Audioboo relaunches with a brand new app

The popular "audio blogging" service Audioboo has relaunched with a brand new, separately downloadable version known as "Audioboo 2" despite being version 3.0 of the app. Audioboo Classic, as the previous version is now known, is being retired and replaced with the new app, which is available now as a free download from the App Store. A beta version of Audioboo 2 is also available for Android devices via Google Play. Audioboo, for the uninitiated, is a service that allows its users to post short sound clips and then share them with the Audioboo community. The service is a popular one that is used by both individuals and brands to discuss and promote a wide variety of different topics. The standard free Audioboo account only allows users to post up to five minutes of audio at a time, but the Web-based Audioboo service allows users to upgrade to a Plus or Pro account for longer recordings suitable for use as podcasts or "audio editions" of websites or print publications. Many popular online content providers (including The Guardian and the BBC) already make use of the service in its Pro incarnation. There does not appear to be a means to upgrade to Plus or Pro accounts within the app -- only via the Web. Upon starting Audioboo 2 for the first time, the user is prompted to either register or sign in with either an Audioboo or Twitter account. The interface's wording is a little misleading and could be read to imply that an Audioboo account is the same as a Twitter account. It is, however, possible to register and/or sign in to Audioboo without having a Twitter account. Users also have the option to browse the Audioboo feeds without signing in -- if they choose to do this, they can listen to Boos, but not take advantage of the service's more advanced features. The Audioboo 2 app is split into several distinct components. The Browse section allows users to find new content either by looking at a feed of featured Boos, browsing by category or exploring curated channels. There is also a search function for those looking for specific content. Tapping on a Boo's title starts it playing, while tapping on the arrow to the right of the title switches to a page of more detailed information. From here, users are able to download the Boo for offline playing; share it via Twitter, Facebook, Pinboard, Tumblr, email or SMS/iMessage; add it to one of their "boards," which are effectively private playlists; mark it as a favorite; or report its content as inappropriate. Recording a new Boo is a simple matter of tapping the Record button in the lower-middle of the toolbar, then tapping the Record button again on the new page that appears. Once the recording is complete, the Boo can have an image and further information attached to it before publishing to the service. Once it is published, it is visible (and audible) to all other Audioboo users, and is also stored in the app's My Boos section for later review. Boos do not have to be published immediately -- they may be saved as drafts and completed later if desired. Audioboo 2 also incorporates the service's Private Boos feature, introduced by a "private" message from popular British broadcaster and Internet personality Stephen Fry. Users may send a direct, Private Boo to any user by viewing their profile and then tapping the appropriate button. Audioboo's website still lists this as a feature of Pro accounts, but it now appears to be available to all users. Audioboo 2 is a good evolution from its previous incarnation. The new interface is simple, clean and intuitive to navigate, and will be instantly comfortable to anyone who has ever used a mobile-social app before. The free version of the service offers plenty of features through which users can express themselves, and the available content runs the gamut from personal "audio blog" posts to full-length professional-quality podcasts. For those who enjoy always having something to listen to -- or something to talk about -- the new version of Audioboo is well worth the download. You can follow Audioboo 2's progress with AppData, our tracking service for mobile and social apps and developers.

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Audioboo relaunches with a brand new app

Pete Davison

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