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Google Hangouts 4.0: now simpler, faster, more beautiful

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Re: Google Hangouts 4.0: now simpler, faster, more beautiful

#4
post #2

And here I was excited thinking that they'd finally fixed the terrible performance and interface of the browser app.

I hear what you are saying. The android app has horrible bugs and atrocious performance as an SMS client and Google Voice client. I am hopeful this release addresses those items.

Re: Google Hangouts 4.0: now simpler, faster, more beautiful

#8
* It's about time. My wife complains about getting random SMS messages that turn out to be replies to group texts. She started giving out her direct cell number instead of her Google Voice number because of this problem. Hopefully with this she'll be able to use Voice exclusively.

Re: Google Hangouts 4.0: now simpler, faster, more beautiful

#10
post #5

The only features I want are setting availability status and getting online notifications for contacts. IMs have had those features for decades, and contrary to Google's narrow worldview not everybody is online and available 24/7.

This post is about the android app. How do you define "online" when you're on a phone with a data connection, an extremely common use case for this scenario? (Or rather, what makes someone "offline" here?)

Maybe it's better to track whether the user is busy or free-to-interrupt, which I think is what Google is already doing. (I believe there is also an option to broadcast if you're on your phone or your desktop, although I don't fully understand why it's that useful)

Edit: I looked up Google's documentation, and apparently they do indeed track Online/Offline in the hangouts app [1], but from what I understand, installing the android app with a data connection = online. I'm not sure what Offline means.

I guess the parent is asking for notifications about the Online/Offline change, which does not exist. (But again, if installing the app means you're always Online in hangouts, you won't get any notifications anyway)

[1] https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3111918?hl=en

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