Following on the heels of its iPhone application, location-based storytelling startup Broadcastr is invading Android devices with a free application today.
Broadcastr, which opened up to public beta testing in February, allows anyone to create This American Life-esque stories. The Android app shares all of the key features from the service's website and iPhone app, including the ability to listen to stories from around the world, as well as easily record your own story and tie it to a location.
The app also includes the killer "Geoplay" feature from its iPhone sibling, which lets you automatically hear stories as you walk by their locations. I found it particularly nifty the first time I tried it, and it performs just the same on Android: you could, for example, walk through Brooklyn's Prospect Park and have the stories there automatically play.
Personally, I've become attached to Broadcastr on the iPhone, and I suspect many Android users will feel the same way. The app makes it easy to tap into untold stories in neighborhoods you normally visit, and it's a great way to familiarize yourself with new places.
It remains to be seen how Broadcastr will compete against Audiboo, the current king of mobile voice sharing. Broadcastr focuses more on location, even though it has a similar follower system to Audioboo.
The company launched its public beta in March and currently has 60,000 active users. We don't yet know how Broadcastr will make money from the service, but I suspect we'll see sponsored stories soon enough.
Broadcastr is based in New York City and has raised $250,000 in funding from a small group of angels. It's currently seeking a seed round from firms in New York City and San Francisco.
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