If you watch the kids inside Stranger Things communicate via walkie-talkie left you wishing it was still the ’80s, we’ve got good news. Walkie-talkie apps bring all the excitement of walkie-talkie chat to your smartphone, allowing you to chat with your friends, send them messages and leave voicemails. Sure, they don’t use actual walkie-talkie frequencies — so you won’t have any interference — but they’re still the coolest, most retro way to talk to your friends. There are even apps that let you chat with users in your area and around the world. Turn your Android or iOS device into a digital walkie-talkie with our hand-picked selection of the best apps.
Marco Polo
This is for users who like fancy features in their walkie-talkie apps. It combines the best features of social media while allowing you to communicate in a walkie-talkie style. It works over a Wi-Fi network anywhere in the world and supports audio, video and chats. You can even enjoy voice effects and camera filters with a selection of emoticons for extra fun with your friends. It’s all free to use, but you can also buy a $5/month subscription to get the ability to fast-forward, use custom emoji reactions, and share a family pass.
Android iOS
Zello
Zello is one of the most popular walkie-talkie apps on the market and is most people’s favorite for the walkie-talkie experience. Part of the reason it is so popular is its usability. It’s easy to import contacts, and tapping on one brings up the chat option, front and center. You can chat directly with individual people or you can create a group channel for your friends or workgroups. If you’re feeling particularly social, you can even join a specialist channel to chat about specific topics, from cats to local areas. Voice messages will be played immediately if the app is open, or will be played later via a voicemail-like system, so you can retrieve your messages at your convenience.
It is packed with features and has been updated to work with the Twiins Smart Button. You can also send text messages, pictures or alerts. One useful feature is the ability to set the volume level for each user — which is especially handy in group channel chats with those particularly noisy people. However, there are some problems. It won’t work if you’re using a mobile VPN and have trouble with some open Wi-Fi networks — but otherwise it’s the best option available.
Android iOS
ProPTT2 Video Push-to-Talk
Push-to-talk audio is one thing, but push-to-talk video is quite another. ProPTT2 is an excellent PTT app with the ability to transfer video as easily as audio. You can chat in groups or one-on-one, and you can search and join groups for different interests. We particularly like the look, which eschews the bright colors of many other walkie-talkie apps, instead opting for a sleek, technical style. It has support for various PTT devices and Apple Watch, and you can access various chat features like real-time location sharing. You’ll need to sign up to use the app’s features properly, and you can only make one channel for free, but as long as you sign up some friends, you should have enough for everyone. The latest updates include support for dark mode, HD audio and better channel sorting.
Android iOS
Voxer
We love walkie-talkie apps, but too many of them also don’t have room for more traditional texting methods. If using an app that has a walkie-talkie function seems strange to you, maybe check out Voxer. It’s built more like a traditional instant messaging app, includes text chat with a stream view and support for sending pictures, and is one of the few walkie-talkie apps that has end-to-end encryption. Unfortunately, there’s no option to broadcast to channels like Zello, but you can still create group chats if you need to contact a bunch of people at once. It’s not bug-free though, with users complaining about a bunch of pretty annoying bugs. However, they are usually relatively small, like double notifications. Basic access is free, but you’ll need to upgrade to a Pro account for the best features, including hands-free mode, voice-to-text transcription, the ability to recall sent messages, and more. Pro access costs $4 per month or $30 per year.
Android iOS
VoicePing
VoicePing is a pretty simple app — that’s because it’s primarily designed for business users. It can be used by anyone with an Android or iOS device, and it’s built to look like a more traditional messaging app — but there’s more to it than just a chat app interface. Voice messages can be played from any contact at any time — even with the screen off and the phone locked — and you can choose to chat one-on-one or select up to 200 contacts in a group chat. Advanced features let you ping specific contacts for attention or take control of a group chat with an SOS message. It also works with headsets with PTT buttons, making it extremely useful for certain business users.
Android iOS
Breakr
One of the cleaner versions of the walkie-talkie app, Breakr is all about talking and very little else. It’s as easy to use as you’d expect: hold the button down, talk, and release the button to send a message. But there are devils hiding in those details. Can’t talk? Type your message and it will be read to your recipient using Breakr’s text-to-speech service. There’s a voice changer if you’d rather chat anonymously (or just say something in a silly robot voice), and a 24-hour chat history means you can’t miss a single message. Bad side’s? There’s no true text chat option and it’s iOS only, so you’re limited to chatting only with friends with iPhones.
iOS
Two directions
A much simpler app than some of the other entries on this list, Two Way is the walkie-talkie app of choice for extroverts. There is no option to select individual contacts and you cannot send text messages or pictures. Instead, you can select a specific geographic area (local or national) and broadcast to that area. As such, you open up your broadcasts for anyone else to hear and respond to. Don’t be surprised when you start getting replies from people you don’t know. If you like striking up conversations with strangers, then this is a great way to do it — and thanks to the way the app is laid out, you do it without any risk of giving away intimate details about yourself. Fortunately, if you want a more private conversation, you can go into the Key Pad feature and choose a channel to chat on instead. A large selection of channel numbers should mean you won’t have to share them with anyone else. There are reports that the app doesn’t work properly on Android 9.0 Pie and above, but if you turn off battery optimization, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Android iOS
Walkie-talkie — Communication
You may not need a bunch of specialized messaging features, “listen later” messages, or friend lists. If most of the components have been overkill for you up to this point, we recommend the Walkie-talkie to meet your minimalist needs. To be honest, it’s strictly a walkie-talkie app — turn it on, select the frequency you want, and start talking. You won’t need a username or password to log in to the account because there isn’t a specific account you can access anyway. Just download the app and start talking. The user interface is easy to use and resembles a classic, plastic walkie-talkie. Apart from a nice nostalgic and minimalist touch, this app doesn’t really have any extra features. You can listen to different frequencies and change the background color, but that’s about it. Currently, the app is only available on iOS. Still, this is a fun and easy way to stay in touch with someone without the effort that other apps may require.
Android iOS
Walkie-tooth
Walkietooth made our list for several reasons: it saves money and it’s versatile. While the need for a data connection can burden other applications, Walkietooth uses other connections instead. This application can create a direct connection to the device using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or by connecting to other devices on the same network. You can choose to use this walkie-talkie to share audio only, or you can add video to the call at any time. We can see that video calls are not in line with classic walkie-talkies, but its dual usability makes it a far more useful product. For example, you can use it as a possible baby monitor if you need it quickly. Or, a group of bikers can take advantage of the Bluetooth feature and stay in touch while on the road — though, be prepared for a possible loss of connection if you’re riding through an area with zero cellular data. Honestly, you can think outside the box and use this tool for anything you need. This app is currently only available for Android users, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like Walkietooth will be making an iOS version anytime soon.
Android
Hey Reci
HeyTell is a reliable cross-platform app that can connect a large group of people. You can invite people via SMS or email and start a conversation immediately. The app uses little data, so you don’t have to spend a fortune for each call, and most of the basic features are free. You can buy the voice changer feature for $3 if you want. The company behind HeyTell also values privacy — they use a three-layer privacy system to keep your data safe within the app. Overall, it’s pretty easy to use and lets you have a walkie-talkie style conversation without burning a hole in your pocket.
Android iOS
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn