Voicethread launches group audio blogging

Voicethread has just launched an impressively designed service that allows groups of people to simply add voice or text comments to image albums.

The creator of an image album can tell his/her story using voice, text or by drawing on pictures. Visitors can add to the story using the same tools. (Here is an example. And another sweet example.). The comments are in the form of a back and forth conversation (“voicethreads”) around the images. The participants are ordered in a strip along the left hand side. Voicethread’s group format makes it different from audio competitors such as Odeo. Compared to visual competitors such as Our Story, Voicethread’s advantage is its simpler interface. You grasp it immediately, and don’t need a dose of coffee to “get” it.

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Users can embed widget versions of Voicethreads on blogs and other Web sites.

Voicethread, of Boca Raton, Florida is the first venture for founders Benji Papell, previously a professional tennis player and real estate developer, and Steve Muth, previously a New York City paramedic and toy inventor. They don’t have a business model that we’re aware of. This may be a feature worth acquiring.

Sean Rad, co-founder of Orgoo.com, is a VentureBeat contributing author.