What Cackl is
Cackl is a push-to-talk voice app for small, closed groups. Hold the button to talk; everyone else in your group hears it, in order, and can replay it later from their device.
Getting help
Email contact@inclineinstitute.com and we will get back to you. Please include your device model and iOS version — it helps more than you'd expect.
Getting started
Cackl is invitation-only by design; there is no public sign-up.
- Someone already in a group sends you an 8-character invite code, or a link containing it.
- Open Cackl and enter the code on the sign-in screen. If you tap the link on a device that already has Cackl installed, the code is filled in for you.
- That's it — no server address, no long access token to type.
Invite codes are single-use and expire after 24 hours. If yours has expired or has already been used, ask whoever invited you for a new one. Tapping an invite link before installing the app will not carry the code through installation — install Cackl first, then use the code.
Known limitations
- Cackl for iPhone does not receive messages while the app is closed. Background wake notifications are not implemented yet, so you will receive messages while Cackl is open, and catch up on anything you missed the next time you open it. Nothing is lost — messages you missed are delivered when you reconnect — but they arrive late. This is being worked on.
- One group at a time is shown on the map. Location is shared only while you have a group screen open, and never in the background.
Common questions
Does Cackl record all the time? No — but you will see the microphone indicator more than you might expect, and that is deliberate. While you have a group screen open, Cackl holds the microphone open so that talking starts instantly instead of losing the first part of your first word. iOS shows its orange indicator the whole time. Audio is only sent while you hold the talk button, plus about a tenth of a second from just before you pressed. Nothing else is recorded, kept or sent. Leaving the group screen closes the microphone.
Is there a limit on how long I can talk? Yes — a single transmission stops automatically, after 1 minute unless you change it. That is mainly a safety net for a stuck button, so it can't hold the channel open and drown out everyone else. Press again to carry on.
You can change it under the ⋯ menu on the Home screen → Talk time limit: 30 seconds, 1 minute, 1½ minutes or 2 minutes. Same range as the Android app.
Can I use Bluetooth headphones or earbuds? Yes. Connect them as usual and Cackl follows the system audio route — the Home screen shows what is connected, and tapping it opens the system audio chooser. Most headsets also let Cackl use their microphone; the Home screen says whether yours does, since some earbuds play audio but leave recording to the phone.
Can I use a Bluetooth push-to-talk button? Yes, with a caveat about finding it. Buttons of this type don't appear in the iPhone's Bluetooth settings at all — they aren't the kind of accessory iOS lists — so don't try to pair one there. Instead, open a group in Cackl and press the button; the app looks for it directly. The first connection can take up to half a minute because these buttons sleep between presses, after which it responds immediately. It keeps working with the phone in your pocket and the screen off.
Where are my messages stored? On your iPhone, so you can replay them. They are not uploaded to us. Signing out or deleting the app removes them.
Can I use it without sharing my location? Yes. Location is optional. If you decline the permission you can still see other members on the map; you simply won't appear on theirs.
How do I delete my account? Email contact@inclineinstitute.com and we will remove your identity and group membership from our server. Signing out or deleting the app clears everything held on the device.
Privacy
Privacy policy for Cackl on iOS
Contact
The Incline Institute, Ltd. contact@inclineinstitute.com