Facebook features

The app provides a simple way to add status updates, upload photos, send messages, chat with Facebook Chat, check into places, and much more.

The hub of the Facebook app is the news feed, which offers a timeline of recent posts from Friends, with shortcut buttons to post an update, put up a picture, or check in based on your current location. There are also shortcut buttons for friend requests, messages, and notifications.

To access even more Facebook features you can slide the screen to open up a bookmarks sidebar and quickly view and select things like your friends list, groups, events, apps, and games.

Facebook for iOS also makes it easy to quickly upload photos taken on your iPhone or iPad 2 camera to your Facebook account. Browsing photo galleries using the application is also very easy, and you can simply swipe through albums with your finger.

Chat

Unfortunately, there are some things about the Facebook app that still need improvement. For instance, the chat option is very clunky and confusing. You can open a chat window and text people, but then these also show up in your message inbox, which gets quite annoying.

Chatting on the iPad-optimized version is much more comfortable than on the iPhone, because chats appear in a sidebar on the left of the screen, allowing you to continue viewing the rest of Facebook at the same time.

Photos look great

Photo galleries look particularly neat on the iPad, where the large screen format is used to give real focus to images. However when uploading photos, there are no basic image editing options when you upload photos, such as crop, rotate or resize.

Conclusion

Overall, the Facebook app is a more enjoyable experience than using the Facebook web page on your iPhone or iPad.

Download Facebook 6.1.1 in Softonic

Features of the Gmail application include the ability to read mails with threaded conversations, as well as quick organization of mails by archiving, labeling, starring, deleting and reporting as spam. The Gmail app makes it very easy to search through all of your inbox, and allows you to add photos or doodles to your messages.

The design of the Gmail app is pretty elegant, with plenty of white space and clear, neat fonts used. Users of the Facebook iOS app will be familiar with the design of the slide out side menu, which allows you to navigate your various mail folders, labels and previous chars. Unlike with the timeline in the Facebook app, you can't scroll through messages or email lists while this side panel is open.

The Gmail app alerts you to new email without you having to open the application. It does this through notifications and badges on the app icon. The Gmail app nowsupports multiple accounts, meaning you can pull all your Gmail into one place.

Gmail users should install this official app to get more features than are available in iOS Mail at the moment. However, the Gmail app still needs a few improvements.

Download Gmail 2.2.7182 in Softonic

Facebook for iPhone is a long standing app for users to access their profiles. But when users want to just contact their friends without looking at walls or profiles, Facebook Messenger is the app to use.

A standalone messenger app, Facebook Messenger combines IM and texting with Facebook and phone contacts. It links contacts together who might not use the Facebook app that often by directly contacting their phone.

Facebook Messenger focuses on messaging only. Even with location services, Facebook Messenger is a communication app. Allowing for group chats with friends and being able to add photos, Facebook Messenger is a good app for users with a large amount of friends.

There are other communication apps that connect with Facebook, but Facebook Messenger is the official app that will undoubtedly evolve with time. The ground work has been placed. It is now a matter of time to see where it goes.

Facebook Messenger is simple, but works well as a SMS and text app.

Download Facebook Messenger for iPhone 2.4 in Softonic

You can start chats with them, upload photos to the service as well as share photos in chats. When singing up, you can manually create your account or sign up using your Facebook credentials. But even after signing up with Facebook, it does not import and information like friends on Facebook who are using Minus. Photos can be edited, adding filters and effects with extra option available for download.

Using the app is simple as well as customizing your profile. There is not an option to delete your profile from the app which is disconcerting. The app is an interesting idea to connect with people near you that you do not know, but the community that use Minus - Make friends near you today! is unknown.

Minus - Make friends near you today! is an interesting communication app, but needs more account options.

Download Minus - Make friends near you today! 1.0.1 in Softonic

You can share images you take for up to 10 seconds and then the image cannot be accessed again. To view the image you have to hold the message which starts the timer. Even if you stop touching the screen, the countdown timer will continue. Snapchat now supports video messages.

Snapchat uses this to keep images secure, but there is no way of knowing if the images are archived somewhere else. There is also the danger of inappropriate images being shared. When you start Snapchat, you use your phone number as an ID or you can connect to friends through Facebook and Twitter.

