A smartphone, or smart phone, is a mobile phone with more advanced computing capability and connectivity than basic feature phones.
Early smartphones typically combined the features of a mobile phone with those of another popular consumer device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a media player, a digital camera, or a GPS navigation unit. Modern smartphones include all of those features plus the features of a touchscreen computer, including web browsing, Wi-Fi, and 3rd-party apps and accessories.
The most popular smartphones today are powered by Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS mobile operating systems
Smartphones today have totally changed the way we use the gadget, rather than just a calling and messaging device, they’ve become our life companions for checking emails, doing social networking, viewing/editing work documents, listening and watching to music or video, playing games, and much more. Heck, they even provide a free alternative to mobile operator through voice and video calling apps. Let’s see some of such applications.
Skype
Skype is one of the oldest and most famous app providing calling functionality. Not only Android and iOS, it’s available for computer platforms – Windows, Mac and Linux, and even other mobile OS like Windows Phone and Blackberry. Apart from voice and video calling, it allows sharing files, sending messages, etc. between the devices using Skype. It also offers low cost calling and messaging facility to mobiles or landlines.
Viber
Similar to Skype, Viber is available for computer platforms- Windows and Mac, and also mobile platforms like Blackberry and Windows Phone, apart from Android and iOS. One can use Viber for sharing contacts, files, messages, emoticons, locations, etc. It also allows group calling facility for up to 40 participants.
Tango
This app is available for Android, iOS and WP and also Windows OS for computers. It offers usual features of voice and video calling, sending messages, animations, files, etc. One interesting thing which Tango provides is the Mini Games which can be played even during the call and challenge the caller on the other end.
Kakao Talk
Kakao Talk is available for almost all mobile platforms- Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone and even Bada. It allows voice and video call, messaging, sharing multimedia content, etc. To add little bit of fun, the app has in-built games and some voice filters like Talking Tom, Talking Ben, etc. It also allows users to follow celebrities/ brands such as Psy, Girl’s Generation, etc. through ‘Plus Friend’ feature and get updates from them. To see the celebs that can be added, user can go to the Find Tab and select View All, and simply click add option against any of them to start getting updates from them. The app also acts as a reminder for scheduling appointments and gatherings.
Hangouts
Google recently revamped its communication service- Google Talk to Hangouts making it ubiquitous app for communicating to people using Gmail, Google+ on their computers and Android and iOS platforms. If offers the ability of text messaging and video calling. One can talk to up to 10 people simultaneously. The images being shared are saved in a private Google+ Album, making it easier to access them at a later time. It also provides a useful option for snoozing notifications for some time so that the user is not disturbed.
While WeChat is essentially an Instant Messaging app available for all mobile platforms as well as web, it also provides several innovative ways for voice/ video calling. Live Chat feature is similar to conference calling facility allowing group of people to voice chat and it ensures that only one person talks at a time. Video Call as the name suggests allows the persons chatting to do talk in video or audio mode. It also has a Voice Chat feature which allows people to send each other a voice message; this feature is very useful particularly when the other person is not online. Download WeChat for Android | Download WeChat for iPhone ooVoo ooVoo’s claim to fame as a voice and video calling app was its simple interface and cross platform availability on major mobile platforms as well as desktop OS. Similar to other apps it allows sending messages, voice and video calling, etc. Like Skype, ooVoo gives the ability to call landline numbers through ooVoo credits facility. It also integrates with Facebook to allow chatting with friends using the social network. The best part about the app is that it allows group video chatting with up to 12 people simultaneously. Download ooVoo for Android | Download ooVoo for iPhone
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