3 reasons I love Voxer (and why I hate it too)

Voxer
Have you heard of Voxer? I’m always a ridiculously-late adopter, so I am slightly proud of myself for being ahead of the curve on this one. (Assuming that I am not the last one to have heard of it, which is not necessarily the case). The idea is it’s like a walkie-talkie, so you can record your voice and send it to someone (or a group of people) across the interwebs, and they can listen to it and send you a message back. Some of my Story 201 writing course women are on it, and using it for chat and prayer requests, which is how I have discovered it. 

Here’s why I love it:

  1. You can send one voice message to a group of people. (You can choose how many to involve in your line of ‘chat’, and select one friend, or many friends). So if, for instance, you wanted to tell a group of friends that you had a hard day, and splurge, then you can do it once, and send it to many, without having to splurge multiple times. Useful.
  2. You can respond to conversations at your leisure. It can be live ‘chat’, but as it operates like a walkie-talkie, or leaving a voice message for someone, you can go about your day, and then come back to a bunch of happy messages for you, without worrying about missing out.
  3. You get to hear people’s VOICES. In many ways, this medium seems to operate similarly to a Facebook page or group. You leave a message on a ‘wall’, a space where everyone in the group can receive it, and then you may get a few replies. Part of me thinks it would just be quicker and easier to write that message, and definitely quicker to read it (although you can speed up the message by pressing the bunny, once, twice or even three times, to make the ‘ums’ pass more quickly. But it is surprising what a difference it is to hear someone’s news mediated through the sound, accent and tenor of their voice. I can picture them saying it, I can hear the emotion behind the words, I smile when I hear my friends speaking. There’s just something about the sound of a voice that makes a message more intimate.

 

I was wary of it initially because it wanted to have access to all my contacts in my address book. That’s other people’s private information, and I am not comfortable letting a third-party robot access it. But I was happy to discover that you can still use it without giving it your address book details, just by searching for individual people by their names or email addresses.
 

So there you have it. 

But – here’s my confession – I also hate it. 

I thought I would love it, because it is social media involving chatting rather than writing, which feels more sociable and extrovert-y. And then I came to press the record button and leave my first Voxer message and I remembered what it reminded me of: leaving voicemail messages for people. 

I am TERRIBLE at leaving voicemail messages. The beeper beeps and all the words fly out of my head, so I end up saying something like this: 

“Uh – hello. Um – yes, you’re not here, but I was just ringing to chat to you, nothing urgent or anything – just because I thought you would be here. But you’re not. Here, that is. So – I. Will. Ring another time, I guess? Because – you’re not here. Not that that’s a bad thing. You’re totally entitled to be doing something else. Probably something fun. Or not. Um. Anyway. I’ll stop talking now! Because you’re not – here. Yup. So – bye.” 

And just when I have put the phone down with relief, I slap my forehead and redial, and leave another message that goes a little like this: 

“Um – that was Tanya, by the way. Marlow.” 

And then, after I hang up from that message, I slap my forehead again and think, ‘everyone has mobile phones these days! Of course they knew it was me! I should probably leave a message apologising for the obviousness of my last message…’ 

And so it goes on. In a most stressful manner. I can do phone chats, and in real life chats, and Skypes and everything, but somehow the pressure of leaving a succinct and information-filled impromptu speech to someone who I cannot see in front of me is all too much for me. 

So far my Voxer experience has been one of listening to the comfortable chat of my American friends, and responding with a clipped, embarrassed, blithering, bumbling, rambling reply, much like a hapless Hugh Grant character in one of those Richard Curtis comedies. 

Tell me it’s a British thing? No….? Just me? 
 

http://voxer.com/

Over to you:

  • Have you heard of Voxer?
  • Does it appeal to you?

 

P.S. do you like the new site design? I’m still trying to iron out a few kinks! Do let me know what you think of it! 

P.P.S. if you’re signed up to subscriptions, you should get this delivered now by Mailchimp, rather than WordPress, and it should be a seamless transfer. If there are problems – you’re not getting it, or getting it twice, or something, please let me know!