As a communication app, it does not offer the same abilities of traditional messaging apps as you cannot send text. Still it does give a means of sending disposable messages to friends.

Snapchat is a diversionary app that is just for fun.

Download Snapchat 4.0.1 in Softonic

1. Free Voice Call. 2. Free Voice Conference 3. Free Video Call 4. Free Video conference call up 1+2 5. Free Send and Receive video Message and files 6. Free Send and Receive Audio Note Message 7. Free Send and Receive Pictures and file 8. Free HQ Chat Messenger fully features with Call History, Online and off line mode notification and more… 9. Free Call forwarding to other VPHO users. 10. Contact list with User search and full setting features

VPHO is a FULL cross platform application - whether your contacts are using an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android device, you can communicate with and across all these different systems seamlessly and effortlessly. VPHO allow you to manage your privacy including the ability to block on a selective basis. Features include the ability to ignore, accept or accept later, communication to your smartphone.

VPHO – Brings all of your telecom needs together into one, easy to use, FREE application.

Download VPHO 1.6 in Softonic

The new interface looks modern and has no doubt taken some design cues from the awesome Flipboard app. Users will find a new news stream that has been redesigned to be more visual. Each story and link takes up almost the entire screen. The main story photo is overlaid on top of the user's avatar photo. Tapping on a story in your Google+ feed will bring up the link and comments. Commenting and "+1-ing" are still the same.

Moving away from the stream, you get quick access to your pictures, profile, circles, messenger, communities, and more. Speaking of chat, the Hangouts interface has been redesigned with big touch-friendly buttons. One of the killer features of Google+ is Hangouts, which allows up to 10 users to chat with one another. This update of Google+ makes video chatting in the app a smooth and visually striking experience.

Sharing to who you want is great after you've added your friends and family to different "circles." You can share publicly or share with specific circles. This is much easier to manage than what Facebook has to offer with their "lists" feature.

Photo viewing has also been updated in Google+. You can now see the number of pluses and comments on a specific photo before tapping on it. While gifs won't animate in the news feed, they will once you tap on them, though performance is slow. While Google+ is visually stunning, many lower resolution pictures will look bad and out of place.

iPhone and iPad users have the ability to view and interact with Google+ Events and Communities. Communities is a great addition for those looking to discover others with similar interests. You can respond or create Google+ events within the app.

In the most recent update to Google+, Google redesigned the app to feature quick access to photos, check ins, sharing links, and status updates in a bar at the bottom. Photos are especially easy to share as they appear automatically when you first launch the app. Google really wants users to share photos using Google+ and has made tagging, sharing, and checking in much more streamlined.

Overall, Google did a good job of updating Google+ to be more visual and easy to use. Now if only more people would join and use the service!

Download Google+ for iPhone 4.1 in Softonic

What is Words with Friends?

Reminiscent of the beloved board game Scrabble, Words With Friends Free challenges you to create words and earn points on a virtual game board. Play with your friends either online or offline, or request to compete against an anonymous opponent. Either way, the person who combines the most letter tiles to make words and earns the most points ultimately wins.

How does it work?

Words With Friends Free allows you to invite your friends to get in on the Words With Friends Free fun via Facebook or Twitter right from the app's interface, which is useful.

If you're new to the game, it also lets you register and create a username in a matter of seconds. There's even a simple chat interface if you want to have a conversation with your opponent, friend or foe.

Limitations

One minor frustration about Words With Friends Free is that there is no option for a single-player mode. While this might make sense in a game geared toward multiple user play, some people enjoy practicing on their own with the letter tiles they've been given. It's not really possible on Words With Friends Free.

Although registering and getting yourself set up for gameplay is a relative breeze, figuring out how to actually play isn't quite as simple if you're unfamiliar with word games like this. You might also be stuck waiting a decent amount of time for Words With Friends Free to match you with an anonymous opponent, which isn't ideal.

Overall, Words With Friends Free is a fun word game with fast-paced potential, if the game can find you an opponent.

