Think of it as a turn-based conversation. The convenience of a conversation without have to dedicate blocks of time to the conversation.
"Turn-based" is a euphemism for "not full duplex", IOW "over-and-out" like a walkie-talkie, which was the basis of my comparison above. Problem is, we advanced beyond this in the 1880s—why bring it back? If you have anything to say to someone, why not call them and have a conversation?
"Turn-based" is a euphemism for "not full duplex", IOW "over-and-out" like a walkie-talkie, which was the basis of my comparison above. Problem is, we advanced beyond this in the 1880s—why bring it back? If you have anything to say to someone, why not call them and have a conversation?
A phone call is a poor choice for communication . The other party can't see the expression on your face, or read your body language. If you have something to say to someone, get on your bicycle and pedal your ass over to their place and have an in-person conversation.
For what it's worth, I found recently that when Siri asks whether or not you want to send the text message, instead of saying yes or no, say 'read it' or 'read it to me', and she'll do just that. Pretty slick that way.......as you said, it keeps it hands free.
Wow, that works great - I just tried it. Thanks for that!
BTW, I got the gist of the article wrong and thought the topic was about converting speech to text and sending as a text message.
The ability to send an actual recording of one's voice as a message is indeed an advancement that I look forward to using in the upcoming iOS.
From this and your other answers it would seem you are quite convinced that it's a useless feature. I can assure you though that there are thousands of people that use it daily for various reasons.
There is a limitation with a 'phone' conversation. A phone call is dependent upon two people have time to talk at the same time. Schedules. Time zones. Level of busy all affect this. Free the time constraints and you can quickly switch between texting and voice texting. My friend does it because he doesn't want to type a lot but sometimes just wants to say it instead. Why should he call and try to reach me when I might be sleeping (7 time zones apart)?
Also quality of call. My friend has a terrible time talking to his mother back in china because of the connection either with landline or VoIP. But...they are able to carry on pretty good conversations using voice messaging via Wechat.
I don't disagree that there are benefits to calling. But there are also benefits to texting, voice messaging, emailing, and meeting face to face. Each has it's strengths and weaknesses.
Might this be language related in China? Not being an expert here but I have to imagine keyboard "text" entry in Chinese would be difficult. I'm not convinced there is a universal need here.
One point might be cost.
In most countries every call is charged and even leaving or receiving voice messages costs more money.
So sending an audio message via iMessage or any other messaging system that supports this means that it is just data. [Yes I know data costs money but not the same as the prices that Telcos charge for messaging and voice data ]
But most people with smart phones have contracts, so the cost of the call and listening to the answer phone message will be included in their contract. Even some pay as you go packages include a decent amount of call minutes.
You can still use the microphone button next to the spacebar to dictate a text message.
I know. However, if you dictate the recipient gets text. If you record a voice message the recipient gets audio. I was talking about the recipient having the choice to either hear the audio or convert that audio into text. This is not currently possible.
Great idea! Now take that idea and overlay it with the convenience of time-shifting that texting allows in a conversation. And... well, and that's voice texting! Lol!
They're most likely using WeChat, which is great in my opinion, just lacks a multi-device usage. They offer a Mac-Version, but it only synchronizes if you log in via QR-code and you have to do that each time you start the app. It mutes your phone by default then, so only your Mac rings when new messages come in. However, you cannot send voice messages or do a video chat on the Mac version. I wonder if they will advance on that. Strangely, there has always been a web-version which basically works like the Mac version right now but no Windows version.
It's on the list. Let the playback be the converted text so it can be checked for accuracy before sending. Only trouble is, it's not easy to always convert voice to text. I have Filipina friends that have a hard time with Siri and Google Now. Your friend on the other end, with their human brain and familiarity with your accent and voice, can currently do a better job understanding what you say versus the voice recognition engine in your phone. But that will eventually change and then you'll have a choice which to send.
I hope the system can adapt to your language, else it will be entirely useless to me.
I work in a four-language environment, routinely text/email in Dutch, French, English and German. Learning Russian too, and given the accents in Russian, I can envision non-natives having tremendous issues with getting Siri to recognise their words.
But most people with smart phones have contracts, so the cost of the call and listening to the answer phone message will be included in their contract. Even some pay as you go packages include a decent amount of call minutes.
First, given the ridiculous cost of owning a smartphone with contract, a lot of people actually buy them outright and find a less expensive package.
