Back in January we ran a post here on the blogs about an upcoming cross-carrier Push-to-Talk solution called HipVoice. By using data, rather than a single carrier's built-in PTT network, HipVoice allows for quick communication between smartphone users (or groups of users) on just about any device, any network, located almost anywhere (you'll both need that data connection). It's a compelling premise, and definitely a solution that can benefit both business and consumer end users.
HipVoice just launched for BlackBerry today. You can watch the video above to see it in action or jump over to learn more. We'll be following up in a few days with a more in-depth CrackBerry look at HipVoice in action. In the meantime, you can sign-up below to actually give HipVoice a try for 7 days free of charge, after which you can either sign-up or walk away. Pricing varies a bit (volume discounts, etc.) but costs as low as $10/month ongoing - not bad for a solution that can really change the way you work and use your BlackBerry.
Sign Up for a 7-Day Free Trial of HipVoice for BlackBerry
* After registering, Hipvoice will follow-up with an email including your username and password as well as video on how to use HipVoice *
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This seams cool will give it the old college try!
I just saw that it will be about $10 a month....thats alot...
...I submitted my request and I have not received an email...so far.....weak...
This is amazing...just had a conversation with a friend about how fun would it be to have a walkie talkie that worked in in different parts of the country...didn't even think it was possible around the world lol
If I wanted to tack on $10 to my monthly cell phone bill I would leave Tmobile for any other carrier in the US! I love the idea, but for ten bucks extra It's not for me.
Also - I'm assuming you can only use it with other people that also have this application? So I then have to try to sell this product to my friends... sorry - no deal.
I have Sprint/Nextel. When I was on the Nextel side, that was included in your plan. Now that I am on the Sprint side, I miss my PTT. I agree that $10 is a little much, but I will try the 7 day trial to test it out.
For 10$ a month per user, I might as well switch to Sprint/Nextel. And it doesn't seem that "real-time" to me. I used to have a nextel and that was fast.
Interesting indeed, however you wouldnt be able to use here in UK whilst drving the way the guy in the video shows. Has to be "hands free" in UK.
I have never had push to talk as I have always been with Verizon. But looks like a really cool idea. I would love to get friends to get on board with this and get it going.
Its a great idea and very convenient but no way i will pay $10 bux per month. $10 dollars one time fee sounds more reasonable to me. I am also with the guy above, its been an hour and i still have not received my Trial version. Is this how the connection delay to their sever will be when you PTT to someone? ughhh....
Seems that, according to Hip's Web site, only corporate e-mail accounts can be used to sign up, which means it's not for the consumer market. Yet.
But, the idea is that a company buys the services for its employees, thus all will have the app and there are discounts for volume and pre-payment. We like the idea here and might give it a try.
I have been using a yahoo account and have been getting everything just fine to start the setup process so far.
Just use palringo, no subscription... u have to login though,, and select the user but who cares,,, just push to talk... without paying...........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8tnTDYFsiA&feature=channel_page This works the same without login in to your messenger , u can just use palringo on its own, and ptt.....
i use it exactly the way the man in the car uses it :S so why pay 10dollar?
I noticed in the video HipVoice has quite a delay. Does palringo have this same delay. I can tolerate the delay if it is a freebee. But $10 per month? No way.
I can tell you from using HipVoice that there isn't a delay. What you are seeing on the video is just a delay in his secretary answering him. Not the app causing the delay.
RRrriiiiiggghhhhtt.
Have you tried it? If not, don't be so quick to throw out false accusations. I have used it, and have been using it for months. It works as described. No lag.
There are two youtube videos showing this product off... in the second video he has two phones side by side and you can clearly hear the lag.... He talks in one phone and it takes a few seconds for the second phone to receive the message...
The 1-to-2 second delay we saw in the video was no biggee if that's all there ever is, but my concern would be that the delay might be a function of navigating the various data networks between the conversing parties. If so, it could get pretty bad when, say, crossing the Atlantic.
How about BerryTalk??? It's currently in Beta (you can find many threads on crackberry)... There will be a cost for the client but at list there are no subscriptions... $10/month is a bit steep... Blackberry client only tho...
it would be a great application if it was for a one time flat fee.
No Monthly Payments Come ON!!!
I'm gonna give it a try
$10 a month, that's crazy! And just guessing that the other party you want to PPT needs to have this service as well. Fortunately there's an app for Storm that delivers same feature for flat $7.99 cost for the app (sale price through July 4th). See this for more info:
http://forums.crackberry.com/f134/berry2berry-storm-now-sale-240741/
ive been playing with this for a couple of weeks now and it is a really cool app...voices come through crystal clear and there really is no delay...IMO a lot better than Nextel and im on the Sprint network!
Seems like its really cool. Two questions regarding the PTT software...
1) HipVoice (from the various videos) isn't carier specific, nor device specific. you can communicate with not just a single person, but a group (which can be a major plus in business) Can BerryTalk or Palringo do the same?
For me that would be the deciding factor for using PTT.
2) Being that HipVoice isn't device specific either...(windows Mobile can communicate with BB, with Palm, with actual 2-way radios, etc...another plus!) Are there any other PTT software similar in this?
I can understand companies maybe utilizing this software, but for the individual, the $10 monthly fee is steep.
for ten bucks, wouldn't it just be easier to just call someone??
