A perennial failure to keep in touch with far-flung friends and relatives is one of my epic failings. The pandemic has inspired me to do better, and I’ve been reaching out in recent days.
In the process, I’m becoming better acquainted with video-chatting services.
Zoom has the most buzz lately. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, housebound throngs have been harnessing the service heavily for virtual gatherings of all sorts — including “virtual happy hours.”
A friend told me how she has been using Zoom as a substitute for face-to-fact activities: “I’m taking Spanish classes via Zoom, our community-garden group just had a Zoom meeting, and my meetup group met today via Zoom, too. We will have a virtual neighborhood ladies party on Saturday, and book group on Sunday.”
But Zoom is not the only video-chatting service out there — far from it.
Other consumer-friendly options include Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Google Duo, Google Hangouts, Houseparty, Snapchat, Skype, WhatsApp and WeChat. I have used them all to varying degrees, and in personal and professional capacities.
All work on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and some also work on Apple and Windows computers.
All are free — at least in a basic form. Most important, all allow groups of people (ranging from a handful to a hundred, depending on the service) to hop on calls at the same time.
Let’s take a brief look at each of these video-chat services. I also point you to more detailed info.
APPLE FACETIME
If Apple iOS gadgets (such as the iPhone and the iPad) and Macs are in widespread use in your circle, this is an obvious option.
Every Apple device has the FaceTime app installed on it. You are likely already logged in to your Apple account, so you are good to go. Launch the app and invite pals to meet — Up to 32 (including you) can participate at the same time. Here’s more info.
FACEBOOK MESSENGER
This is another obvious option given Facebook’s prevalence. If you’ve resisted joining Facebook, this may be an incentive.
Your group chats occur via the Messenger app on Apple iOS and Google Android devices, and up to 50 people can participate at the same time. Pick one or more friends for a video chat, and then tap the little camera icon. Here’s more info.
GOOGLE DUO
This is Google’s answer to FaceTime for group video calls, and it will work on Android and iOS devices. Your Duo identity is linked to your phone number.
A cool “Knock Knock” feature shows you on your friends’ devices before those folks pick up. Google has just increased the group-participant limit from eight to 12 in response to the pandemic. Here’s more info.
GOOGLE HANGOUTS
If you want to do Google group chats in a browser, pick this, not Duo (which only does two-way browser calls). It also works via Android and iOS apps.
In the app or browser, pick a pal and click the video-chat button. Add more friends for a group chat (up to 25 can get on at the same time). If you use Gmail, Hangouts is built in via your sidebar. Here’s more info.
HOUSEPARTY
I stumbled on this option with my sister, who lives in Paris, and it’s our default. Use it via an Apple iOS or Google Android gizmo. A Mac app also is available, or access the service in the Chrome browser by installing an extension (which is what sis and I did).
You can play games, doodle and share your screen. Eight people can chat at the same time. Here’s more info.
SKYPE
This Microsoft-owned service is an old standby that has been widely adopted but is known to be a bit temperamental.
One of Skype’s big advantages is its ubiquity. It has full-featured apps for mobile and similarly powerful software for Macs, Windows PCs and even Linux computers. It also runs on Xbox gaming consoles and Amazon Alexa devices. It works pretty well in a browser, as well.
About a year ago, Microsoft increased the number of simultaneous users on a video call from 25 to 50.
SNAPCHAT
This multimedia messaging app, which lets users post photos and video to their “stories,” also has video-chat capabilities.
You can use “face lenses” to transform yourself into a puppy or such during a chat (I’ll pass, thanks). You can also modify your environs by making the Eiffel Tower puke rainbows, among other trickery. (Pass!) Up to 16 can chat at the same time. Here’s more info.
This messaging app, owned by Facebook, allows video chat via its app (mobile only, its Mac and Windows app do not support video chat).
As with other apps, you start a one-on-one video call with a bud, and then add more participants — for a total of four. This is a major limitation, but if your close friends are already using WhatsApp, it could be right for you. Here’s more info.
Similar to WhatsApp, WeChat has a big following overseas — It’s how I keep tabs on close relatives scattered over three continents even though I find the service to be finicky.
To begin, create a group of friends, and then start a videoconference within that group. Video chatting works on computers (via apps for Mac and Windows) as well as on mobile gadgets. Up to 9 can participate at once. Here’s more info.
ZOOM
This is the champ of virus-spawned video chat. Zoom is a business-oriented service but is free for consumer use in a limited way — Group chats are kept to 40 minutes, but can host 100 people.
Users can throw up any background, so I’m rotating through a set of “Star Trek” bridge pictures. Zoom works on all mobile and desktop, and (as with Houseparty) it offers a handy Chrome extension. Here’s more info.
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April 01, 2020 at 05:29PM
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The coronavirus has made video-chat services popular. Here are the best ones. - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
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