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OF THE MANY benefits smartphones have brought us, staying in touch with friends and family is probably the biggest one. Thanks to 3G, 4G and wifi, we can be halfway across the world and still chat to friends in real-time.
While we all know of WhatsApp, Skype and Viber, there are many more messaging apps out there that are just as useful and as fun. Here are some of the best.
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free (€2.69 per month/€26.99 per year for pro version)
Desktop Version: Yes (for business users)
While it portrays itself as a serious app, Voxer is guaranteed to bring your childhood memories flooding back. The walkie-talkie app is all about snappy messaging, allowing you to record quick messages to friends or groups. Finishing each message with ‘Over’ is optional, but encouraged.
(Image: Voxer/Windows Phone)
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: Yes
If you feel that text isn’t enough to get a view across, MessageMe could be the app for you. With over 180 stickers, emoticons and emoji to choose from, you’ll find an image or picture to match whatever you’re saying.
(Video: MessageMe/YouTube)
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: Yes
Google hasn’t won many friends thanks to its insistence on placing Google+ everywhere you go, but Google Hangouts is one example of it getting it right. Combining the best of Gchat with group video calls, it’s a great app for both text and group video chat.
(Video: Google/YouTube)
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry,
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: No
Think of WeChat as a cross between Voxer and MessageMe and you’re close to what it can do. Combining the best of voice messaging with text and imagery, it allows you to chat with friends in a wide number of ways.
(Image: WeChat/Google Play)
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry
Cost: Free (add-ons vary in price)
Desktop Version: Yes
Quickly becoming one of the most popular messaging apps out there, Line adds some twists to a familiar concept. With specialised apps, games, and a shake feature that allows you to friend someone nearby, it’s one of the more creative messaging apps out there.
(Image: Line/Windows Phone)
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: Yes (Windows)
While it offers the usual text, photos, stickers and music messaging features, Tango’s real strength is in video. Not only can you chat to someone through video calling, you can also record your own video message for your friends to watch later.
(Image: Tango/Google Play)
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: No
Considering the app is all about sharing photos and videos that self-destruct within ten seconds, it would be wrong not to include it. With its new Stories feature giving users a way of sending group photos and videos, it’s transforming from a fun photo app into a new way of messaging. If you’re curious as to why it’s worth $3 billion, now’s a good time to find out.
(Video: Snapchat/YouTube)
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free, €4.49 for full version.
Desktop Version: Yes
It’s easy to forget that not everyone has a smartphone so if you’re regularly texting friends on SMS, this will come in handy. Jelly allows you to send webtexts from your phone to anyone you wish, regardless of provider. You will have to pay to either remove ads or send photo messages, but if most of your friends still rely on SMS, it will definitely come in useful.
Update: the latest update for Jelly on iOS now includes picture messaging for free.
(Image: JellySMS/App Store)
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: Yes
As you probably guessed, GroupMe focuses on group messaging, but it keeps things simple to ensure a pleasant experience. Relying on text, photos and location, it’s probably the easiest app for both savvy users and non-tech users.
(Image: GroupMe/Google Play)
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Desktop Version: Yes
Since it got a major update recently, it’s worth revisiting Facebook’s own messaging app if you’re not using it already. With a new look and a much better layout, you can now find out whether your friends are on mobile or web, as well as message people from your phone book, even if they’re not on Facebook.
(Image: Facebook/App Store)
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If I hear anyone else say “life style choice” in relation to social welfare, I swear to God I wont be responsible!!!
The other thing that I m tired of hearing is “we need to reduce social welfare to motivate people to go back to work” Our TDs receive over €2500 pay per week, plus expenses, free transport etc and they are spending their time on how to cut child welfare by €10 and the dole by €8. Those who profit most from Irelands wealth are mostly tax exiles and pay nothing at all …is something wrong here?? Should we not be “motivating” those who earn €1 million plus to be paying their fair share?
I “live” on Social Welfare. Yes you could say it is a “lifestyle choice”. I have cardiac artery disease, diabetes and arthritis, and am on Disability Allowance. I get the same amount to exist on as someone trying to find a job. It is not a lot. In fact it is not enough. Do our T.D.s know or care? I think not. Would they do anything if they did know?
NO! Because they are not concerned about how ordinary people get by.
Oh Sugar !!
this country has thee most disconected politicians in relation to real life and how we cope and live with the decisions they make.
living on social welfare is a great lifestyle choice, i do it all the time :-P
It is an absolute disgrace what happened to Fr Kevin Reynolds and I am happy for him that his name was cleared. Why the hell won’t Dev jnr respect this mans wishes and those of Fr. Reynolds legal team?
Before cutting social welfare for single mothers, can we please first have a National plan to provide community childcare to every family? Community Childcare workers do a great job but when they have to be closed during school holidays, what’s the point?
Believe it or not, not every child in this country has a granny who can take over during school holidays.
Am I the only person who thinks the defamation by autocomplete thing is stupid? It would be like punishing a news reporter for reporting the news. It happened and people were looking up the recievership online to find out information about it so google took a popular term being used and suggested it as a search item. Google simpley did what it’s supposed to do, help people find information online in a quick manner by streamlining what is relevent to what people wanted at that time.
If the term “receivership” is now considered pejorative then google in Ireland had better beware, as the number of businesses in that situation is more likely to grow than shrink.
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