Why Hangouts?

I have moved to Google Hangouts as my primary SMS app.  Ironically – it's not because of the SMS capability, but it is the SMS capability that allows me to do that.  Allow me to explain…

My +Android loving friends are about to crap their custom keyboards as they read this, but Apple started all of this with iMessage … and they did it QUITE WELL!  You see, they said if an iPhone (or iPad, or iPod) is sending a message to another person using an iDevice … why use SMS?  Why not just use data and send it based on any number of identifying features associated with you Apple ID.  The KEY advantage Apple had/has is that they built this infrastructure on their hardware, their OS, their everything – they also deployed through and OS upgrade and it ended up on EVERY iDevice all of the sudden.  They didn't take away the ability to SMS other devices, they just changed the way their devices communicate.

Google did it different…. they rolled out Hangout and allowed anybody with a Google+ account (1 step past a Google Account).  They include a bunch of other cool features and wrapped them in.  Kind of an iMessage meets Facetime… with group chat.  The problem is it was all off in another app.  (Well, that was the problem for me).  

Now…. they have the ability for me to communicate with you via SMS or via Hangouts.  I can send almost all the same content via MMS, but I don't get the SMS and/or MMS on my tablet or computer (maybe someday?)  That's the iMessage advantage that's not QUITE here.  That being said – iMessage users can not see their SMS/MMS on tablets unless it comes from an Apple ID / iMessage user.  

So who is winning here?  YOU! ME!  Everybody…. Apple pushed the pocket, Google realized it was a good idea and came up with their VERY SIMILAR solution.  They enhanced it some.  The one KEY difference?  Hangouts span iOS and Android.  It provides us a way to all come together.  It gives Android SMS options (not sure how it works on iOS).  The integration of SMS into one app makes it a lot easier to adopt.  I can honestly say I have chatted with more people and enjoyed it more since moving to Hangouts.  Sure – I wish SMS was on my tablet, but I actually do have a workaround – so that is cool.  Maybe google will integrate that soon?  Who knows.

Until then – I hope my iOS friends will consider installing and giving it a shot!  Works great!  Glad I have a unified messaging tool!

#blogit

Why Hangouts?

I have moved to Google Hangouts as my primary SMS app.  Ironically – it’s not because of the SMS capability, but it is the SMS capability that allows me to do that.  Allow me to explain…

My +Android loving friends are about to crap their custom keyboards as they read this, but Apple started all of this with iMessage … and they did it QUITE WELL!  You see, they said if an iPhone (or iPad, or iPod) is sending a message to another person using an iDevice … why use SMS?  Why not just use data and send it based on any number of identifying features associated with you Apple ID.  The KEY advantage Apple had/has is that they built this infrastructure on their hardware, their OS, their everything – they also deployed through and OS upgrade and it ended up on EVERY iDevice all of the sudden.  They didn’t take away the ability to SMS other devices, they just changed the way their devices communicate.

Google did it different…. they rolled out Hangout and allowed anybody with a Google+ account (1 step past a Google Account).  They include a bunch of other cool features and wrapped them in.  Kind of an iMessage meets Facetime… with group chat.  The problem is it was all off in another app.  (Well, that was the problem for me).

Now…. they have the ability for me to communicate with you via SMS or via Hangouts.  I can send almost all the same content via MMS, but I don’t get the SMS and/or MMS on my tablet or computer (maybe someday?)  That’s the iMessage advantage that’s not QUITE here.  That being said – iMessage users can not see their SMS/MMS on tablets unless it comes from an Apple ID / iMessage user.

So who is winning here?  YOU! ME!  Everybody…. Apple pushed the pocket, Google realized it was a good idea and came up with their VERY SIMILAR solution.  They enhanced it some.  The one KEY difference?  Hangouts span iOS and Android.  It provides us a way to all come together.  It gives Android SMS options (not sure how it works on iOS).  The integration of SMS into one app makes it a lot easier to adopt.  I can honestly say I have chatted with more people and enjoyed it more since moving to Hangouts.  Sure – I wish SMS was on my tablet, but I actually do have a workaround – so that is cool.  Maybe google will integrate that soon?  Who knows.

Until then – I hope my iOS friends will consider installing and giving it a shot!  Works great!  Glad I have a unified messaging tool!

#blogit

Google+: View post on Google+

Post imported by Google+Blog. Created By Daniel Treadwell.