Hardware and software setup

Programs for communication in games. Programs for text and voice communication (in games, conference mode) Download the program to talk

It would seem that choosing such a program is not a problem. But when it comes to adding a dozen new interlocutors to the conference, sharing a screen, recording a conversation or streaming to YouTube, it becomes clear that this or that function is missing. How not to miscalculate when installing a program for video calls from a computer, read our article.

Questions:

How to make free internet calls?

How to send messages over the Internet?

How to register on Skype for the first time?

Other questions about communicating via the Internet

According to the results of our research by a wide margin two applications are in the lead. Hangouts has the most versatile functionality, but in terms of connection quality and ease of use - which is probably the most important - it is somewhat inferior to Skype.
In addition, the prevalence of programs must be taken into account. So, despite all its advancement, Hangouts has not yet managed to become the most used video calling application. In our opinion, the main reason for this is the orientation towards the web interface and, as a result, inconvenient management. In this regard, Skype definitely wins.

According to the authors, for a full-fledged video communication at a distance using Skype, a PC with a dual-core processor and an Internet connection of at least 512 kbps is enough. We also add that the developers from Microsoft decided to integrate the Skype application into Windows 10. And if everything suits you, you won’t have to look for alternatives.

Google Hangouts has replaced Google Talk. Windows users can use the web version of the app, available as a common extension, or simply sign in to their GMail account in the Google Chrome browser.

If you have a Google account, working with this software is easier. You can start a call directly from Gmail or Google Plus. In Hangouts, you can create a group video conference for ten interlocutors, share the screen, chat, take notes without minimizing the communication window. Plus, with Hangouts, you can stream live TV directly to YouTube. In general, there are so many functions that at first you even get a little confused.
Personally, we were also spoiled by the fact that connecting from an application on a mobile platform with a user working with Hangouts in a browser is very problematic. Just because the person may have another tab open and they won't notice your call.

ooVoo is a popular free video calling software for PC. When compared with Skype, there are no fundamental differences in the level of communication. At the same time, this client program provides free group video chat, which can be attended by up to 12 users.

As for voice calls, a maximum of three people can communicate in this mode for free (you can connect up to six people, but for a fee). The Video Call Recording feature allows you to record a telephone or video conversation for free.
ooVoo is also actively expanding to tablets and smartphones. The ability to switch between interlocutors is also provided. The only drawback of the application is its "non-promoted". Frankly speaking, when testing personally, we liked the quality of the “picture” in ooVoo the most.

The program has become incredibly popular over the past few years. Millions of fans of comfortable online communication managed to download Viber to a computer, although most of the 450 million audience of the application are users of mobile devices. The desktop version is often installed for video calls to acquaintances and friends who find themselves with a tablet or smartphone somewhere in nature or abroad.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to create a video conference in Viber. But with a one-on-one video call, you will not notice “braking”. Of course, provided that the speed of the Internet connection is good.

This messenger with video calls support has become very popular in Asia and the USA. And recently, European users have begun to actively install it. And there is a reasonable explanation for this.

The application attracts with a minimalist interface and some options typical for social networks. So, you can view the feeds of friends, comment on photos and rate statuses. In addition, the developers of the program have implemented the exchange of files of different formats. You can do this during a video session, as well as exchange messages.
Once launched, you will be able to import contacts from your mobile device and call anyone who also has LINE installed. It is noteworthy that the video call is available for recording, but there is a limit - no more than ten seconds.

In the latest version of ICQ, the developers have made a number of improvements in the quality of voice and video calls. The new engine that runs the popular messenger will allow you to communicate in full screen mode, while video calls will be provided with a resolution of VGA 640x480. But group video conferencing in ICQ is not available.

One click is all it takes to make a voice call. But we will be able to talk for free only with a user who also has an ICQ client installed. To make a call to a landline or mobile phone, you need to deposit money into a virtual account. As a rule, regular calls to ICQ occur without delays and interruptions.

Tango was developed primarily for mobile devices as a tablet calling program so that its owners can call each other for free when connected to the Internet. The company thought about PC users only after the release of versions for Android and iOS.

Synchronizing contacts from your phone with your computer is easy - you just need to enter a phone number or email address. All Tango for PC requires is a Windows operating system and a 4 Mbps Internet connection. And, of course, a webcam and a headset (or speakers). One can not but rejoice at the fact that to run Tango you do not need to create an account and log in.
This software will take root perfectly on most modern smartphones and communicators with front cameras. But on a PC, you may be somewhat upset by the image quality during a video call.