Second, in many countries, voice messages end up MASSIVELY more expensive than texts, if nothing else because you pay to send them, and the listener pays to listen to them. Note: I don't. Not that my provider is good, but I just don't bother. You wanna tell me something, you text or email.
"Turn-based" is a euphemism for "not full duplex", IOW "over-and-out" like a walkie-talkie, which was the basis of my comparison above. Problem is, we advanced beyond this in the 1880s—why bring it back? If you have anything to say to someone, why not call them and have a conversation?
A phone call is a poor choice for communication . The other party can't see the expression on your face, or read your body language. If you have something to say to someone, get on your bicycle and pedal your ass over to their place and have an in-person conversation.
Why the defensive posturing from proponents of alternative communication methods? Obviously there are situations in which text messaging has certain advantages, but other times those same characteristics can be a DISadvantage. For example, time-shifting is a serious liability when you're in a hurry.
By all means, try new approaches and embrace those that work, but you deride those who practice the art of real-time conversation at your own peril. Sometimes -- perhaps even usually -- effective communication is better accomplished with direct conversation. Look around and you'll see that successful people tend to be good at it.
So instead of leaving a voice text that would take just a couple seconds to respond to a text I need to go into my phone app, locate the person to call, initiate the call, wait for it to ring through while hoping they don't pick up because I only want to leave a message, and then leave the message, then disconnect the call? That sounds more convenient to you?
"Turn-based" is a euphemism for "not full duplex", IOW "over-and-out" like a walkie-talkie, which was the basis of my comparison above. Problem is, we advanced beyond this in the 1880s—why bring it back? If you have anything to say to someone, why not call them and have a conversation?
No one has to wait for the other before being able to respond. Just like with text-based messaging you can both be sending or receiving (or reading) at the same time so there are no turns.
No more absurd or ridiculous than comparing a smartphone to a pocketwatch or voice messaging to a walkie-talkie.
Anyone who honestly thinks our technology has regressed in those manners is not going to respond to logic.
Obviously there are times and places when all of these methods of communications are the best choice - but even if one particular method is the best choice "most" of the time; why deride and belittle the other methods and suggest that they are not necessary and shouldn't even exist as an option?
It drives me nuts when people make statements like "there's no *need* for this" when in fact they really should be saying "*I* have no need for this". If we want to be honest, there's no *need* for most of the features in your smartphone. They provide efficiencies and entertainment that make life easier or more fun for a lot of people - but they are not *necessary*.
When reading through this thread, I also saw several people jump in and comment with nothing more to say than "someone else already did this" - as if to point out that Apple wasn't the first with this feature and didn't invent the technology. To them, I say "who cares?" It's a great new feature that will provide value to many people. I'm sorry if it doesn't fit in with your lifestyle or communications technique however, there are many of us who will use it and love it. Hopefully, the next new feature will be more to your liking.
Comments
"Turn-based" is a euphemism for "not full duplex", IOW "over-and-out" like a walkie-talkie, which was the basis of my comparison above. Problem is, we advanced beyond this in the 1880s—why bring it back? If you have anything to say to someone, why not call them and have a conversation?
A phone call is a poor choice for communication . The other party can't see the expression on your face, or read your body language. If you have something to say to someone, get on your bicycle and pedal your ass over to their place and have an in-person conversation.
Wow, that works great - I just tried it. Thanks for that!
BTW, I got the gist of the article wrong and thought the topic was about converting speech to text and sending as a text message.
The ability to send an actual recording of one's voice as a message is indeed an advancement that I look forward to using in the upcoming iOS.
There is a limitation with a 'phone' conversation. A phone call is dependent upon two people have time to talk at the same time. Schedules. Time zones. Level of busy all affect this. Free the time constraints and you can quickly switch between texting and voice texting. My friend does it because he doesn't want to type a lot but sometimes just wants to say it instead. Why should he call and try to reach me when I might be sleeping (7 time zones apart)?
Also quality of call. My friend has a terrible time talking to his mother back in china because of the connection either with landline or VoIP. But...they are able to carry on pretty good conversations using voice messaging via Wechat.
I don't disagree that there are benefits to calling. But there are also benefits to texting, voice messaging, emailing, and meeting face to face. Each has it's strengths and weaknesses.
My thoughts exactly.
Doesn't Siri, Google Now and Cortana already do this ?
