Communication Has Increased
Communication has increased considerably over the past ten years. With the increase of mobile communication tools like Skype, Hangouts and Zoom we can easily have multiple conversations with people throughout the world. But if these tools have a freemium option, why should you pay for the premium version? Is there any benefit to you as a user? Or would you just be throwing your money away?
Skype
Skype was released back in 2003 and it is one of the most popular video conferencing apps available. And has quickly grown to be one of the most popular communication tools on the market being used by both businesses and consumers. It was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for a massive $8.5 billion and is continuing to grow.
Pros
- It is available on a wide range of devices from Android, iOS, Windows, macOS.
- No ads
- You can group video call up to ten people.
- And you get unlimited calls to landline and mobile numbers in a country of your choosing.
Cons
- If you love your apps to be loaded with features Skype is not for you as it has a very basic user interface.
- It can not be used a replacement to your phone provider as there is no emergency service access.
- The sound quality between two users depends on your bandwidth.
Hangouts
Hangouts is Google’s answer to video calling. it is a free video and messaging application that can be used across multiple devices and your desktop. All you are going to need to access Hangouts is a Google account and you’re good to go.
Pros:
- Free video calls to up to ten people at a time.
- Calls can be made between two people using Hangouts for free.
- Can be integrated with Google+, Google Drive and YouTube.
- Hangouts offers high quality video streaming
Cons:
- Tech support is very limited
- If you use Google’s Hangout you need to create a phone number through ‘Google Voice’
- You must have a Google account to use Hangouts.
- To share your screen with another user you must instal an additional app ‘Chrome Remote’
Zoom
Here at Gambit Nash, we have used Zoom on multiple occasions to talk and interact with many of our clients. It offers the user several plans that will easily fit to every business size from small to large enterprises.
Pros:
- You can easily record the meeting you are having for referencing at a later date.
- Offers the user high quality image and audio.
- The platform is fairly easy to use.
Cons:
- Clunky user interface.
Duo
Duo is a new application that is going to be released by Google today. From news reports and beta testers reviews it seem as if it is Android’s answer to iOS Facetime. However the perk of this app is that it will be tide to your phone number not your email address. This means that it can be used across two of the most popular mobile operating systems iOS and Android
What Do We Think?
We think there are pro’s and con’s to each communication tool out there both new and old and you’re never going to get one that does everything, which is why we use a variety of these tools in our day to day lives. With paying for a premium level you are going to get a much better service and support, but if you’re just using these communication tools for day to day life then I hardly think they warrant the premium price that are attached to the tools. However if you are using them for business use, then I would definitely recommend purchasing the premium level. What do you think about mobile communication tools? Let us know your favourites below.