Sharing data between iOS devices used to be a daunting task, but the App Store now offers plenty of third-party solutions to this problem. Chirp is the latest, and easily the most novel solution since Bump. Chirp uses the power of sound to initiate a transfer between compatible devices. With the free app installed and open on both devices, simply take/choose a photo or type in a link or note, tap the yellow button, and enjoy short, bird-like chirps as your transfer is made.

The first time you use Chirp, you may believe magic really exists. After all, transfers work equally well in noisy environments, from the next room or anywhere the audible frequency can be heard. How is such a feat possible? Like most tricks, the reality is something less impressive.

Switching our devices to airplane mode shut Chirp down cold, because the app then had no way to transfer data to and from its servers. This "dirty little secret" is listed in plain sight at the bottom of the app description, which also requires both sending and receiving devices to have the app installed and open. To its credit, Chirp is a more efficient way to share data than Bluetooth, requiring no advance pairing of devices. Also, its audio-based communication can be done from anywhere, including a Skype voice chat where both parties are thousands of miles away.

The bottom line. Chirp is the kind of technology that would be more impressive if it were baked right into iOS. But even as a third-party app, there’s no denying that it’s an impressive way to share with friends, if for no other reason than to see the look on their faces the first time they use it.