Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, Touch…

For a while now, I have been looking for a good/cheap way to communicate with my family abroad. I have been trying a lot of software, some free, some very familiar and some not so good…

For this reason I decided to share here my personal experience and opinion on some of the tools available on the market and the functions they give you.

Let me spoil the suspense, NONE is perfect in my opinion but…

1. Viber: My personal favorite. Easy to use, this software use the cellphone to connect people so no need to create and give an id for your friends to find you, they will as soon as you join the network. The voice quality is also great on Wifi and very decent over 3G. It misses some key functions though, I quite often want to share contact cards or documents with my contacts and Viber dos not allow it. the missing feature that would make it almost perfect. Ah, did I mention if, Viber is FREE, is very battery friendly and is also available on iOS.
   • Pros:
     • Allows phone calls (WiFi & 3G)
     • Allows texting
     • Allows pictures sharing
     • Allows location sharing
     • Let you know the message status (sent/received)
     • Off-line messaging
   • Cons:
     • The interface needs a real designer
     • Does not allow contact sharing
     • Does not allow file sharing
     • No landscape support
     • Does not tell you when a contact is inactive for some time or removed the app

   

2. Skype: No need to present this one, the old guy here. You create an account, give your id to your friend and you’re good to go. You can use it on your phone, your computer or even your landline phone (yes, some have Skype integrated) and you can be called from a phone (Not free – Skype-in), you can also call land line or text friends all around the world without Skype (not free either – Skype-out plus purchase of credit). So if you are willing to pay probably the best alternative.
   • Pros:
     • It is really crossed-platform
     • Free Skype-to-Skype text and call
     • Allows file sharing
     • Allows video-calls
   • Cons:
     • A LOT of option have to be purchased for a limited period of time
     • ID based (you need to create a profile to start using it)
     • No message status
     • Your contacts have to be online
     • You need to manually starts the app

   

3. WhatsApp Messenger: Propably the best for SMS and also one of the first so the user base is quite big. But two issues here, first it does only texting and honestly that is a shame, second, it is not free when more and ;ore competition is appearing with new ideas and more functionalities. Still with this one you can share any kind of file, you know when your correspondent was last seen online (that is really missing to Viber)
   • Pros:
     • Available on iOS, Blackberries and Android
     • Allows file sharing
     • Let you know the message status (sent/received)
     • Off-line messaging
     • Let you know when your counterpart was last seen connected
   • Cons:
     • Only SMS, no voice
     • Free the first year, $1.99/year after that

   

4. Touch- formerly PingChat!:This one was the first I tried as I was looking for a FREE alternative to WhatsApp and it is a good one, even if it still does not do voice. The main issue in my humble opinion is that it is not based one the phone number but on a pseudo that you need to share and so slow down its adoption.
   • Pros:
     • Available on iOS, Blackberries and Android
     • Allows file sharing
     • Let you know the message status (sent/received)
     • Off-line messaging
     • Very “social” oriented
   • Cons:
     • Very “social” oriented
     • Only SMS, no voice
     • You need to create a ID and share it with your friends
     • Does not tell you when a contact is inactive for some time or removed the app

   

I know there are a LOT more solutions out there, Facebook chat (I don’t use FB…), Google+/Messenger, iChat () and other but I always try to be as cross platform as possible and Viber offers me a very good alternative between functions, friends on iOS and eventually Blackberries, it is also nice with my abttery and allows me to make international phone calls for free, what else can I ask for? YOU let me know!