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[Marty Chinn]

what Google has now just works.

maybe someone can figure out what you want in the future.

What Google has right now is just like a lot of their other stuff. Things that technically work on paper but lack in the user experience. Google is getting better about making things more polished, but they're still guilty of releasing things as a work in progress rather than something that works well.

 

[Futureman]

Continues to amaze me how many people in the US don't know about Whatsapp. Here (Netherlands) it's hard to find people who have a smartphone but don't have the app. Is there another app that's used on a large scale in the US or is it just texting?
Personally I love Whatsapp. It's simple, doesn't require login and costs practically nothing both on and off Wi-Fi.

text, email, FB chat, iMessage, Google Hangouts, Twitter.

 

[PJV3]

How depressing, I may have to dump WhatsApp.

 

[Giant Panda]

In most countries SMS is not cheap.

Texting used to be pretty expensive in the US, but once smart phones became big carriers decided to make all their money off data, so everyone got unlimited texting automatically included in their plan. If that didn't happen I could see why people would switch.

 

[Mooreberg]

I uninstalled this about three days ago because absolutely nobody I know uses it. Does Facebook still get the phone numbers of people who never used it? What kind of dumb SMS plans have people been signing up for that Hangouts or iMessage doesn't get the job done?

 

[Shining Sunshine]

I used Whatsapp until I switched phones and it completely screwed up.

 

[Slayer-33]

Whatsapp is amazing.

People should try it now, send some video or photos to someone. Shit is magic.


Spanish/Dominican Gaf knows about this.

About the price...

How in the unholy fuck can that price be justified? 16 FUCKING billions dollars? Are you shitting me?

 

[BikoBiko]

Well WhatsApp "claims" they don't store anything on their servers but your number and contacts. Not that I believe it though.

Well that was the point of my reply really. It's kinda weird people are now deleting the app because they don't want FB having their phone number. Because your phone number is either already stored on Whatsapp servers or in one of your contact's contact lists, which FB has now access to.

 

[Futureman]

Whatsapp is amazing.

People should try it now, send some video or photos to someone. Shit is magic.


Spanish/Dominican Gaf knows about this.

ease of sending photos and video is covered by email so there is zero compelling reason for me to even consider this.

 

[2San]

Texting used to be pretty expensive in the US, but once smart phones became big carriers decided to make all their money off data, so everyone got unlimited texting automatically included in their plan. If that didn't happen I could see why people would switch.

Same thing happened here, but people already made the switch to whatsapp and got used to the expanded features. I have unlimited texts as well, but there's no point since everyone communicates with whatsapp anyway.

 

[Road]

Getting in the middle of this US x Europe battle, WhatsApp is also the most popular smartphone app here in Brazil (with the hilarious nickname "zap zap" because not everyone speaks English).

As another plus, since we have a lot of prepaid phone users here in Brazil, where there's normally not an option for "free" unlimited text, and with WhatsApp you can text either using only WiFi or just by spending your credits on internet usage instead of internet + messaging.

I don't think the WhatsApp pun even make sense in most of the American accents. =P

 

[linsivvi]

In most countries SMS is not cheap.

Yep, and in most countries people with smartphones don't use SMS any more. They use Whatsapp or other chat apps.

It seems only folks living in the US ask for SMS integration, which is a non-issue to the rest of the world.

 

[Slayer-33]

ease of sending photos and video is covered by email so there is zero compelling reason for me to even consider this.

Uh no.

Whatsapp makes it ALOT more practical. Video gets converted when you send it to the receiver to a very manageable size and the quality remains pretty good. Photos get sent nearly instantly with confirmation to the sender. Whatsapp is brilliant.

Who the fuck uses emails for this shit nowadays? Have you even used it at all? Sounds like you haven't.

As a direct text app whatsapp is unmatched imo. I don't even text people anymore.

Fuck jumping email hoops. lol

 

[NinjaFridge]

ease of sending photos and video is covered by email so there is zero compelling reason for me to even consider this.

Did you use email when everyone else used instant messaging as well?

 

[Nemo]

Please no Facebook integration, please no Facebook integration...

 

[Futureman]

Uh no.

Whatsapp makes it ALOT more practical. Video gets converted when you send it to the receiver to a very manageable size and the quality remains pretty good. Photos get sent nearly instantly with confirmation to the sender. Whatsapp is brilliant.

Who the fuck uses emails for this shit nowadays? Have you even used it at all? Sounds like you haven't.

what video are you sending?

email is awesome. Whatsup sounds like it has it's uses as well, don't get so upset. It's a regional thing.

email is my preferred form of communication behind person to person.

 

[linsivvi]

ease of sending photos and video is covered by email so there is zero compelling reason for me to even consider this.

Your email client works like this?

 

[Slayer-33]

what video are you sending?

email is awesome. Whatsup sounds like it has it's uses as well, don't get so upset. It's a regional thing.

You have an opinion of something you haven't even used. I've used everything. Keep on trucking with your emails.

 

[Fare Godmace]

Here in Spain everyone and their mother has a phone with WhatsApp. My mother wants to buy a smartphone terminal just so she can use WhatsApp. Heck, I don't have a Facebook and I use WhatsApp to speak with my GF and friends multiple times a day.

However, if I need to create a fucking Facebook account now I'l uninstall it and never look back, even if I just paid the annual fee a couple of weeks ago. I've resisted all this time, I'm not creating one now.

 

[Zutroy]

I uninstalled this about three days ago because absolutely nobody I know uses it. Does Facebook still get the phone numbers of people who never used it? What kind of dumb SMS plans have people been signing up for that Hangouts or iMessage doesn't get the job done?

I imagine most people don't have a group of friends where everyone is exclusively on the same platform, and so they can't have group chats.

 

[Futureman]

Your email client works like this?

what in that photo can't be done with email? group conversations, emailing links, sending photos and video. Gmail baby.

 

[TTOOLL]

as long as they don't fuck up the service I don't care who owns it.

 

[Vitet]

what in that photo can't be done with email? group conversations, emailing links, sending photos and video. Gmail baby.

This is a joke, right?

 

[IceCold]

I don't use simply because I have unlimited SMS and MMS so don't really need it. But if you like to do group convos, send voice/video data, and enjoy sending stickers (the amount of money that guys like Vine make from this is ridiculous) then it's easy to see why someone would like it.

Email? This ain't the 90s brah.

 

[linsivvi]

what in that photo can't be done with email? group conversations, emailing links, sending photos and video. Gmail baby.

So you're being deliberately obtuse.

 

[Futureman]

You have an opinion of something you haven't even used. I've used everything. Keep on trucking with your emails.

I use Gmail/email because everyone I know uses it. You use Whatsapp because that's what everyone you know uses. It's really not an argument, don't know what you mean.

 

[mantidor]

Well that was the point of my reply really. It's kinda weird people are now deleting the app because they don't want FB having their phone number. Because your phone number is either already stored on Whatsapp servers or in one of your contact's contact lists, which FB has now access to.

WhatsApp has my number but no idea about my contact list (I don't add anyone) or my facebook id, because I'm insane paranoid heh, but now facebook will try to link them both, thats why I jokingly said I have to drop it, unfortunately WhatsApp is kind of a necessity around here sadly, so I can't stop using it.

 

[Turin Turambar]

19 Billion for something I've never encountered before. Amazing country we live in.

...we?

You are making a mistake here... Actually, you are making the same mistake, twice.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

what in that photo can't be done with email? group conversations, emailing links, sending photos and video. Gmail baby.

You laser focus on the utilitarian uses of computing while others think about the user experience.

It's like wondering why people use Facebook status comments to have conversations when they could just all email each other back and forth.

 

[massoluk]

what in that photo can't be done with email? group conversations, emailing links, sending photos and video. Gmail baby.

My gmail doesn't let me have free international group conference.

