Hangouts

Google Hangouts is a platform for communication from Google enterprise that combines VOIP, SMS, video chat and messaging abilities. The Google Hangouts messenger replaces three distinct software applications formerly implemented by the company and available on the market in early days: Hangouts, Google+ Messenger (earlier known as Huddle) and Google Talk. Currently, the options of all of these programs are united into a single client. The app is compatible with Android, iOS, Chrome operating systems. If you want to download Hangouts for any desktop OS, like Windows or macOS, you won’t find anything like that in web. Instead, you need to get a Google Hangouts extension plugin for any Chrome-compatible browser: download it from the official Chrome web-store and install it as a native app that perfectly suits your existing environment. The same way, the owners of Android or iOS gadgets are offered a chance to use Hangouts just like an accustomed mobile app on their mobile devices.

Special abilities of Google Hangouts

In fact, this one is not a usual messenger like everyone is used to consider. It’s more of a communication environment that adapts to your infrastructure and is tightly integrated into the existing eco-structure conditions. Here is a brief review of the special opportunities which this new tool gives:

• Free text chatting between any app users with any operating system or browser. You can use a rich variety of emojis in your messages, just like the interactive stickers, photos, videoclips, maps and animated GIF-images via single mouse click or finger tap.
• Free audio and video calls right from your web-browser or mobile device.
• Arranging group conversations with up to 150 participants.
• Cozy and instant calling. If your collocutor also uses this particular Google service, the call will be absolutely free. Most of the calls to US and Canada are not rated (even on landline numbers) as well. While accessing the service from browser, you may call directly from your browser interface. If you are using the tool from Android mobile device, you are required to install the Hangouts Dialer app.
• Sending texts and recording voice messages right from your Google Voice account.
• Instant syncing of all your active chats between all devices (portable and desktop) used currently.
• You can write messages to all of your friends, even if they’re offline. The person will receive your notes once when they are online.

The product is not being updated quite often, the latest versions are released several times a year. Nevertheless, that is a very stable app for chatting and calling. Once you get the Hangouts setup package (by downloading it from the official portal) and make it work properly, you won’t regret it, that’s for sure.