Ryan MacMillan

I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone developed a voice-mail version of Twitter and here it is: Pinger.

Whilst it is a service low on original thought, it is a service with a fair degree of potential. One simply calls up the Pinger number, chooses who they want to receive the message (either groups or individuals) and then leaves the message. Pinger then texts all the intended receipients telling them they have a message waiting and where to listen to this message (i.e. a phone number). The recipient(s) call up the number and voila - they can listen to the message.

Pretty simple system - and its not that expensive to boot: Only the cost of making the call to leave or listen to a message.

The obvious benefit this has over text is that text doesn’t get across tone as well as voice does - a voice message is more personal than 160 characters. Its also better than standard voicemail as it can get the same message to lots of people rather than the user making lots of individual calls to leave the same message.

The only odd feature the makers push is how its safer than texting whilst driving; they dedicate a fair portion of their website to facts and figures about how nearly 50% of Americans text and drive but that 89% beleive this to be dangerous. What’s worrying (aside from the 11% of Americans who think texting and driving is fine) is how Pinger promotes making calls whilst driving instead. Two issues here: what’s so important that it can’t wait until the end of the journey? But more importantly why are they promoting any interaction with cell phones whilst driving - surely its safer to leave the damn thing alone and concentrate on not crashing.

Still this is America we’re dealing with…

Casual prejudice aside this is a cool service that I can imagine a lot of peope using for a variety of tasks. But before you get too excited its worth noting that at present Pinger exists in the US only. Still, i’m sure its only a matter of time before we see it reach our shores but remember folks: you heard it here first!