As the app that
Facebook recently bought for $19 billion,
WhatsApp Messenger for Android
justifies its worth by offering an almost free SMS service on mobile
through an instantly accessible and appealing interface. This app makes
chatting and video, image, and voice notes sharing on the go quick,
effortless, and fun.
Pros
Awesome functionality: WhatsApp Messenger for Android enables
you to share text messages with anyone on the globe so long as they use
the app, without the need for usernames, passwords, or log-ins -- your
phone number acts as your ID.
Inviting interface: Pretty,
smooth, and accessible, the app's interface and the features its puts at
your disposal, such as emoticons and straightforward multimedia sharing
buttons make this app a joy to use.
Easy contact importing:
Once you set up the app, it automatically scans your address book for
other users who have the app on their device. No need to add contacts,
manually.
Cons
Potential privacy issues: While the app makes it easy for you
to connect with others, we feel that it doesn't give you enough control
over who gets to see your messages. Moreover, in our tests, the Nobody
option for the Last Seen feature, which should prevent others from
seeing our activity, did not work.
Bottom Line
WhatsApp Messenger for Android stands out as a remarkable messaging
app, probably the best around. You can use it as a replacement for the
SMS function of your smartphone, chatting with your friends and family
without any limit. As to cost, this app is free in the first year and
then charges you only $1 a year, a fantastic subscription price
considering that the app is ad-free.
Editors' Note: This is a review of the trial version of WhatsApp Messenger for Android 2.9.1547
Publisher's Description
From WhatsApp:
WhatsApp
Messenger is a smartphone messenger available for Android, BlackBerry,
iPhone, Windows Phone and Nokia phones. WhatsApp uses your 3G or WiFi
(when available) to message with friends and family. Switch from SMS to
WhatsApp to send and receive messages, pictures, audio notes, and video
messages. Send Video, Images, and Voice notes to your friends and
contacts. Your Address Book is used to automatically connect you with
your contacts. Your contacts that already have WhatsApp Messenger will
be automatically displayed. WhatsApp will save your messages offline
until you retrieve them during the next application use.
What's
new in this version: Version 2.9.1547 fixes for unable to send message
when there are less than 7 days remaining of service.