Datamining the existing database of gazillions of intimate posts and data mining all posts in the future.
Maybe ads inbetween messages too.
All those intimate messages...
Bloomberg Tech Reporter: Facebook to buy WhatsApp
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Datamining the existing database of gazillions of intimate posts and data mining all posts in the future.
Maybe ads inbetween messages too.
All those intimate messages...
Soodanim
Member
WhatsApp is by far my most used message app. I only text my parents and one or two contacts, the rest is WhatsApp. And I have unlimited texts. The only advantage of texting is that it doesn't rely on waiting for an internet connection to pull a message in, so for an urgent message I still text. For an conversation, WhatsApp is far superior. It's this generation's MSN Messenger.
iMessage is for one platform, how could it possibly compare? 90% of my contacts have WhatsApp, and I don't have an iDevice.
As for Facebook buying it, I can only wait and see. I'd likely keep using it anyway, because it's so useful.
iMessage is for one platform, how could it possibly compare? 90% of my contacts have WhatsApp, and I don't have an iDevice.
As for Facebook buying it, I can only wait and see. I'd likely keep using it anyway, because it's so useful.
davepoobond
you can't put a price on sparks
i cant believe there isn't a more useful way to spend that money.
That's great news. In central europe, more and more people start to feel uncomfortable sharing too much information on Facebook. Might finally drive some people away from WhatsApp and towards the messenger (with end-to-end encryption) that I use. At the moment, I only have three contacts there 
Soodanim
Member
And that messenger would be...That's great news. In central europe, more and more people start to feel uncomfortable sharing too much information on Facebook. Might finally drive some people away from WhatsApp and towards the messenger (with end-to-end encryption) that I use. At the moment, I only have three contacts there
Threema, I presume.
Unfortunately I have friends that use Windows Phone, otherwise I'd switch in a heartbeat.
Yep. That's the line that is very notably missing from that statement.
I didn't want my comment to look like I was advertising
But now that the app has been mentioned already: I'm using Threema. Though I wouldn't mind using Telegram either. It looks really promising (and is open source) and offers (unofficial) clients for many platforms. They don't have end-to-end encryption for group messages though (at least I read that somewhere)Back from their blog in 2012
http://blog.whatsapp.com/index.php/2012/06/why-we-dont-sell-ads/?lang=en
I didn't want my comment to look like I was advertising
Sounds like the perfect time to change services.
But they already got my phone number -_-. Even if I delete my account, it seems unlikely that they'd delete my data. From what I can remember, the new consumer rights law that enables someone to demand complete data deletion isn't ready yet. Hurry the fuck up EU!
If you delete it now, even if they keep your number how are they going to map it to your FB account?
criesofthepast
Member
iMessage was a piece of crap up to a year ago when I still had an idevice. A slow piece of crap. My biggest pet peeve was how it sent the max full resolution of every photo or video which took forever to send. WhatsApp is fast in everything it does while maintaining good enough quality for multimedia to make it send fast! No one needs or wants to be sending 3200x2400 full resolution pictures of their dogs or dailydoings.
The same way all social networks analyze your relationships/connections to suggest friends/contacts.
jimbobsmells
Member
I agree iMessage was pretty bad at first, but it's improved loads.
I'd like to think I'm a pretty technological guy. Owned a smartphone for years and keep up with all the goings on. Even worked for more than a year at a mobile software company.
Never heard of Whatsapp nor used it. Actually, I probably did hear about it, but I quickly forgot it as I just use Voice and regular SMS/MMS. None of my college friends use it either.
Had no idea this was so popular abroad. I mean, it makes sense as it seems like an awesome piece of software. Might install it and try it out. Maybe try to convince others to as well.
Never heard of Whatsapp nor used it. Actually, I probably did hear about it, but I quickly forgot it as I just use Voice and regular SMS/MMS. None of my college friends use it either.
Had no idea this was so popular abroad. I mean, it makes sense as it seems like an awesome piece of software. Might install it and try it out. Maybe try to convince others to as well.
Acidote
Member
already posted?
This is why people from the US have a hard time understanding why WhatsApp is such a big deal.
97% in Spain. That's why it doesn't matter if better chat apps are released. WhatsApp is what everyone has over here. I have like six different apps installed and WhatsApp is the only one I really receive messages with.
Pretty much. It's so extended in Spain that people also have nicknames for that. A girl told me once "What's your wasabi?" and I had to take a bit of time to process that xD
Also noteworthy is that people got massively angry when Whatsapp started asking people to pay approx. 1 euro a year to continue to use the service. You guys can't believe the amount of people bitching about such amount. Yeah, we are in recession, but come on, if you have the money to pay for a fucking smartphone...
Anyways, don't know what to think of the buyout. Facebook is gonna make it shady, that's for sure.
already posted?
This is why people from the US have a hard time understanding why WhatsApp is such a big deal.
