Smartphones have become the most preferred way of communicating.
Whether it is with friends, family or work colleagues, there are apps that allow communication to be done promptly. Regardless of the smartphone type you have, the app options are endless.
WhatsApp is one of the many apps meant for Android, Blackberry, Nokia and iOS. It is a cross platform messenger application that allows you to send and receive instant messages and media files. While other instant messaging applications offer the same features as WhatsApp, there are some aspects that set this application apart.
The fact that this is a cross platform applications means that you can communicate with someone using a Blackberry or an iPhone using your Android device. WhatsApp is not constrained to a specific operating system, which is common with most instant messaging apps.
The Setup
Installing WhatsApp is quite easy and free. All it takes is downloading the application to your smartphone to start using it. Anyone using the application can send you an invitation to join WhatsApp. This invitation comes with a link that can be used to download the app. Once installed, the app is connected to your phone number and has access to your contacts. It will automatically add phone contacts to your WhatsApp favorites list.
The Interface
The WhatsApp interface is easy to use. It comes with a navigation bar located at the bottom to redirect you to status, contacts, favorites, settings and chats. The favorite page shows your contacts on the platform and allows you to invite other people to join in. The status page allows you to change your status and work in the same way as the Facebook status feature. It is now possible to merge your WhatsApp status with your Facebook status. This way, your status on WhatsApp can match your status on Facebook.
To start a new conversation on the chats page, you simply press the compose button on the upper right side. Your chats lists will be generated and this allows you to begin a new chat. The settings page allows you to customize features like the ringtone, font size, message timestamps and your profile pic.
The Features
An interesting feature on this IM platform is the ability to share not to just texts but also photos, videos, locations, notes, contacts, and audio files. WhatsApp also uses green checks to indicate whether the message has been sent and read. One green check indicates that the message has been sent while two green checks indicate that the message has been read. You can also know whether the other person is typing as the word “typing” appears on the status bar whenever you are chatting with a contact. You can also send voice recording by holding on the microphone icon on the typing bar to start recording.
The Performance
It is easy to understand why more than 20 million people prefer using WhatsApp as their ideal messaging service. Text messages are quickly sent and received and initiating group chats is easy and can accommodate up to 30 people per group. The audio quality is clear and multimedia is sent without any hitches.
The Pricing
WhatsApp can be downloaded for free. The first year is free and a charge of 99 cents is applicable thereon. WhatsApp does not charge for international messaging thus making it possible to chat with anyone anywhere.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is a good way of staying in touch with loved ones without having to incur hefty messaging charges. Even though you pay 99 cents annually to use the app, it is a cheap way of texting your loved ones all year long.
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