Hangouts 3.1.0

Having a reliable messaging service is important since you always have to get in contact with your friends and family and coworkers. Having a tool that can do it all – message, call and video call is quite perfect, especially when mixed with reliability and a high uptime.

Google+ Hangouts is exactly the type of app you may need to checkmark all of the above. After all, when it comes to uptime, there are few services that beat out Google, especially considering the number of users its services have, Hangouts included.

Simple to use

The service comes with a simple interface that makes it easy to use and figure out regardless if you’ve ever used it before or not. You’ll have to log in with any Google account you may have set up and you can even pick which ones to collect data from.

You’ll see all the contacts you have on your account, the sign on the side signaling if they’re online or not by changing colors from grey to green. Once you’ve chosen a buddy to talk to you’ll get to see past conversations you’ve had together if you have history enabled in the settings.

Users can type in messages to one another from the text box at the bottom. Tapping on the attachment icon on the left will expand a series of features. For instance, you can add a photograph from your Photo Roll, take a new one by activating the camera, share your location or send a sticker.

Extra features

By tapping on your friend’s name you can access a few more options. For instance, you can add that buddy to your favorite list, mute him or her, or access additional details about them such as the Google+ circle they’re in. It’s from this screen that you can enable and disable the hangout history, start a new group hangout or block the individual.

It’s also possible to initiate a voice or video call. You can always switch to video call even when you’re using the simple call feature.

What makes Hangouts particularly cool is the fact that you can include up to 100 people in group chats, while the free group video calls support up to ten people.

Hangouts is a pretty cool app that provides many tools in a single package, which makes it easier to handle since you don’t have to move to and fro between a number of apps. The fact that you can place free calls over the Internet makes things even better.

Add to watchlist:

Video chatChat

• Skype 5.11
• Viber 5.2.2
• WeChat 6.1.1
• Kik 8.1.0
• Signal 2.0.1