Google has introduced Google+ option ‘hangout’ in Gmail. It was available in US and UK & is now available in India too. As most people are not active in Google+, ‘hangout’ is not known by many. So, let’s see what is really there in Google hangout.
Hangout is the extended version of video chat in Gmail with lots of add-ons. Main options that make hangout a place to hangout are:
1) Multiple video chat: You can video chat online with up to 9 people at a time. You can select to whom your video should be shown and to whom not. This is the best option for a project, event organisation and other meetings that need a virtual group meet. This place can help for students to arrange an online GD with friends of same interest sitting anywhere in the world.
2) Screen sharing: Just like Skype, the screen can be shared in hangout. But it comes with even more options through which you can share specific application to be shared to view. This option will be very useful for group effort in preparing reports, and software development.
3) Google drive: All the files from Google drive will be available in hangout to share, to share any file you just need to have it on Google drive. Google drive gives free space of 5 GB for each costumer, if you need extra space, you need to pay the subscription fee as per the plan.
4) Google effects: This is the fun part of the hangout. Using this option, you can have accessories on you and a background of your video. It has different sounds, hats, facial hair, and eye ware to make video chat more funny and entertaining.
5) Add-ons: This option makes an open platform for other developers to support hangout with their applications. You can search across lots of applications that help to improve the video chat experience just like the YouTube application through which you can watch videos with your friends and chat about the video.
