A video review from 8K Guy about our Nomu T18S and TK1000 model.
Learn what’s unique about Made-For-PTT phones.
Transcript of the Video Review
Hi there hey guys here and today we'll be taking a look at two of the talkies by Smart Walkie. So unlike all the other products that I've reviewed here this products are not meant for a general consumers but for businesses.
Regular walkie talkies rely on radio transmissions but Smart Walkie uses mobile data. Thanks to that you can send images to other walkies and it works without any range limitation as long as you have internet.
How is this different from downloading a messaging app like WhatsApp? VoicePing walkie talkie app which is essentially free well
There are three reasons why businesses in Singapore may want to opt for a smart walkie. Number one is the Push-To-Talk button as well as a the knob for quick changing of channels. This allow the person using it to talk to someone on the other end quickly and efficiently.
Next is that that because in these devices can get really loud, this thing is something that's meant to be highly outside most of the time and that is really important.
Lastly, these devices come with features that will suit the requirements of the users. They are rugged and are designed in a way that you can conveniently use them at work. For example both of these come with a clip so that you can hook them on your belt when not in use.
if you don't need any of the above features then well you can just download your app on the Play Store or App Store. on your mobile device for both devices
The pricing with the devices is the same at $40 per month for 24 months contract. You must be thinking right now how are they price the same? Well you are paying for the service and the device is free of charge.
Let's take a look at what each of them have to offer. Beginning with a normal 4.7 inch display with a row of capacitive buttons. Right below as well a host to buttons because on top we have a buttons that you will never be using as well.
A front facing five megapixel camera whose qualities are bad as you expect but it's good enough to capture while you are outdoor with decent lighting. We also have a camera on the rear whose qualities are equally as abysmal.
Below that we have some buttons. We shall talk about more later. There is a clip in the middle and that panel is removable for battery. On the top left we have a micro SD and a SIM card slot which you shouldn't touch.
Below that is a red button that is the push-to-talk button. It is textured and quite easily to quickly find.
On the other side, we have a charging port and audio jack. Below is another red button that does nothing at the moment. There is a power button and a fingerprint scanner.
The power button doesn't have a lot travel and is quite hard to click. It is also a little too low for my liking. The fingerprint scanner is disabled
On top, we have a radio antenna that isn't in use. There is a knob for for changing frequencies. There is nothing of interest at the bottom back.
You can connect a detachable camera. See these buttons they allow you to quickly take photo or a color video without having to wait. The display quality of camera isn't any better than their previous ones I've talked about.
Next, let's take a look at the Tokie. Unlike the Nomu, this has a much smaller display and there are many physical buttons right under the 2.4 inch touchscreen. But you don't have to use it to interact with the UI.
What this means is that you can use the device even with gloves on. Above the display is a camera. Once again very mediocre quality. On the rear, we also have a camera and a removable panel that gives you access to a battery.
The removable holder is available but that blocks the camera on top. We have two buttons for changing channels as well as the SOS button which is partially blocked when the holder is on.
On the left there is a Push-to-Talk button between the volume buttons. It is easily identified by the large size.
There is also a new button below that instantly makes the volume reduce.
To the right there is the microUSB charging slot and a power button. Again this button does not have a lot of travel and its position a little too low for my liking.
On a moderate usage both devices will last you about full day of use.
Nomu looks like the more modern and is the obvious option. It is bulkier and you can really use it with gloves on so choose the one that suits your work better.
Now to the software. Both of these devices are powered by Android but there is a special interface that we limits what can be done. You will have to especially request to add apps like that you need.
The home screen interface is a very polished and is usable. Icons are large for easy identification.
Something I really like is the app VoicePing and you can find it in the Google Play Store or the App Store. It comes with a free trial which is limited in features and the number of channels you can connect.
So you will want to sign up for Enterprise version which comes with a free device. The app gets the basic functions of a walkie talkie right. You can create channels with another Smart Walkie. Push the PTT button or the onscreen button to talk in a group.
You can even send messages or videos to others. You can also type our messages instead of talking.
If someone from another channel you are not currently on talks to you, you'll be moved to a channel so you can quickly reply the person
If you have set a favorite channel, you will return to your favorite channel after a few seconds of inactivity. You can mute channels if you don't want to hear from them right. By enabling the app to run in the background, you can can also hear incoming messages without having to open the app.
Improvements
There's a lot of room for improvements with regards to the app. It works well but isn't very user friendly.
Firstly you can benefit with some that the labeling and organization. The way you tell which channel is set as your favorite channel is that you will always appear as the first icon on the second page. But I wish there was also an icon to indicate that is your favorite Channel.
Next your profile page is buried in the settings when in my opinion it should be really somewhere more obvious.
Next I wish that was faster way to move a channel instead of having to look into its profile.
Lastly I feel that the favorite channel system should be replaced with something more flexible. Here's my suggestion, a sign about the narrow taste between
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It's a Smart Walkie and a good walkie-talkie solution. No doubts even though there is still room for improvements, it does everything you expect from a walkie-talkie well plus more. But the question you should be asking is how you will use such an intelligent walkie-talkie
So that's the end of this review if you like this video to leave a like on our Facebook page and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Goodbye