[aargee]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

When I get to UK, I'll install Whatsapp on my tablet, with a UK sim, and then migrate that to an Indian number when I get back, rather than keeping it on the phone.

Another simple option - Use Viber (http://www.viber.com/en/); only glitch is that the other person receiving the call also should be on Viber (same as Whatsapp). Has wonderful call quality + supports video call over internet & it's FREE

[smrtdvl]

Hi all is there any app that can measure the current received from the charger? Bought a Sony USB charger and would like to know the difference in power supplied by the new one compared to stock charger of old Moto G and Xolo. TIA

[tbppjpr]

Why not Hangouts?

Google's official GTalk service has been there since many years which is now known as 'Hangouts'. It provides free video calls, audio calls, group/conference calls and messages etc. This can also be used as default SMS app.

All Android users have Gmail accounts and all Google services can be used using one Gmail account. No need of setting up new account to use any third party service, neither there is need of sharing your personal info with any with any new service other than Google which otherwise already have lot of your private info with them.

When Hangouts provides much more than other services, I wonder why people don't use Hangouts?

I don't use services like WhatsApp etc, rather I have been using only Hangouts and those who ask me about WhatsApp etc, I just tell them above same things about Hangouts. Once they start using Hangouts and learn about the features, majority of them never turn off it and keep using it.

Best thing is its not a battery or data hogger unlike most of other third party apps. And whatever media has been shared between users remains safe in their Google accounts and can be accessed on variety of platforms. Even if phone is lost bricked, the data can be accessed later on another phone or computer.

Same features are offered with iOS version as well.

My needful contacts which I contact frequently are now on Hangouts and thats enough for me.

[DaiusPitar]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Why not Hangouts?

Google's official GTalk service has been there since many years which is now known as 'Hangouts'. It provides free video calls, audio calls, group/conference calls and messages etc. This can also be used as default SMS app.

All Android users have Gmail accounts and all Google services can be used using one Gmail account. No need of setting up new account to use any third party service, neither there is need of sharing your personal info with any with any new service other than Google which otherwise already have lot of your private info with them.

When Hangouts provides much more than other services, I wonder why people don't use Hangouts?

I don't use services like WhatsApp etc, rather I have been using only Hangouts and those who ask me about WhatsApp etc, I just tell them above same things about Hangouts. Once they start using Hangouts and learn about the features, majority of them never turn off it and keep using it.

Best thing is its not a battery or data hogger unlike most of other third party apps. And whatever media has been shared between users remains safe in their Google accounts and can be accessed on variety of platforms. Even if phone is lost bricked, the data can be accessed later on another phone or computer.

Same features are offered with iOS version as well.

My needful contacts which I contact frequently are now on Hangouts and thats enough for me.

Agree to all.
But I stopped using hangouts for the below reasons:
1. As a default SMS app, it sucks because I could not send SMSes to multiple people at the same time. Had to keep forwarding to each addressee. So reverted to the default android messing app.
2. As an IM app, I could not send videos to anyone.

Am on lollipop now and the above issues are not resolved. Let me know if I have missed something to resolve the above?

Else I like the interface more than WhatsApp.

[bhp_maniac]

Originally Posted by cpbopanna

Just sharing my personal experience - I bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE in India, faced problems with 4G connectivity, complained to Samsung, their Service Centre collected the device from my home, tested it and found the device faulty and returned it to me with a DOA (dead-on-arrival) certificate.
I returned the device to the dealer along with the DOA certificate and got a brand-new S5 as replacement, all within 4 - 5 days.
Unbelievable customer support by Samsung, I am a Samsung customer for life!
The point I am trying to make is that the 'extra' 10k that you pay in India guarantees you peace of mind.
This is purely my point of view and others may have another perspective!

Adding my experience. I got a Z1 compact last year January and found that the vibration function was not functioning after few days. Same story, sent it in to service center, got a brand new replacement. Hassle free experience when buying with Indian guarantee.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by DaiusPitar

1. As a default SMS app, it sucks because I could not send SMSes to multiple people at the same time. Had to keep forwarding to each addressee. So reverted to the default android messing app.

