![]() ![]() As it is, you might have to do some convincing to get your friends on board. ![]() I wish that Google had instead made its myriad Hangouts users all directly accessible via Duo. Duo, like any other add-on messenger- WhatsApp, Kik, Line, and so on-requires buy-in from users. The Android Hangouts app also serves as an entire SMS replacement, thanks to Google Voice, making it more capable than Duo. Hangout messages have the benefit of appearing in many different locations, including the Hangouts app (there's also a Google Hangouts app for iPhone), desktop notifications through Google Chrome, Gmail, and other places. This is similar to the way anyone with a Facebook account can automatically be reached via Facebook Messenger, even if they haven't actually signed up for the Messenger service. If you have a Google Account, you can very likely be reached via Google Hangouts, at least for text messages, and usually for video as well. Most people have Google accounts, and they definitely do if they're Android users, since the Google Play store requires that you create an account. It's a smooth and seamless animated transition that speaks to the app's overall quality.įinding someone else to call is, perhaps, Duo's biggest challenge. I really like how tapping the preview bubble in the bottom left-hand corner toggles between a full-screen view of your caller's video and your own. Everything in the app is snappy and responsive, which is a pleasant surprise in a video calling app. Buttons on the side mute your microphone and toggle between your phone's front- and rear-facing cameras. Both of those services can support up to 10 participants. The app is designed for one-on-one communication, so you'll have to look to Google Hangouts or Skype for group video chat. Everyone else is listed below, with the option to invite them via SMS or Google Hangouts. People who have Duo installed appear at the top of the list. Just tap the large call button in the center of the screen to be taken to your contacts list. Google has said that its main focus with Duo is to make video calling fast and easy, and it certainly is simple to start a call. (Opens in a new window) Read Our WhatsApp Messenger (for Android) Review Facebook Messenger and our Editors' Choice winner Skype (Compare Prices at Software Advice) (Opens in a new window) do not require accounts, and can be used with just your phone number. You also have to provide the app access to your Contacts list, as it cannot function otherwise. You don't need a Google account to use Duo, but you do have to enter your phone number and authorize the app by inputting the code Google sends via text message. It takes some tapping, but it also makes the process much safer. ![]() These are permissions to access your phone's microphone, camera, and contacts and to allow the sending and receiving SMS messages, which are used to invite others to Duo. If you're using the latest version of Android, you have to authorize each of the app's four required permissions one at a time. Google says Duo will work with Android 4.1 and later, though it is designed for Android 6.0-just in time for Android 7.0 Nougat to launch. I had no trouble installing the app on my Nexus 5X ($89.99 at Amazon) (Opens in a new window). It's a free download for both Android and iPhone users. Read our editorial mission (Opens in a new window) & see how we test (Opens in a new window).ĭuo is designed for dead simple person-to-person video calling. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Neither Allo, Google's smart text messaging app nor the Amazon Echo competitor, Google Home, have been released yet. Still, this free, cross-platform service (there's also an iOS app, which I'll be reviewing soon) is worth a try.ĭuo is the first of the products announced at Google I/O 2016 to see the light of day. For now, you're better off sticking with the ubiquitous Facebook Messenger ($0.00 at Google Play) (Opens in a new window) or, ironically, Google's own Hangouts app. It doesn't bring much that's new, however, and unfortunately it leaves out some things that I consider necessary. Google aims to change all that with Duo, a video calling Android app intended to be fast, simple, and secure. Yet we stubbornly stick to text and voice messages. It has been possible to make video calls from computers for decades, and from smartphones since there have been front-facing cameras. Some Wi-Fi connectivity issues in testing.No way to reject a call with a message.How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages. ![]()
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