Telstra puts voice-to-Facebook posts on Amazon's cloud

Telstra has launched a Facebook application that allows users to create and upload audio posts without an internet connection.

Users of the 'Blurtl' application could record and publish 30-second clips by calling 0458 BLURTL from a registered mobile service, and following the voice prompts.

Recordings were taken on a server in Australia, converted to MP3 format, and then transferred to Amazon's S3 cloud storage service.

The application required access to users' Facebook 'walls' and personal data. A Telstra spokesman said it may share users' information with third-party contractors involved in Blurtl.

"As the supplier of the Blurtl application and service, Telstra may provide this service wholly or partially through third party contractors," she told iTnews.

"We've taken a number of steps to ensure that these organisations are bound by confidentiality and privacy obligations in relation to the protection of personal information."

Amazon's S3 had been chosen for its scalability, reliability and security, the spokesman said. Advertising agency DDB and technical partner Locatrix Communications were also involved in integrating Blurtl with Telstra's network systems.

Once uploaded to Facebook, users' Blurtl messages would be treated "the same as other content uploaded to Facebook", the spokesman said.

Facebook's terms and conditions acknowledged users' ownership of data they posted to the site; however, it claimed a non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free license to use any intellectual property until deletion.

Telstra said users of Blurtl could post their babies' first words, Happy Birthday messages, and engagement announcements.

Noting that Facebook was "by far the most popular" social networking site for Telstra mobile customers, the telco said it currently had no plans to launch Blurtl on other platforms.

Earlier this week, Google teamed up with Twitter to launch a voice-to-web service, Speak to Tweet, which gave Egyptian activists an online voice despite a government-imposed internet blackout.