How to improve the quality of communication?

During video calls, you can observe “hanging” and “braking”. The reason for this is often not the speed of the Internet connection, but the processes running on the computer. Therefore, before making a video call, we recommend that you close all unnecessary applications. The same applies to tabs in the browser.
It also does not hurt to clean the computer from components that “clog” the system. This can be done using optimizers such as or . To ensure the security and high performance of your computer, we recommend installing - an anti-virus complex equipped with tools for optimizing the system.

If you find interesting features in two or three programs at once, you can download them together. But be sure to keep in mind that such applications have a significant load on computer resources, so it is recommended to use them at the same time only in exceptional cases.

The short message service SMS is a thing of the past. It is much more profitable to exchange messages using mobile applications. All you need to communicate is an Internet connection via Wi-Fi, and today this is no longer a problem. I WANT offers five of the best mobile programs for communication.

Grade

In addition to text messaging, it provides the ability to share photos, videos and music.

A similar cross-platform application that, like WhatsApp, uses its mobile phone number as a subscriber identifier. In addition, the program allows you to make voice calls. Unlike a competitor, this utility is absolutely free even a year after the start of use.

ChompSMS/Textra

These programs are only suitable for the Android platform. ChompSMS allows you to send a short message to any number bypassing your mobile operator's network, but not for free, but in accordance with the rates on the official website. Using this service may or may not be profitable, depending on your tariff plan.

Textra is the brainchild of the same developer as ChompSMS. A convenient program for those who do not want to spend mobile traffic on communication and are the owner of a mobile plan with an unlimited number of short messages. Payment is made according to the tariff of your mobile operator.

Application benefits:

Pop-up alerts with instant response capability;

Organization of group communication;

Signature setting;

Extensive options for customizing notifications: color, signal, vibration.

The program is free.

facebook messenger

A program that allows you to exchange instant messages with your Facebook friends without going to the site of this social network, as well as view the "ticker" (a feed that shows the actions of friends) and notifications. The app is available for Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows Phone users. In addition to sending messages, voice communication also works, but only if you are in Wi-Fi coverage area. The program is free.

The peculiarity of the program is that it was developed by Pavel Durov, the creator of Vkontakte. This messenger has become the fastest and most convenient, but it has yet to take the palm in all stores from WhatsApp. In principle, there are no special differences between the same WhatsApp. The same messages, photo transfer, avatars, backgrounds. A nice detail: messages sent using Telegram can be prevented from being forwarded to anyone else and can be made to self-destruct after a while.

You can register, as in other similar services, using a phone number. But as for the chat, it is really very fast. Messages are delivered almost instantly. The program is free.

The short message service SMS is a thing of the past. It is much more profitable to exchange messages through. All you need to communicate is an Internet connection via Wi-Fi, and today this is no longer a problem. I WANT offers five of the best mobile programs for communication.

To save money on communication, use special programs designed for mobile communication.

whatsapp


WhatsApp is currently the most popular text messaging service on mobile devices. It is important that the application is suitable for both fans of Apple smartphones and fans of "android phones". WhatsApp will be able to use both BlackBerry lovers and owners of Windows Phone smartphones.

The program searches for all users known to it by phone numbers. Test communication with them will be free for you (the first year, then $ 0.99 per year). Of course, if you need to send a short message to someone who is not on WhatsApp, you will have to use SMS.


Viber


A similar cross-platform application that, like WhatsApp, uses its number as a subscriber identifier. In addition, the program allows you to make voice calls. Unlike a competitor, this utility is absolutely free even a year after the start of use. You can download.


ChompSMS/Textra


The most popular instant messenger in the world from ex-Yahoo! employees, with over 450 million user base, and the main enemy of cellular operators, because of which all reasonable phone and smartphone owners will soon completely forget about SMS. Since 2009, it has been successfully helping its users send text messages, as well as videos, pictures, and audio. At the same time, WhatsApp developers, unlike competitors, focused specifically on messages, refusing to support audio and video calls, which gave them the opportunity to bring their functionality almost to the ideal. However, after the recent purchase of WhatsApp by Zuckerberg, it became known that voice calls may appear in the application.

iPhone owners can think about iMessage as much as they want, which allows you to send messages and any files no less painlessly for the budget, but everyone has enough friends using Android and other platforms.

