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Aliph gets into the app game with Jawbone Thoughts voice messaging

Joanna Stern
Updated ·4 min read


We know, it's a bit odd to see the Jawbone name attached to something other than a Bluetooth headset or speaker, but Aliph is forging into the application game with a new voice messaging service for iOS. Called Thoughts, the software is basically like text messaging or instant messaging with voice. The free audio-based messaging iPhone app, which should be hitting the App Store today, lets you send short audio recordings to either a single contact or a group with a tap of a button. We got a chance to check it out at the D: Dive into Mobile conference this week and found the whole thing to be a really great way to circumvent voicemails or longer texts -- all you have to do is tap the name of your contact and then leave a short voice message. There's absolutely no ringing or waiting. If and when that contact responds it appears as a threaded message, and if you're in an area that isn't conducive to listening to those thrilling messages, there's also a transcription feature. The app should be hitting today, but if you need more details before tapping install, hit the break for the full press release and a short promo video.


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Jawbone THOUGHTS Combines the Power of Voice with the Efficiency of Text
Jawbone's New iPhone App Lets Users Send Voice Messages Instantly Without Calling

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Dec. 9 – Jawbone, the leader in personal mobile technology, today unveiled Jawbone THOUGHTS, an iPhone application that allows users to easily send quick voice messages to individuals and groups, without typing or calling. The application combines the speed of texting, the group collaboration of email, and the emotional quality of voice all in one. Available as a free download in the Apple App store, THOUGHTS is the latest innovation from Jawbone.

"We live in a world that is 100% mobile, 100% connected and unfortunately 150% distracted. Reading and typing doesn't work when you need your hands and eyes to navigate the physical world. While there has been a tremendous amount of innovation in text based messaging, all of it lacks the richness of voice," explains Travis Bogard, Vice President of Product Management and Strategy at Jawbone. "THOUGHTS is our solution to these realities by integrating all the things we love from text-based communications with the power of voice. We think it's a really powerful way to share ideas quickly."

With Jawbone THOUGHTS, users can send a "Thought," which is a voice message up to one minute in length, by simply selecting a contact or group, speaking into an iPhone or Jawbone ICON headset, and tapping POST – no more stopping whatever you're doing, no more typing long messages on cramped keyboards. And because Jawbone THOUGHTS sends messages in the user's own voice, there's no need to re-explain or run the risk of a message being misconstrued.

Sometimes messages are better spoken than written. THOUGHTS reintroduces emotion and personality into mobile communication. Users can sing a birthday song, congratulate a colleague, joke around with friends, coordinate a dinner, or share big news with all the people they care about, such as "We're having a baby!" Nothing conveys information more personally and sincerely than the human voice.

Jawbone THOUGHTS is the ultimate collaboration tool that allows a user to send a message to anyone in their phone's address book. Contacts with the THOUGHTS app will receive the message in THOUGHTS and recipients without the application will receive a link to the audio message via text or email. The asynchronous design of the application allows the sender to share a Thought at the time of the idea and the recipient to listen and reply when convenient for them. THOUGHTS' interactive interface allows users to hold multiple discussions at once – automatically organizing conversations as users reply and allowing recipients to quickly and easily see who said what and when. Additionally, for situations when a user may prefer to read a message (in a restaurant or meeting), THOUGHTS can transcribe the audio message instantly into text.

Jawbone THOUGHTS is free to install and available online at the Apple iPhone® App store and at mytalk.jawbone.com. To learn more about Jawbone THOUGHTS, go to Jawbone.com/thoughts.

About Jawbone
For more than a decade, Jawbone has produced personal wireless technologies unparalleled in their innovation, ease-of-use and sophistication of design. The Company is the creator of the award-winning and best-selling premium ICON Bluetooth headset, the inventor of NoiseAssassin® technology, the world's first and only military-grade noise-eliminating technology, and of JAMBOX, the first intelligent wireless speaker and speakerphone. A 2010 IDSA Design of the Decade winner, Jawbone is committed to delivering innovative products that improve the mobile lifestyle through ever-changing software and wearability. Jawbone is privately-held and headquartered in San Francisco.

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For more information, images and product demo, please visit:
http://www.jawbone.com/thoughts