Why do you need the hangouts app? Google Hangouts messenger – communication without borders. What will happen to Hangouts after the release of Allo and Duo

The Internet has given people the opportunity to communicate with each other regardless of location. The well-known Google corporation has offered its messenger, but so far few people know what kind of Hangouts program it is. It is easy to use if you know the basic settings.

What is Hangouts?

The official Google application is built into new smartphones running on , but it is also available for installation on a computer. It puts minimal load on the processor and is characterized by stable operation. When figuring out what Hangouts is on Android, you should provide the following information:

The main purpose is to provide different types of virtual communication, for example, text and video messages, image exchange and so on.
The application should combine Google's existing communication tools by providing a new quality product.

Another important point that is worth paying attention to is what “Hangouts” is for. The modern application includes a full range of capabilities, so you can communicate via SMS and MMS, create chats that can include up to 150 people. Through the messenger, you can conduct online broadcasts through the YouTube.com service. Video meetings, which can involve up to 10 people, are also popular. When figuring out what kind of Hangouts program it is, it’s worth pointing out that it can be used to make calls to phone numbers.

Who is better: Hangouts or Viber?

Comparisons between two popular instant messengers cannot be avoided, and if you analyze the capabilities of each program, you can find many differences:

The Hangouts app uses a two-way opt-out feature, which means that if you don't accept a contact, they won't be able to send messages. The second messenger does not have this option.
Hangouts is not tied to a phone number in any way, so it can be used on devices that do not require a SIM card, but the second program does not have this feature.
Viber has the advantage that you can remain invisible without leaving the application, but you cannot turn off notifications, which is available in Hangouts.

How to use Hangouts on Android?

The developers have proposed an application that is as easy to learn as possible and after installing it, you need to go through a number of mandatory steps:

When the Hangouts messenger is downloaded, authorization is carried out via SMS, in which a special code will be sent. Enter it in the specified field in the program.
After this, the classic Android interface will load and a plus sign will appear on the bottom right side. If you click on it, you can create a group for communication, start a chat or video meeting.
If, while on the start page of the messenger, you swipe your finger from left to right, a menu with settings will appear. Here you select the status, work with contacts and make other changes.

How to set up Hangouts?

How to remove Hangouts from Android?

If you are not satisfied with the program, then you can disable it. To do this, follow the instructions:

Go to “Settings” of the messenger and select “Application Manager” there.
At the next stage, go to the “All” tab and find the name of the program there and click “Uninstall updates”.
Go to Hangouts again and click “Force Stop” and all you have to do is click on the “Stop” tab. After this step, the application is considered disabled and will not use the device memory.
Many people are interested in how to remove Hangouts, but this is only possible if you have root rights. Experts say that if the user is new to the Android OS, then it is better not to risk making such adjustments.

The modern Internet community actively uses various messaging programs - messengers. The Hangouts app is positioned as one of them. More information about what Hangouts on Android is and what features it has will be discussed in this article.

What is this application

The Hangouts service appeared in 2013. The developer is Google. The program combines Google Talk, Google+ Chats and Google Video Calls into one service.

This application combines:

Instant messages;
Ability to create chat groups for up to 150 people;
Video conferencing;
Free calls to phone numbers of application owners;
Sending voice messages;
SMS message management;
Emoji and other features that are also present in other messengers.

It is also possible to install various add-ons with interesting functions in Hangouts:

Conducting competitions/quizzes with friends;
Collective notes and recordings;
Plugin for listening to music;
Ability to share videos from YouTube;
Synchronization with Google Drive;
Creating charts, graphs, viewing paintings, reading books and illustrated stories online;
Online Games;
Ability to connect to a remote device.

Note! The app uses a Google account, so the people you want to communicate with in this way must also have a Google account.

Hangouts is a serious competitor to alternative programs such as Skype, WhatsApp, Viber. Its team organization capabilities can effectively increase work productivity and quality of leisure time.

