Don't Be Afraid

Started in 2009 by a small group in London, UK Audioboo is a free web 2.0 application with this goal:

Our mission is to be the one platform you use when you want to record audio, share it or keep it safe for the future.

Audioboo can be used online or placed on an iPhone, Android or Nokia device.  In the Terms of Service, which must be accepted in order to register and use this application, it states that users must be 13 years of age.  If a user is between the ages of 13 to 17, they and their parents/guardians must read and accept the Terms of Service together. 

At the home page users can immediately sign up by entering in a username, email address and password.  A confirmation email will appear in your inbox with a link immediately.  When the link is clicked a new screen pops up asking if the user wants to change their username (once only), password or delete their account.

Other settings for use can be checked or unchecked: email to user when comments are posted, email to user when user is followed and receipt of the newsletter.  When a message is posted an email will be sent to the user or posted to their Twitter account if they desire.  Click the green update button to lock in your Account Settings.

On the left of this page additions or changes can be made to your Public Profile: real name, location, web address, brief biographical information and a picture.  Under Posting to other sites options are available for using Twitter, Facebook, Posterous, Tumblr or Wordpress.  Users are also reminded that the free account has a three (3) minute limit.

Across the top of this page users can browse by followed, everyone, featured, trending or favourites.  Channels can be viewed by latest, popular or featured.  The my profile tab takes you to your updated profile, showing your boos, who's following you and who you are following.  By clicking on the settings tab the screen for your public profile appears.  Messages takes you to a simple system, compose, inbox, sent and trash.  From this point you can also invite someone to register for audioboo via email.

From this screen go back to the my profile button and click on the New Recording/File Upload button to begin a creating your boo.  A new screen allows for recording, showing the elapsed time, preview of the recording or restart recording.  If you like your recording add a title, description and tags under the Info tab.

Users can choose the Image tab to upload a picture from their computer.  By selecting the Map tab a Google map comes on the screen.  Type in a location in the search box; dragging the microphone to the exact spot.

When those three areas, Info, Image and Map, are completed the user can click the green Publish button or the gray back arrow to start over or fix the recording.  It takes about two minutes for the application to save your boo.

I made in a manner of minutes an initial sample recording to use with my students during Children's Book Week which included the unpredictable sound of my furry friend slurping up every drop of water in her dish.  Another was quickly made. 

To view all the options available for a completed boo go to the My Profile page clicking on the boo title.  The next page allows for:  liking a boo, sharing on Facebook or Twitter, an embed code, adding the boo to a playlist, adding or recording a comment, or editing the boo which includes deletion.

I really enjoyed using Audioboo. It was simple to navigate through the process and the help section are wonderful. Being able to use this on mobile devices is a definite plus. An article on TechCrunch calls it the Twitter for audio; aptly named to be sure.

listen to ‘Children's Book Week’ on Audioboo