In today’s connected world, we are always looking for bigger and better ways to connect to our friends and family. We text on our smartphones, video chat on our computers, send photos via Facebook, and group chat on our PCs. WeChat brings all of that together in a tidy little package that keeps all communication tools in one place for your convenience and reference. Interested in adding WeChat to your phone or other portable device? Here’s everything you need to know to get started, including features and compatibility with various platforms.
Getting WeChat
WeChat is a completely free application that is available in the Google Play Store, the Windows Marketplace, and the Apple App Store for your convenience. WeChat is available for and compatible with Macs, iPhones, Android devices, Windows phones, the Nokia S40, Symbian Keyboard, Symbian Touch, and Blackberry devices running on OS 5.0 and 6.0 and above. To download, simply select it from your application store the same way as any other app.
Features
Live Chat– Live Chat is WeChat’s version of a chat room. You can talk with friends and associates using a walkie-talkie type interface, allowing only one person to talk at a single time.
Group Chat QR Code – To easily invite other people to a particular chat room, simply share a QR code through E-mail to allow access.
Chat History Backup – If you are using WeChat across several devices, you can backup your chat on one device and restore it for continuity on another. You can even password protect your chat history for privacy.
Video Call – For live chatting with video support, WeChat offers video calls to bring chatting to life. You can also go back and forth between audio and video chat.
Moments – Moments is the WeChat photograph sharing tool. It allows you to share photos with members of certain groups, keep them private, or share them publicly without restriction. Like with Facebook, fellow WeChat users can like your photo or leave comments. The “My Moments” button shows you a timeline of your snapshots.
Emoticons – WeChat features a number of cute, funny, and creative emoticons to personalize your messages. You can also download more from the online catalog.
Group Chat – Select a group of people from your contact list to start a chat with more than one person at once.
Shake – Feeling adventurous? Use the Shake feature to instantly see other users around the globe who are shaking at the same time. You may find a new friend.
Look Around – Another connection tool, Look Around shows you other WeChat users who are in the same general vicinity as you. This feature will tell you who is nearby and how far away they are. You can then send a greeting if you like.
Drift Bottle – A cute idea, Drift Bottle allows you to create a text message and then throw it out into the cyberspace sea, waiting for a reply from a random WeChat user. You can also pick up Drift Bottles yourself that others have sent out.
Facebook Connect – If you have a Facebook account, you can use it to sign into WeChat for your convenience.
Worth It or Not?
WeChat is a fun and useful tool that brings people together in a unique way. The only catch to using WeChat is that your friends, family, and acquaintances must also download the app and sign up before being able to use it. If you like the idea of keeping your communication and connection tools in a single place, then WeChat gets the job done perfectly. Try it – you have nothing to lose.
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