New essential Android apps thread

Yep, using it here as my primary messaging app. I tried Hangouts a while ago and I'm pretty sure I could only message people who were also using it. Is that still the case?

Or was I doing it all wrong :D
 
slipd said:
Yep, using it here as my primary messaging app. I tried Hangouts a while ago and I'm pretty sure I could only message people who were also using it. Is that still the case?

Or was I doing it all wrong :D
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Hangouts is like Skype or MSN Messenger, an IM system where you need to be 'on it' to use it. Anyone with a Google account is on Hangouts.

Google then updated the Android app so that it also was as your SMS client. You could send messages to peoples phone number and it would send as a text, or you could use the IM service and send it to them through that. It had the ability to merge conversations via both methods into a single conversation thread and you chose how each message would be delivered.

I use Hangouts (the IM part) a lot as I like being able to use it through the Gmail website too, and I use the Messenger app for texts as I liked the separation of the 2.
 
Skeeter said:
Hangouts is like Skype or MSN Messenger, an IM system where you need to be 'on it' to use it. Anyone with a Google account is on Hangouts.

Google then updated the Android app so that it also was as your SMS client. You could send messages to peoples phone number and it would send as a text, or you could use the IM service and send it to them through that. It had the ability to merge conversations via both methods into a single conversation thread and you chose how each message would be delivered.

I use Hangouts (the IM part) a lot as I like being able to use it through the Gmail website too, and I use the Messenger app for texts as I liked the separation of the 2.
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Thanks for the explanation, I don't think anyone I knew was using it last time, I think that was the issue. That was 18 or so months ago so maybe I should try it again. I like the idea of integration :)

Am I right in thinking that for picture messaging/MMS that it is like WhatsApp in that it uses your wifi/data and doesn't go through your carrier, at cost. I somehow managed to 'reply all' to a group text message I received at Christmas and it ended up costing me about £7 :rolleyes:

That hurt, considering my monthly contract is only £12!
 
It's the default app on Marshmellow.

I'm hoping that in I/O this year they announce that Messenger will add an iMessage type service.
 
slipd said:
Thanks for the explanation, I don't think anyone I knew was using it last time, I think that was the issue. That was 18 or so months ago so maybe I should try it again. I like the idea of integration :)

Am I right in thinking that for picture messaging/MMS that it is like WhatsApp in that it uses your wifi/data and doesn't go through your carrier, at cost. I somehow managed to 'reply all' to a group text message I received at Christmas and it ended up costing me about £7 :rolleyes:

That hurt, considering my monthly contract is only £12!
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Nope, it sends the MMS as a standard MMS. It will only send it as a Hangouts message if everyone in the group uses Hangouts.

PiKe said:
Hangouts has only just started suggesting I install it for SMS+MMS.
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Well, SMS support arrived to Hangouts since 2013 :p: http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/1...e-newer-version-should-fix-broken-video-chat/

I gave up with it, I tried to move people away from WhatsApp to it for about a year, then gave up.
 
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PiKe said:
I know that, I just don't understand why they combine the SMS and Hangouts into one and now, in the hangouts app, its telling me to install Messenger again!
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there idea was a good one and if it had taken off would have really revolutionised the messaging app i'd say. hangouts can be used on my pc, laptop, with or without an app being installed, on my phone, tablet etc. if someone sends me a message i don't have to check my phone. it pops up on my pc in the corner and i reply from there, then every single notification on evey single device, they disappear. that makes it awesome, but unfortunately it never took off, was ugly as hell on mobile, it had 2 separate areas at first one for IM one for text, and they never advertised the benefits to anyone. it was a terrible implementation and quite fairly died
 
^^^ its my only frustration with Whatsapp that you have to hack it to get it on a tablet. Hangouts does this just fine so dont know why Whatsapp wont support it.
But I put up with it as everyone I know has Whatsapp lol
 
HouR said:
its my only frustration with Whatsapp that you have to hack it to get it on a tablet. Hangouts does this just fine so dont know why Whatsapp wont support it.
But I put up with it as everyone I know has Whatsapp lol
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Just curious as to what hacks were necessary to load WhatsApp onto a tablet, s I have just installed it onto mine without any problem?

Could the fact that mine is a 'phablet', with an active SIM card already installed, make a difference?
 
Montala said:
Just curious as to what hacks were necessary to load WhatsApp onto a tablet, s I have just installed it onto mine without any problem?

Could the fact that mine is a 'phablet', with an active SIM card already installed, make a difference?
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Yeah its a pretty basic bodge but Whatsapp only works on SIM devices.
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/google-android/how-install-whatsapp-on-tablet-no-3g-ipad-app-3517280/

So its whattsapp web, which doesnt work well on tablets for notifications or force the APK on, which I dont know if it will auto-update etc so have not bothered yet
 
Thanks for the clarification, but on checking out the above link, I see there is a recent update, which some users may find helpful:

"Updated 22 January: As of today Android users can benefit from WhatsApp on the web, which lets them sync their WhatsApp account on their phone with their PC, laptop or tablet via the Chrome browser."
 
Montala said:
Thanks for the clarification, but on checking out the above link, I see there is a recent update, which some users may find helpful:

"Updated 22 January: As of today Android users can benefit from WhatsApp on the web, which lets them sync their WhatsApp account on their phone with their PC, laptop or tablet via the Chrome browser."
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Problem is you can only have it one place at a time.
So at work I cant have it on my laptop and my pixel. Also on my pixel the link kept defaulting to the normal Whatsapp page if I wasn't in the browser for a while, I guess its just not a nice experience.

Also the Pixel doesn't notify like an app should when its running in Chrome from what I remember.

Don't see why its so hard for them to just let you install the app on a WiFi only device :confused:
 
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