Free basic features

Synchronization
with phone book

Stickers

PROS

MINUSES

The app is free for the first year only, after which you will have to pay $0.99. Although those who bought the app a long time ago for $0.99 were the first to buy the app, they now have a lifetime subscription.

iPad not supported.

WhatsApp cannot make calls over the Internet - all calls are made exclusively through your mobile operator.

facebook messenger

Facebook recently bought WhatsApp for $19 billion, but Zuckerberg continues to slowly develop his messenger. By getting rid of an annoying competitor that easily pocketed Eastern and South American audiences in just a few years, he bought time to further improve his application. But, in our opinion, Facebook Messenger is already pretty good, and its only drawback is that it focuses exclusively on Facebook users. Until Zuckerberg resolves this issue, the road to the big world of instant messengers is closed to the application.

FREE MAIN FEATURES

NO ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

SYNCHRONIZATION
WITH PHONEBOOK

HIGH PROBABILITY TO FIND YOUR FRIENDS

POSSIBILITY TO SEND DIFFERENT TYPES OF FILES

STICKERS

PROS

Well synced with Facebook - when you receive a message, you go to Messenger, but you can also move back to the Facebook feed. But if all this was combined in one application, it would be much more convenient.

The stickers here are extremely diverse. Actually, just sharing these funny emoji can be done endlessly.

Minimalist functionality is just a messenger, nothing more.

MINUSES

The main disadvantage of the messenger is that it is available only to Facebook users. In fact, this is a plus, but this automatically removes it from the list of universal messengers available to absolutely everyone.

line

A Japanese messenger with a standard set of functions for sending messages and files, which is both a gaming platform and a mini-social network. In addition to, in fact, the basic functionality of a regular messenger, Line allows users to share their statuses and comment on others - in general, do the same as in other social networks. A long time ago, the main difference of this application was funny stickers with funny cartoons, which became one of the founders of the emoji fashion, but now you will not surprise anyone with this.

FREE MAIN FEATURES

NO ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

SYNCHRONIZATION
WITH PHONEBOOK

HIGH PROBABILITY TO FIND YOUR FRIENDS

POSSIBILITY TO SEND DIFFERENT TYPES OF FILES

STICKERS

PROS

The main difference of this application is funny stickers, reminiscent of emoticons from Facebook and, in fact, much inferior to them.

A large list of games that you can play together with a chat partner. But who really plays them is not clear.

Line maintains official celebrity accounts, although there are not very many of them so far - we managed to find only Katy Perry and Paul McCartney.

MINUSES

Even after syncing with your phone book, you will see a miserable list of three friends in the application.

Most of the stickers and other additional pleasures are paid separately - 66 rubles apiece.

Viber

The second most popular messenger after WhatsApp, differing from it only in the presence of audio calls, a smaller user base and less sophisticated design. In the end, if you like to communicate through instant messengers and are guided in their choice primarily by friends, then Viber should definitely appear on your phone: it is used by that part of your friends who ignored WhatsApp.

FREE MAIN FEATURES

NO ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

SYNCHRONIZATION
WITH PHONEBOOK

HIGH PROBABILITY TO FIND YOUR FRIENDS

POSSIBILITY TO SEND DIFFERENT TYPES OF FILES

STICKERS

PROS

With Viber, you can call even those users who do not have it installed. This service is called Viber Out and costs money - prices can be found in Viber itself. Given the Internet charges, this will not cost you much less than regular calls.

MINUSES

Due to its Israeli origins, Viber is suspected by the Egyptian and Lebanese authorities of supporting Zionist spies. Therefore, before traveling to Lebanon, it is better to install another messenger for insurance.

Telegram

The youngest, but at the same time one of the most promising representatives of the messenger family, created in 2013 by Pavel Durov's company Digital Fortress. On the very first day of launch, the entire Internet accused the creators of 100% WhatsApp plagiarism (they even have similar dialog backgrounds!) And many other mistakes, and at the same time once again reminded Durov of the similarities between VKontakte and Facebook. Meanwhile, this messenger has a number of undeniable advantages, such as high download speed of everything, good information protection and other pleasant things. According to Durov, Telegram, as we see it now, is just an intermediate product that, after proper testing, can become completely different, and the visual similarity with its older brother is just a starting point. At the same time, the lack of a Russian interface, which all schoolchildren still complain about, quite clearly hints at grandiose plans to capture the world market.

