A few months back I reviewed the Voxer app. It was an app that worked both on Android as well as iOS mobile devices to message with text, voice, and pictures. It didn’t appear to be an app that was created for iOS, but adapted for it. Yet, it seemed it was the only horse in town that could handle all your messaging needs. No longer.
The Coco Voice app seems more built for iOS, but still handles Android as well. Yet it just has a more natural fit on your iPad or iPhone. You can message virtually anyone you want, can send voice messages to Facebook and Twitter, and can even do a group chat.
Like many apps, Coco Voice gives you the choice of either signing up with your own account, or just signing in using Facebook. After signing in, you can set up your profile as you see fit. My numerical username was just automated when I signed up, but I could change it to something more memorable if I choose. The settings can be changed here as well, as far as Notifications and if new messages should be auto-played, previewed, or both.
The Inbox not only holds your incoming messages, but is also the place to send audio messages to your Facebook or Twitter. Initiating one of them asks you to sign in to your preferred social network, then it’s just a matter of recording your message. This is one thing Voxer doesn’t do. The Inbox is also where you verify your phone. You supply the phone number, and Coco sends you a code by text. After doing this, the app shows you which of your phone contacts are signed up with Coco.
Signing up with Facebook and/or Twitter places a status message on your page mentioning the benefits of Coco Voice, and also how your friends can contact you at Coco. I also sent a separate Facebook message which added an audio file and allowed me to add whatever text I wanted to.
Coco Voice also includes a Social page to both find friends and spread the word. You can connect with your “mobile friends,” meaning your friends you already talk and text with on your phone, tablet, and iPod. There is also an option to finds new friends that are local to your area, but personally I find that a little frightening. Down at the bottom are options to advertise the app on Facebook, Twitter, and/or email. You can let everyone know how they can contact you.
Aside from the Social Networks messaging, you can also use Coco Voice to message with the people you would normally text with. While you can send text messages and pictures, you can also send voice messages. By having the AutoPlay setting turned off, the message will just sit in your inbox waiting for you to listen to it. This plays out exactly the way it does on Voxer, yet this has a much more iOS-like look to it.
Coco Voice also manages to fix the one thing I wished Voxer would do, or at least it does on the larger screen of the iPad. It allows me to use the app in landscape mode. However, the iPhone version only allows for it to be used it portrait mode. If I’m on my phone, I really don’t care whether it’s landscape or portrait; it’s mostly just when I’m on my iPad since I use it on a keyboard stand. Because of these extras with Coco Voice, I prefer it over Voxer.
Coco Voice
Laura has spent nearly 20 years writing news, reviews, and op-eds, with more than 10 of those years as an editor as well. She has exclusively used Apple products for the past three decades. In addition to writing and editing at MTE, she also runs the site’s sponsored review program.
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