The great thing about having friends all over the world, is having friends all over the world. Over the last couple of years of podcasting I’ve been able to build up a network of dozens of people all over the world who I talk to on a daily basis. There is just one problem. I can communicate via dozens of channels, eMail, instant messaging, twitter or Facebook, but sometimes those channels aren’t realy suitable for the message (for example quick chit-chat) or for my locantion ( I am in the car three hours a day ) where texting/typing & driving are taboo.
And yet the car is an ideal place to ‘catch up’ on your social life. Calling up your friends (handsfree) is a productive use of your time behind the wheel. However, my friends are mostly across the pond and sleep when I’m awake. Recording some voicememo’s in the car and sending them out via eMail once I got home was a possible solution but was quite of a hassle. For the times where both conversation partners were available at the same time, Skype would have solved everything… but keeping a Skype connection alive while driving is hard at best.
So enter VOXER. A free cross platform application that acts as a time delayed walkie talkie. After you install voxer and add find your buddies who also use voxer ( Via their email address or via Facebook) you can get started. The system is easy. You open up one of your contacts and press the big button below. This starts the recording for as long as you hold down the button so .. just start talking. Once you release the button the voicememo gets sent out and shows up in your friends voxer app. He can listen and reply the same way. Think of it as Instant messaging but using voice instead of text. The result is a time-delayed walkie talkie system that is awesome for keeping up with friends, having conversations and exchanging ideas. Voxer is easy to use and safe enough to use in the car. You don’t need to watch the screen , just type the button and talk. Voxer can also send text messages and photos should you need to .. but centers on voice-conversations.
Voxer is a simple app that does one thing and does it well. I no longer need to worry about Skype connections dropping off, sending voice conversations via email or keeping tabs on my friends. The app is free and available on both IOS and Android.