With the COVID-19 pandemic going on and social distancing regulations in place, many of us are finding ourselves at home for most if not all of the time. Our interactions with others are limited in a way we’ve never experienced before, a strange phenomenon for humans who are inherently social creatures.
While we might not be able to see and hug our extended family members or catch up with friends face-to-face for the foreseeable future, there are some great tech solutions out there to help you stay in touch while staying home. Here are the best apps for staying connected, a few of which are familiar favourites and a handful that you may not have heard of before.
Zoom
Did anyone else not know Zoom existed until COVID-19? Zoom has been around for a few years now, but its recently increased in popularity with many employees transitioning to work-from-home environments. Zoom is a video conferencing tool which allows you to conduct meetings with your colleagues with features like screen sharing. It’s quickly moved from a nice-to-have to a must-have resource for companies around the world.
Google Hangouts
A great alternative to Zoom is Google Hangouts, which brings conversations to life by offering group video calls and messaging for free. It’s a great way to keep in touch both in your personal and professional life. It has a simple and easy-to-use interface which makes it a great option for your video conferencing needs.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger helps you stay in touch by offering free video calls, unlimited text chats, and video messages. There are plenty of fun emojis and gifs to play around with, and you can have group conversations with just about anyone, from your family and friends to businesses to similar interest groups.
WhatsApp is available on Android and iOS devices. Similar to Facebook Messenger, it’s a simple messaging and calling app that allows you to connect over the internet for free. You can set up chat groups and keep the conversation going across all your devices, from your phone to your computer. You can also send quick voice messages which are a little more personal than just texts.
Skype
Skype has been around for a long time and is one of the original internet-based calling and chatting platforms. It’s a reliable tool for conducting online calls, whether they be local or international, and is also an easy tool for text messaging.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a fun favourite that allows you to share quick moments that disappear once the recipient has received them. One of the best parts of the app is trying out all the filters, like making yourself look older or putting on a cowboy hat. It’s an easy way to share small parts of your day with family and friends to let them know what you’re up to and keep each other entertained.
Marco Polo
Marco Polo is a similar app to Snapchat in that it lets you send video chats that can be watched and responded to later. It’s a great way to stay connected with someone if you have a busy work schedule or live in another time zone and can’t always find a good time to chat real-time.
Netflix Party
Netflix Party is a free extension for Google Chrome that allows you to host virtual movie nights while watching Netflix. You can link up with friends and set it up so that you’re watching the same show, at the same time, and sharing reactions with one another. If you’ve missed catching up on your favourite show with a friend or loved one, this is the app for you!
Between
If you’re separated from your special someone and looking for a more meaningful way to connect, you might want to give Between a try. It allows you to send text messages, photos, and video chats with another person and is geared towards people in a relationship. You can even track special dates on a shared calendar and plan your schedules together so that you know what each other is up to and when you might be free for a chat.
FullContact
Finally, Fullcontact is a useful tool for someone who has a lot of contacts across different platforms, such as social media and email. This app allows you to combine all of your contacts in one place so that you can easily find them and reach out to them.
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Featured photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash