Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts is a communication platform developed by Google to facilitate various forms of communication among its users, including voice calls, messaging, and video chats. It is a free tool readily available for use. VOIP, which stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, allows users to make phone calls over the internet, transmitting audio, video, or both.

Before the development of Google Hangouts, Google offered other communication platforms such as Gmail and Google Workspace. Google Hangouts enables users to engage in conversations with two or more people through messages or Hangout videos. Chat histories can be accessed online after conversations, but users have the option to delete their message history. Deleted messages will no longer be visible on the user’s device, but others may still have access to them.

Google Hangouts is a versatile platform that allows users not only to send messages but also to make video calls, phone calls, and send texts to actual phones. It can also be used for conducting meetings and hosting web conferences, similar to other online meeting tools.

This service integrates various Google services, incorporating components of Google Talk, Hangouts, and parts of Google Voice into a single platform.

In its most basic form, Google Hangouts functions as a text messaging platform. When you open a contact, you can immediately start a text conversation with them, and your messages are delivered directly to their Google Hangouts account for their responses.

Within the chat window, you’ll find options for inserting emojis and images, either from your computer or your Google account. You can also utilize the built-in video search function to easily send videos and express your creativity with the drawing tool by sending sketches.

To initiate a phone call, you can use the appropriate button in the chat window to switch to a voice or video call. While Google Hangouts supports video messages and audio-only calls, please note that using these features may require the installation of the Hangouts plugin.

Another convenient feature is the ability to send a text message to the person, much like the SMS functionality on your mobile device, but accessible directly from your computer.

Google Hangouts is accessible from a computer through the Google Hangouts website. Being browser-based, you can effortlessly invite other Google users to join a chat or call. Furthermore, you have the flexibility to add more participants to an ongoing text chat or video/audio call.

For those on the go, Google Hangouts is also available on mobile devices. iPad and iPhone users can download Hangouts from the App Store, while Android users can install Hangouts via Google Play. If your primary interest is making calls, you can obtain the Hangouts Dialer app for Android.

Here are some additional features of Google Hangouts:

• Voicemails from Google Voice are stored within your account.
• Text conversations can involve up to 250 participants.
• A maximum of 25 people can participate in a single video chat.
• During a call through the desktop version of Google Hangouts, text messages can be exchanged alongside the video, allowing the video to remain on the top.
• In the mobile app, you have the option to minimize a call, keeping it visible on the screen while sending text messages simultaneously.
• On both the mobile and desktop versions, you can disable the microphone and/or camera at any time during the call without ending the session.
• If you encounter issues with a smooth video call on Google Hangouts from a computer, you can adjust the outgoing and incoming video bandwidth. You also have the option to force incoming audio only, regardless of whether the participant(s) are displaying video.
• You can share a link to a Google Hangouts call with anyone you wish to add to the call, provided they have a Google account.
• You can make audio-only calls to other Google Hangouts users by initiating a video call first and then disabling the video component.
• The Google Hangouts app has the capability to send the user’s current location.
• Conversations can be marked as favorites in the mobile app, which places them at the top of the conversations list for easy access.

• To start using Google Hangouts, follow these steps:
• Visit https://hangouts.google.com/.
• Click “Sign in” and log in using your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one at www.google.com.
• There are two ways to initiate a Hangout:
• a. Click the “VIDEO CALL” icon, and a “Invite people” window will appear. Enter the name or email address of the person you want to invite and click “INVITE.”
• b. Alternatively, you can enter the name, email, or phone number in the search box on the left if the person you wish to connect with is in your contact list. Click on the name, email, or phone number in the list to start a conversation on the right.
• You can send messages at the bottom of the conversation window or click the “Video call” icon at the top to initiate a video call.
• Once your contact accepts the invitation, the “Hangout Video Call” window will open. You will see the presenter in the center and your own webcam feed in the lower-right corner.
• Click the “people icon” in the top-right corner to invite more people to the call.
• Click the “gear icon” in the top-right corner to access general settings, such as video, microphone, and speaker preferences.
• Click the “…” icon to explore more options, including sharing your screen, entering full-screen mode, using the chat feature, accessing help, and providing feedback.
• When you’re ready to end the Hangout, click the “Hangup icon.”
• These steps will help you get started with Google Hangouts and begin your video calls or chat sessions.

Google Hangouts serves as a platform to connect people worldwide through messaging, calls, and video calls. Here’s how you can use it to connect with others:

• Sign in to Your Google Account: To access Google Hangouts, you’ll need a Google account. If you don’t already have one, the first step is to create it. You’ll need to choose a username, provide some basic information, and agree to the privacy policy. You can sign up for a Google Account at Google’s signup page.
• Create a Hangout: Once you’re signed in, visit the Google+ page. You’ll find a section for Hangouts, and within that, you’ll see an option to ‘+new hangout.’ You’ll have a list of your contacts from which you can select the people you want to communicate with on Hangout. If you don’t see certain people in your contacts, you can search for them using their phone numbers or email addresses.
• Start Chatting: Before you begin, you’ll need to choose your preferred Hangout format. Keep in mind that you can always change this choice. In Hangouts, you can use emojis, share pictures, and even discover Hangout Easter eggs for added fun. You can create or join hangout parties, allowing you and your friends to have group video chats. You also have the option to decide which people to invite to your hangout. Google Hangouts supports HD videos with the capacity to include up to 25 users in your hangout.

