Ray Ozzie, a former chief software architect at Microsoft (News - Alert), is aiming to reinvent the phone call with his new app, called Talko.
Talko allows users to text, call, send voice or photo messages and enter conference calls, all from a single interface. Each conversation thread has a unique and secure URL that ensures content is only seen by those who are intended, and every message and call is recorded inside the thread. Users can even bookmark specific parts of the audio for later reference by interacting with a waveform interface, similar to the one found on SoundCloud.
The app does away with traditional 2G and 3G networks in favor of all communications taking place over a 4G or Wi-Fi network. Although the infrastructure for this technology is not quite in place, the app can still be useful in urban and/or office locations, whereas the government is actively pushing to substantially expand 4G coverage.
Ozzie is intent on eliminating adherence to antiquated technologies and, discussing the origins of Talko on his blog, urges us to consider: “If the phone had never been invented before the ‘net came along, what would’ve happened when startups realized that voice could be transmitted over IP? We can hyperlink and share voice just like text and photos! We can weave voice into apps! We can apply algorithms to stored voice to recognize keywords, create transcriptions and more!”
Talko is designed to account for many of the issues he sees with phone calls as they are today, namely their tendency to cause interruptions and operate outside the general flow of communications provided by other mediums. Users can send voicemails like they would text messages, and join in voice conversations at will.
Ozzie says on the matter, “If the only way of using your voice is to interrupt someone, talk quickly, and then hours later forget some key detail of what was discussed, then the phone call truly deserves to die.”
The app is aimed at enterprise applications as well. Ozzie emphasizes the usefulness of a unified communication platform that can also be flexible. There is a strong infrastructure for conference calls, and they can be joined or departed by specific users as is convenient without missing out on any of the information (which would still be accessible on that conversation’s unique URL).
Although Talko is the first app of its kind, others will inevitably follow and similar functionality will likely pop up on some of the more popular messaging apps. Ozzie hopes to encourage people to engage in voice communications more often by offering a platform that is more conducive to modern lifestyles, and only time will tell the success of such a movement.
Talko is currently available as an iOS app, with Android (News - Alert) and Web versions coming soon.
Edited by Alisen Downey