I am also using Lollipop messenger app as default SMS app to keep SMSes separate from it. But I also Know few users who rather have started using only Hangouts to keep everything unified.

2. As an IM app, I could not send videos to anyone.

If you want to share video then you will have to upload it somewhere. You have Google account and can use Youtube on your Android phone/iPhone/laptop/computer/Mac etc. Then why not upload the video on Youtube and share it with your contacts? Or upload the video file in your Google drive and share the link, the other user can download it.

Basic funda is keeping everything platform independent and safe in your Google account so that you and other user can access the shared media anytime-anywhere.

Compromises will be everywhere, what matters is preferences and to some extend getting used to of. Audio-video calling, messaging and picture sharing facility of Hangouts is suitable for my needs. I spend more time on computer than cellphone so Hangouts is way much more suitable and useful for me than any other IM app, rather I've been using it since 'GTalk' days.

One good thing about sharing pictures is that we can enhance the images even after sharing by applying various effects by opening the Hangouts on computer. Best thing is we can undo the applied effect or can change the overlay effects anytime if we want. The other user will see the picture in the current state unless he has downloaded it.

I never felt need of switching form Gtalk/Hangouts to something else. If someone asks me about my Whatsapp contact or some other third party IM contact then I just ask him about Hangouts in the reply. If the other person feels importance of being in contact with me then he will use Hangouts which he can easily do without need of creating any new id, why should I have to create another new contact id and go onto Whatsapp or something else?

[kkkkkaran]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Guys am planning to buy a HTC one M8 from Hong Kong. After conversion it would cost me around Rs. 28k which is almost 10k cheaper from the price in India. Just wanted to know if is it safe to buy the phone from there? Any thing I should look out for? Why I am asking is because recently I bought an Ipad from Dubai and later got to know that all middle east apple products do not support facetime due to the laws there.

Get the one m8 eye in india itself. The ultrapixel camera in the normal m8 is known to have defects, and not having warranty is a pain. I had an m7, my sister has an m8, both of our cameras had a pink tint. My m7 got replaced twice just because of the camera. The eye version comes with a 13mp regular camera, is cheaper, and if im not wrong, comes with water resistance. Should cost 33-34k in india

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

My 27 month old Galaxy Note N7000 has got annoyingly slow.
============
Or Should I wait for Oneplus 2. I don't know when exactly it is launching.

The note 3 by far is one of the best samsung devices to be made. Runs very well, just need to replace the touchwiz launcher with one from the play store. Only issue is that it heats up a lot. The performance from the exynos processor is amazing.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Basic funda is keeping everything platform independent and safe in your Google account

What if I don't want Google to get more info about me than it already has?

The problem with keeping all the eggs in one basket is that one hack on and you are pretty much dead.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Inviting new users for call feature is not working as of now. I can call others but they are not seeing the new screen or be able to call back

Yeah - Tried it yesterday and the invite feature is not working. But whoever have the feature, can call others. Hope the feature makes an appearance soon.

--Anoop

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

What if I don't want Google to get more info about me than it already has?

You are using internet and most probably an Android device as well so you just can't stop them getting whatever they want to know about you. They will anyways get whatever they want to know about you as far as you are using internet. Instead stop others to get more than what Google knows about you.

Google has just become Synonym of internet and I feel Google is making our lives more easier by using our data, just try to live for few days without Google.

If there is something which you feel not safe to share with Google then just don't share it on internet at all by using any medium, thats it.

One example is Truecaller. People think it will help them knowing about unknown numbers but reality is as soon as they install the app and start using it, the Truecaller just takes away all the personal info about you and stores it in their database to share with others. Thats how it knows about the phone users and share the info with others.

Facebook usages by many people has been reduced after birth of Whatsapp, similarly there is new app called Hike which is growing rapidly and someday that may beat Whatsapp. So such apps/services keep coming and dying over the time and users just keep spreading their info with all of them. But I don't see Google dying anytime soon due to birth of other apps or services.

