Chat and Messaging Apps

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ronw

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#281416 16-Feb-2021 16:51

What is the feeling about Chat/Messaging apps. I use Signal but lately have been getting tech articles for Delta Chat. Has anyone tried this app and if so how does it compare with Signal/Telegram/Whatsapp etc

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#2657681 16-Feb-2021 17:09

The issue is not the app changing is the issue if no one is using it

ronw

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#2657687 16-Feb-2021 17:17

Of course that applies to every app but we could say the same about Signal a few years back. The question is does Delta offer improvements over other chat apps that might make it a viable contender down track.

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#2657693 16-Feb-2021 17:32

As much as I hate it, my family primarily uses FB messenger. I hate it less than I used to, but I hate whatsapp more.

FineWine

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#2657694 16-Feb-2021 17:33

I recently did a comparison between WhatsApp and Skype because half our family (all sides) are on one or the other and only a small portion are on FaceTime.

It came to a head the other week because my brother & wifey are going caravanning for 2 months in the South Island (has now left) and being a bit tight fisted would rather wait for free Wifi than maybe going over his 3g/4g data allowance even though ALL family have a text/sms abilities. But he wants visual/audio which as we know can chew up data allowances.

So here was my comparsion. He has gone to WhatsApp and has forced me to do like wise.

---------------------------------------------------

So WhatsApp and Instagram are now owned by FaceBook. When WhatsApp was purchased in 2014 and Instagram in 2012, many countries especially in the EU put restrictions on FaceBooks use of these app's data collection. Well as you can guess FaceBook has slowly eroded those restrictions. WhatsApp user base is now over 2 billion vs Skype 1.3 billion and FaceBook 2.7 billion with Instagram 854.5 million. Skype has remained steady whilst WhatsApp has and is increasing monthly whilst FaceBook is declining mainly due to its decreased security, its data collection and ad targeting and general rubbish on it and very soon, I am guessing, Instagram will just fold into FaceBook.

So what are the pro’s and con’s of Skype vs WhatsApp

Skype uses a single user ID vs WhatsApp uses the users phone number
WhatsApp uses end to end encryption but remember it becomes unencrypted at either user end so always lock your phone when not being used.
WhatsApp stores your chat & audio/video or photos/movies on your device which can be backed up to hard disk or the Cloud but it is unencrypted and also remember it will take up storage space on your iDevice
Skype really does store data
If set correctly in the settings only those on your iDevices contact list can contact you and you them when you approve them and either app
WhatsApp does not store personal info (for how long that'mobs going to last is another question)
WhatsApp users two-factor authentication, Skype does not, at this stage
Both apps have the ability to group chat (WhatsApp = 256 and Skype = 50)
Both are do not effect your mobile data whilst text messaging.
Skype has the higher quality audio/video than WhatsApp which is known to echo and drop outs and poorer quality audio/video
BUT you must remember that if you use the audio/video feature on either app outside of a WiFi area, in other words using your iDevices 3g/4g/5g facility (mobile phone) then you will be using your phones contract data allowance.
WhatsApp = 10-minute video call uses 5MB of mobile data.
Skype = 10-minute video call uses 45 MB of mobile data
Skype will use the most data as it has the better quality audio/video
If you send photo’s or videos then your data usage goes WAY up on either app
Both apps have a mobile and desktop varieties
Both apps can be used via windows or Apple web based browsers but the mobile apps are far superior.
Both mobile apps can handover from mobile to desktop but to achieve this, both are a bit finicky. If you answer a call on one device stick to that device same when making a call. If you are near both your mobile and desktop I personally would answer or make a call on the desktop - your preference.
From my research (not personal experience with WhatsApp) WhatsApp is easier to use on a mobile device whereas Skype is easier to use on a desktop
ONLY DOWNLOAD EITHER APP (MOBILE OR DESKTOP) FROM YOUR DEVICES APP STORE OR THE APPS PARENT WEBSITE

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

ronw

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#2657702 16-Feb-2021 17:40

Thanks for your experience but to be honest Signal would do all you want and with much better protection. Anything outside of the Facebook empire head to be better

Nokia 7 Plus
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Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

1101

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#2658080 17-Feb-2021 09:46

How good the app is, is irrelevant.
What matters is who else is using it.

I use Viber , as the people I need to connect with also use Viber . It was 'decided' by those in charge to use Viber

Otherwise , txting is still more than sufficient for most things for me.

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lchiu7

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#2659388 19-Feb-2021 08:44

As noted it's not how good they are but who is using them. I don't really care about end-to-end encryption since nothing I send is confidential.

So I end using

Wechat - because that's what my wife and family use and it can be used in China

Hangouts/Google Chat - because a few rels (ncluding my two kids) and friends use it . Note my two kids actually communicate with each other using FB Messenger

Viber - for just a small group of friends

SMS - for all business contacts since they all have SMS and anyway, who uses a social app for business comms? And now if they are on Android, I get Chat services in SMS

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bender84

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#2662153 24-Feb-2021 12:02

FWIW, Current Chat Apps that I'm using...

Signal - for the bulk of my friends. (easier to on-board, overall user experience similar to WhatsApp)
Matrix/Element - Self hosted instance for internal use between close family members.
WeChat - for some friends and relations in China.
WhatsApp - for one friend (who is a fanatic of everything FB), would otherwise remove it from my phone in a heartbeat.

Personal (ideological) preference has been towards Matrix because I can self host and federate to other users on other Matrix servers.
The key draw backs to Matrix is the overall user experience still needs a bit of polish (in terms of on-boarding and usage) and it can be a challenge to set-up + maintain your own Matrix server (however, is not a requirement to participate - you can sign up for an account on any server with open registration)