Google Hangout alternatives?

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Lorini
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Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by Lorini »

Google Hangouts will no longer support texting as of May 22 2017. I need an alternative that runs on Android, Ios and desktop. Note I have friends who refuse to use Facebook as well, so something that was not Messenger would be nice.

Thanks!
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Really? I just started using Hangouts for sms. Crap.

As for alternatives, have you looked at Slack?
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by Octavious »

Skype is available on all platforms. Unless I'm totally not understanding the question.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Just took a look at the release. Apparently Hangouts will still work for Project Fi users so I get a reprieve.


They're trying to move other users to Allo or Duo.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by Lorini »

LawBeefaroni wrote:Just took a look at the release. Apparently Hangouts will still work for Project Fi users so I get a reprieve.


They're trying to move other users to Allo or Duo.
Allo and Duo don't run on Windows. I will find that release because I also use Project Fi. The article I read didn't mention that.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by GreenGoo »

LawBeefaroni wrote:Really? I just started using Hangouts for sms. Crap.

As for alternatives, have you looked at Slack?
my peeps bailed on it quite a while ago although I don't remember why. We use signal now, which is encrypted by default.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by Lorini »

:horse: Awesome!! Thanks! Whew.
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Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by Carpet_pissr »

I didn't know that was happening either, dang.

I will second Skype, and will add WhatsApp. I probably use WhatsApp for work chat more than I use our Business Skype chat (Lync).

One thing I love about WhatsApp is if you want to switch your chat from mobile to desktop, just point your device at the screen and it reads a bar code and syncs them immediately. VERY cool and very useful (for me at least)
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by GreenGoo »

Some privacy issues/controversy with WhatsApp being bought by Facebook. I don't know the details so if that's important to you you might want to look into it.

Could be something small. Like I said, I didn't look too closely at it.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by noxiousdog »

GreenGoo wrote:Some privacy issues/controversy with WhatsApp being bought by Facebook. I don't know the details so if that's important to you you might want to look into it.

Could be something small. Like I said, I didn't look too closely at it.
That's ironic.

While I don't pay much attention, I know Leo Laporte (This Week in Tech) is big on privacy issues recommends WhatsApp over nearly everything else due to its encryption by default.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by GreenGoo »

noxiousdog wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:Some privacy issues/controversy with WhatsApp being bought by Facebook. I don't know the details so if that's important to you you might want to look into it.

Could be something small. Like I said, I didn't look too closely at it.
That's ironic.

While I don't pay much attention, I know Leo Laporte (This Week in Tech) is big on privacy issues recommends WhatsApp over nearly everything else due to its encryption by default.
I'm not sure what's ironic about it. If anything it's ironic that Laporte recommends it.

The first google search returned this article, as one of many.

financial times article on objections with regard to Facebook's usage of WhatsApp data.

Again, I'm only commenting on the issues existing, not whether those issues have merit or not. Clearly some people feel they do, though.

edit: for those inclined to read more, here's a reddit thread talking about a backdoor that was in existence at least as recently as 3 months ago. WhatsApp implemented End to End encryption 7 months ago, I believe, based on my quick searches.

reddit discussion
Last edited by GreenGoo on Wed Apr 26, 2017 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by noxiousdog »

GreenGoo wrote:
noxiousdog wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:Some privacy issues/controversy with WhatsApp being bought by Facebook. I don't know the details so if that's important to you you might want to look into it.

Could be something small. Like I said, I didn't look too closely at it.
That's ironic.

While I don't pay much attention, I know Leo Laporte (This Week in Tech) is big on privacy issues recommends WhatsApp over nearly everything else due to its encryption by default.
I'm not sure what's ironic about it. If anything it's ironic that Laporte recommends it.

The first google search returned this article, as one of many.

financial times article on objections with regard to Facebook's usage of WhatsApp data.

Again, I'm only commenting on the issues existing, not whether those issues have merit or not. Clearly some people feel they do, though.
Oh, never mind. I read yours as "brought by facebook." I retract everything and I would guess he's more concerned though I haven't listened to the show in months.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by GreenGoo »

noxiousdog wrote: Oh, never mind. I read yours as "brought by facebook." I retract everything and I would guess he's more concerned though I haven't listened to the show in months.
Ah ok. And just to reiterate yet again, I in no way am claiming that there is a problem with WhatsApp, only that I had heard there was and people seem to be talking about the possibility. I have not read nearly enough to have an opinion.

I fully agree that Facebook taking issue with an app's privacy would in fact be completely ironic. :D
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by hitbyambulance »

i just read:
If you connected Hangouts with Google Voice and use that integration to get free outgoing and incoming SMS messages from your Voice number, you’re in luck. That feature isn’t being killed…yet.
so i'm safe for now, i guess
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by miltonite »

I have friends across all platforms and we use slack.
You can make different rooms and even have direct messages through the application. It has grown on me.
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Re: Google Hangout alternatives?

Post by Alefroth »

This sounds like it's just removing carrier SMS texting. If my wife uses Hangouts w/o a carrier, just over wifi, do you think she'll be unable to text after the 22nd?
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