Great idea but, dead on arrival. $10 per month and each person must have the app. No way
Amen to that. PTT is convenient but not worth the expense.
I think I'll check into Berry2Berry. Storm version is available to Crackberry users for eight bucks flat fee vs. $120 per year. ?!?
well as you all know you can bbm anybody across the world witn no cost because it runs through data.
if this runs through data i wonder if it has the same feature.
i have a cusin in england and he spends way more than 10 bucks a month to talk to his family.
wondering.............
Hey Everyone - thanks for your feedback. Just FYI: For those who registered, you will be getting your user/pass within 24-36 hours (max).
It will never cease to amaze me the lack of real world comprehension of those who 'go into business'. This is why most fail in first year. The whole point of PTT is to save the subscriber a bit of money by minimizing their minutes used. It is not that much more convenient than voice dialing or speed dialing, both built in to most all BBs. At $10.00 a month you can upgrade your voice plan if you need to, and not force your secretary/wife/friends to spend $10 p/month as well. This application makes no sense. No business that still utilizes BES for security, would ever bulk purchase an unsecured VOD transmission application especiallly given the cost, especially in an economic downturn. There are quite a few solutions for PTT already out there and some more to be here shortly that do this cheaper and better. What could they possibly have been thinking?
When people use instant communication devices like this, why do they talk to the part of the device that DOESN'T have the microphone? Watch this guy as he tries to talk INTO the screen of the Blackberry!
Sure the message is getting through thanks to the condenser microphone, but I always get a kick out of people who do this, especially watching people in cars with fliphones use the speakerphone feature holding the phone in the air as they drive!
GET A BLUETOOTH DEVICE!
this absolutely makes no sense. just call whoever you want to talk to. adding $10 a month to your plan will prob get you a few hundred extra minutes and heck if you are on VZW you have 80 million people you can call and talk to for FREE!!!!
no way!!!
sorry, but the latency is just to high..
he's having a whole conversation with US the viewer before the next chirp comes in.
maybe on a 3G connection it'll speed things up but essentially it seems like you can get teh same functionality out of BBM by sending a voice note
When we wanted to talk with someone, we used to pick up the phone and call. Now we use every excuse not to call. Just shoot a text or bbm. This is rediculous! This program ups the anti and sends recorded voice messages to people directly . . . reminds me a lot of something we used to call voicemail. Next we sending videos of us texting instead of just sending a text.
Here's a free version of that: send voice notes on Blackberry Messenger. It might take a couple of extra steps, and you're limited in how much you can send in one message, but it's free.
this would be something i would use... push to talk with out having sprints lowsy coverage lol. but 10 dollars a month is too much for me to pay.
Monthly payment is a bit ridiculous. I was really interested until I saw its $10/month
Poor guy...had a really great idea but tried to shoot the moon on this with the $10/month bit and now everyone has a bad taste in their mouth. :shakes head: Way to make a first impression.
so hipvoice guy...can we get any feedback from you, im sure you have read all of our posts, so we would like to hear back from you on regards to this.
We may be Hip but we are not stupid. Sure, I will send you $10.00 per month. The check is in the mail
[quote]"By: 1magine | Date: Tue, 06/09/2009 - 10:06 |
* reply
It will never cease to amaze me the lack of real world comprehension of those who 'go into business'. This is why most fail in first year. The whole point of PTT is to save the subscriber a bit of money by minimizing their minutes used. It is not that much more convenient than voice dialing or speed dialing, both built in to most all BBs. At $10.00 a month you can upgrade your voice plan if you need to, and not force your secretary/wife/friends to spend $10 p/month as well. This application makes no sense. No business that still utilizes BES for security, would ever bulk purchase an unsecured VOD transmission application especiallly given the cost, especially in an economic downturn. There are quite a few solutions for PTT already out there and some more to be here shortly that do this cheaper and better. What could they possibly have been thinking?"[/quote]
I couldn't have said it any better..
Did they just make "Send a Voice Note" option in our BB a bit faster?
That's basically all it is, just fancier and more expensive.
Try that while driving in NJ and you'll end up getting yourself a ticket. Goes for any other state w/ a HANDS-FREE law. Whole point is not to having anything in your HANDS, hence "hands free". For some reason people think holding the phone and yelling into the speakerphone is hands free. I think someone said it earlier... get a bluetooth or even a cheap $4 wired headset. This software seems like lot of money, just me though.
I've had just about every major wireless company & have to admit when I did have Nextel I really liked the PTT feature, it was great for those friends who also had it & I also wished that I could use with friends who were on other networks, but PTT was a gimme with Nextel, now that someone has developed a way to use it across networks it's $10/month? Nevermind, I understand that it's more or less aimed at companies, since "regular" email addresses don't qualify, but everyone is trying to save a buck today, so I think the pricing needs re-thought.
Great concept.
Anyone else notice how much talking the gentleman does between the time he speaks into the phone, and the time it takes for his secretary to respond. I suppose he has to do something to make up for the lag.
this is cool and everything, but id rather text than talk
This is BS, pure and simple. I don't know about where you guys live, but in NY, if I am see driving and holding a cell phone for ANYTHING, it's a ticket, moving violation, and a HUGE FINE. A better solution? Either use BLUETOOTH, or put the phone down on the seat somewhere and use speakerphone! :)
C'mon RIM. Give us some useful apps, not HIP VOICE. ROFL.