The Google app is nothing original, but it is lighter and faster; openly challenge FaceTime, but as Skype does not distinguish between Android users and iOS
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After three months of the announcement on stage at the Google I / O now is the moment of truth for Google Duo, the app that the intention of the multinational Mountain View simplify video calls via smartphone until they become as natural as they have ever been.
Available for Android and iOS , the app makes its debut today in the virtual stores of the respective platforms, but thanks to a series of tests in the preview we already managed to get an idea of how it works.
The initial configuration is lightning fast, and options and extra features are minimized. (Photo: Lorenzo Longhitano)
The concept around which the entire Duo experience is that of simplicity. After a flash configuration in which you only need to enter your phone number (such as WhatsApp, the app maps the user’s identity to the SIM), you are in front of the home screen of ‘ app: a close-up directly from your front camera, through which control whether the frame is in order.
the image occupies half the screen; below are placed shortcuts for frequently called contacts, but to get access to the list in alphabetical order just tap the video call button. You touch the desired contact and the call side.
The recipient’s smartphone is activated by displaying the information of who is trying to connect. A display is a static picture of the caller, but already launched a video that portrays the latter while waiting for reply . The function is called Toc Toc, it can be deactivated at will and acts as a Virtual peephole : gives way responders to get an idea of who is actually on the other end of the link and decide whether to accept the call – all without being seen.
Even the call real is made to be easy to use: there is no interface, streaming video fills the screen and to display the few commands necessary to manage the situation must tap the screen once. There are three buttons: one swap the video source with the rear camera, one puts mute the microphone and one terminates communications. It’s all here. Google has not enriched the experience of extra features neither of options, and he did it on purpose; and because Duo ruins simple to use as making a phone call , is not to weigh the app you must be quick like no other, snappy in the jumping from the smartphone’s memory at when it is necessary; just like the phone calls.
the interface is made to make life easier and possible natural calls and video quality dynamically adapts to network coverage. (Photo: Lorenzo Longhitano)
To ensure a compromise between quality and stability of the calls, Google has included in Duo a dynamic compression algorithm of the video stream: in the best reception conditions, the goodness streaming is appreciable; But when one of the subscribers you move in an area with poor coverage or under a Wi-Fi not particularly handsome, Duo lowers the quality of the video to keep the connection . In these cases the images are pixelated and the sound definition is lowered significantly; in the most extreme conditions, Google temporarily sacrifice the visual feed so as not to drop the call. Most of the time the ruse works, and even when the receiving notches on the phone are also close conversations continue; Also switching between Wi-Fi network phone is usually handled with elegance and without visible transitions. Problems arise when the sender or recipient living in an area little of the wireless connectivity of the last generation. Duo shows particularly the side of rural means or in holiday resorts where under some operators 3G fatigue to creep and 4G is little more than a mirage. It is a scenario that in the middle of August occurred several times in the course of our tests, and to whom Duo (as indeed all the other apps of this type) can not cope.
(Photo: Google)
the Google app is not meant to replace phone calls, but despite the late arrival than their opponents did what it takes to do well in the field of video . The defects do not miss: Duo works only on smartphones, and can not be used for video conferencing or chat; you can not even decide to make a voice call without video, perhaps to save data on a consumer connection. But the app is simple to set up and use, more than Hangouts and Facebook Messenger, but especially over Skype ; compatibility is greater than that provided by FaceTime, which caters only to Apple users; Finally register is simple, the contacts are ready, the interface is virtually invisible, benefits in the call are not bad and its lightness does not impact on the operation of most phones. For use in a professional and by subject averse to technology and complications that can offer , it is very promising: it is worth to give her an opportunity.
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