WhatsApp blocking links to Telegram

[Ockie]

For me swipe on the watch. I don't have to take out my phone in a meeting to see what the message is about, so I know if it's urgent enough to leave to attend to it. Might give it a go again one day to see if I like it.

Ah ok. Makes sense. I just keep my phone on the desk ... enable pop up and get a preview of who it is and what it is about.

 

[sajunky]

That I can believe. What I meant to ask is, is there privacy concerns or other issues with Whatsapp that I should be aware of?

It seems a pretty drastic move to actively advocate Telegram for these two smallish reasons: Telegram being better in some areas, and Whatsapp blocking links to Telegram.

I don't consider there are serious privacy issues (for now) other than disclosing your phone number. People concerned will use Telegram, as nickname can be used.

Other issues is encryption which is a joke, as you never know how your message will be send.

Blocking links to the competitor is not a 'smallish' issue. It has a serious nature of honesty. Who wants to deal with dishonest personas? This is indication that they don't repect basic business principles.

 

[dualmeister]

PS. If you use Telkom as an ISP then your social media data is free i.e. Facebook, WhatsApp ect

Does this include Telegram?

 

[DarthCat]

I will stay with Whatsapp

 

[Ockie]

Yay....another friend converted .... and he just played around with it and LOVES it.

 

[Dave]

Maybe when Telegram has voice calls and everyone I have on Whatsapp is also on Telegram (I've had Telegram installed for around 6 months and never used it, it's like a wasteland of no contacts) then I will delete Whatsapp, but not until then.

 

[Ockie]

 

[Dave]

I have Telegram, just no one else I know does (or seems interested in it, voice calls is the deal breaker)...

 

[Ockie]

I have Telegram, just no one else I know does (or seems interested in it, voice calls is the deal breaker)...

Cant say I think voice calls have taken off all that much for them. Only person I used it for was to phone my friend in the UK. It is nice to have, but I can phone him on Hangouts also .... and hopefully Telegram releases their voice calling soon.

 

[Priapus]

Did not even know Telegram existed. I haven't even seen the app and have zero interest in it. WhatsApp works just fine.

 

[OCP]

Did not even know Telegram existed. I haven't even seen the app and have zero interest in it. WhatsApp works just fine.

DDT worked just fine for pest control for many years and everyone was happy with it......

 

[Viva]

Facebook is after advertising opportunities. That is how they make their dosh. They now own WhatsApp. So ja ... want F@kkol to do with them.

That is true for Facebook, but not (yet) for Whatsapp. If they start to use Whatsapp for ads in the future, I'll reconsider, but it makes no sense to ditch Whatsapp because of the potentiality of them adding ads.

Google and my browsing history etc I dont care all that much ... but when it comes to me and private comms between me and family and friends ... then I care.

I take it you don't use Gmail and Hangouts then? Why not ditch all Google services entirely as Google is clearly after advertising opportunities?

 

[sajunky]

@Viva: Fact that they are blocking links to Telegram is the reason to ditch Whatsapp

 

[Dave]

Cant say I think voice calls have taken off all that much for them. Only person I used it for was to phone my friend in the UK. It is nice to have, but I can phone him on Hangouts also .... and hopefully Telegram releases their voice calling soon.

Same complaint with Hangouts, not many people use it either, as I say, I'm happy to use a competitor when there is one. So far there isn't, I have Skype, Viber, Telegram installed but no one is really interested. I have a few people who will use Skype if I let them know in advance I'm going to call, the others are like tumbleweed in the desert.

One day there might be a real alternative, that day is not today.

 

[hawker]

https://telegram.org/faq#q-can-i-make-calls-or-video-calls-via-telegram

You could've just said no, instead of going to the effort of linking the FAQ.

 

[Viva]

@Viva: Fact that they are blocking links to Telegram is the reason to ditch Whatsapp

Agreed, that is a very suspicious move by them indeed. I'll see how they'll respond to this. They'll probably claim it was a technical mistake or some other excuse.

 

[Viva]

Same complaint with Hangouts, not many people use it either, as I say, I'm happy to use a competitor when there is one. So far there isn't, I have Skype, Viber, Telegram installed but no one is really interested. I have a few people who will use Skype if I let them know in advance I'm going to call, the others are like tumbleweed in the desert.

One day there might be a real alternative, that day is not today.

Interesting point. Increasingly, I use Whatsapp to make call without making arrangements in advance. People answer and we have a normal conversation. At the moment, I use this mainly for close family, but I'm sure this will gradually change with time.

 

[Dave]

Interesting point. Increasingly, I use Whatsapp to make call without making arrangements in advance. People answer and we have a normal conversation. At the moment, I use this mainly for close family, but I'm sure this will gradually change with time.

I agree, Whatsapp is just like making a normal phone call, I think the fact everyone uses Whatsapp on a phone makes users perceive it the same as a normal call.

 

[sajunky]

I have a few people who will use Skype if I let them know in advance I'm going to call, the others are like tumbleweed in the desert.

I noticed problem with Skype missing calls on iOS. It looks like Skype is using different notification mechanism for calls and it must be running in background to respond, so it eats battery and Internet traffic too. Interesting that nobody is using texting with Skype, people never read my messages. Skype is the best for calls, especially in hotels when bypassing firewalls is essential. I must try Signal on my home Internet, if works then Skype will be only for overseas trips.

 

[Ockie]

I take it you don't use Gmail and Hangouts then? Why not ditch all Google services entirely as Google is clearly after advertising opportunities?

Gmail I very seldom use. Mostly to get my bills. Hangouts I seldom use now also. My main use for it used to be to chat to my friend in the UK. He is a bit of a tech phobe but eventually got him to also install Telegram when Vodacom blocked Hangouts on my work PC.