TalkingPics – Review
By App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: Stone Design
Version #: 1.3
Date Released: 2008-07-10
Developer: Big Stone Phone
Price: 6.99
User Rating:
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Talking Pics has the odd disadvantage of having been released at the same time that the App Store went on line. As a result, it might be easy to overlook it. That, however, would be a mistake since it is a flexible and easy-to-use productivity tool that lets you collect audio and photos and text and bring them all together. It is great for capturing personal memories but I can also see a wide range of professional uses, as well. For example, while visiting a museum one could grab images of various displays and add voice notes that capture the initial excitement (or not) in real time. If one is doing research it can be a great way to quickly capture various elements of a given project and record thoughts, steps etc at each stage.
While there are numerous applications available that function as audio recorders, and even allow you to take a picture and add audio, this application does so in a way that, in my opinion, is far more useful. While you can take an individual image and add voice and/or text, the real power of the application comes when collections of recordings, notes, photos and maps are bundled into projects. These, in turn, can be viewed individually or played as slideshows and the number of projects, and the images, notes etc in them is unlimited.
From there, individual files and entire projects can be uploaded using a Safari or Internet Explorer browser. If you are using a Mac you can even use Stone Design’s Videator to create a Quicktime movie.
There are countless uses for Talking Pics and the Big Stone Phone website suggests a few such as…
Family interviews or newspaper interviews.
Doctor visits! Never lose information again.
Meetings for work or brainstorming with friends.
Family trips to the zoo or a vacation.
Live music, demo recordings, found sounds.
Record traffic accident info right away.
Students lecture recordings.
As I noted at the beginning of this review, it would be easy to overlook as veteran app like Talking Pics. I know I did. Having taken a fresh look at it recently, however, I realize that was a mistake. This app has a whole lot to offer and something tells me I’ll be using it a great deal.
Quick Take
Value: High (When first released it was $9.99.) At its current price of $6.99 I think it is a good value. No, it is not the $.99 so many think is the only reasonable price for an app but I think $6.99 is more than fair for a quality application like this.
Would I Buy Again: YES
Learning Curve: Low, that’s part of the draw of this app.
Who is it for: Anyone who uses an iPhone
What I like: leverages the combination of the camera, text, and voice and does it better than other applications
What I Don’t: nothing really, I really like this application and I’m pleased to have "rediscovered" it
Final Statement: Again, there are other voice recorders and there are other applications that allow you to take pictures and voice notes — this one doesn’t really well and that makes it worth the price.
O U R T A K E . . .
