Due to these trends, applications for voice
calling and messaging over data exploded everywhere. There are more than a
hundred different applications for every mobile platform. So then how do you
filter out the best ones from all these? That’s where I come in to help you
out. Here is a list of the most popular communicationapplications out right
now including one newcomer.
Much like what Google did for search engines,
Skype did for video chatting. Nowadays, Skype is a household word synonymous
with video chatting. I’m sure most people who don’t even use Skype know what
Skype is, and I’m also sure many people have said or heard “Skype me” meaning
to video chat.
Skype is available on most platforms, which
includes Android, iOS, Blackberry, Symbian, PC and Mac. The user interface is
clean and simple, and with a sufficiently fast smart phone, the entire
experience is very smooth. Since this application is cross platform, you can
voice chat, video chat, and message anyone else with the Skype application for
free. In addition to the free stuff, there is also the option for paid
subscriptions for VoIP services. You can purchase Skype credits in order to
make calls to landlines and mobile phones, either at a flat rate (per country)
or with a subscription that will give you either a limited number of minutes to
landlines and mobiles or unlimited landline and mobile calls to a limited
number of countries. In addition, most of the prices are for individual countries,
but there is one option for unlimited calling and text to many countries around
the world. The prices for these services will range from $3 to $5 a month and
upwards to $14 for the unlimited world subscription.
The voice quality and the overall experience
with Skype are excellent. Also, the fact that you can use your computer with
the same account as your phone is great. However, it does seem a little
expensive considering these prices are in addition to what you would normally
pay monthly for your phone. Another thing to note is that you must sign into
Skype in order to use make free calls with others using Skype. It may seem like
a minor point, but it can make a big difference depending on the user (I will
get into this later). If you make international calls often, Skype is certainly
much cheaper than calling directly and not as inconvenient as using an
international calling card. However, Skype’s price points may still seem a
little steep to some and the connection in countries outside of the U.S. might
not be as good.
Viber
Number of Users: 175 million
Next in line is Viper, an application touted
to give Skype a run for its money. It is available on pretty much all mobile
platforms, which includes Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Series 40, Symbian,
Bada, and Windows Phone. While Viber is compatible with more mobile operating
systems than Skype, there is no PC or Mac version. In addition, video chatting
is not available.
Registration with Viber simply requires your
phone number and SMS verification. The application will sync with your contacts
and list out everyone else on your contact list that uses Viber themselves. The
major difference between Skype and Viber, however, is the fact that Viber does
not have any means of calling land lines – or anyone who does not use Viber
themselves for that matter. In this regard, Skype has a leg up on Viber.
However, what Viber has that Skype doesn’t is the ability to run quietly in the
background without having to sign in. As mentioned before, free calls with Skype
require that you sign into your account and the recipients of any calls or
texts to be signed in as well. Therefore, Skype must run continuously if you
don’t want to miss any calls, which is a huge drain on battery life (this is
the point I was talking about earlier). Viber, on the hand, simply needs to be
installed, and even if the application is not actively running, Viber will
recognize if another Viber user is calling you and deliver a notification that
you are receiving a call.
Arguably, the call quality on Viber is not as
good as Skype. However, the fact that it won’t be a continuous drain on your
battery yet still always being “on” is a big, big plus.
Kakaotalk
Number of Users: 50 million+
Kakaotalk is currently a rising star among
data-based communication applications. It is available in for Android, iOS,
BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and Bada. In terms of voice and messaging, Kakaotalk
works in the exact same way as Viber. However, that is not to say that they are
the same program. A major difference comes from registration. While the initial
registration works the exact same way as Viber, there is an additional option
to register a username and password, which serves a few functions. First, it
allows you to add friends with their username in the event you don’t have their
phone number. Registering a username and password will also retain your
Kakaotalk contact list onto its servers in the event that you change your phone
and/or number. And lastly, it will create a Kakaotalk profile that works, in a
way, like a micro social media site so that people on your contacts list can
view pictures that you upload.
Your Kakaotalk profile has a myriad of
customization options from changing the font to changing the background image
of individual chats or chatrooms. You may purchase different emoticons and
themes from their built-in app store. In addition, in some countries such as
South Korea (where the creators of Kakaotalk is based), games are available for
download and works much like the way Facebook does in that you may need to ask
your friends who also play the game to send you lives in order to progress
through it.
Overall, Kakaotalk is much richer in features
than Viber. However, while 50 million users is nothing to sneeze that, it
doesn’t even have a third of the number of users that Viber does.
U+
Global Call
Number of Users: N/A
The final communication application on this
list is the newcomer U+ Global Call. As this is a new application, it is
currently only available for iOS and Android. The concept behind this application seems to
be simplicity. There is only one function, and that is to be able to call any
phone number, whether it is a land line or a mobile phone, within a limited
number of countries (there are plans to expand the number of countries in the
future). Unlike Viber and Kakaotalk, recipients of calls or messages are not
required to have the applications themselves. In this way, it is very similar
to Skype’s ability to call land lines. Global Call will utilize your data, but
the recipients will receive the calls and text messages through their voice
minutes and SMS. And that’s all it does. So then what’s so great about this
application? Two words: Price. Point. Global Call undercuts every mobile VoIP
application in terms of price. Users will have to purchase credits, and those
credits will be used up at a flat rate based on the country they are calling.
However, due to the cheaper price point compared to Skype, your money will go
much further, which is perfect for someone who makes the occasional
international call.
As of now, there is very limited usage of
this application as it is still in its nascent stages of launching. However,
since you are able to call people regardless of whether or not they have a
smart phone or the same program, this is probably the cheapest way you will be
able to make a standard call overseas.
There are so many applications out there that
it’s hard to choose which one is best. Hopefully this list will give you some
insight on your own needs and help you choose which one is best for you.
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