But most people with smart phones have contracts, so the cost of the call and listening to the answer phone message will be included in their contract. Even some pay as you go packages include a decent amount of call minutes.
I know. However, if you dictate the recipient gets text. If you record a voice message the recipient gets audio. I was talking about the recipient having the choice to either hear the audio or convert that audio into text. This is not currently possible.
Nope regarding Siri. See above. The others IDK
Like I said, leave a voice message.
just lacks a multi-device usage.
They offer a Mac-Version, but it only synchronizes if you log in via QR-code
and you have to do that each time you start the app.
It mutes your phone by default then, so only your Mac rings when new messages come in.
However, you cannot send voice messages or do a video chat on the Mac version.
I wonder if they will advance on that. Strangely, there has always been a web-version which basically works like the Mac version right now but no Windows version.
It's on the list. Let the playback be the converted text so it can be checked for accuracy before sending. Only trouble is, it's not easy to always convert voice to text. I have Filipina friends that have a hard time with Siri and Google Now. Your friend on the other end, with their human brain and familiarity with your accent and voice, can currently do a better job understanding what you say versus the voice recognition engine in your phone. But that will eventually change and then you'll have a choice which to send.
I hope the system can adapt to your language, else it will be entirely useless to me.
I work in a four-language environment, routinely text/email in Dutch, French, English and German. Learning Russian too, and given the accents in Russian, I can envision non-natives having tremendous issues with getting Siri to recognise their words.
But most people with smart phones have contracts, so the cost of the call and listening to the answer phone message will be included in their contract. Even some pay as you go packages include a decent amount of call minutes.
First, given the ridiculous cost of owning a smartphone with contract, a lot of people actually buy them outright and find a less expensive package.
Second, in many countries, voice messages end up MASSIVELY more expensive than texts, if nothing else because you pay to send them, and the listener pays to listen to them. Note: I don't. Not that my provider is good, but I just don't bother. You wanna tell me something, you text or email.
"Turn-based" is a euphemism for "not full duplex", IOW "over-and-out" like a walkie-talkie, which was the basis of my comparison above. Problem is, we advanced beyond this in the 1880s—why bring it back? If you have anything to say to someone, why not call them and have a conversation?
A phone call is a poor choice for communication . The other party can't see the expression on your face, or read your body language. If you have something to say to someone, get on your bicycle and pedal your ass over to their place and have an in-person conversation.
BZZZT! Reductio ad absurdum. Bad debate technique. No points.
Why the defensive posturing from proponents of alternative communication methods? Obviously there are situations in which text messaging has certain advantages, but other times those same characteristics can be a DISadvantage. For example, time-shifting is a serious liability when you're in a hurry.
By all means, try new approaches and embrace those that work, but you deride those who practice the art of real-time conversation at your own peril. Sometimes -- perhaps even usually -- effective communication is better accomplished with direct conversation. Look around and you'll see that successful people tend to be good at it.
So instead of leaving a voice text that would take just a couple seconds to respond to a text I need to go into my phone app, locate the person to call, initiate the call, wait for it to ring through while hoping they don't pick up because I only want to leave a message, and then leave the message, then disconnect the call? That sounds more convenient to you?
audio message.
No one has to wait for the other before being able to respond. Just like with text-based messaging you can both be sending or receiving (or reading) at the same time so there are no turns.
No more absurd or ridiculous than comparing a smartphone to a pocketwatch or voice messaging to a walkie-talkie.
Anyone who honestly thinks our technology has regressed in those manners is not going to respond to logic.
Obviously there are times and places when all of these methods of communications are the best choice - but even if one particular method is the best choice "most" of the time; why deride and belittle the other methods and suggest that they are not necessary and shouldn't even exist as an option?
It drives me nuts when people make statements like "there's no *need* for this" when in fact they really should be saying "*I* have no need for this". If we want to be honest, there's no *need* for most of the features in your smartphone. They provide efficiencies and entertainment that make life easier or more fun for a lot of people - but they are not *necessary*.
When reading through this thread, I also saw several people jump in and comment with nothing more to say than "someone else already did this" - as if to point out that Apple wasn't the first with this feature and didn't invent the technology. To them, I say "who cares?" It's a great new feature that will provide value to many people. I'm sorry if it doesn't fit in with your lifestyle or communications technique however, there are many of us who will use it and love it. Hopefully, the next new feature will be more to your liking.