Problem: Relay is in your pocket, you feel it vibrate, by the time you get it to where you can hear it, the message has already played.
Solution: A mode where the message does not play until you tap a button. So, Relay vibrates, light ring lights up and stays on (or blinks) and audio doesn’t play until the user does something to make it play.
This also would act as a “mute” function of sorts so that audio isn’t played in an environment where it isn’t appropriate.
So not to get too prescriptive, you’re looking for a way to leave a message to be played later?
Similar to delayed listening or reading of messages when VM, text or email received? A repeat/ play again option?
Here’s the sepcific situation I’ve had. And it has happened about 20 times in the one day we’ve had the units. I have unit in pocket, kid talks, I take Relay out just in time to catch last word and have to say “sorry, I didn’t hear that.” Message is repeated. It would be nice to be able to delay that message until the unit is out of my pocket, or to repeat it. One message of depth is enough. Having the last message cached and being able to repeat it would serve the purpose.
Might be a learning curve, but we have had several “can you repeat” messages so far as well.
Like a walkie talkie, can “Say Again” work? I say this because there may be complications with making this work on anything other than the companion app. There are not a lot of options for this on the relay itself. One thing I remember from my Army days is they said to “Key the talk button then give it a second or two before talking.” Maybe it can be fun doing the “Overs”, “10-4/copy” “Stand by” etc…
I am not saying there is not a way to integrate these things that the traditional Walkie Talkie world had to overcome, just that with a device that has no screen and 3 buttons it can get complicated fast so the old ways may have value.
Thoughts?
Maybe a post here evaluating old fashioned walkie talkie etiquette and terms might be fun. A blast from the past.
I get your point, but it would be great if the advantage the Relay has over traditional services isn’t just range and security.
I’m thinking something like a double tap of the talk button plays back the last message received. Having only a light idea of how things work under the hood leaves me to think this wouldn’t be impossible.
It’d also be a great start to have the capability in the app.
On rev 1 we have a walkie-talkie that works over cellular and has GPS, remote battery and remote availability checking. Soon we have a bunch of other channels(listed on our site) coming that will all be vying for the same 3 buttons.
I like your idea but we are going to use this forum to discuss ideas and refine them so they are able to mature into a solution to a problem. All ideas mature, grow and change as needs are identified.
I agree with the problem, which is why I am responding. I have experienced this too and not just with a Relay.
“I am not always able to get to my Relay in time to hear the message that was just sent and do not want to miss the message”
"Cache the last message played and allow replaying it with some button combination or command"
Benefits:
Problems:
Ex.
Jimmy - “Dad, can you pick me up at Bobby’s house?”…Key…“We just got back from the Zoo”…Key…“Did you hear me?”
Dad - “Sure”
“Just ask the sender to repeat their message”
Benefits:
Ex.
Jimmy - “Dad, can you pick me up at Bobby’s house?”…Key…“We just got back from the Zoo.”
Dad - “What did you say? The Relay was in my Pocket.”
Jimmy - “Can you pick me up at Bobby’s house?”
Dad - “Sure”
Problems:
“Have the sender ask if you are available before sending the body of the message”
Benefits:
Ex.
Jimmy - “Hey Dad. Are you there?”
Dad - “Yeah go ahead, sport”
Jimmy - “Can you pick me up at Bobby’s house?”
Dad - “Sure”
In our first design ALL messages were stored and had to be “read”. It quickly proved to be pretty unusable with even modest chatter. We’ve also tested a variety of ways of “overloading” the primary button, such as double clicks, single press vs long press, etc. There are some positives (such as just playing the last message) but we haven’t found a solution that we feel is simple enough. We’ll keep testing and trying.
I agree with the pocket situation and last message not being heard. Our family just got used to saying “can you repeat that”, but we are definitely looking at solving it in other ways. We love the feedback, please keep it coming!
We’ve gotten used to it too, but I paid attention today and I said it, get ready, 22 times. That’s just not a great user experience. As a user, there’s no development burden on me so I greatly prefer Sean’s option 1 versus those that put the burden on the user. I really don’t want to start each communication with: “Hey Cooter, you got your ears on?”
22 is definitely a lot - thanks for giving us the details. It really helps.
The development burden doesn’t bother us - we’ll always invest where needed to deliver a better user experience. We had a few design options for this exact situation (last message on the channel), which we didn’t love since they introduced compromises in other areas, but we agreed to revisit based on user feedback. Would you be interested in testing some of these features?
Let me say, 22 would not be common for a normal day. But my favorite use case for my Relays is what we were doing today, which was for basically 10 hours roaming around in the outdoors, my Relay was never sitting on a table next to me, in a place that was easily accessible, it was in a snapped pocket on my shorts. It may only be a few times on a normal day, but I anticipate this type of usage at least two or three times a month, so often enough that it would be annoying.
In any case, I’m always open to testing.
I think you guys are going over the board with this. When you are calling on the phone, the ringing brings your attention. By the time you answer, you are ready to listen.
With Relay - Walkie-talkie, you need to bring the attention first, then deliver the actual message. So, it is about behavioral change, not technology gap. I am on Medical Emergency Response Team at my work and I carry radio with me. The protocol always requires bringing attention, wait for response, then say the message.
Further to this topic. If your Relay is in the pocket, it might be difficult to hear it, while when you have it at your face, it is just right. Perhaps, the talk button can have 2 push levels just like the trigger in digital cameras. The first (light) push is for regular talking, the second (harder) push forces the receiving relay(s) to max the volume. This would require hardware change.
Reasonable for the parents to adopt it it? They seem to be the ones asking for a change.
We do want to consider it but this is the point of an idea area. Discussion leads to refinement. The alternative is is making things that do not work the way people want or that few want .
We will have to be selective, so this discourse helps.
You’re solution solves a problem, just pointed out there are multiple ways to solve the same problem. Some may agree and some may not.
Exactly. Not very hard for my children to adapt. They just have to learn the nuances.
They maybe ahead of the learning curve as they have been use to talking on radios for years.
Here’s a guide to radio words, definitions, and use : http://www.dem.ri.gov/topics/erp/4_3.pdf
