I tried this with my app, Escape Pod, which has a recording feature. It refuses to record when the microphone is "in use" by another application. Fairly sure it's an OS level lock rather than anything I'm doing wrong.
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REQ: iPhone app for recording phone calls
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I tried this with my app, Escape Pod, which has a recording feature. It refuses to record when the microphone is "in use" by another application. Fairly sure it's an OS level lock rather than anything I'm doing wrong.
Annoying
I am jumping onto this thread FOUR MONTHS later out of sheer aggravation. Every time I google for a way to record LEGAL PHONE INTERVIEWS on the iPhone I get this same "You know it's illegal blah blah blah."
Well, guess what, I am a professional journalist who has been LEGALLY RECORDING MY PHONE INTERVIEWS FOR 20+ YEARS AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS CONTINUE TO DO IT SO I CAN DO MY JOB! There are lots of people who do the same thing I do for a living and we would also like to find ways to make technology work FOR us not against us. We do not need these endless scoldings over phone recording legalities.
Having exhausted the internet -- and my patience -- I'm just going to radio shack tomorrow for a phone ear thingie. Thank god for Radio Shack where they don't ask questions.
I am jumping onto this thread FOUR MONTHS later out of sheer aggravation. Every time I google for a way to record LEGAL PHONE INTERVIEWS on the iPhone I get this same "You know it's illegal blah blah blah."
Well, guess what, I am a professional journalist who has been LEGALLY RECORDING MY PHONE INTERVIEWS FOR 20+ YEARS AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS CONTINUE TO DO IT SO I CAN DO MY JOB! There are lots of people who do the same thing I do for a living and we would also like to find ways to make technology work FOR us not against us. We do not need these endless scoldings over phone recording legalities.
Having exhausted the internet -- and my patience -- I'm just going to radio shack tomorrow for a phone ear thingie. Thank god for Radio Shack where they don't ask questions.
maybe you should have thought about what features you needed before you got an iphone?
Actually, it's a felony in Georgia to record without consent from all parties. In pretty much all situations, it's not a matter of letting the other party know, you have to have their consent. If you say you're recording, and they say "NO", it's illegal regardless.
In states where consent isn't required, most have it worded that unless it's for your own private use (can't be used in public or in legal cases), then it's OK.
Just because you think it's legal doesn't make it so. Depending what state you're in, taping conversations for any reason without total consent may be illegal. When you ask a question somewhere that has legal ramifications, expect to be questioned.
And why do you assume that I do not have consent with interview subjects to be taped?
Have to agree with Heidi's rant here. No matter how many times you explain that you are in a situation where consent is being given, the discussion always seems to focus on legalities. And it's always the same old arguments. Quite tedious, really.
In my experience, people routinely give permission to record business telecons where complex technical discussions are the topic. I usually email the recording to the other parties afterwards and it's a great resource for all.
Yes, it's possible to break the law if you record a conversation without consent. We get it. Now, please, let's get past that and talk about the (software) options.
In my experience, people routinely give permission to record business telecons where complex technical discussions are the topic. I usually email the recording to the other parties afterwards and it's a great resource for all.
Yes, it's possible to break the law if you record a conversation without consent. We get it. Now, please, let's get past that and talk about the (software) options.
I bet morons diverting topic are paid by evil company.
That is probably why you have to jailbreak iphone to install app like this:
http://iphone.iusethis.com/app/record-a-call
or pay bucks to proxy jackals like spoofcard.com
Ironically jailbreaking puts you into illegal territory per evil company "policy" but hey isn't this intended ? IMHO decision not to include so many standard features on iphone is about evil company greed.
It is by where the two parties are actually located.
If you are in Hawaii making a phone call with a SC number, Hawaii law determines what happens.
If two parties are in different states, the one with the most restrictive rules apply as far as I know.
IE You can't get around a two party requirement by calling someone in a two party state from a one party state.
Whatever state you are in when making the call and whatever state the recipient is in when receiving the call determines what laws apply.
