Facebook adds voice recording to Messenger, testing VoIP service in Canada
If you're a fan of the Facebook Messenger app keep your eye out for an interesting update coming down the pipe today for both the iOS and Android versions. The social network is adding the ability to record and send voice messages, up to one minute in length, to your friends. The goal isn't to create a voice mail system for Facebook, but to give users another option for interacting when typing is either impossible or inconvenient. It works much like the video feature in the company's Poke app -- press and hold the red record button, speak your message and it'll appear in-line as part of your chat, represented by a clickable sound wave icon. Even more interesting though, is the VoIP capabilities that are being flipped on for Canadian users. It's a little buried at the moment -- hidden behind the "i" icon in the chat window -- but everyone's favorite social network is now offering a way to place free voice calls to friends. Interestingly, the platform is built on open source technology and not on its Skype partnership. If things go well in the land of maple trees and Mounties we imagine it wont be too long before America gets a taste of VoIP calling Facebook style.