Installation from Play Market

At the moment, the program is installed by default on almost all devices with the Android operating system. But some manufacturers don't include Google products in their smartphones and tablets at launch. To install it manually:

Open the application page in the Play Store.
Click Install.
Wait for the installation process.
Close the store

After this, the application will be installed on your smartphone.

Introduction to the program

When you first launch Hangouts, you'll be prompted to find friends from your phone contacts list.
To start communicating, click “+” at the bottom of the application.
A list of contacts who already have the program looks like this.
To start communicating, click on the user's name, after which a dialogue window will open.
To make a voice or video call, click on the corresponding button to the right of the name of the interlocutor.

Disabling the service

If the program is built-in, it cannot be removed, like any other system application, but it can be disabled, not allowing the use of memory and preventing notifications from being sent.

Note! The instructions are for Android 6.0. In other versions, the appearance of the menu or the names of its items may differ.

Go to Settings → All apps.
Select "Hangouts".
Click “Uninstall updates” → confirm your choice.
Go to “Notifications” and make sure the “Show notifications” toggle is turned off.

After this, the service will turn off and will not use system resources.

conclusions

Hangouts is a convenient and free messenger with wide possibilities for collective interaction, such as drawing, video conferencing, work organization, etc. The application is built into Android, so you can only disable it and prevent notifications from being sent through the settings, but it remains on the device.

Google has come a long way over the past few years. Thanks to its current applications, the company has many fans around the world. Let's talk about a plugin called Hangouts. What is it and what is it for? We will try to understand this issue in this article. One thing needs to be said right away: this is a replacement for Google Talk. And, by the way, very successful.

Hangouts program: what is it and how does it work?

Let's first talk about how this utility came about. And this happened quite recently, when Google Talk and Google+ Messenger merged. It is worth noting that for some time these programs worked independently of each other, but in 2013 they announced the creation of an application called Hangouts. So, there are currently three platforms supported: Ghrome, iOS and Android. We can say that this messenger can be considered unified, because it has all independent applications. It should also be mentioned that there are several new functions, each of which we will look at a little below. Basically, here you can send emoticons, pictures, messages to your interlocutor, and even create video conferences, like in Skype. Wherever your interlocutor is, you can communicate with him. Well, now let's talk in more detail about how to use the program. Despite the huge range of functions, there is nothing complicated about it.

Hangouts: how to use the utility

So, first of all, we need to say that the plugin is completely free. Therefore, there is no need to pay for any activation, etc. You can use the program both on your desktop computer and on your mobile phone, which significantly increases the demand for such a product. So, you have downloaded and installed this application from Google. And when you entered it, you saw a list of dialogues instead of a list of contacts, which, of course, might seem a little strange to you. Everything is quite simple. To send a message to your interlocutor, you need to click on the correspondence that was conducted with him. If you want to communicate through the camera, then this is also easy to do, you just need to find the corresponding icon, which is located in the dialog box of your correspondence. The distinctive feature is that HD quality is available, but to use it you need high-speed Internet. During a conversation, you have the opportunity to select the quality of the video stream, which is extremely convenient. It is recommended to get a special camera that supports HD.

How to install the application?

Everything here is extremely simple, and now we will look in detail at exactly how to do this. The first thing you need to do is download the utility from the official Google website. It is completely free and takes only a few megabytes. You’ve already become a little familiar with Hangouts, you also know what it is and what the program is for, so let’s move straight to installation. You need to accept and choose the path. After this, we wait for the process to complete and enjoy the result. Please note that each Google account user has a good opportunity to install the application directly from the interface. This saves not only time, but also energy. That's probably all that can be said about installing Hangouts. We’ve already figured out a little how to use the program, so let’s talk about the strengths of the utility, and there are many of them.