Re: Annoying
As far as I understand recording calls on a "standard issue" iPhone is not possible. The developer kit only allows access to audio in/out when the "phone app" is inactive.
Net-net: To record calls on an iPhone using software you will have to jailbreak the phone and use apps like . I know this is a deal-breaker for most non-engineer iPhone users, but in case you want to better understand what jailbreaking your iPhone is like, here's a great primer.
As far as I understand recording calls on a "standard issue" iPhone is not possible. The developer kit only allows access to audio in/out when the "phone app" is inactive.
Net-net: To record calls on an iPhone using software you will have to jailbreak the phone and use apps like . I know this is a deal-breaker for most non-engineer iPhone users, but in case you want to better understand what jailbreaking your iPhone is like, here's a great primer.
My own solutions
I'm a professional journalist myself and I've been recording my interviews (legally) for more than 20 years too. Without a software solution I'd suggest looking at the Radio Shack recording solution for cordless phones. It's a small box which plugs into the headset outlet and then offers a audio output plug which you can plug into your recorder, and an input plug for a headset. It's a bit of a pain because you've got wires all over the place and it doesn't really allow for quick recording. This is the set up I used for years when I got a Panasonic cordless phone system. Last year I got fed up with having to set the system up quickly while keeping someone on the line so I got a separate jack for the line which I plug direct into an mp3 recorder which sets on my desk. I put the Radio Shack unit in my bag in case I have to do a phone interview when I'm on the road. Alternatively, I know a few other journos who have gotten Skype accounts and numbers simply for the ease of recording calls directly onto their laptops. Hope that helps.
I'm a professional journalist myself and I've been recording my interviews (legally) for more than 20 years too. Without a software solution I'd suggest looking at the Radio Shack recording solution for cordless phones. It's a small box which plugs into the headset outlet and then offers a audio output plug which you can plug into your recorder, and an input plug for a headset. It's a bit of a pain because you've got wires all over the place and it doesn't really allow for quick recording. This is the set up I used for years when I got a Panasonic cordless phone system. Last year I got fed up with having to set the system up quickly while keeping someone on the line so I got a separate jack for the line which I plug direct into an mp3 recorder which sets on my desk. I put the Radio Shack unit in my bag in case I have to do a phone interview when I'm on the road. Alternatively, I know a few other journos who have gotten Skype accounts and numbers simply for the ease of recording calls directly onto their laptops. Hope that helps.
Several thoughts:
1) I've spoken with American Express, and not been told my conversation could be recorded, BUT they have a periodic BEEP throughout the call. That beep is pretty standard for recording systems, so I know that means the call is being recorded. Perhaps in the fine print with AmEx, they have a disclaimer about customer service calls, so it's covered. But the beep might be their way of getting around the disclaimer.
2) Without software, and this is a BIG kludge, but perhaps you could 3-way conference call voicemail, and then the interviewee, so you'd have a recording on voicemail? No hardware or software required.
3) You could use a service like WebEx (which now has an iPhone client) and use their recording capability. There are free ones too, FreeConference.com and FreeConferenceCall.com, but I think they charge for the recording feature. So this way, all parties call the same number (or you could do the conference call trick above) and the call is recorded on a server and you can download it.
4) Check out http://www.MyNewber.com. I'm not sure if they explicitly offer this, but they have a neat service/app pending review by Apple. I saw them at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas (I write for iPhone Life Magazine). Basically, you get a different phone number, in your choice of area codes. Calls are sent to your iPhone by default, but using location-aware capabilities, you can easily transfer or send calls to a landline without the end user knowing it. It does a lot more, so check it out. They have a petition to get their app approved (129 days so far!)
5) Instead of using the built-in phone app, research some of the VoIP solutions (like Skype or others, TruPhone is one I saw at CES... http://www.TruPhone.com).
1) I've spoken with American Express, and not been told my conversation could be recorded, BUT they have a periodic BEEP throughout the call. That beep is pretty standard for recording systems, so I know that means the call is being recorded. Perhaps in the fine print with AmEx, they have a disclaimer about customer service calls, so it's covered. But the beep might be their way of getting around the disclaimer.
