• Hangouts - what is this program

    Every major manufacturer of technology, software is trying to provide modern gadgets with their applications. Google is not far behind in this matter, so users of new Android smartphones may find themselves with a label called Hangouts. What it is will be described below.

    What is Hangouts on Android

    One of the most frequently asked questions by owners of new smartphones: Hangouts - what kind of program is this? This application comes with the standard build of Andriod OS along with Google Play, Youtube and maps. This is a special software that helps to exchange messages, make regular and video calls to all users who have a Google+ account. This is a composite version of three other products from Google:

    • Google+Chats;
    • Google Talk;
    • Google+ Hangouts.

    This service has collected the best aspects of the functionality described above and expanded them. Through Hangouts, you can create video conferences for a large number of people, which is convenient for holding webinars. You do not need to pay anything for this service, to use it you only need to have a Google+ account, but if you wish, you can add profiles from other systems to attend the conference.

    Pros and Cons of Google Hangouts

    When a person is looking for a convenient way to communicate, he always pays attention to the positive and negative sides of the program. If the former significantly outweigh the latter, then the choice becomes the most optimal. In the CIS countries, the Hangouts service has not received much popularity, but this does not mean that it is bad. Below are the pros and cons of this program, after reading which you can make a decision.

    • free use of all the functionality of the service;
    • flexible communication settings;
    • full translation into Russian;
    • you can use the utility on a computer, phone, tablet;
    • starting a chat, exchanging SMS or making a video call is very simple, even a novice user can handle this task;
    • if you have a Google+ account, then no additional registrations are required;
    • companies can hold webinars for an unlimited number of listeners, the recording is immediately saved.
    • instant messaging is only possible between Google account holders;
    • video communication is limited, there can be 9 more people in a conversation at the same time (not to be confused with a video conference);
    • if there are more than 5 people with cameras in the room, then the video quality may drop;
    • a mobile device during prolonged communication through the camera may begin to heat up due to the load;
    • setting up webinars is carried out through Youtybe, it cannot be called simple.

    What you can use Hangouts for

    The new Hangouts service appeared in 2013 and was a combined version of other features from Google. The messenger has become very popular among Western users, because many of them have already used other programs from this corporation. The plugin opened the possibility to communicate with friends for free through short messages, video calls. If you wish, you can send a photo to a person indicating your location.

    When writing a message to the chat through the plugin, it will be delivered to the person as soon as he appears on the network. The messenger is universal, so it can be installed on a phone, computer or tablet. The conversation history is saved simultaneously on all devices. The program gained popularity to a greater extent due to the possibility of free video communication with Internet access.

    For webinars

    Previously, Hangouts allowed you to create a conference directly from your profile using the "Events" tab. Now the broadcast setting has changed somewhat and is carried out through the channel on Youtube. For this reason, you definitely need authorization on this site. The account is used one for all products from Google. This system has two important advantages:

    1. Youtube player is used for signal transmission. Thanks to this, you can embed a video on any site, page, send a message about it to social networks. You will have the opportunity to receive comments, likes to the video.
    2. The broadcast will be recorded, so almost immediately after the end, a video will appear on the channel, which can be saved or posted on other resources.

    The procedure for creating a webinar has become somewhat more complicated, but the main functions of the messenger remain the same: screen sharing, sound settings (mute / unmute the microphone for participants), you can use the functionality on a computer, phone, tablet. Instructions for starting the broadcast:

    1. Go to your Youtube channel.
    2. Click on "Video Manager" in the menu under the header.
    3. Click on "Live Streams" on the left. You need the item "All broadcasts".
    4. Click on the "Schedule a new broadcast" link.
    5. Enter a name, come up with a description. You can start the conference immediately or specify a specific start time. If you wish, you can make the video available only to those people who will have a link to the event or open a general view.
    6. After entering the required data at the bottom, click on "Start Live" or "Create an event" (if it does not start immediately).
    7. You will be redirected to the Hangouts plugin window, where all the program's functions will be available to you.

    How to install and run the application

    This is a free program that is installed automatically on all modern Android devices. First, check if the utility is on your phone. If the system was reinstalled or you use iOS, Windows, then follow these steps to install Hangouts:

    1. Launch Google Play.
    2. Type "Hangouts" in the search bar.
    3. Choose the official app.
    4. Click on the "Install" button and wait for the procedure to complete.
    5. Launch the program, enter your Google account details (if required) and you can start chatting.

    How to remove Hangouts from Android

    This free program does not start automatically, does not load the system, so most users do not interfere at all. If you still have a desire to remove Hangouts from your device, then this is done as follows:

    1. Open the "Settings" section.
    2. Select Application Manager.
    3. Click the "All" tab.
    4. Find the name of the program.
    5. Click on Uninstall Updates.
    6. Click Confirm.
    7. Go back to the application, click "Force stop" and the option "Disable".

    Some smartphones support turning on root rights. This is a special mode that helps developers to correct the device system and check the code. There are instructions for enabling this mode, which will allow you to completely remove the program from your phone. If you do not know how to do this, it is not worth experimenting, because your device may stop working altogether.

    How to Download Hangouts on Computer

    This program is not a standalone application for the operating system. It is used only as a plug-in for the browser you are using. It has the best compatibility with Chrome, but it is also possible to install it for FireFox, Yandex.Browser. The program can be installed in two ways:

    1. Go to the official app store from Google. Enter the name of the utility and click on the "Install" button.
    2. Log into your Google+ profile. Click on the application icon in the right corner (looks like a tile). Click on "More", then on "Hangouts". On a new tab, you need to click on the icon in the form of three dots and select the option to install the program "for Chrome".

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