 

[Overdoziz]

Whatsapp on Windows Phone looks sexy as fuck by the way:

 

[Slayer-33]

I use Gmail/email because everyone I know uses it. You use Whatsapp because that's what everyone you know uses. It's really not an argument, don't know what you mean.

Uh everyone I know has and uses gmail including myself.

What you don't understand is that people that use whatsapp get spoiled with its instant communication/feedback and practicality over a slower method (email).

I can hold a button to send a voice note on the spot to whoever I'm chatting with, they'll receive it nearly instantly, that's besides the capability of sending any picture off my phone/camera or video or soundclip etc.

e-mail isn't even close to what this app delivers, they are not direct competition so I don't get your argument about it.

I'm only using email with the app to send myself phone screencaps to show examples of things lol.. I'm not saying email is useless or anything.

Check this sample, me chatting with my GF:

translated that swiftkey autoword in photoshop for effect lol..

See the bottom right? I can talk into my phone to anyone on my contacts list that use this app and leave a message without needing to call them. To the upper right attach anything. ANYTHING. You get 2 check marks, one to confirm you sent and the other to confirm that the other party received it whenever they check the chat.

It's fucking awesome. And yeah specially for the reason a few others have pointed out, contact list = cellphone contacts. It's brilliant.

 

[Sqrt_minus_one]

Think people are misunderstanding watsapps genius, you can do pretty much everything watsapp does on other platforms but watsapp is tied to your phone number. So no having to exchange email addresses or Facebook names or anything your friend has your phone number he can message you on watsapp. Throw in free (£0.69p a year) messaging and you have a fire.

Actual purchase price is $19bn though $16bn for purchase and $3bn for founders.

 

[2San]

Uh everyone I know has and uses gmail including myself.

What you don't understand is that people that use whatsapp get spoiled with its instant communication/feedback and practicality over a slower method (email).

I can hold a button to send a voice note on the spot to whoever I'm chatting with, they'll receive it nearly instantly, that's besides the capability of sending any picture off my phone/camera or video or soundclip etc.

e-mail isn't even close to what this app delivers, they are not direct competition so I don't get your argument about it.

I think what people are also failing to understand is that whatsapp uses the phonenumbers in your contactsbook and you can't turn it off. So it is as easy to contact someone with Whatsapp as it is with SMS, while doing so much more. It's basically texting evolved.

edit: somewhat beaten by colinisation.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

16 billion dollars....

Seems a little.. overpriced?

 

[Malvingt2]

Whatsapp is amazing.

People should try it now, send some video or photos to someone. Shit is magic.


Spanish/Dominican Gaf knows about this.

About the price...

How in the unholy fuck can that price be justified? 16 FUCKING billions dollars? Are you shitting me?

You know it. I used it a lot with my friends in Dominican Republic.

 

[TomServo]

16 billion dollars....

Seems a little.. overpriced?

It does, especially when people in this thread are saying they've been using it for years for ~$1.

If you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

 

[mollipen]

The thing I hate in all of this is there there's no one service. I feel like maybe there was in the early days of ICQ, because at that point I think it was that or nothing. Then there was ICQ, AIM, and MSN Messenger. Then Yahoo Chat and iChat (technically AIM). Then Skype came along at some point, and along the way there were other, smaller services.

Now it's iMessages, Google Hangouts, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, Kik, BBM, Twitter DM, and tons of other smaller options. I friends on many of the services, but not one service gets me into the majority of my contacts.

I wish I just had one place in my life that I could connect with all of my friends and family, instead of having to have a multitude of different apps installed.

 

[oxidax]

Whatsapp is amazing.

People should try it now, send some video or photos to someone. Shit is magic.


Spanish/Dominican Gaf knows about this.

About the price...

How in the unholy fuck can that price be justified? 16 FUCKING billions dollars? Are you shitting me?

True that my brother. The easiest way to chat wit all Dominican friends is thru Whatsapp. I really hope they don't Fuck it up.

 

[Niks]

Gutted because I use whatsapp extensively to communicate with my friends family and girlfriend but don't want to have anything to do with Facebook.