2) Without software, and this is a BIG kludge, but perhaps you could 3-way conference call voicemail, and then the interviewee, so you'd have a recording on voicemail? No hardware or software required.
3) You could use a service like WebEx (which now has an iPhone client) and use their recording capability. There are free ones too, FreeConference.com and FreeConferenceCall.com, but I think they charge for the recording feature. So this way, all parties call the same number (or you could do the conference call trick above) and the call is recorded on a server and you can download it.
4) Check out http://www.MyNewber.com. I'm not sure if they explicitly offer this, but they have a neat service/app pending review by Apple. I saw them at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas (I write for iPhone Life Magazine). Basically, you get a different phone number, in your choice of area codes. Calls are sent to your iPhone by default, but using location-aware capabilities, you can easily transfer or send calls to a landline without the end user knowing it. It does a lot more, so check it out. They have a petition to get their app approved (129 days so far!)
5) Instead of using the built-in phone app, research some of the VoIP solutions (like Skype or others, TruPhone is one I saw at CES... http://www.TruPhone.com).
Recording on iphone
The only current solution I see is to jailbreak your phone and then install the iSpoof app. but you have have to purchase minutes for it to work on their website. The application also allows you to disguise your voice and even disguise your phone number. It will record the conversation and store it as a .WAV file on their Web site and from there you should be able to download it and throw it on a CD.
If you don't want to jailbreak your phone this are the only options i have seen so far on quality recording possibilities but without recording the actual phone call.
iPhone Video Recorder to record video and sound (about 20$)
speakeasy for memos and physical interviews (should be free or minimum fee)
Maybe there are some ways with skype, call forwarding and your iphone to record the conversation on your home computer. Didn't look into that yet but could be possible. install fringe (free but only works with wifi - if you decide not to jailbreak it) which allows you to use skype. When you jailbreak it you can simulate wifi on your iphone and use it all the time for free as long as you have 3G or Edge access. Yes, it even works with edge. for all other skype solutions you have to pay extra and their software is not customer friendly either. Make your home computer answer the skype call, have start the recording software and have that skype call forwarded to your iphone (fringe) with another skype account or have your iphone included in a conference call automatically. When skype doesn't offer this options on your computer you will have to write your own automated process. All this should theoretically be possible but i never tried that approach so i am not certain if it really works. When i get the time i will give it a try. If someone succeeds before i do let me know and post in here.
That way there would be no need to transfer the file from your phone to the computer, doesn't use any storage on the iphone, can be right away modified on the computer while you are still on the road and with another automated process put into a text file with dictating software. when you come home most of your work is already done and you would only have to check up on mistakes and to apply changes. You can also have the conversation sent to your interviewee as well. All automatically.
l8
The only current solution I see is to jailbreak your phone and then install the iSpoof app. but you have have to purchase minutes for it to work on their website. The application also allows you to disguise your voice and even disguise your phone number. It will record the conversation and store it as a .WAV file on their Web site and from there you should be able to download it and throw it on a CD.
If you don't want to jailbreak your phone this are the only options i have seen so far on quality recording possibilities but without recording the actual phone call.
iPhone Video Recorder to record video and sound (about 20$)
speakeasy for memos and physical interviews (should be free or minimum fee)
Maybe there are some ways with skype, call forwarding and your iphone to record the conversation on your home computer. Didn't look into that yet but could be possible. install fringe (free but only works with wifi - if you decide not to jailbreak it) which allows you to use skype. When you jailbreak it you can simulate wifi on your iphone and use it all the time for free as long as you have 3G or Edge access. Yes, it even works with edge. for all other skype solutions you have to pay extra and their software is not customer friendly either. Make your home computer answer the skype call, have start the recording software and have that skype call forwarded to your iphone (fringe) with another skype account or have your iphone included in a conference call automatically. When skype doesn't offer this options on your computer you will have to write your own automated process. All this should theoretically be possible but i never tried that approach so i am not certain if it really works. When i get the time i will give it a try. If someone succeeds before i do let me know and post in here.
