Our Top 6 Chat apps to keep you connected
Keeping in touch with your friends, family and your communities is important now more than ever.
So as virtual catch-ups become the norm, what’s the best way to chat with cousins, gossip with granny or see your friends' faces? Internet-based text and video calling apps are the best way to get that (virtual) quality time with the ones you love.
From well-known apps that have been around for years, like Skype, there’s an app for you. Or why not download them all and give each one a go to find which one suits your style of communication.
Messenger
Facebook’s Messenger app is pretty much the most commonly used app for most Cook Islanders around the world as is Facebook. Messenger is available for free through any web browser that is logged into your Facebook account and is available on most smart devices.
Features:
-
Using either your friend’s names on Facebook or their mobile number, you can easily find them online
-
Works across devices and operating systems and is capable of connecting to people in no time
-
Add fun stickers and effects to your photos and videos and share them instantly
Skype
This one has been around for years and probably doesn’t need any introduction as it is one of the most used apps to stay connected with family and friends around the world and even has its uses in the workplace with Skype for Business. It works on a wide range of devices and is one of the most relied upon video chat apps out there.
Features:
-
Sending photos, text conversations, videos and voice messages and has many more features
-
Can be downloaded on most Android and iOS devices from their respective stores
Also another one of the best messaging apps around and has been for quite some time. WhatsApp now has video-calling as an added feature. It is also another one of the cross-platform apps, which means that it doesn’t matter if your friends or family use iPhones and you use a Samsung – you can use WhatsApp to Argue about which OS is better.
Features:
-
Video call or voice call, it is completely free
-
Share documents, images, videos and much more with its multimedia feature
-
WhatApp computer version
-
Easily set custom wallpapers and notifications and ringtones etc
Viber
Launched way back in 2013 and with over 10 million downloads, Viber is one of the most popular text and video calling apps. It can be used on both Android and iOS devices and has heaps of useful features, in addition to voice and video and text messaging, like stickers, emojis and more.
Features:
-
Add eye catching and funny emojis and cool stickers
-
Hide messages from the message screen that you don’t want others to see and access them later
-
Has automatic encryption which means that messages, videos and voice calls and text are secure.
FaceTime
This one is for the iPhone crowd. This app is designed by Apple specifically for iOS devices. It makes it super easy to connect with people, wherever they are in the world – as long as they are an iPhone user. You are just one click away from making a high-quality video call to any iPhone, iPad or Mac device.
Features:
-
Make high-quality HD videos up to 720p
-
Get incoming calls on your iOS device even when FaceTime isn’t running
-
Receive incoming calls on all your Mac devices so it makes it easier to answer your calls if your phone is in your bag
-
Available only for iOS
Hangouts
Google’s answer to a chat app. It’s an amazing video calling app and is perfect for those Google fans. Hangouts lets you connect with up to 9 people at once (10 being you the caller). Theres no need to sign up for a new account if you already have a Google account (or Gmail). And it isn’t just for Android powered smartphones and tables, Hangouts can be installed on iOS devices as well. Sharing is caring.
Features:
-
Include all your contacts with group chats of up to 150 people per chat group.
-
It can turn any group conversation into a video call with up to 10 people.
-
Works on both Android and iOS devices, and syncs chats across all your other devices.