And literally, Its first time I am hearing that someone is avoiding one of Google's service and using some other service just to keep things more secure and private. Honestly, no one cares about data security or privacy otherwise market wouldn't have been flooded with such third party IM apps/services. Most people don't even read the required permissions or T&C before installing apps.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

You are using internet and most probably an Android device as well so you just can't stop them getting whatever they want to know about you. They will anyways get whatever they want to know about you as far as you are using internet. Instead stop others to get more than what Google knows about you.

Google has just become Synonym of internet and I feel Google is making our lives more easier by using our data, just try to live for few days without Google.

If there is something which you feel not safe to share with Google then just don't share it on internet at all by using any medium, thats it.


And literally, Its first time I am hearing that someone is avoiding one of Google's service and using some other service just to keep things more secure and private. Honestly, no one cares about data security or privacy otherwise market wouldn't have been flooded with such third party IM apps/services. Most people don't even read the required permissions or T&C before installing apps.

I used to work for an internet major and know all the pitfalls. It is incorrect to say that google will get whatever they want. There are laws on what they can store (there is a difference between getting and storing) and there are many ways to be invisible.

I may appear paranoid cause I have a major in Internet Technology with a specialization in Information Security

PS: You seem to come off as a google evangalist, do you work for google?

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Why not Hangouts?

Network effect.

Now a days WhatsApp is so much embedded in communication that not using it means being out of few channels. For example:

1. School / Collage groups will be on WhatsApp
2. In Mumbai, quite a few schools have started using WhatsApp for updates (E.g.: assignments are broadcasted on class-specific groups, and students/parents can raise queries)
3. With 5000 Rs phones and 100 Rs. monthly internet packs, even carpenters/ drivers have got on to WhatsApp. They wont even use email.

[Chetan_Rao]

I like Hangouts, if for nothing else than its seamless integration across devices. I know Whatsapp and others are probably providing similar services (Whatsapp web just went live I think), but Hangouts works like a charm as far as Google contacts are concerned. I've refrained from using the SMS feature though, it's a bit of a mess.

[sgiitk]

For sms for quite some time I am using the free version of Go sms pro. Only one issue, it is updated quite often.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

PS: You seem to come off as a google evangalist, do you work for google?

No no, no relation with Google except being an avid user of Google services.

Anyways its obvious that you can take proper precautions about your data but tell me how many other layman users care about such things? And cyber laws in India, seriously? If such laws have been existing or being followed in India then atleast companies like Xiaomi wouldn't have been able to enter in the Indian market with the hardware-software bundle forms they had at the time they entered here. And offcourse, people caring about data privacy and security wouldn't have bought such devices at all.

So I don't buy the argument that date security or privacy is a concern there. And even if it is, I would rather believe on a company like Google than likes of WhatsApp, Hike, TrueCaller etc.

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

Network effect.

Now a days WhatsApp is so much embedded in communication that not using it means being out of few channels. For example:

1. School / Collage groups will be on WhatsApp
2. In Mumbai, quite a few schools have started using WhatsApp for updates (E.g.: assignments are broadcasted on class-specific groups, and students/parents can raise queries)
3. With 5000 Rs phones and 100 Rs. monthly internet packs, even carpenters/ drivers have got on to WhatsApp. They wont even use email.

Good to learn that such productive activities are also being held on WhatsApp but question is longevity of the WhatsApp service usage and how long the other growing services like Hike etc gonna take to occupy WhatsApp's current place? Then comes user experience. Just imagine any platform independent service like Hangouts being used for such activities then how much easier and versatile it will become to access the information shared in such groups.

I feel its also failure of Google's marketing department that they couldn't establish GTalk/Hangouts to such level despite of their long time presence in the field. A phone capable of running WhatsApp can also run Hangouts without need of any new sign up, its only that most people aren't even aware that such powerful services have been there since much longer before WhatsApp came.