Walkie Talkies have been around since before cell phones but until now they weren't easily accessible on the same device. Sometimes when you need to send out a quick message, making a phone call can be time-consuming (especially if you don't have the time to chat) and sending out a text message can be a hassle. Typing out those longs strings of letters and hitting send is a huge pain when you're juggling five things at once. That's where these apps come in. Voice messaging finds a happy middle ground between the solemn phone call and the casual texting. Now it is easier with push-to-talk to wish your friends a 'Good Morning', remind your wife the location of her car keys, or tell your boyfriend that he shouldn't drink that leftover milk in the fridge unless he really hates his bowels. Here are our top 3.

HeyTell (iOS, Android, Windows Phone)

Pros - This is a bare-minimum, simple, and intuitive Walkie Talkie app. HeyTell is the only app on our list that is available on three major platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. No account is required, just create a nickname or use your real name and HeyTell will connect you with friends in your contact list (with your permissi... [Read more]

Private WiFi's Android app.

LAS VEGAS--Private WiFi has been making a name for itself as a subscription VPN service on desktops. At CES 2013, the company has unveiled mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Private WiFi wraps your data in 128-bit encryption as it runs in the background of your phone or tablet. Based on the open-source OpenVPN, the service will block attacks on public, unsecure networks such as man-in-the-middle attacks, rogue networks, honeypots, ARP spoofing, sniffing, and session sidejacking.

Private WiFi CEO Kent Lawson said that his app stands a better chance than the competition because Private WiFi is low-cost but avoids privacy complications from being ad-supported.

The mobile version of Private WiFi doesn't have subscription pricing yet, although it's apparently coming soon. The trial gives you 499 MB of encrypted traffic for free. Thereafter, you can purchase 1 GB for 1.99, or 10 GB for 7.99.

There are also laptop versions for Mac and Windows, including Windows 8. Lawson said that a Windows Phone version is due soon.

The app indicates your level of safety using colored Wi-Fi ico... [Read more]