06-23-2006, 10:00 PM
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Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
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Push To Talk A Needed / Wanted Feature?
"The push-to-talk technology that lets mobile callers talk instantly with the push of a button has been standardized, a mobile industry group announced Tuesday at the CommunicAsia conference in Singapore. The Open Mobile Alliance's push-to-talk standard, called POC 1.0, has received the group's final approval, giving sellers of handsets and mobile application servers a way to make push-to-talk work across a multivendor network. It will also let subscribers make push-to-talk calls to people on other carriers' networks, said Jari Alvinen, chairman of the board of the OMA."
Push To Talk (PTT) is one of those technologies that I waiver between thinking "That would really be cool" to "That would really be annoying" depending on the day. I do know that I feel sorry for those who have it and forget about it, leaving their purses and pockets to start talking to them without warning. Do you want PTT on your next device? Do you think it would be useful or less than optimal?
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Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
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06-23-2006, 10:13 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,768
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While it can be annoying, it is also very useful. This is especially true in certain trades where a constant verbal connection is extremely handy. I know that in various construction trades, real estate, and others find it indespensable. I think having the feature with the option to change its behaviour (such as allowing for being offline but still take phone calls) would make it desirable for all. That said, I would not want this feature at the cost of other things that may be more desirable.
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Jonathan (JonnoB)
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke
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06-23-2006, 10:19 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 498
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I find it annoying at just about all times (and mildly tolerate it the others). If there was a way to employ a STFU (shut the *%*$@! up) button to make the other user take his/her finger off the button, then maybe. But as it stands (at least on the Nextel side of things), if the other user gets to talking, there's no way to get a word in edgewise. (And this happens frequently with my coworkers.) And the concept of "instant connection" is bogus. It lets you blurt out whatever you want to say, but the recipient still has to pull their phone out and open it or whatever. It's not instant. It just allows the first person to yell loudly and embarass the recipient. (And at least if no one picks up/answers, I get their voicemail on a normal call.) Not that I'm bitter about it or anything.
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06-23-2006, 10:53 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,108
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I have no need or desire for PTT. I can only envision it being annoying, and if somebody really needs to talk to me, they can use the phone the way it was intended.
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06-23-2006, 11:07 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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WHY? on a push to talk system does it have to be designed such that each participant has to hold the instrument a foot from their face, and either yell at it, or require the immediate vacinity (city block) to hear as well. WHY? doesn't it just use the regular mic/speaker as on a regular call, just requiring you to push the button to talk? Oh, wait, then it would be just a phone call.
I don't have one of these monstrosities, but doesn't the initiator have to at least pick the recipient out of a list before pushing to talk the first time? Is that significantly different than picking a name out of a list and dialing? Oh, yea, the PTT is instant (sort of) on the receiving end, not requiring the recipient to answer the phone before hearing (along with those around him) "Get your A$$ to the office." Guess it's the instant gratification that seems to be so important these days. Waiting for someone to answer the call, just takes too darn long. Never mind that the first response will probably be, "Could you repeat that, the phone was in my pocket (purse, briefcase, locker, desk drawer).
Maybe it's just the generation that likes this is too young to have ever had a CB radio. I'm really surprised I don't hear more "Breaker, breaker, this here's the Duck. How copy, over." "Hey, Duck, this is Bugger. Got you loud and clear, how me, over." "Five-by, what's your 20, good buddy?"
Bad enough I have to listen to one side of other's conversations. Having to listen to both is even less tolerable.
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Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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06-24-2006, 12:53 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 2
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For a Personal phone no.
But this feature is a workhorse in company I work for, it's cheap and quick. That said if any of my employee's push the d@#n button and start to babble on, at least the people on his end get to hear me chew him out. Yes there is a private button where you use it like a phone with no annoying beeps or two sided conversations.
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06-24-2006, 01:41 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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I'd rather have Push To Tazer, to use on those damn fools who inisist on using Push To Talk.
Having to listen to one side of somebody else's cell phone conversation is bad enough. Listening to both sides is far more annoying.
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iPhone 4! ☠☠☠ Mid-2010 15" MacBook Pro! ☠☠☠ Gateway LT2102h! ☠☠☠ Dell XPS M1210!
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06-24-2006, 02:06 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6
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I'll keep it brief. If you don't work out in the field (Civil engineering, or Field technician, EPA, etc), then you probably have no reason to have want it. But to ridicule it as a feature is pretty ignorant.
The reason why you need to talk into it from half a meter from your face is because it's a shared technology with CB radio/Cell. Although, not as elegant as you see the Police/fire/EMS dispatch use on a regular basis. The receiver (boom) is cheaply design to keep the cost of the phone itself to a minimum.
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06-24-2006, 02:11 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 498
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
I'd rather have Push To Tazer
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:rofl:
Priceless...
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06-24-2006, 02:57 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,725
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I've never used a PTT device before, but I assume (maybe wishful thinking) that there's a way to turn off PTT capabilities when you don't want to be disturbed. Am I right?
If so, then I'd definitely like this in my next Smartphone. While I probably wouldn't use it that often, I can think of a few times when it would come in very handy, namely, when setting up computers with others, for LAN parties, etc. Really, any situation where you would need brief conversations with a few people, but you're too busy to stay on the line with them for a long time.... and I think that's exactly what PTT was (and good ole' walkie-talkies were) designed for.
Annoying? Possibly, but as long as you can disable this, I could see this being very useful.
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