By following these steps, you can use Google Hangouts to connect with friends, family, or colleagues, whether through text chats, voice calls, or video calls, fostering communication with people from around the world.

Google Hangouts is a versatile platform that can be applied to various contexts, offering key benefits for both personal and business communication:

• Eliminating the Need for Travel: Google Hangouts helps reduce the necessity for physical travel to attend meetings. This is not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly, saving time and resources.
• Enhancing Personal Communication: Hangouts provides a more personal and engaging means of communication compared to other online channels. Through video calls and face-to-face interactions, it fosters a sense of connection, making it suitable for personal conversations, catching up with friends and family, or conducting job interviews.
• Efficiently Setting Up Meetings Worldwide: Hangouts simplifies the process of scheduling and conducting meetings with participants located around the world. It eliminates geographical barriers, allowing people from different regions to collaborate seamlessly.
• Presentation and Screen Sharing Features: The platform offers features for presentations and screen sharing, making it invaluable for business meetings, webinars, training sessions, and collaborative projects where visual aids and shared documents are essential.

In various contexts, Google Hangouts proves to be a valuable tool for communication, offering convenience, personal interaction, and efficiency, making it suitable for a wide range of purposes.

Google Hangouts significantly reduces the necessity for in-person meetings, making it a valuable tool for business communication. Here’s how it serves businesses:

• Conducting Business Meetings: Google Hangouts offers a video calling feature, allowing businesses to conduct meetings, discussions, and presentations without the need for physical gatherings. This is particularly beneficial for remote teams and international collaborations.
• Integration with Cloud-Based Office Suite: It seamlessly integrates with a cloud-based office suite. When businesses invest in Google Hangouts accounts, they gain access to additional features that enable domain personalization and management of employee email accounts.
• Cost-Effective Conference Calls: Businesses can hold cost-effective conference calls through Google Hangouts. These calls can be recorded for future reference, which is advantageous for keeping records of important discussions and decisions.
• Client Collaboration: Businesses can invite clients to join Hangouts for discussions, clarifications, or consultations. This fosters transparent and efficient client interactions.
• Affordable Phone Calls: Google Hangouts offers affordable phone call options to contact employees and other stakeholders. In many cases, calls to numbers in Canada and the US are free.
• Customer Reviews: Some businesses utilize Google Hangouts to collect feedback and reviews from their customers, improving their products and services.
• Social Interaction: Beyond business matters, Google Hangouts provides a platform for employees and clients to engage socially, fostering a sense of community and teamwork.

In an era of increasing remote work, video chat tools like Google Hangouts play a crucial role in facilitating communication and collaboration, making them more important than ever for businesses and organizations.

Google Hangouts is a cost-effective communication tool, offering the following benefits:

• Free to Use: Google Hangouts is available for free. You only require a Google Voice Phone Number to make free calls to Canada and the United States. In regions where calls are not free, the costs are minimal, amounting to just pennies.
• Free Calls between Google Accounts: Calls between different Google accounts are entirely free, allowing users to connect with friends, family, and colleagues without incurring charges.
• Premium Google Workspace Version: By subscribing to the premium version of Google Workspace, you gain access to Google Meets. This online video chat platform offers a more extensive set of features, including integrations with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, enhancing collaboration and productivity.

Google Hangouts provides both free and premium options, making it an accessible and cost-effective choice for various communication needs.

Google Hangouts has gained popularity with the launch of various G Suite tools, but it does come with certain limitations:

• Computer-Centric: Google Hangouts functions best on computers. On mobile phones, it may not always display correctly, which can be a drawback for mobile users.
• Lower Rating on Play Store: Its rating on the Play Store is 3.9, which is relatively lower compared to other messaging platforms that often have ratings of 4 and above. This suggests room for improvement in user satisfaction.
• Limited Functionality: Google Hangouts has some limitations in terms of functionality. Users can only share one image at a time, and forwarding messages requires opening new hangout messages. Removing unwanted users from a group chat is not straightforward; you would need to create a new group chat without the undesired participants.
• Notification Display: Google Hangout notifications pop up and display the entire text, which may be a concern for users who value privacy or discretion, especially since there’s no option to change this behavior.
• Lack of Tagging in Group Chats: In Google Hangout group chats, there’s no feature to tag or mention a specific user you are addressing, making it less interactive.
• Inability to Share Videos: While video chats are supported, the platform does not allow users to share videos, which can be a limitation for multimedia interactions.

While Google Hangouts offers several communication features, these limitations should be considered when using the platform, and users may find alternatives that better suit their needs.