It has never been so important to communicate. We are so privileged to have access to amazing communication tools. Hence we can feel close to our loved ones despite the global climate. However which video call solution should we use? which are the most secure, reliable, efficient, user friendly? This article will focus on personal communication tools rather than professional ones.
Table of Contents
Skype
One of the longest running messaging apps. Currently owned by microsoft. Can be used across most platforms and devices. It is free to download and free skype to skype calls. 50 participants limit. Like most of these giant owned companies, the privacy question is sketchy.
Uber friendly to use and incredibly popular. Chances are your friends and family have it. It is owned by Facebook. Video calls are intuitive and simple. Though limited to 4 simultaneous users. It can be used across multiple platforms and devices. Definitely the easiest way to connect with friends and family.
Facebook Messenger
Very user friendly. 2 billion people are already connected. Supports up to 8 people in video calls with no duration limit. It is compatible over most platforms.
Google Hangout
It is the google video calling solution. It is incredibly simple and easy to use. 25 people can connect simultaneously. You will need a gmail or a google account. Definitely the easiest service to start from scratch from a laptop. From a mobile device it is a rather mediocre interface. Available on most platforms.
Zoom
Lately is considered the ultimate video calling app. Fantastic to use on smart screens much less so on laptops. You need to download the software / app and register. It is not really made for personal calls. However it has a free plan that works fine with a 40 minute limit. Their privacy policy is suspect and it is unclear what type of encryption they use.
Facetime
If you have an apple device it is the obvious choice. Super easy to use, it supports up to 32 participants. It is by far the safest platform. Apple works very hard on its security. The giant problem is that if your friends and family do not have Mac, then communication is not possible.
So which video call solution to use?
If security and privacy are at the heart of your concern then FaceTime is your best bet. You will have to compromise between popularity and security.
If you accept that privacy and end to end encryption is a grey area in the giant universe of these tech super powers, then my personal favourite for video calls is google hangout. No need for third party apps, you can connect directly through the browser. It is very reliable and simple.
For photo and video instant sharing, I chose whastapp. It compresses the photos and videos offering reliability and speed naturally over quality.
Let us not forget that all the above mentioned solutions are free. How lucky are we? Not only are they free but excellent quality.
25 years ago quarantine would have been quite a different ordeal. Although nothing can replace the power of proximity, technology brings our loved ones into our intimacy.
