For those of you who don’t think voicemail is counterproductive, there is a new app on Facebook called Voicetag that lets you send voicemail messages to individuals or groups. This is not the first such app on Facebook (see Voicemail or TringMe), but it works with regular phones and incorporates SMS messages.
The app is very simple. You select a Facebook contact you want to leave a voice message for (or you can set up group aliases), and add an optional text message. Then, instead of using a computer microphone, you enter the number where you are at and Voicetag calls you. After leaving your message, the recipient gets a notification via Facebook and can play the Voicetag from his or her browser. You can also leave messages to groups from your cell phone by texting Voicetag. It will then call back your cell phone and you can leave a message. The service is free for now.
Voicetag was built by a startup called Ringful to showcase its voice app APIs. (It hopes to compete with BT’s Ribbit and Gizmo). Voicetag’s future feature list includes:
- The ability to not only record but also deliver voice messages to phones, in addition to the online voice Inbox we have today.
- The ability for the message recipient to interact with the message via touch tone when they hear the message on the phone (imagine that you can send out a voice poll on “where do we want to eat tonight? punch 1 for XYZ; punch 2 for ABC”, and get the votes back in text message!)
- The ability to start ad hoc group / conference calls among facebook friends.
- The ability to call your Facebook friend on the phone no matter where she is in the world, and no matter how many times she has changed her phone number since you last talked.
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pretty cool
Awesome news, awesome idea - MySpace may soon have alot of catching up to do
What a way to make Facebook even stickier…
I’m thinking of trying it - not sure, yet, how often I’d use it. Looks like Facebook is lending itself to even more messaging.
What happens when Facebook comes up with something like this?
I dig this idea, but the question I wonder is other people going too, especially some of my friends.
What is the value proposition? Who would use this, and why? Yes, you can convey tone in a voice message, but if I want to leave a message I will call their phone.
Incoming calls are free, good for people making long distance calls.
I mean, I guess that is an argument. For me, though, my cell plan has unlimited everything so I suppose it just would not be anything I would be interested in.
Think of this as a voice-enabled “poke”. Yes, you can just pick up the phone and call people. But it is sometimes more fun to leave a message that the recipient does not have to respond to (that is why people use email :)).
Plus, voicetag allows you to voice message multiple people at once. No need to call them individually.
This sounds wicked, definitely going to try it out!
I think this has great potential especially as you can great groups and expressing your message using your voice brings an additional dimension.
However I added the app and have not been able to get it to work either calling to my mobile or to a Skype in number - so while promising, i just wish I could test it properly.
@krishnade
Does this still work for numbers outside of the USA?
A video version of this would be useful.
Connection will be the registered trade mark of facebook. Where have all the cowboys gone?
I had a voicemail app that did the basically same thing, built in flash, but pulled the plug when fb neutered promotion efforts of new apps (thanks to that sweet zombies app). Still have the code…..
Hi Jacquelyn,
Yes, the service works world wide. But it may have some issues with a small number of European mobile carriers. So, if you are in Europe and have problems with the app, try it on a landline phone. Please let me know if there is any issues. Thanks.
cheers
Michael
I just wanted to let you all know about a Facebook application I helped create that’s called Telephone (http://apps.facebook.com/babytel/).
Telephone lets Facebook users leave voicemail for their friends, and also IM and talk to each other live, for free, using their computer. It’s integrated with Facebook so unlike Skype you don’t have to manually add your friends – your Facebook friends are already there.
What is the value proposition? Who would use this, and why? Yes, you can convey tone in a voice message, but if I want to leave a message I will call their phone