Yup same here.
Shame really... it is pretty popular here in South America.

 

[Slayer-33]

The thing I hate in all of this is there there's no one service. I feel like maybe there was in the early days of ICQ, because at that point I think it was that or nothing. Then there was ICQ, AIM, and MSN Messenger. Then Yahoo Chat and iChat (technically AIM). Then Skype came along at some point, and along the way there were other, smaller services.

Now it's iMessages, Google Hangouts, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, Kik, BBM, Twitter DM, and tons of other smaller options. I friends on many of the services, but not one service gets me into the majority of my contacts.

I wish I just had one place in my life that I could connect with all of my friends and family, instead of having to have a multitude of different apps installed.

Should be whatsapp imo. Phone numbers = everyone you care about for the most part can be part of it. Not random email acquaintance contacts.

 

[Skytylz]

I don't know anyone with a smartphone that doesn't use it.

I don't know anyone that does use it.

 

[Marty Chinn]

The thing I hate in all of this is there there's no one service. I feel like maybe there was in the early days of ICQ, because at that point I think it was that or nothing. Then there was ICQ, AIM, and MSN Messenger. Then Yahoo Chat and iChat (technically AIM). Then Skype came along at some point, and along the way there were other, smaller services.

Now it's iMessages, Google Hangouts, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, Kik, BBM, Twitter DM, and tons of other smaller options. I friends on many of the services, but not one service gets me into the majority of my contacts.

I wish I just had one place in my life that I could connect with all of my friends and family, instead of having to have a multitude of different apps installed.

Bingo. iMessage was the closest thing to this because it seamlessly used SMS and iMessage together and handled everything for you. If only Apple had made iMessage public like they claimed they were going to.

 

[Jel44]

Whatsapp is good for sending large videos. They upload/download pretty quick.

 

[Slayer-33]

Whatsapp is good for sending large videos. They upload/download pretty quick.

I'm telling you it's magic, pictures download/upload nearly instantly unlike sms bullshit.

Whoever doesn't use it on gaf should download it and pm eachother their phone numbers and mess around for a few minutes lol. Test it out.

 

[linsivvi]

True that my brother. The easiest way to chat wit all Dominican friends is thru Whatsapp. I really hope they don't Fuck it up.

They will.

The Whatsapp founders hate ads.

http://blog.whatsapp.com/index.php/2012/06/why-we-dont-sell-ads/

Advertising isn’t just the disruption of aesthetics, the insults to your intelligence and the interruption of your train of thought. At every company that sells ads, a significant portion of their engineering team spends their day tuning data mining, writing better code to collect all your personal data, upgrading the servers that hold all the data and making sure it’s all being logged and collated and sliced and packaged and shipped out… And at the end of the day the result of it all is a slightly different advertising banner in your browser or on your mobile screen.

Remember, when advertising is involved you the user are the product.

Needless to say that's about to change. They sold out. Though when you're staring at billions of dollars, I wouldn't blame them.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

I've been ignoring facebook's attempts at getting my phone number for literally years.

I guess that's all over now.

Holy shit. _Everybody_ I know uses it. Including myself. I guess Facebook finally gets my phone number though, heh.

Is there something about Facebook knowing one's phone number I'm missing?

 

[Slayer-33]

They will.

The Whatsapp founders hate ads.

http://blog.whatsapp.com/index.php/2012/06/why-we-dont-sell-ads/


Needless to say that's about to change. They sold out. Though when you're staring at billions of dollars, I wouldn't blame them.

Damn you reminded me of that... NO FUCKING ads in whatsapp, Jesus Christ I hope facebook doesn't screw it :| UGH

 

[linsivvi]

Damn you reminded me of that... NO FUCKING ads in whatsapp, Jesus Christ I hope facebook doesn't screw it :| UGH

Well, when you pay $19 billion for something, you will need to find a way to make the money back, so....

 

[Slayer-33]

Well, when you pay $19 billion for something, you will need to find a way to make the money back, so....

This is why we can't have nice things. Damn money.