Category: Google Hangouts

One of the big misconceptions about Project Fi is that you are absolutely required to use Google Hangouts for your SMS/MMS and Instant Messaging app.  Here is a quote from a post I made a couple of weeks ago on the subject:  If you are a new Project Fi users, chances are you are a bit confused.  That confusion surrounds SMS and which app you can use for getting your text messages on your Nexus phone using Fi.  On the surface, it looks like you are required to use Google Hangouts, the voice, video and yes, text messaging integrated app.  But that not necessarily true and in fact, even Google suggests that you use Google Messenger, the default SMS app on Nexus devices, for texting.

That said, for those of us on Project Fi, there are some benefits to having everything in one app like Hangouts.  Not only does it give you one app to go to for your communications, the information synchronizes with Hangouts on your PC.  That means you can get your messages and your texts on your desktop, read them and reply to them.  If you haven’t considered moving your SMS/MMS communication to Hangouts, read this article and see if it is right for you.  A lot of it will depend on how you communicate and with whom.  But after being an avid Messenger user for most of 2015, when I switched to Project Fi, I embraced Hangouts and haven’t looked back.

In a post today on the Google apps blog, the company has announced that users who need to access a Google Hangouts video call no longer need to have a Google account to join.  The update follows on an update from last year where an external link could be provided to a Hangouts video call even if they were not explicitly invited.  This new update really pushes Hangouts as a video, voice and conferencing platform given how widely used it is and the fact it is on both Android and iOS devices as well as the web.

The way that this new feature will work is pretty slick.  Users with the external link will click on that link, put in their name in the dialog box that pops up and click the Request to Join button.  Organizers of the Hangouts call will get a pop-up with that users information and can either Accept or Decline to let them in to the call or not.  It’s simple and for anyone who has used a video conferencing solution in the past, will feel very familiar.

Google Hangouts has been updated today in the Google Play Store and it should be hitting your devices soon.  The new 5.0.104885319 version for those keeping score at home brings mostly bug fixes to the texting-meets-chatting app from Google.  You aren’t going to find a lot of changes in this build from a feature perspective but if you are a user of the Google Hangouts widget on your home screen…. well, it just got a little sad for you.

Google Hangouts for Android – Free – Download Now

A couple of weeks ago I posted on the new Google Hangouts website where you can use the messaging service without actually having to be on your Android phone or tablet.  Now Google is going one step further and moving all traffic from the messaging service to a new domain, hangouts.google.com.

Following the launch of the new standalone Google Hangouts homepage, Hangouts-related services and web traffic will be served from ‘hangouts.google.com’ in addition to existing host names.

This news isn’t really all that shocking and frankly it makes a lot of sense for Google to do this.

Google Hangouts for Android – Free – Download Now

Google Hangouts is getting a big update today that all users of the social messaging app will want to get hold of for their Android phone, tablet and wear devices.  The updated version 4.0 is expected to be released to the Google Play Store today and with it comes a streamlined look and feel, simplified controls and improved speed.  Google indicated on their blog today that the new Google Hangouts will be available today and has started to roll out.  If you are not seeing it on your devices, give it time.  It will take a bit of time to hit everyone.

Google Hangouts for Android – Free – Download Now