Android News
Vlingo makes its voice search and command app free to compete with Google Voice Actions
August 12, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
Android News, Tools
Vlingo has earned praise for its app that performs voice search and voice commands on Android phones. The product is great, but at $9.99, it’s not going to be easy for them to compete with that other voice command app announced today.
In response to the announcement of Google Voice Actions, Vlingo has decided to drop the price of its premium app to the same cost of Voice Actions – nothing. Android users are now “free to compare,” as the company said, giving people more options to voice dial, send SMS, use speech-to-text, and more.
Vlingo sees the writing on the wall and has opted to make its app free as a way to get in the hands of more potential users. The company argues that it has features that Voice Action currently lacks or doesn’t perform as well; Vlingo probably sees this as a necessary step to build its brand and adopt a new business model. Download from the Android Market and see for yourself if this stacks up to Voice Actions.
Our current Android product leverages Facebook and Twitter for example (and here’s a hint—look for more such mash ups coming out very soon in our Vlingo for Android product). And of course we also have other features not yet present in Voice Actions, such as our SafeReader feature that reads your incoming text and email messages to you.
[Vlingo] via AndroidCentral
Its a little late to give your app for free after google starts distributing a similar one. I will probably always use a native one over third party.
The customers who have already purchased the app at regular price will probably be pretty upset at the sudden price drop. There are so many voice command apps out there to compete with now, so it's understandable why they would do so. Next week we're posting a Top 10 Driving App and Top 10 Safe Driving App article in our blog, so stop by and check it out. 9blogger @ blog.ninemultimedia.com
SInce the majority of Android users are still on 2.1 and Google's Voice Actions is only available for 2.2, Vlingo still has a viable product in the short term. I've been using it and find it to be very capable.
I got Vlingo free with my Samsung Galaxy S. I'm stuck with Eclair for at least another 45 days, so I'd stick with Vlingo for now. But from what I see, I'll not be using for longer that that.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S and Vlingo asks me for an activation code? I don't have a code and have no idea where to get one? Why is it asking. This app came with the phone via Samsung apps.
Hi, have you found out anything about the activation code, I am in the same situation? thanks
Vlingo is available on the Samsung app store but that one asks for an activation code too.
So if you have Froyo 2.2 and the new Google Voice Search you don't really need this do you? And what about the other one Edwin? It seems like it's pretty neat turning things off and on and asking the time and other stuff.. But for now I am happy with the new voice search.
It's definitely not necessary if you have Google Voice Search. It's more a preference of which you think is best and produces the best results for you. So far Ihaven't switched from Vlingo to Voice ACtions but you may have given me an idea for a new comparison post.