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Hangouts vs. Messenger

exninja

Android Enthusiast
Oct 9, 2011
296
94
AZ
Now that Google has supplied us with a new Messenger app, who is using it and who is sticking with Hangouts?

I have switched to Messenger. The reason for me is that Hangouts was acting a little glitchy, and it seemed to happen when I had a lot of texts in a conversation (like with my wife). I like the feature in Messenger that you can take a picture and the viewfinder is within the screen, but what I don't like about that is that I can't take a portrait-oriented picture. The camera also doesn't focus as well with it, so half the time I end up taking a picture with the camera app and attaching it separately. Also, I've noticed that with Marshmallow, Hangouts is not making notification noises. When it does, it cuts it off severely. I'm not sure if that's Light Manager not getting along with it or a Hangouts issue, but Messenger seems to work just fine.

What do you all think?
 
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Been using messenger ever since it was released. I don't use hangouts so i hated it being lumped with sms a couple years back.
I want to use HO's with my Google Voice for SMS/MMS but am annoyed that I have to lump my voicemail in there too. I don't want vm in my text threads and you can't delete it out. And, as far as vm in HO's is concerned, it's beyond ridiculously slow. Just terrible. So, I stick with the GV app and Messenger. Oh well...
 
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After seeing this thread I decided to switch and give Messenger a try. I'm not a huge texter, so it's not a big change for me, but I have been unable to receive or send MMS since the change. Right now I have one from my brother, and I've been trying to get the picture to come through for 2 days now. It says it's 484kb, which doesn't seem unusually large to me.

It will tell me download of the picture failed, and there's a link to click it to try again. I've done that about 10 times now. I have a good, strong signal, so I'm not sure what the problem is. Since this was working with Hangouts, I don't think it's a problem with my network settings. I really don't want to try a hard reset - just did one when I upgraded to Marshmallow.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can try?

Thanks,

Gary
 
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Try going into phone settings/apps/Hangouts and clear cache, clear data then force stop. Then go into Messenger and clear cache. You may lose the message your brother sent but you shouldn't lose anything else.

I occasionally switch between the two and have run into similar issues but those steps seem to clear it up.
 
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After seeing this thread I decided to switch and give Messenger a try. I'm not a huge texter, so it's not a big change for me, but I have been unable to receive or send MMS since the change. Right now I have one from my brother, and I've been trying to get the picture to come through for 2 days now. It says it's 484kb, which doesn't seem unusually large to me.

It will tell me download of the picture failed, and there's a link to click it to try again. I've done that about 10 times now. I have a good, strong signal, so I'm not sure what the problem is. Since this was working with Hangouts, I don't think it's a problem with my network settings. I really don't want to try a hard reset - just did one when I upgraded to Marshmallow.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can try?

Thanks,

Gary


If Clementine_3's suggestion doesn't fix it, try contacting your service provider about whether you need to update your APN settings. And gimme Messenger any day! Hangouts drives me crazy!

Second this. Most of the SMS/MMS issues are carrier related.

I'm sticking with hangouts. it's just easier for me to be able to switch seamlessly between hangouts for those that have it and sms/mms for those that don't.

This is very true. I only have one friend that uses Hangouts so it's not really an issue for me.
 
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Now that Google has supplied us with a new Messenger app, who is using it and who is sticking with Hangouts?
Now that Google has supplied us with a new Messenger app, who is using it and who is sticking with Hangouts?

I have switched to Messenger. The reason for me is that Hangouts was acting a little glitchy, and it seemed to happen when I had a lot of texts in a conversation (like with my wife). I like the feature in Messenger that you can take a picture and the viewfinder is within the screen, but what I don't like about that is that I can't take a portrait-oriented picture. The camera also doesn't focus as well with it, so half the time I end up taking a picture with the camera app and attaching it separately. Also, I've noticed that with Marshmallow, Hangouts is not making notification noises. When it does, it cuts it off severely. I'm not sure if that's Light Manager not getting along with it or a Hangouts issue, but Messenger seems to work just fine.

What do you all think?
First question, why didn't they call it messages instead of messenger which is already taken by Facebook? Now I have two apps named Messenger I love the new look and the new photo selection for sharing but why not just update hangouts with the same features? Hangouts does more but the new messenger does less but does it better. Do they have children working at Google?


I have switched to Messenger. The reason for me is that Hangouts was acting a little glitchy, and it seemed to happen when I had a lot of texts in a conversation (like with my wife). I like the feature in Messenger that you can take a picture and the viewfinder is within the screen, but what I don't like about that is that I can't take a portrait-oriented picture. The camera also doesn't focus as well with it, so half the time I end up taking a picture with the camera app and attaching it separately. Also, I've noticed that with Marshmallow, Hangouts is not making notification noises. When it does, it cuts it off severely. I'm not sure if that's Light Manager not getting along with it or a Hangouts issue, but Messenger seems to work just fine.

What do you all think?
Now that Google has supplied us with a new Messenger app, who is using it and who is sticking with Hangouts?

I have switched to Messenger. The reason for me is that Hangouts was acting a little glitchy, and it seemed to happen when I had a lot of texts in a conversation (like with my wife). I like the feature in Messenger that you can take a picture and the viewfinder is within the screen, but what I don't like about that is that I can't take a portrait-oriented picture. The camera also doesn't focus as well with it, so half the time I end up taking a picture with the camera app and attaching it separately. Also, I've noticed that with Marshmallow, Hangouts is not making notification noises. When it does, it cuts it off severely. I'm not sure if that's Light Manager not getting along with it or a Hangouts issue, but Messenger seems to work just fine.