FREE MAIN FEATURES

NO ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

SYNCHRONIZATION
WITH PHONEBOOK

HIGH PROBABILITY TO FIND YOUR FRIENDS

POSSIBILITY TO SEND DIFFERENT TYPES OF FILES

STICKERS

PROS

Instead of the usual stickers for competitors, there is a search for pictures all over the Internet, that is, instead of a paid picture with a dancing walrus from a limited set of applications, you can attach a photo of absolutely any walrus from the Internet, or even a hippopotamus, to the message.

There is completely no integration with VKontakte, and this is a plus at least because even if VKontakte is closed or Durov himself leaves from there, the messenger will remain afloat.

To the delight of Android fans, Durov perceives this platform as the main one for this application.

MINUSES

Unfortunately for iOS fans, Durov is taking Android as the main platform for this app.

snapchat

Messenger of the future with self-destructing information and just the perfect communication app that erases all your messages after a maximum of ten seconds after reading. The most interesting thing is that each text must be accompanied by a photo or video taken in real time. With these unusual and uncomfortable rules, Snapchat most of all resembles the real interaction of people, and not the pre-prepared monologues that we are used to when texting on social networks and other instant messengers. After all, everything you say in a normal conversation is not recorded on the hard drive and after a while disappears forever. To experience these unprecedented sensations, you just need to register, take a picture, apply unpretentious text over it, set the destruction timer from one to ten seconds and send the resulting message to one of your friends.

FREE MAIN FEATURES

Download programs for communication via the Internet for free.
Free Internet chat programs for Windows XP, 7, 8, 10.
Download programs for correspondence and voice conversation on the Internet, in games and local networks.

version: 0.4.2081 from 28 March 2020

Fast cross-platform messenger with voice support. WhatsApp is one of the world's most popular messaging, photo and video sharing services.

“Beautiful, fast and convenient” - these three epithets can be used to characterize the messenger. With it, you can communicate in private and group chats, transfer photos and videos, send documents, spreadsheets and PDF files. The application uses a simple visualization system, notifying about the delivery and reading of messages. Social media fans will appreciate the ability to set a status and a profile photo. If you wish, you can add pleasant emotions to the dialogue thanks to a set of original emoticons. Particular emphasis is placed on the security of correspondence - all information is transmitted in encrypted form. The phone number is used as the user ID.

version: 7.1.1 from 26 March 2020

Do you like to have fun with your friends via video chat and want to surprise them? Then install the ManyCam program. With its help, you can appear on the screen of your friends in the costume of an experienced pirate, or, for example, it will snow right in your room.

And this is only one percent of the entire list of available effects. For example, you can add a caption to the video or change the background.

version: 3.5.1 from 24 March 2020

The TeamSpeak voice application works on the principle of a multi-channel walkie-talkie - to connect, just press a key on the keyboard. Ideal for online multiplayer gaming and business audio conferencing.

TeamSpeak is an extremely user-friendly application capable of providing quality voice communication over the Internet. It is enough to have a headset or speakers and a microphone.

version: 5.23.0.2134 dated March 19, 2020

An advanced program for communication with high-quality video communication and file exchange of various formats. It differs by a number of social functions that have made LINE a kind of hybrid of a messenger and a social network.

The desktop version of LINE offers almost all the functionality of the mobile application. You can transfer contacts, make voice and video calls, chat, share photos and documents, dilute communication with funny stickers.

version: 1.9.21 from 19 March 2020

Telegram- a fast messenger for private correspondence, transfer of media files and voice calls, keeps your data confidential on the network, preventing information leaks.

Telegram uses the latest encryption methods and its own closed source server hardware, which makes the content of transmitted messages inaccessible even to special services and governments of different countries. Today it is the most secure messenger in the world.

version: 12.6.0.41 from 19 March 2020

Viber - a program for video calling, instant messaging and photo exchange, when launched, it synchronizes contacts on a computer with a mobile device, i.e. the user always has the most current most complete version of all his correspondence.

The history of Viber began in 2010, when a team of five Israeli developers decided to create a serious alternative. A lightweight application with excellent call quality and a pleasant interface immediately captivated millions of users. By 2015, the Viber audience exceeded the Skype audience - 400 million against 300.

version: 10.0.39800 dated 17 March 2020

Application for online correspondence, file sharing, voice and video communication. Allows you to communicate, including with users of other instant messengers and social networks.