That way there would be no need to transfer the file from your phone to the computer, doesn't use any storage on the iphone, can be right away modified on the computer while you are still on the road and with another automated process put into a text file with dictating software. when you come home most of your work is already done and you would only have to check up on mistakes and to apply changes. You can also have the conversation sent to your interviewee as well. All automatically.
l8
Not possible without Jailbreaking.
bad news.
recording phone conversation is AN ABSOLUTE NO-NO in the Apple iPhone SDK, so no, you will not be able to record phone conversation without jailbreaking the SDK.
And here's another thing: If you read the at&t contract agreement carefully, you aren't even ALLOWED to record phone conversation without consent from at&t, so not only you will have to risk voiding your warranty on the phone, you also risk contract agreement with at&t.
bad news.
recording phone conversation is AN ABSOLUTE NO-NO in the Apple iPhone SDK, so no, you will not be able to record phone conversation without jailbreaking the SDK.
And here's another thing: If you read the at&t contract agreement carefully, you aren't even ALLOWED to record phone conversation without consent from at&t, so not only you will have to risk voiding your warranty on the phone, you also risk contract agreement with at&t.
See other thread for more suggestions and issues
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7131340
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7131340
My $.02
I read through the other thread and, as those other posts mention, there always seems to be "a catch" to the suggested solutions. And that's a problem for people like me or Heidi or others who have been doing legal recording of phone conversations. We need the recording technology to be reliable because it is just plain bad business to call somebody back and say, "Sorry, my recording gizmo didn't work right... Can you please give me the interview again and say it the way you said it before?"
My solution about a year ago was to buy a Sony Ericsson W810i. It was the only good, reliable cell phone I could find that would easily and reliably record conversations. Yes, unfortunately, there is a very faint high-pitched beep every 20 seconds while recording. I would prefer not having the beep, but the interviewees know they are being recorded anyway, so having the beep isn't awful. I was unable to find another cell phone (and trust me, I tried) that had the native/built-in conversation recorder.
I'm talking about within the United States. In other countries, you can get this function without the beep every 20 seconds.
I would *MUCH* prefer to be able to do this easily and reliably on the iPhone, so please let me know if someone finds out how to do this.
And, again, as I said, it is important that this function be reliable. It is simply not an option to tell an interviewee that, oops, the recorder isn't working properly and I'll need to hang up and restart or re-install or whatever and then call them back. The person will be polite about this, but then when I call back they will not be available--perhaps ever again. This is a matter of being professional.
So, like I said, I went with the Sony Ericsson W810i. It has never given me the White Screen of Death or whatever. And I plug it into my Mac, etc.... I've owned so many Mac desktops and laptops and iPods that I hate not using the iPhone for this, but what else can I do?
I read through the other thread and, as those other posts mention, there always seems to be "a catch" to the suggested solutions. And that's a problem for people like me or Heidi or others who have been doing legal recording of phone conversations. We need the recording technology to be reliable because it is just plain bad business to call somebody back and say, "Sorry, my recording gizmo didn't work right... Can you please give me the interview again and say it the way you said it before?"
My solution about a year ago was to buy a Sony Ericsson W810i. It was the only good, reliable cell phone I could find that would easily and reliably record conversations. Yes, unfortunately, there is a very faint high-pitched beep every 20 seconds while recording. I would prefer not having the beep, but the interviewees know they are being recorded anyway, so having the beep isn't awful. I was unable to find another cell phone (and trust me, I tried) that had the native/built-in conversation recorder.
I'm talking about within the United States. In other countries, you can get this function without the beep every 20 seconds.
I would *MUCH* prefer to be able to do this easily and reliably on the iPhone, so please let me know if someone finds out how to do this.
