I make a lot of conference calls using my iPhone. One of the problems is remembering the meeting code you need to dial, after dialing the phone number for the conference call. While it’s usually stored in my appointment on iCal, the process of tapping the phone number in the appointment, closes the appointment screen and takes you to the phone screen. Thus, I need to write down the code first or quickly toggle between the appointment screen and dialer. Or, as I sometimes do, open the appointment on my computer or on a second phone.
Meeting Mogul is an app that solves this dilemma, and does it very elegantly. It provides a screen that lets you tap just once to dial your number and conference code. It’s able to look at your appointment and decipher the numbers, adding the appropriate pauses and pound signs.
On several occasions I needed to enter an additional number, such as those calls requiring the press of a second key to confirm the code. But it’s easy to customize those, so that you need not do it again when using the same conference call number.
The app is quick to set up and to use. After installation, give it permission to access your calendar and contact list, and it creates its own appointment list. Open it up or wait for the automatic reminder when a call comes due.
The app also offers the option to message other participants to let them know you are running late, asking if the call is still scheduled, or send other emails or text. Lastly you can also use its note-taking function to take notes during the call and even share them with others.
Meeting Mogul is well designed, intuitive and very useful. Its automatic dialing is something Apple and Google should take notice of, because it would add immeasurably to each of their calendars’ usefulness. It’s available at no cost for the iPhone and Android.
My one caveat is that it requires access to your contacts for it’s notification features. I would have preferred the choice of not using that feature and not providing access to my contacts.