Download Words With Friends Free 5.31 in Softonic

Reminiscent of the beloved board game Scrabble, Words With Friends challenges you to create words and earn points on a virtual game board. Play with your friends either online or offline, or request to compete against an anonymous opponent. Either way, the person who combines the most letter tiles to make words and earns the most points ultimately wins.

Words With Friends provides occasional game tips. It's a nice feature primarily because it doesn't tend to interrupt the games in which you're participating. In addition, you can invite your friends to get in on the Words With Friends fun via Facebook or Twitter right from the app's interface, which is useful. If you're new to Words With Friends, it also lets you register and create a username in a matter of seconds. There's even a simple chat interface if you want to have a conversation with your opponent, friend or foe.

One minor frustration about Words With Friends is that there is no option for a single player mode. While this might make sense in a game geared toward multiple user play, some people enjoy practicing on their own with the letter tiles they've been given. It's not really possible on Words With Friends. Although registering and getting yourself set up for gameplay is a relative breeze, figuring out how to actually play isn't quite as simple if you're unfamiliar with word games like this. You might also be stuck waiting a decent amount of time for Words With Friends to match you with an anonymous opponent, which isn't ideal.

Overall, Words With Friends is a fun word game with fast-paced potential, if the app can find you an opponent.

Download Words With Friends 5.31 in Softonic

Making long distance or international calls from your mobile phone can be so expensive that it's almost better to not stay in touch. Install Nimbuzz on your phone, and you'll be able to talk to people all over the World for free - at least in theory.

Nimbuzz pulls all your contacts together in one place, so you can exchange messages with all your friends on networks such as MSN, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, Facebook, or MySpace.

The user interface in Nimbuzz combines all of your contacts from all these various networks into one place, and you can see who is online at any time. Everything is presented in a very neat and clear way: contacts are ordered alphabetically and each has a different icon depending on which network they belong to.

To start connecting with Nimbuzz you simply need to tap on a person's name then select an icon from: Call, Chat or Mail. Of course, the call option is only available for the services that support VoIP (Google Talk, MSN, Skype, etc.) but the voice quality is generally very good if you have a strong signal.

There are a few things that annoyed us about Nimbuzz. For instance, it sometimes doesn't display Facebook contacts in the Contacts list. Also, it persistently says when a new mail was sent to our Gmail or MSN accounts, but didn't actually let us read the email. Even when we deleted these alert emails they kept coming back.

If the developers of Nimbuzz can iron out these flaws then it will cement its place as the best app for free, multi-network chat on the iPhone.

Download Nimbuzz 2.5.1 in Softonic

The app is like a cross between the original eBuddy and WhatsApp. You can send messages and multimedia files with eBuddy XMS to anyone else who has the app installed, and vice versa.

To set up messaging with eBuddy XMS, you need to enter your phone number, then an activation code (sent to you via SMS). You'll be issued with a PIN number once you've entered the code. You can then chat with anyone on eBuddy XMS, adding them as contacts by entering their phone number or PIN number. There's an option to scan your phone book or Facebook friends for any contacts who are using eBuddy XMS.

In terms of features, eBuddy XMS lets you send photos, videos and emoticons, as well as text messages. Unlike WhatsApp, there's no option to record and send audio files, but there is a group messaging feature.

Providing you can convince your friends to switch from Viber or WhatsApp, eBuddy XMS makes for a simple, free messaging app.

Download eBuddy XMS 2.14 in Softonic

This free chat app is supported by ads, but fortunately they are really not intrusive, and you'll hardly notice them at all. Like any messaging client you need an account, which means first creating an eBuddy account before adding other web messengers.

eBuddy supports lots of networks - MSN, Yahoo!, AIM, Google Talk, Facebook, ICQ, MySpace and Hyves. Adding them to the app is as simple as entering your details, and you'll be automatically signed in. All your account contacts will be listed alphabetically, in online and offline groups. This is fine, but if you're signed into lots of services it can get pretty busy!

eBuddy is very user friendly, and you'll have no problems opening chats with your friends. Each service varies slightly, but in general, chats follow the 'bubble' design seen in the iPhone's SMS app. It works in portrait or landscape, great for people who like the larger keyboard.

eBuddy is a functional and attractive messaging client, offering a good range of networks in an easy to use package.

