There are many times when I need to send myself (or someone else) a note that would either take too long to type on a smartphone or requires a form more inline with dictation. But going through the motions of using the Android built-in audio recorder and then attaching it to an email is cumbersome at best. Instead, I need to be able to do this with just a couple of taps, which is what Record and Email Pro is all about.

The Record and Email Pro app is incredibly simple in design, setup, and usage. Once you start using it, you won’t know how you managed to get along with it. This app has enabled me to send myself audio of incredibly important ideas for my books and articles, and even to send little surprise messages to my wife. The best part about Record and Email Pro is that it doesn’t leave large audio files on your device, so there’s no need to worry about space. The second the file is sent, it’s deleted.


On the user end, the file sent is a .3gp file format, which is an extension of the 3GPP multimedia format and requires an application to open it. Desktop applications that can open .3gp files include:

Note: Both Windows Media Player and QuickTime will play these file types, but you must install the plugins in order for it to work.

Now, let’s install and use Record and Email Pro.

Installation

The installation of this app is quite simple. Just follow these steps:

  1. Open the Google Play Store
  2. Search for “record and email pro” (no quotes)
  3. Tap the entry for the application
  4. Tap Install
  5. Tap Download & accept

That’s it. Once the application is installed, you’re ready to fire it up configure if for usage.

Configuration

When you first run Record and Email Pro, you’ll see an SMTP configuration window (Figure A). This is where you’ll configure the server that will send the email with the attached file.
Figure A

Here you see Record and Email Pro running on a Verizon-branded Razr Maxx HD.

From the SMTP Server drop-down, you can select:

  • Gmail
  • Yahoo
  • Other

If you select either Gmail or Yahoo, all settings but the username/password will be pre-configured for you. If you select Other, you’ll have to supply all of the options. After you configure your SMTP mail server, you’ll find yourself at the recording window (Figure B).
Figure B

A simple, clean interface makes this app easy to use.

Usage

Using Record and Email Pro is amazingly simple. All you have to do is open up the application, tap the record button, record your message, and (when the message is complete) tap the email button. After tapping the email button, a new window will appear (Figure C) that requests the recipient email address.
Figure C

Awaiting the recipient email address.

After you enter the recipient email address, tap the Ok button, and the attachment will automatically be emailed and then deleted from the device. Once the recipient gets the email, they can open the attachment and listen to your words of wisdom, inspiration, or… well, you get the idea.

I have come to depend upon this incredibly simple tool. I’ve recorded a stream of consciousness that found its way into one of my books, I’ve have sent instructional audio to users, and on Valentine’s Day, I even sent a sweet message to my wife. Thanks to its amazingly simple operation, it’s a quick way to get messages off and into the hands (and ears) of others. Honestly, you won’t find an easier method of sending an audio file to an email address.

Have you tried Record and Email Pro? Is there another audio app that you use and would like to recommend? Share your experience in the discussion thread below.