It’s not often that an app causes me to record a video review, let alone two, but I’ve been using my Android phone in totally new ways recently and wanted to share the love. 🙂
I’ve tried “Touch To Talk” apps in the past and I’ve seen, many years ago, people using the technology in the USA. Effectively a “Push To Talk” or “Touch To Talk” app turns your shiny Android or iPhone device into a walkie talkie with a massive range. Get you and your friends to load the app, then push the button – your voice will instantly pop up on the other phone. It’s as simple as that really. The TiKL app I’m using in the video below lets you instantly message one person or a whole group, and there’s literally no setup required – just get the app installed. It uses your WiFi or 3G connection to work so there’s no voice or text minutes. The only caveat, of course, is that it’ll use your data allowance and your friends need the app too.
Push To Talk is good, but it’s a little tricky to have a flowing two way conversation and you’ll have to wait for the other party to finish talking. Also, you both need to be ready for a conversation.
Step forward HeyTell, an application that has literally blown my socks off. It’s just like Push To Talk, but sits somewhere between a text message and a voice mail. You get it installed on both phones (Android and iPhone versions are available) and then confirm your friends details. Once you’re both setup you simply press and record a message and it’ll fly over to the recipient. It doesn’t broadcast it instantly – it arrives on the other handset and gently tells the owner that a new HeyTell message has arrived. That person then listens to the recording, through the speaker or earpiece, at a time convenient to them, then they just press record and send a response.
Me and my wife have been using HeyTell for a couple of weeks now and it’s just amazing. No matter how good your texting skills, it’s much easier just to whack the “Hold and Speak” button and say, “Can you get some milk on the way home?”. Boom, done. Plus, if you’re both running the app at the same time it’ll then become a very “Touch To Talk”-style app and will play messages automatically because you’re both obviously ready to chat.
All this is done via 3G or WiFi but the people behind HeyTell say that the data usage is “no more than sending an email”, so you shouldn’t find any massive data shocks. Oh, and it records at 16kHz, so it’s way, way clearer than a phone call.
Amazing. I love both these apps, and they’re completely free. HeyTell lets you send to groups of people too. Go now, get HeyTell at least. This is an app that should be installed as default on all Android and iPhone devices in my opinion. It’s simple, it’s stunning.
Links – HeyTell (Android) – HeyTell (iOS)
Links – TiKL (Android) – TiKL (iOS)