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25 Responses to 3 reasons I love Voxer (and why I hate it too)

  1. Debbie Mika 23rd September, 2013 at 5:55 pm #

    No I hadn’t heard of it, or story 101. I usually close my eyes when I am on the phone and imagine that the person I am speaking to is there with me. I find it easier that way,

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:40 am #

      Story 101 is a FAB online writing course! I can thoroughly recommend it. I like that you imagine the person sitting there with you.

  2. Leigh Kramer 23rd September, 2013 at 5:25 pm #

    I love Voxer because I’m not a big fan of text messaging and I don’t always have time for a lengthy phone call. It’s the perfect combination because I love hearing someone’s voice and tone while they’re talking. Much less miscommunication that way.

    In closing: Vox me, darling!

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:39 am #

      So you’re a Voxy fox! I shall Vox you forthwith!

  3. Mark Allman 23rd September, 2013 at 5:14 pm #

    The new header and your new picture look awesome.

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:39 am #

      Thanks, Mark! I THINK I like it, but I am still trying to see what I can tweak. Thanks for the positive feedback! Do let me know if there are any annoying navigation quirks or things you miss from the old site.

  4. sandra hughes 23rd September, 2013 at 3:55 pm #

    I haven’t heard of it…and prob wouldn’t use it as I don’t like ringing people, or answering the phone, but love to write. I also leave messages like that 🙂

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:38 am #

      I’m glad you leave messages like that too! I’m a bit funny about answering the phone, too, though I like mobile phones because you know who’s calling.

  5. Janice 23rd September, 2013 at 3:26 pm #

    Hi! Never heard or Voxer, so you’re WAY ahead of me. Would I use it??? Hmmmm, not sure. I sort of hate voicemail too, so I’ll have to think about it. But thanks for letting me know about it so I am ‘in the know.’ Because I’m NEVER ‘in the know’. 🙂

    And I do like the new look very much. The only thing I see missing is that I often use the links that used to be along the top of you page that lead to the last and next posts, because I’m awful at checking if you responded to comments. So I’d just scroll back through posts every week or so to read what lovely thing you’d written back. But I see there’s a recent posts area on the side, so that might work for me!

    Hope you have a lovely day!

    • Janice 23rd September, 2013 at 3:27 pm #

      Ooh, and I just saw I can choose to be notified if you respond to my comment, so maybe I just need to actually check out my options before clicking Post! 🙂

      • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:37 am #

        OH!!! And this is super annoying, cos I just installed this new superdupery plugin widget that says it emails people when you get a reply to your comment, but I’ve been testing it, and for some sad, sad reason it doesn’t work. I was so hopeful. I’ve taken it off now so it doesn’t confuse.

        Disqus emails you a reply to your comment, but I don’t know if people like disqus or not. Do you?

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:35 am #

      Hi Janice. I’m also NEVER in the know! It feels good to be hip and trendy, don’t it?

      Thanks SO much for giving me feedback, it’s really useful. I am also annoyed about the lack of previous and next, and debating whether to stick with this theme or not. It’s annoying. I will get my web designer onto it. (That’s Jon).

      Do keep telling me what things you miss about the old one.

  6. Jennifer Lee 23rd September, 2013 at 3:20 pm #

    I recently began using Voxer. And I’m the queen of bumbling messages that don’t say what I really wanted to say.

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:33 am #

      Ha! I’m glad I’m not the only one. 🙂

  7. Alice 23rd September, 2013 at 9:20 am #

    It’s looking very pretty!

    Seriously, voxer sounds like my nightmare. I’ve only just come round to skype – and then only for a select few 😉 !

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:46 am #

      Thank Ye kindly – I’m hoping to iron out a few of the wrinkles on the site. At the moment it feels uncomfortable, like a new pair of jeans.

      And – I’m honoured! 🙂

  8. Juliet 23rd September, 2013 at 9:14 am #

    I’ve been wondering about Voxer because as you say it comes up on the Story 101 website. Way behind you on this but might try it soon. Really made me laugh though, the way you described leaving messages and that slight sense of inferiority faced with the warm loving immediacy and ease of seemingly every American I meet. One day I too…..

    • Tanya 24th September, 2013 at 9:45 am #

      YES! Yes to the sense that all Americans can speak with warm loving immediacy! That’s it, exactly! I’m giving you a solidarity high-five to cold British awkwardness! 🙂

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