Page 24 - Spanish Insight - April 2020

Explore the endless possibilities of

video chat with family and friends!

the outbreak of CoVID-19 -- the new coronavirus that originated in China and has claimed many
lives in the past three months -- has led companies to implement work from home policies, and
many people to cancel travel plans and generally stay home when they can. But staying home in
isolation does not mean you cannot still make contact and indeed see your family and friends,
or take up a new hobby!
Most of the following Apps can be downloaded to a pC or telephone. you can set up virtual get-
togethers and catch-ups with friends and family. Insight’s personal favourites are whatsapp,
Messenger and Houspparty for groups. It’s a great way to keep in touch with people that you
might not be able to visit while social distancing. they are free too!!

Video chat apps to use if you're social distancing

Best for calling friends (on Apple devices) : Best for sending video messages : Marco Polo
FaceTime If you want to video chat with someone
FaceTime is Apple's proprietary video but can't do so in real time -- perhaps
calling app. If you have an iPhone, iPad they have a busy work schedule, or live
or Mac, it operates seamlessly, letting in another time zone -- Marco Polo is
you start a video chat with any of your the app for you. You can send video
contacts (so long as they are also Apple messages to individuals or group chats,
device users) the same way you would which the other parties can watch
a phone call or text message. While and respond to at their leisure. Unlike
FaceTime's primary purpose is video Snapchat, Marco Polo saves all of
chatting, as its name suggests, you your video messages so you can revisit
can also do audio-only calls if you're in conversations, and doesn't limit your
a place with a Wi-Fi or data connection but poor phone signal. video time. You can also add fun filters and voice effects if you want to
mix up your conversations.
Best for calling friends (on mobile devices) :
WhatsApp Best for Facebook addicts : Facebook Messenger
The Facebook-owned messaging app Facebook's Messenger app is primarily
WhatsApp has more than 2 billion users used for sending messages, but also
worldwide. It's easy to use, and works on includes a video chat option, making it
Android and iOS devices. WhatsApp offers a convenient choice for those who are
end-to-end encryption, which means that on the social media platform all the time
only you and the person you're sending anyway. If the person you want to talk
a message to, can read what you send. to is also a Facebook Messenger user,
You can use it to send messages, or make you can initiate a video or audio call
video or audio calls. with them through the app. And like on
Facebook's main app and Instagram,
Best for group chats: Houseparty you can also add a temporary photo or
Houseparty is the face-to- video to your Story on Facebook Messenger.
face social network where you
can connect with the people Best for business purposes : Zoom
you care about most. The Zoom is a web-based video
app makes connecting face conferencing tool with a local, desktop
to face effortless, alerting you client and a mobile app that allows
when your friends are “in the users to meet online, with or without
house” and ready to chat so video. Zoom users can choose to
you can jump right into the record sessions, collaborate on
conversation. You can see projects, and share or annotate on one
everyone’s faces, its easy to navigate and use. another's screens, all with one easy-to-
use platform. You do not need a Zoom
Best for group chats : Skype account to attend a Zoom meeting, only
Skype -- owned by Microsoft the host is required to have an account
-- is available for iOS, Android, to enable the scheduling of meetings.
Windows and Mac, and offers Zoom offers video and audio conferencing, chat and webinar features
video and audio calling, as well as a across mobile devices, desktops, phones and room systems. It offers
messaging feature. It has an easy- a free basic tier that allows you to host up to 100 participants and
to-use interface, and supports up unlimited one-to-one meetings. It does place a 40-minute limit on
to 50 people on the same audio group meetings, however.
call (the number of video callers
depends on what device you're using, according to the company).
Skype also lets you record, save and share your video calls, and has
live captions and subtitles.

24 Spanish Insight April 2020