What do you all think?
 
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First question, why didn't they call it messages instead of messenger which is already taken by Facebook? Now I have two apps named Messenger I love the new look and the new photo selection for sharing but why not just update hangouts with the same features? Hangouts does more but the new messenger does less but does it better. Do they have children working at Google?
 
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First question, why didn't they call it messages instead of messenger which is already taken by Facebook?
Because messenger is not specific to Facebook. You cant just take a word and and say no one else can use it. That would be like saying only one pizza restaurant can use the word pizza in their name. Facebook has a messenger and its called Facebook Messenger. Instant messaging has been around long before Facebook. Just to name a few others: AOL instant messenger, Yahoo messenger, MSN messenger, ICQ messenger, BlackBerry messenger, Kik messenger, etc., etc...

And yes, I do realize that SMS is different than IM. But nonetheless, it's a text messenger, which also has been a thing since before Facebook Messenger and before smart phones. It makes sense to call their default text messenger app "messenger". More sense than Facebook naming their app messenger. They should name it Facebook IM or something.

As for hangouts functionality, I agree with you there. Either make the SMS portion of hangouts into messenger, or make them two completely separate apps. Messenger for SMS and hangouts for IM.
 
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As for hangouts functionality, I agree with you there. Either make the SMS portion of hangouts into messenger, or make them two completely separate apps. Messenger for SMS and hangouts for IM.
And include Google Voice but without the voicemail part, leave that totally separate. I'd be a happy girl if Messenger could also do GV SMS/MMS and a standalone for voicemail. I still hate that I can't do that (GV text w/regular text, same app) without using HO's and that has the stupid mix your VM into your texts feature that can't stand :)
 
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I have Hangouts, Messenger (Facebook, I think) and Messaging. I most recently obtained the last one, and made it my default app, as I thought that some contacts were not receiving my messages using the other two.

Am I right in assuming that the new Messenger that people here are recommending is NOT the Facebook one and, if so, where can I find it to download? I find it confusing that there are so many apps with the same name!
Incidentally, I am still using KitKat, so hopefully Messenger will be compatible.
 
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Thanks Clementine. I've now installed Google Messenger and shall make it my default app. I've found that to send a photograph, you click the 'paperclip' (attachment icon) which looks useful. I'll have to try that sometime!
Presumably, it would be OK to uninstall the other (Facebook) Messenger, along with Hangouts, or would it be better to hang on to these just in case? I assume I wouldn't lose any old messages?
 
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I'm in the minority and sticking w/HO's. Finally got it working with the right APN settings and working with MMS and texts from iPhones. The updates have been pretty good since last summer. I use HO's w/my wife primarily so I just keep using it until Google decides to take the SMS function out as rumored last month.
 
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I don't have FB so have never used that Messenger so can't say.

As far as HO's, you can leave it, it'll just sit there. What I would do is go into settings/apps/Hangouts and clear cache then force stop it. That will just make sure it doesn't get in the way of Messenger, it shouldn't though but just in case.
I did try to clear the cache, but nothing happens and the button remains 'lit'. I can force stop it, though. As long as it doesn't get in the way I'll just leave it.
Thanks for your help.
 
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Thanks Clementine. I've now installed Google Messenger and shall make it my default app. I've found that to send a photograph, you click the 'paperclip' (attachment icon) which looks useful. I'll have to try that sometime!
Presumably, it would be OK to uninstall the other (Facebook) Messenger, along with Hangouts, or would it be better to hang on to these just in case? I assume I wouldn't lose any old messages?
One more tip about sharing photos: after pressing the paperclip icon, tapping a photo will insert that one photo but if you longpress a photo it will check that photo and put check boxes on the others allowing you to select multiple photos.


As for whether or not to keep the other apps, that's really up to you. Google Messenger is only for sending text messages wheras Facebook Messenger is just for sending instant messages. While very similar, text messages require that you have a mobile signal. You can not send one in an area where there is no service. Instant messaging just requires an internet connection; ie can be sent over WiFi. People that do not have unlimited texting tend to prefer IM because it doesn't use a text message. It's essentially unlimited free texting so long as you're on WiFi.

Hangouts does both. It can handle your text messages and also send instant messages with the ability to keep a conversation made up of SMS and IM together in the same thread.

I stuck with hangouts for quite awhile until I got my nexus 6 and messenger was the default. I decided to give it a good chance and came to prefer it. If I sent more IMs I'd probably stick with hangouts for the convenience, but messenger just functions better as an SMS/MMS handler.
 
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Thanks for that additional information, Brian.
I have now uninstalled Facebook Messenger as I don't think I'll need it. I'll make Hangouts my default because, as you say, I can keep both SMS and IM together and that sounds more convenient. I'll keep Google Messenger too, as that is able to send pictures directly from the camera (I think!) if needed, whereas I assume Hangouts cannot.

On the other hand, when I open Hangouts it announces that I do not have an internet connection. WiFi is turned off. Does that mean that I cannot send a message unless I turn on WiFi or cellular data? Is it possible to send messages in Google Messenger without WiFi or cellular data being turned on?

There's a lot more to messaging than I realised!
 
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