And, again, as I said, it is important that this function be reliable. It is simply not an option to tell an interviewee that, oops, the recorder isn't working properly and I'll need to hang up and restart or re-install or whatever and then call them back. The person will be polite about this, but then when I call back they will not be available--perhaps ever again. This is a matter of being professional.
So, like I said, I went with the Sony Ericsson W810i. It has never given me the White Screen of Death or whatever. And I plug it into my Mac, etc.... I've owned so many Mac desktops and laptops and iPods that I hate not using the iPhone for this, but what else can I do?
strange
Hi there, I have been googling for an app to record my phonecalls, like a lot of you guys. I can find tons of apps, only not for iPhone.
To discuss wether it is legal or not - or wether it is ethical or not....is totally irrelevant in this thread.
Fact is that there are apps for a million other phones - even Skype
Why not for iPhone?
There must be some sort of technical reason, and I hope they solve it soon.
Looking forward to the day, some hero post a solution in this thread
Hi there, I have been googling for an app to record my phonecalls, like a lot of you guys. I can find tons of apps, only not for iPhone.
To discuss wether it is legal or not - or wether it is ethical or not....is totally irrelevant in this thread.
Fact is that there are apps for a million other phones - even Skype
Why not for iPhone?There must be some sort of technical reason, and I hope they solve it soon.
Looking forward to the day, some hero post a solution in this thread
Might I offer a quick suggestion?
Go to http://www.grandcentral.com and sign up. You have to route your calls through them, but they have a recording option.
I can't remember how easy the signup process is, so if you have any issues with that, don't blame me.
That should work, I think.
Go to http://www.grandcentral.com and sign up. You have to route your calls through them, but they have a recording option.
I can't remember how easy the signup process is, so if you have any issues with that, don't blame me.
That should work, I think.
laws regarding recording phone calls
Well, just one more frustrated journalist here. To those making clueless remarks regarding the legality of recording phone conversations: yes, in some states it's illegal without consent; no, this isn't a problem. Journalists routinely record phone calls -- we just ask for consent first. Phone manufacturers usually get around this obstacle by programming a "beep" that sounds about every 30 seconds when a call is being recorded. It's the same beep you might hear if you were being recorded by a corporation -- you know, where they say "this call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes" or whatever. All legal.
Now, hard/software: I used to use a 7000 series Nokia phone that did an excellent job of recording, but was only able to record for five minutes -- way too short for most interviews. It would be more than fantastic if an app appeared that recorded calls. Otherwise, it's off to Radio Shack for me. I think I'll call Apple and AT&T to confirm some of the statements here. Let you know...
Well, just one more frustrated journalist here. To those making clueless remarks regarding the legality of recording phone conversations: yes, in some states it's illegal without consent; no, this isn't a problem. Journalists routinely record phone calls -- we just ask for consent first. Phone manufacturers usually get around this obstacle by programming a "beep" that sounds about every 30 seconds when a call is being recorded. It's the same beep you might hear if you were being recorded by a corporation -- you know, where they say "this call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes" or whatever. All legal.
Now, hard/software: I used to use a 7000 series Nokia phone that did an excellent job of recording, but was only able to record for five minutes -- way too short for most interviews. It would be more than fantastic if an app appeared that recorded calls. Otherwise, it's off to Radio Shack for me. I think I'll call Apple and AT&T to confirm some of the statements here. Let you know...
bleh..
<rant>
Just wanted to take a moment to send a **** to anyone else wanting to thread crap about the legalities.. Am searching for an app to record conversations on my iPhone.. something many phones have. I am fully aware of the legalities of it and when, in my searching, I find a thread about an app that does it for the iPhone I don't want to read pages of posts about it potentially being illegal
</rant>
<rant>
Just wanted to take a moment to send a **** to anyone else wanting to thread crap about the legalities.. Am searching for an app to record conversations on my iPhone.. something many phones have. I am fully aware of the legalities of it and when, in my searching, I find a thread about an app that does it for the iPhone I don't want to read pages of posts about it potentially being illegal
</rant>