About this write up: This write up is the 3rd part of the series of articles on Google Hangout. This write up focuses mainly on some of the more popular instant messaging apps. The article briefly describes some of the features of these apps and highlights how hangout appears to have an edge over its peers. This article is the third and final installment of a series of articles on this topic. The first write up dealt with the telecom ecosystem and the different messaging apps/options available to users. The write up also dealt with the rise and fall of these apps/options over time. The second installment mainly dealt with the apps like SMS and BBM and why they are losing momentum. In this write up, we will briefly look at the current favourites in the instant messaging apps space and how they compare with Google Hangout (or vice versa for that matter).
Popular instant messaging apps
The previous write ups have dealt in brief why instant messaging apps became popular. Some of the key factors were:
• Cost factor: Short Messaging Services (i.e. SMS) became a rage during the time period when the cost of voice calls were sky high. Their popularity started declining when the telecom service providers started reducing the voice call rentals. As a matter of fact, the general perception today is that it is cheaper to call then to send an SMS especially when it cost 1p per second and 1 minute would cost Re. 1/- as against Re. 1 for just 140 characters /SMS.
• Instant Communication: The fact that the message would be delivered instantly – almost anywhere in the world – to the persons phone was a huge advantage over emails. This was true before the Blackberry boys came in and before the smart phones joined the race. Even today, a good majority of the population prefers instant messaging to emails. To be candid, I can’t even recall when was the last time I shared a joke or a personal message with my friends or dear ones on email. As a matter of fact, not a day goes by when one of my colleagues or friends, etc. share that whatsapp, etc., have made it so much easier to connect with family members.
• Ease of use: This perhaps is one of the most important factors, especially when seniors are concerned. The younger generation has always been known to be tech savvy and have the uncanny ability to adapt to the latest technological development. One would say that the younger generation thrives on the changes. As against this, the seniors find change unnerving, they prefer the security of the old, tried and tested. This is even a bigger hurdle when they have to take a number of steps to achieve the same goal. Instant messaging has changed that significantly. To give you a simple illustration, if you are using whatsapp and you create groups and include your parents, it gives them an opportunity to know what’s going on, etc. There is a small illustration later in this write-up on this.
• Informal communication: This is another reason why instant messaging is very popular is that emails generally have been associated with formal communication as against this instant messaging is perceived to be less formal and mostly casual.
• Mass reach: If one compares instant messaging with voice calls i.e. alerts for charges on your debit card, reminders for utility payments, etc. – which would you prefer. My vote would certainly go for instant messages – they are far less intrusive. Imagine receiving a telephone call everytime a charge was made on your card or a utility payment was due – one more voice to nag you….
That being said, let’s move on to the apps which are popular:
Popular instant messaging apps:
Whatsapp:
This one is my favourite. In fact I wrote an article recommending this app in the BCAJ. It is one of the apps (out of 75 on my phone) for which I have paid money (it’s free now) (have only 5 paid apps 70 are free).
This app is quite efficient. Apart from allowing you to send text messages, the user can also send photos, videos and sound files (this was added after we chat came on the scene). This app will help you save a lot of money on the phone bill (especially if you have an unlimited data plan). Some of the other useful features include group messaging, sharing location, time stamp. What I particularly like about whatsapp is that
• it works on a simple GRPS connection as well as a WIFI (no need for a data plan)
• I don’t need to add contacts separately (unlike BBM)
• Even if I change my phone, new messages will come to the new phone, even if I don’t have anyone’s PIN
• It works on all popular devices/operating systems
We Chat:
This is app is fast gaining popularity and there are several ads being aired on almost all channels. The biggest plus is that apart from texting (and the ones described above), users can also send voice messages.
To be honest, I don’t have much comment or experience in using this app. There were a couple of turnoffs however:
• One needs to register an account with we chat
• Why bother sending a voice message – just call
• Chinese ……snooping….
Skype:
Has been around for several years now, recently bought over by Microsoft. Quite popular even today. It is available on the desktop as well as on the phone. This was popular because it gave the users the ability to have a real time voice conference (one to one or one to many or many to many). Many seniors use this to talk to their dear ones living around the world. Once again, I don’t have much comment or experience in using this app. There were a couple of turnoffs however:
• The app is very resource hungry – takes a lot of space and RAM when in operation
• Voice quality is decent but the video is often grainy and jerky (could be a bandwidth or a hardware issue on either side – did not face the as much in google hangout though)
• Need to register an account. You could call on the phone but (I think) you have pay charges for this facility
Viber:
This app is also quite popular. The biggest plus is that it allows real time voice calls. Have tried this from my phone, there is some time lag but the voice clarity is pretty good (even on GPRS). The app gives you the convenience of group chatting and alerts you as and when users download and activate it on their phone (Whats app doesn’t give an alert). It is fairly popular and in many ways scores over skype due to ease of use and speed. Unlike skype, it doesn’t offer video chat. Recently, they have started offering a desktop version.
Google Hangout:
Google has taken its time testing this app….. moving from google chat to google talk and now hangout. This app works on most smart phones (desktop — its already linked to your gmail account). The pluses are that it allows you to send text messages and hold video conference. Have tried it a couple of times and when compared to Skype and Facetime (iPhone/iPad specific), the video quality is somewhere in between (better than skype but still miles away from facetime). Just last week, I was trying to get on a video chat with someone located in Canada and after 10 minutes of skyping he said why don’t we switch to google hangout it some much better. I think that more or less summed it up for me.
The next write up will focus on what google hangout has to offer and what the future may have in store for users. It will also be the concluding part of this series. Do look forward.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is not to promote any particular site or person or software. Further comments about various products and services are based on the user experience related information available in the public domain. There is no intention to malign any product or service in any manner whatsoever. The sole intention is to create awareness and to bring in to limelight some thought provoking content.