Advantages, or Why users love Hangouts

I would like to point out right away that there are a lot of strengths here. Take, for example, a comfortable video conference. You can connect about 10 people to the conversation, which, you see, is a lot. It cannot be said again that using the plugin is completely free, and this is a very, very big plus. Another advantage is that mobile devices also support the use of this utility. The developers also made sure that even a novice user could fully understand the functions of Hangouts. Even a beginner who is just starting to explore the Internet will understand how to use such software. It is possible to record a video conference automatically, and everything is immediately uploaded to Youtube. In fairness, it should be noted that there are also disadvantages, and we will now talk about them.

About the disadvantages of the plugin

Fortunately, there are very few of them. Firstly, this is a name that is difficult to pronounce, but this is not so significant. Another thing is that when creating a video conference in which about 5 or more people participate, the image quality drops noticeably, you can even notice stuttering. This is perhaps the main drawback of this plugin. It is also worth paying attention to the heating of devices that work for a long time with Hangouts in video conference mode. But that's where all the disadvantages end. As you can see, they are not that significant. And even if you use the plugin to communicate with friends, you are unlikely to create conferences for 10 people. Well, now let's talk about Google Hangouts. You already know what it is, so now a little about its distinctive features.

First launch of the program

So you've installed the Hangouts app. We discussed what it is and why it is needed. However, theory is theory, but no one has canceled practice. Now you need to go into it. To do this, you need to log in to your Gmail account, that is, by mail. After this, you need to confirm your mobile phone number. You will immediately notice that there is the possibility of multi-selecting an interlocutor, and this is pleasing. Therefore, to create a conference, you don’t have to struggle for a long time. When it comes to video chat, it is now possible to join live broadcasts by invitation. However, it is still not possible to create them from the application. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that during correspondence you can instantly switch to video communication and vice versa, which is very convenient and saves time. The people you talk to most often will appear at the top as the most active. You can set the privacy mode or set the status to “out of office”, “do not disturb”, etc. As you can see, using the program is just as easy as installing Hangouts.

About the plugin's capabilities

So, it wouldn’t hurt to say what set of functions this program has. It is worth noting that the settings here are quite flexible, therefore, it is extremely convenient to use Google Hangouts. We won’t explain what this is again and let’s get straight to the point. In the main menu, you can turn the camera on/off, send pictures to Instagram, or open the clock. When it comes to sharing photos and videos, can you exchange pictures that you have on your phone? or turn on the camera, then take a photo and send it to your interlocutor. We can’t help but mention the rich selection of a wide variety of emoticons that will clearly emphasize your intentions and tell your friend about your mood. There is also a great opportunity to watch videos from YouTube or do some drawing together. In principle, there is no point in describing all the functions of this plugin, because there are a lot of them. The best way is to download and find out yourself.

What should you pay attention to?

I would like to say again that this particular one has more advantages than disadvantages. As the only bug that happens to users shows is unexpected crashes. If the plugin does not launch on your Android device, there may be several reasons. If you previously had Talk, then it is likely that the utility will be installed in its place, but instead of the expected Hangouts you will find the previous program. In this case, it is recommended to wait a little. When the plugin itself is updated to the latest version, this problem will disappear by itself. You've probably heard the expression Hangout services more than once. "What is this?" - you ask? This is still the same plugin, but now we are talking directly about the service. By the way, I would like to note that one of the main features of the utility is that after a connection is lost, it automatically restores it and shows missed messages, this is exactly what Talk did not have.

Conclusion

We have fully resolved the issues regarding this plugin. Now you know how it works, what its features are. Of course, there are several disadvantages here, in addition, most Google employees are busy developing Google Eyes, so quite little time is devoted to instant messengers. But if you decide to use Hangout services, then this is a great solution. You can get in touch with your relatives, loved ones or business partners whenever you want. The utility is not demanding on hardware and starts with a bang. As for the Internet connection, 2 megabytes/sec is enough. for normal communication via video conference. That's probably all the useful information on this topic, we hope it was useful to you.

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The Hangouts application is the official Google client for mobile phones and tablets with the Android operating system. It is designed for exchanging messages, photos, audio and video recordings.

Hangouts: what is this program?

