of choosing between a local or a toll-free one, additionally, the number is available instantly so you can start receiving faxes in just a matter of minutes.
Email fax services can also prove to be an invaluable tool for people who want to fax on the go. Companies such as Ringcentral, MyFax and eFax have developed apps that let you send fax from iPhone using specially designed apps you can find in the marketplace. At the same time, they recently have put similar apps to download in Android and Blackberry phones. These apps will not only allow you to receive fax, but you can also compose new one either by typing up the message or by taking a photo of a document with the phone´s camera.
If you are still using traditional fax machines, I think you should consider making the jump to this new technology. By the way, you can try before entering any plan. The top email fax service companies offer you the chance of entering a 30 day free fax trial. This free account will let you decide if a company is right for you. If you don’t want to keep using it or if you want to try another one, you can simply cancel your subscription before the trial period ends and you won’t pay a thing.
Photo by Matt Jiggins via Flickr
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