Ómicron, the latest variant of SARS-CoV-2 and the most contagious to date, is wreaking havoc around the world in the sixth wave of the COVID pandemic. Either as a measure of protection and personal responsibility or to comply with the restrictions that governments are imposing, we fear that Christmas 2021 they will have to be so ‘homemade’ as they were in 2020. It is preferable to stay healthy, there will be time in the future to resume physical contact … And get vaccinated … Although this would give for another type of article that is out of our way.
In any case, there are other ways to stay connected with family and friends. Even if it is virtually. And we talk about video conferencing applications. They have always been used a lot, but in 2020, due to the confinements, they became the most searched, downloaded and used group of software. And this year almost the same, both for family connection, and to cover the needs of telework or study at home that the situation of the pandemic has forced to maintain.
Video conferencing applications
In case you do not know all the available offer and want to have these applications at hand, we remind you of the 10 most interesting for the main desktop and mobile operating systems. All are free, and some are open source and cross-platform.
1.- Jitsi
An extremely interesting project, 100% free, open source, private and in which you do not need registration or installation. Jitsi began its journey as a clone of Microsoft’s Messenger, but with multiprocolo support and with time its development turned towards the field of Skype-style VoIP solutions. Now it is one of the most powerful proposals in its category for work groups, although it is available for private users.
It includes features like desktop sharing, presentation playback, collaborative document editing and, of course, video conferencing with integrated chat and a limit of up to 75 participants. To highlight the audio and video quality (based on the WebRTC standard), its security and its privacy policy, which is truly respectful of privacy. Jitsi Meet works on web browsers (preferably Chrome), on iOS and Android mobile platforms, and on platforms like Slack.
2.- Zoom
Left behind some security and privacy issues with updates and still one of the most used video conferencing applications for the ease of use of its interface, its fun backgrounds or its scalability for use on multiple devices. It is actually a complete video conferencing package aimed at business users, but it offers an attractive free option.
Users with this type of account can host video conferences for up to 100 participants, although meetings of three or more members are limited to a duration of 40 minutes. You can upgrade to a paid plan to remove these restrictions or simply keep the free one that allows you to make phone calls, record video or audio locally, and share screens with other participants. Zoom can be used via web, with dedicated applications, browser extensions and mobile devices using apps to ios Y Android.
3.- Google Meet – Duo
Google has replaced Hangouts with Meet, a tool that was born for educational and business segments and that has ended up reaching all users. Google relaxed some restrictions due to the pandemic and any Google user can hold group video conferences of up to 250 participants regardless of their subscription level in the commercial G Suite and G Suite for Education solutions. It is available for iOS, Android and via web browser on any device.
Google offers other video conferencing applications as an enhancement to a Hangouts that never finished exploding. Simpler and more specialized than Meet, Google Duo was created by Justin Uberti (responsible for the WebRTC communications standard) and was born as an alternative to FaceTime and everything that has come from messaging services. Google expanded its group calling capacity to 32 participants. It works very well (especially on Android), it offers great streaming quality and is also available for iOS, Chrome OS, and via the web.
4.- FaceTime
The Apple Communications App is a preferred option for users of the Cupertino firm. It works through a phone number or an Apple ID and allows you to make video or audio calls with up to 32 participants at the same time.
FaceTime is integrated into the list of recent calls in the Phone app and can also be used from the Contacts. It allows to use effects to turn the user into an Animoji, send stickers and other functions. It works from Wi-Fi networks or cellular services and supports iOS, iPadOS or macOS operating systems, to work on an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and also from a Mac computer.
5.- Microsoft Teams – Skype
Microsoft is pushing Teams as unified communication and collaboration platform. Evolution of Skype for Business, its business approach is clear as it combines persistent chat, file storage and collaboration and application integration, especially with the Office suite. But it is also used as a video conferencing application and has free versions for all versions of Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, and also via the web.
Another one available is Skype. Microsoft proprietary software after acquiring what was the best VoIP platform on the market, allows text, voice and video communications over the Internet (VoIP), free by voice and video between Skype users to and from anywhere in the world, as well as allowing special calls to be made at very low cost, between computers and fixed or mobile telephone networks. Works on Windows, macOS, or Linux; Android, Windows Phone and iOS. It is also compatible with most smart TVs and can be used on consoles like Xbox.
The Skype Meet Now variant allows videoconferences without the need to register anywhere, or download and install any application. All you have to do is enter the Skype Meet Now website and with one click, generate a link to share with those you want to start a conversation with. They include the possibility of recording calls or sharing the screen with the same limit of participants (50) of the general application.
6.- Cisco Webex
CISCO is a name generally associated with commercial business products, generally out of reach for ordinary users. But it also has solutions like Webex, a robust and free option for those looking for basic video conferencing applications. It allows you to host up to 100 participants in a single call, for as long as you want. There are no limits to the number of calls you can make, and with a free account you get 1GB of cloud storage.
Webex allows users in up to 52 countries to use a standard telephone to join any conference. Participants who wish to use their webcams can choose from a website, dedicated desktop applications, or mobile applications for iPhone and Android with their own screen sharing features.
7.- Tox
If you are looking for a safe and private alternative that is not part of a company’s business, here is an open source solution whose forceful definition marks clear distances from other commercial ones: “Tox is made by people fed up with the existing options that spy on us, track us, censor us and prevent us from innovating”.
You may have a lousy interface or confusing setup, but you don’t. Just install qTox (the full-featured app) or uTox (intended for lighter systems) and start chatting. Tox is completely free and without ads. It offers secure chats, voice calls, and video calls, plus unlimited screen sharing and file sharing. Tox has desktop versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and mobile versions for iOS and Android.
8.- FreeConference
Contrary to its name, it is not a free service by default. It’s a premium paid service, but one that offers a decent free option that can come in handy for basic cases. FreeConference only supports up to 5 participants in video conferencing on the free tier. What makes FreeConference shine is its support for up to 1,000 audio participants to call on the phone.
The service also takes a software-free approach to video calling, allowing most users to connect from just a browser. It also offers mobile applications for iPhone and Android, which are open to free users.
9.- Viber
A classic option offering all standard featuresincluding group chats, video calls, and stickers. If you change devices often, you will appreciate Viber’s transfer feature that allows calls to be moved to a mobile phone.
Viber features public chats (called Communities) that allow you to connect with others if you don’t have friends to message, and it has games built in if you want to compete with your friends. Viber doesn’t stand out for any particular reason, but it’s a solid app. To use it on the desktop, you will first need to sign in on your mobile phone to sync the account.
10.- Whatsapp – Telegram – Line
We leave the solutions of three great instant messaging applications for last. Although they are not the best video conferencing appsThey also offer this type of functions and will surely be used in a massive way due to their versatility, ease of use and because they are installed in hundreds of millions of devices. You know them well and they work directly on messaging clients, including video calls, voice calls and text messages.
As to Line, is another well-known messenger (albeit widely used in Asia) that allows you to easily keep up with friends and family. Offers free video calls, voice calls, and text messages for groups. Also thousands of animated stickers although most are paid through in-app purchases.