The legendary chat program was created back in 1996 by four high school students from Israel. The guys wrote a program to correspond with each other and distributed it for free among their friends. Two years later, the software became so popular that AOL bought it, paying the students $287 million.

version: 8.58.0.93 dated 17 March 2020

Skype - a program for free video calls, voice communications, file and messaging, also allows you to call regular phones, send SMS and is the most popular instant messenger in the world today.

If you need to communicate with relatives, friends or colleagues who are far away, what could be better than a video call. The latest version of Skype is perfect for this - just download Skype and make sure you have a webcam on your PC. You will also need a headset, although if your computer or laptop has a microphone and speakers or speakers, you can do without it.

In many online team games, gamers need to constantly maintain voice communication with allies. It is not always convenient to do this using built-in tools, and voice chat in games has rather limited capabilities. Therefore, most use specialized programs for voice communication. In this article, we will look at some of the most popular representatives of such software.

The first program on our list will be TeamSpeak. It has long won the love of gamers because of its ease of use, low requirements for Internet speed and flexible settings for each user. To start communication, it is enough to connect to the most convenient server and create a private room there, where you should invite your friends.

This software has a wide variety of settings for playback and recording devices, several modes for turning on the microphone, for example, activation by voice or by pressing a certain key on the keyboard. All that is required of you is to go to the official website of the developer, download TeamSpeak for free, install and start using it. Even an inexperienced user can quickly master this program.

Mumble

If you want to build your own open source server, then Mumble is one of the best options. Its interface is minimalistic, there are not a huge number of tools and functions, but there is everything you need that you might need during team communication.

When you need to gather players for the next match, just start Mumble, create a server and share the connection information with your allies. They will quickly be able to connect and start the gameplay. Of the interesting features of this program, I would also like to note the sound positioning setting, which will allow you to hear the members of your team regarding their position in the game.

VentriloPro

VentriloPro does not position itself as a program designed exclusively for gaming communication, but it has everything you need for this. Servers are created manually by users for free using built-in utilities, after which the creator already assigns administration, creates rooms and monitors the actions of other users. VentriloPro has handy settings that allow you to use multiple game profiles on the same computer, which also applies to saved hotkey profiles.

A useful tool for gamers is the built-in overlay. The program will automatically display a small translucent window on top of the game, where all useful information about communication will be displayed. For example, you can see who is currently speaking, who has disconnected, or who has sent a text message in a channel.

MyTeamVoice

Next we will look at the MyTeamVoice program. Its functionality is focused specifically on conducting collective conversations with an emphasis on online games. Before you start using this software, you will need to create an account on the official page, after which you will have access to create or connect to other servers.

Each participant has his own rank, which is determined by the time spent on the server. The ranking system is needed in order to sort users by the level of access to different rooms, which is fully configurable by the administration. The control panel deserves special attention. The administration has access to many useful functions that allow you to optimally configure the server and the rooms in it.

TeamTalk

TeamTalk has a large number of free servers with many rooms. Here people gather mainly not for games, but simply to communicate, listen to music, watch videos and exchange files. However, nothing prevents you from creating a separate room with a limited access level, where you can invite your friends and start a match in some online team game.

There is an opportunity to create a personal server yourself. This is done using a built-in utility outside the program itself. Configuration and launch is carried out through the command line, after which access to the administration and editing of the server is opened. The admin panel has been implemented in the form of a single window, where all the necessary parameters are located, and it is very simple and convenient to use it.

Discord

The developers of the Discord program position it as software designed exclusively for gaming communication. Therefore, there are a large number of useful tools and functions related to gamers. For example, if your friend is online, then you can see what he is playing at the moment. In addition, the creators themselves made several simple and convenient overlays tailored for certain games.

Servers are created absolutely free of charge by any user. He has the right to create an unlimited number of rooms, make the server open or provide access only through links. Discord has a bot system, which will allow you, for example, to continuously stream music on one of the channels.

raid call

RaidCall at one time was a fairly popular program not only among gamers, but also among fans of collective voice communication on various topics. The principle of servers and rooms here is no different from all the previous representatives discussed above. RaidCall allows you to share files and have private conversations using video calls.

Although the program consumes a minimal amount of resources, users with slow Internet can sometimes experience some difficulties during communication. RaidCall is distributed free of charge and is available for download on the official website.

Today we have reviewed some of the most popular and convenient programs that allow you to conduct voice communication in games. All of them are very similar to each other, especially the system of servers and channels, but each has its own features and features that allow you to play team matches in your favorite online game with maximum comfort.

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