Filed under: Hacks, How-tos, iPhone
1.1.1 iPhone firmware offers low-rent Push-to-Talk
Although I knew that the 1.1.1 firmware update introduced more attachment viewing support, I didn't realize until now that it added AMR playback. AMR, if you don't recall, refers to Adaptive Multi-rate Compression. It's the audio data compression format used by the iPhone for both voice memos and (if you've installed my Voice Notes application) voice recording. AMR is used primarily to store spoken audio.
So why is this big news? Well, if you're very very patient and you don't mind waiting for long gaps within a conversation, you can now use your iPhone as a very low-end push-to-talk device. By this I mean, you can install VoiceNotes and use it to record short messages. You can then email those short messages to a friend and they can play it back on their iPhone. To respond, they do the same: record and email.
This is obviously a long way from VOIP but as a stop-gap measure it works pretty well. I tested out a voice-only conversation the other evening and, while slow, the recording and playback quality was just fine for communicating.
Right now, the slowest part of the process involves addressing the message in Mobile Mail. If people show an interest, I'm considering either updating VNotes or writing an app that allows you to add the recipient's email once and then handles the addressing bit. Let me know in the comments.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Zoli said 3:13PM on 10-17-2007
I'm definitely interested! Thanks Erica!
Also another Idea I had was a google maps cache... now google maps caches what you've seen already, so you don't need to download it again, and it will work without a connection (edge or wifi), there should be some way to enter a zipcode and download all of that zip codes map data into google maps.
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dasilvetz said 3:15PM on 10-17-2007
If you could somehow build a PTT app that would be amazing... i'd say even more standalone than the VoiceNotes app which does voice recording perfectly. I think it should be more of a standalone app.
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Ryan p said 3:24PM on 10-17-2007
Sounds pretty kickass even as a touch user. Now have you tried using the iphone headset with an ipod touch? If you have the two devices can you check to see?
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Leif said 3:24PM on 10-17-2007
Hi Erica,
Sounds great to me, thanks! Can't your suggestion currently be accomplished using the 3rd party app NikoTalkie? Or what about using your Voicenotes app with another 3rd party app like SendFile?
Keep up the great work!
-Leif
www.SparkNW.com
www.Wonderosity.com
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Aron Trimble said 3:21PM on 10-17-2007
I'd much rather have SendSong working again to add ringtones - however any work on any front is greatly appreciated!
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wayne said 3:24PM on 10-17-2007
I'm interested, please make it happen
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Erica Sadun said 3:24PM on 10-17-2007
Touch use is receive-only. You cannot as yet record--it kinda crashes your system big time if you try.
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Ryan Schmidt said 3:25PM on 10-17-2007
Erica, I appreciate what you're suggestion but this is already done. Write up a review for Nikotalkie. It works great and does everything you're talking about and more!
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Erica Sadun said 3:27PM on 10-17-2007
I haven't given NikoTalkie a test yet but its my understanding that it uploads to a third party area. If true, that goes outside my comfort zone.
As for SendFile, you don't need it. You can send your voice notes directly from VNotes.
Regarding SendSong, I'm not sure how far I really want to push things there. If there is an easy add-to-ringtones-by-editing-a-plist functionality, sure. Otherwise, I'm going to defer to Ambrosia and iToner.
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Ryan Schmidt said 3:31PM on 10-17-2007
Funny how you used the old, nasty voicenotes icon. :) As for nikotalkie uploading to a 3rd party, oh boy... I don't like that either. I wonder if that's true.
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momo said 3:43PM on 10-17-2007
I would be interested, Erica. Rock on!
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me said 4:12PM on 10-17-2007
yes!!! YES YESSSS!!!!!!
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billp said 4:14PM on 10-17-2007
Sigh.
"You can then email those short messages to a friend and they can play it back on their iPhone. To respond, they do the same: record and email."
This is almost like... calling the person directly pfffffffft. Who would seriously buy a $300 cell phone to mail audio files back and forth? Maybe I'll go buy a BMW and have myself towed to the movie theater and back home.
What an abuse of logic and technological function.
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Jason said 4:15PM on 10-17-2007
erica.... can you or did you open source send pic? i would like to combine sendpic and iflickr to make an app that lets you quickly shoot and upload pictures to facebook using either its api or email..
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Buck Bailey said 4:38PM on 10-17-2007
I'd buy that for a dollar, as they say! Remember, Nicotalkie requires another patched iPhone (or other device?) and a Nicotalkie account... VNotes could e-mail voice memos to anybody. (I'm assuming VLC can play them back... it does everything.)
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josh r. said 4:44PM on 10-17-2007
What I'd really like would be a utility for taking short movie clips with the iPhone, I don't know too much about the development process but I'm guessing it's feasible given you've developed vnotes and those fellows at http://macdaddyworld.com/?p=38 managed to record a video stream for their demo videoconferencing app...
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Frank Furter said 4:41PM on 10-17-2007
@billp - perhaps I'm on a business trip, in a meeting, and would like to hear my daughters voice before I turn in for the night. It's 4AM at home, but 8PM here. I'll take it.
Basically, it'd offer convenience. If the receiver can't pick up a phone call, this is the next best thing.
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J.G. said 4:43PM on 10-17-2007
After reading the posting I though this was a silly idea, who'd want to do that when you could just call the person? But looking at the comments, almost 50% of them were interested/excited about the prospect.
So, I'm curious, why are all you people interested in sending voice notes back and forth? Why not just call the person, the iPhone is after all a phone. I guess I don't see a practical application for this.
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billp said 5:41PM on 10-17-2007
@16 (Frank Furter)
...voicemail? Are we living in the same year as each other?
Again, $300 cell phone... one of the major features is visual voicemail.
Maybe instead of towing my BMW around, I should put stone wheels on, take out the engine, and use my feet to push. It's the future... today!
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sam said 5:05PM on 10-17-2007
You and I need to work on your definition of "push to talk"
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