Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#1

Post by pjf » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 10:45 AM UTC

Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app
whispersystems.org

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#2

Post by corney91 » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:03 AM UTC

I really want to start using TextSecure (or Signal now I guess), but the only thing holding me back is it depends on Google Play Services. I love what they're doing and can understand the decision, but still thinks it sucks a bit that the best option for secure communications is so tied into Google.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#3

Post by furyg3 » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:05 AM UTC

Great! I've been using Signal for iOS and while it's not yet comparable to WhatsApp feature-wise, it's for sure good enough to use.

I find it very difficult to get people to switch from the walled gardens of iOS messaging and WhatsApp (WhatsApp dominates the Dutch market for interesting historical reasons). I've been able to get a handful of privacy conscious friends to switch to Signal/TextSecure, hopefully the cross-platform branding makes this a bit easier.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#4

Post by Arnt » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:12 AM UTC

corney91 wrote: post #2

I really want to start using TextSecure (or Signal now I guess), but the only thing holding me back is it depends on Google Play Services. I love what they're doing and can understand the decision, but still thinks it sucks a bit that the best option for secure communications is so tied into Google.

What does it send via googleplay other than "please connect to the server now"?

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#5

Post by Nexxxeh » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:17 AM UTC

As was mentioned on another HN thread, why the ridiculous name? "Signal" is an already widely used term when talking about mobile communications. With cell phones in particular.

"I'm trying to get signal on my phone" or "I'm trying to get Signal on my phone". Great(!)

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#6

Post by noja » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:24 AM UTC

Nexxxeh wrote: post #5

As was mentioned on another HN thread, why the ridiculous name? "Signal" is an already widely used term when talking about mobile communications. With cell phones in particular. "I'm trying to get signal on my phone" or "I'm trying to get Signal on my phone". Great(!)

Can you suggest a better name?

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#7

Post by iheartmemcache » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:33 AM UTC

noja wrote: post #6

Nexxxeh wrote: post #5

As was mentioned on another HN thread, why the ridiculous name? "Signal" is an already widely used term when talking about mobile communications. With cell phones in particular. "I'm trying to get signal on my phone" or "I'm trying to get Signal on my phone". Great(!)

Can you suggest a better name?

Naming conflicts are a major problem - legal trademark implications, branding issues, searchability, etc etc. A name collision with someone, especially in a remotely similar industry, is problematic.

I'm not sure, there are tons of professional marketing/branding/PR firms who do this really well. TextSecure et al were acquired, IIRC. If the parent company has 50k to throw around, approaching W+K might be a good investment.

Edit: Mea culpa. It was WhisperSystems not OpenWhisperSystems which was acquired, both of which were founded by Marlinspike. This, incidentally, proves my point that naming similarities (WS vs OpenWS) within a similar domain (both mentally associated as "moxie" projects in my mind, in this case) can lead to problems.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#8

Post by sasvari » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:36 AM UTC

Arnt wrote: post #4

corney91 wrote: post #2

I really want to start using TextSecure (or Signal now I guess), but the only thing holding me back is it depends on Google Play Services. I love what they're doing and can understand the decision, but still thinks it sucks a bit that the best option for secure communications is so tied into Google.

What does it send via googleplay other than "please connect to the server now"?

it does require to have the google play services installed in the first place. so for those who i.e. run cyanogenmod without the google play services installed, it's unfortunately not possible to use Signal/TextSecure.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#9

Post by lorenzhs » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:37 AM UTC

iheartmemcache wrote: post #7

noja wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you suggest a better name?

Naming conflicts are a major problem - legal trademark implications, branding issues, searchability, etc etc. A name collision with someone, especially in a remotely similar industry, is problematic. IronChatApp.com is available. ("Steel"|"Lock"|"Forti"| ) + ("Chat"|"Talk"|...). I'm not sure, there are tons of professional marketing/branding/PR firms who do this really well. TextSecure et al were acquired, IIRC. If t…

> TextSecure et al were acquired, IIRC. If the parent company has 50k to throw around, approaching W+K might be a good investment.

No, moxie's previous company (Whisper Systems) was acquired by Twitter (iirc), Open Whisper Systems is a different project. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Whisper_Systems and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisper_Systems

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#10

Post by sbt » Tue, Nov 03, 2015, 11:37 AM UTC

I have been using Signal (and TextSecure before that) for a while. The two features that would make me use it more would be:

1. Web client. (I send most of my texts from my laptop, which means I use Hangouts)

2. Search messages on the client.

Thanks for a great product and keep up the good work.