I could not live without it like seriously.
Its my nr 1 way to keep in touch with EVERYONE I know, I only have 1 more friend who has a flip phone and does not have WhatsApp and EVERYONE ELSE in my life usses it to the their primary communication.
Like everything! Not just funny pics and lol stories but everything and everyone about their lives.
I understand why but I hate WA for doing the deal I hate facebook and I hate what they will do with all my data, from those conversations.
God damn, it's so backward in US with FB messenger as no.1.
extremely big in south east asia too. literally everyone in my contacts ( 150+) have a whatsapp account. i wouldn't mind going to a data only contract
criesofthepast
Member
That's good to know.
Also whatsapp is one of those rare cases where the app is a million times better on android than on iOS. Last time I checked at least.
Kinky John
Member
People think that Facebook will hoover up their chat messages, and they don't like the idea of that.
Up until now everything sent through WhatsApp gets deleted from the WhatsApp servers once delivered to the recipient, so there's no database to mine
(assuming they're telling the truth)
Dynamite Shikoku
Congratulations, you really deserve it!
Whenever I read these big tech acquisition stories I think, just one of those millions would change my life :/
criesofthepast
Member
I did not know this. Makes me feel a bit better about sending those drunk dick pics last year.
I do know that whatsapp will keep messages on the server that have only one check mark for only 30 days before they are unrecoverable. I deleted the app for a month and when I downloaded it again no messages that were sent to me (people told me they sent me) were received when I started the app up again. Seems reasonable I guess.
I understand the strategic value of WhatsApp, similar to the acquisition of Instagram.
But $19 billion? They will never, ever recoup the money unless they dramatically change the business model.
I don't think WhatsApp will be highly profitable business like YouTube (a fantastic acquisition from Google).
I expected $3 billion or something like that.
But $19 billion? They will never, ever recoup the money unless they dramatically change the business model.
I don't think WhatsApp will be highly profitable business like YouTube (a fantastic acquisition from Google).
I expected $3 billion or something like that.
Did Apple ever claim they were going to make iMessage public? I thought that was only FaceTime (which they never did).
I thought iMessage was always going to be iOS exclusive, and be a reason to get the platform.
I use it. I like it. The valuation makes no sense.
GunslingerVit
Banned
Facebook. Facebook never changes.
MarkMclovin
Member
Couldn't they, you know, make their own app that does the same thing?
Oh wait..
Sounds like such a waste of money.
Oh wait..
Sounds like such a waste of money.
already posted?
This is why people from the US have a hard time understanding why WhatsApp is such a big deal.
I could not live without it like seriously.
Its my nr 1 way to keep in touch with EVERYONE I know, I only have 1 more friend who has a flip phone and does not have WhatsApp and EVERYONE ELSE in my life usses it to the their primary communication.
Like everything! Not just funny pics and lol stories but everything and everyone about their lives.
I understand why but I hate WA for doing the deal I hate facebook and I hate what they will do with all my data, from those conversations.
this map is incomplete but it is very interesting.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Does WhatsApp still cost to use after a free trial period? It did last time I tried it, so I promptly uninstalled it. No way in hell am I paying for simple instant messaging with all the free alternatives around.
GunslingerVit
Banned
Seriously? For what it's offering, it's a more than fair price to pay. Without any ads, without nag screens, etc.
Other free messengers either offer a lower usuability, less features or often have micro-transactions for emoticons, themes, etc.
Additional info revealed they're gonna pay those 3 to the WhatsApp employees over a few years.
I'm dying to hear your ideas on how they're supposed to pay their employees, infrastructure etc
A dollar a year? Big deal.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Google Hangouts has no ads nor nag screens either. Granted, the texting and instant messanging parts of it are separate (which I hope they change, so you can just send a message to a contact and it'll use the appropriate protocol automatically), but eh.
I'm also completely and utterly uninterested in everything to do with emoticons and themes when it comes to messaging. Send my messages reliably while looking clean, and that's all I need. But I guess it's different for the teen crowd who send 500 messages a day.
But ok, you're right, the price is really low (I remembered it being higher, not sure). I just have very little interest in installing and using additional message services when my phone already comes with that stuff.
GunslingerVit
Banned
Hangout functions sometimes are awkwardly connected to Google+ and if you don't us it, then functionality is limited.
Ahh thanks dude. Even more insane.
Trust me, to some on gaf it is. There was a thread made when they announced the $1 pricing, and I couldn't believe how big of a deal it was.
criesofthepast
Member
I like clean as well and Whatsapp is clean & extremely reliable. Themes? I've never encountered any themes and if they exist they're optional. Emoticons are in hangouts as well as every messaging app on the planet. No one forces you to use them if you don't want to.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Well, I personally don't really understand some people's hatred of Google+. You don't have to actually use it, you can just have an inactive account and it won't hurt you or anyone else.
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