Most often, users choose WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. for messaging. They must be downloaded from Google Play and installed on your smartphone. However, devices running on the Android operating system have a pre-installed version, the functionality of which fully corresponds to the standard accessory. In functionality and communication tools, it is not inferior to market leaders. Here you can also send text and voice messages, make calls and go on video calls.

Hangouts was created in order to combine the capabilities of different messengers and get a mobile client that will meet basic requirements. In order to start using Hangouts, you need to register an account or log in to the free email service from Google - Gmail.

The application is pre-installed on most smartphones. Previously, its analogue was the Talk Back program, which was supplemented by separate software, such as “+Chats” and “+Video Meetings”. Later all this was combined into a single product. However, despite its numerous capabilities, it does not take up much space and energy, so even on phones with a small amount of RAM there are no malfunctions, freezes, crashes, etc.

In other words, this program is an ideal solution for communication within the system. If people from your contact list have accounts, a person will not have to look for alternative ways to communicate.

What is the Hangouts app for?

The program is endowed with quite extensive functions, despite the fact that it is not in great demand among the Russian-speaking audience. In particular, the standard built-in functionality allows you to send and receive text, voice and multimedia messages, with attached photos and videos. And:

Create group chats with the ability to unite up to one hundred people in one session.
You can host Hangouts, broadcast with multiple friends at once, and host webinars where participants can see and hear the author, but cannot take part in the discussion. For feedback, there is a special chat where participants send their questions and other messages.
The ability to call not only registered users, but also dial mobile numbers not from the contact list.
Store sent text messages and media files in the built-in cloud storage. If a person decides to change his smartphone or loses it, all data will be available after synchronizing his Google account.

One of the main advantages of Hangouts, which users practically do not pay attention to when choosing a messenger for communication, is the insignificant consumption of system resources. This is rare for the Android operating system, since other software often places a large load on the RAM and processor, which is why the operating time of the device without recharging is noticeably reduced.

However, this also has its drawbacks. In particular, during use there is some delay between the command and its execution. For example, a person swipes across the screen, but the execution of his command occurs with a slight but noticeable freeze. Switching between individual tabs also takes some time. In addition, a significant disadvantage is that communication can only be maintained with people using the Android OS. And if all existing problems are fixed after the release of the next updates, nothing can be done about this shortcoming.

Answering the question of what Hangouts is still needed for, given that there are other, more popular messengers for instant messaging, it should be noted that this is a whole service that provides communication between different programs developed by Google: from Google+ Messenger to Google Talk. Despite the lack of great popularity, it can provide worthy competition.

How to use the Hangouts app on Android

As already noted, the program is installed on your mobile phone by default, but if you don’t have it, you can download it from Google Market.

To register an account, you must have an account with Google, and then indicate your mobile phone number, to which you will receive an SMS with a transaction confirmation code. After this, the user will have access to the standard interface.

In order to start a new dialogue or video call, you need to click on the “Add” button located in the lower right corner of the screen. A page will open with the ability to select a communication method: “Start a video meeting” and “New chat”.

After selecting the required option, the user will be asked to select people from the contact list with whom to create a new dialogue. In particular, here you can create a group to communicate with several users at the same time, or select one contact and write to him. Contacts can be searched by name or nickname, email address or phone number.

Swiping across the screen from left to right opens the settings section, where a person can change profile settings: change status, set an avatar, select a notification tone for messages or calls, etc.

Is it possible to remove the Hangouts program on Android?

Since the application is pre-installed on the smartphone, many people who do not use it want to get rid of it. However, it will not be possible to remove Hangouts using standard methods - you need to gain access to the file system and uninstall it there. But if you do it incorrectly, you can disrupt the operation of your phone. Therefore, the only safe option for deleting a program is to disable it in the settings so that, firstly, updates do not arrive, and secondly, the charge is not wasted. To do this, go to the “Settings”, “Application Manager” section.

Having found the program you need, click on the “Clear data” button, then remove existing updates and disable the possibility of their further automatic installation.