Hangouts V2

[WuddaWaste]

Has anyone else tried this yet? I downloaded and installed the new Hangouts apk. It installed as an update to the Google Play version so there was no need to uninstall the old.

I have a bias. I was predestined to like this. I've liked the idea of Hangouts integrating SMS and MMS since we'll before they announced it was going to happen. It solves the fundamental problem of any third party messaging app. That is, it becomes a third app that's only useful to contact others who already have it. By integrating SMS and MMS, Hangouts becomes a replacement for the stock messaging app.

But unfortunately not without a couple of annoying nuances.

I only have two main irritations right now.

1. It's a bit slower than the stock messaging app. It also has a lot more features, so it's understandable. At the same time, I'm a user who sends hundreds of messages per day so every millisecond of lag really does add up. Maybe this will be justification for a new toy soon. Haha.

2. After sending more than I think 30 messages in 30 minutes, Android gives me a warning that Hangouts is sending a high volume of messages. From what I've seen this happens with every third party messaging app. When confirming that I am indeed sending these messages myself and to allow it, the warning pops up again on the very next message. Super, super, super annoying. Boo!

Overall I am a happy camper, but as I said before I think it's because of my bias. I look forward to a day when Google Voice will fully integrated and we will get MMS, SMS, Voice, and Video Chat all over IP. Maybe it's a pipe dream, but I think it would be cool.

Has anyone else been using the new Hangouts?

[GizBeat]

I just took a quick look at it. I rarely SMS, but occasionally use it for text chat.

The huge bar on the right side showing me how I can pull the latest chat/friend's list over is a bit silly.

There should be a + button in Hangouts for starting a new chat while already engaged, rather than having to hit back and then +.

They NEED to do something about chat groups. There's my Gmail contact friends, and then this huge list of 10,000 Google contacts. Not just people I email regularly, but anyone who's every emailed me or who I've emailed mixed in with all my phone contacts. I'm guessing they expect me to use the search function? It's a mess.

I'm also not sure I like the fancy way the messages slow bounce into the conversation, especially the way the 'Now' timestamp bounces in. Perhaps a single bounce in would be okay including the 'Now' timestamp. Maybe it's just something one needs to get used to though.

Some type of dark theme and ability to change the text sizes. I'm not 90 years old with cataracts.

These are just a few things I noticed in the first few minutes. It does take quite a bit to satisfy me, but these are what seem to me to be obvious and very basic design choices. To be fair, the huge majority of apps just don't get it when it comes to intuitive design. All this programming muscle and brains, but they fail when it comes to design.

Still, this is an interesting concept. I assume you can just fire off quick messages that will come through as emails to those who aren't online or part of hangouts/gchat...Yes?

How's video chat? Smooth? Easy?

I really like Lineapp. The stickers are great for expressing yourself and often find myself missing them with 'normal' chat apps. They've recently incorporated video chat, but haven't had a chance to give it a go. Of course Line app has several design issues as well.

[WuddaWaste]

After a weekend of using this, I have uninstalled it. I concede on all points.

The number one thing I'm looking as a rapid-messager using a messaging app is speed. And this is where Hangouts fell woefully short.

I agree with Gizbeat about the bouncing in of messages. Why is this necessary? Especially when sometimes that bounce can delay the message from showing up on the screen in a reasonable time. I feel as if Hangouts thinks I'm 7 years old (or an iDevice user -- same diff) and would rather see bubbling bouncing pretty graphics than have a functional tool.

Starting a new chat is clunky. Agreed.

Calling someone I'm already chatting with is also clunky. Or rather, as I found it, impossible to do from within Hangouts. I had to exit the app altogether, then pull up the phone app, select my contact, and then dial. With stock Messenger, all I had to do was a couple of taps on my contact's picture. Huge difference.

The message limit thing in Android is really, really, really annoying. There should be an easy toggle in Android where I can set my own threshholds rather than trying to scale back my usage or click "OK" for every d@rn message I have to send. (As if a rogue app couldn't automate clicking the OK button when a warning popped up?)

I hear that Lineapp is very similar to Whatsapp, but somehow preferred. I will probably end up trying it. I just have a hard time convincing myself that I need yet another platform with which to communicate. I like the idea of integration. Centralization. I don't want to have to have 5 apps just because some people are here and others are there.

[GizBeat]

I re-read my first reply here and realize I was sounding a bit finicky, but really the points you and I've mentioned seems like basic design 101.

Why not take the huge silly pull-over bar on the right and turn it into buttons which access different groups on your contacts (eg, All, Frequently Emailed, Frequently Called, All Phone, All email, All GChat). It's amazing programmers likely making well above 6 figures didn't think to put a + button in your current chat to start a new chat. Or be able to initiate a SIM call with a Google phone contact. Or make a setting to make the text smaller so you can fit more on the screen, or have the messages come up like regular instead of bouncing in.

I like Lineapp because similar to Whatsapp, it puts you in direct chat contact with phone contacts who also have it. It's got voice chat, press to talk (quick voice mail) and video. There's also a Timeline very similar to Facebook. The stickers are awesome. I'm a grown man, but I do like Lineapp stickers. It will automatically add you to anyone who has it in your phone contacts that's allowing auto-add. The caveat of course is your friends also need to have the app.

[WuddaWaste]

Thanks to Gizbeat's advice it looks like I might have to install Lineapp later today. One of my most tech-savvy Whatsapp friends has her status set to read "I now use LINE App". Between her endorsement and yours curiosity is definitely going to get the best of me.

In regards to WhatsApp, I pretty much only use it to talk to one friend overseas. Perhaps I'll be able to show her the light. If not, I'll bring her over to CPA to have you guys do all the convincing for me. ;)