Download eBuddy Pro 5.2.0 in Softonic

When I was a boy, the only way of getting in touch with someone was to phone them up, write them a letter, or go to their house. These days though, there are countless different new ways to communicate thanks to email, instant messaging, VoIP, social networks, and the like.

This is great, but it does pose problems in that it's often difficult to work out the best way to reach someone. You might have separate buddy lists for a variety of networks and constantly logging in, launching apps and finding your online pals can be a real chore. fring is designed to change all that, providing you with a single platform, based on your mobile, where all of your online friends are available in one place.

fring supports most of the major chat services, including Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo!, and AIM. You can also use the program to check Facebook updates, and view Twitter feeds.

Smooth set-up

Registering or signing in for a fring account is a bit of a chore in this version of fring. It often fails to recognize correct user details and can take an age to connect even when it does.

Once you're in, however, you can import your online contacts very easily. You just go to the Add-ons section within the More menu, click a service you want to access (e.g. Skype, Yahoo!) and sign in using your normal log-in for that account. The contacts are automatically pulled into fring and displayed on the Buddy list, and you can quickly view who is online and who isn't.

Not only can you chat via instant messages but fring also lets you make cheap or free calls to your buddies via SkypeOut/SkypeIn. This means you can ring people from your phone's contacts locally or internationally, at vastly reduced rates. You can make fring calls over both WiFi and 3G.

Other functions

fring also supports video chat over VoIP, and this latest version supports up-to four-way video calling for OS 4. One great thing about the video chat feature is that it is compatible with other versions of fring, such as the Android or Symbian incarnations. This means you can video conference with buddies regardless of the phone they use.

Chat features in the iPhone version of fring are few and far between. For instance, there’s no file transfer, emoticons, or games, which is a bit of a shame.

This latest version of fring integrates Twitter support. The new social stream feature within fring allows you to view Twitter feeds, Facebook updates and fring activity all through one neatly-organized window.

Overall, fring makes for a great way to manage all of your contacts on all of your networks from one, easy-to-use application. Just don’t expect the level of features you’d normally get from your chat clients, though.

Download fring 5.6.0.11 in Softonic

Justin.tv has a standard iPhone interface, with a central scrollable part, and option bar at the bottom. There are Featured channels, Favorites, Search, About, and More tabs. If you have an account, you can import your favorite channels, otherwise you can build your own as you explore the video content.

While watching a channel you can chat with other viewers. Once you've created a Justin.tv account, you can also save and share channels you like. Sharing will open your mail app, so you can send the link to your friends. Twitter and Facebook integration is missing here!

The app works fairly well. Occasionally it crashes and will shut down, but it's not too bad. Now Justin.tv version 2 has introduced is the ability to broadcast from your iPhone's camera - this makes it a really cool application as it's so easy to get into. Broadcasting on the move could hardly be easier!

Justin.tv is slightly unstable, but a pretty good live TV streaming app nonetheless.

Download Justin.tv 3.7.6 in Softonic

What does JaxtrSMS do?

Instead of using the SMS messaging feature on your phone, JaxtrSMS lets you use your data or WiFi connection to send the message, in much the same way as you can with messaging apps like WhatsApp Messenger and Viber.

The main difference between JaxtrSMS and these other chat apps is that doesn't require the person you're sending the message to to have the application installed as well. So, you're able to send a message directly to their SMS inbox.

You can use JaxtrSMS to send free SMS to any phone in the USA or India, but if you're outside of these countries you'll need to buy credits with JaxtrSMS to send messages. These rates could be cheaper than they are on your mobile plan, but make sure you check before you part with your money. There's no charge to send messages to another phone with JaxtrSMS on it.

How does the app work?

JaxtrSMS is pretty easy to set up and start using. The first time you load the app you need to enter your name and telephone number then check your SMS inbox and click on the link in the mail from JaxtrSMS to activate the application. You're now free to start composing messages, adding the recipient's number, or looking them up from your phone contacts.

Although JaxtrSMS performs its function reliably, it's not a very pretty app, and neither does it have many features. The user interface isn't attractive and there's no support for sending multimedia messages or even adding emoticons to your texts. It does have options for sharing about the app on Facebook or Twitter, though.

JaxtrSMS lets you send free SMS to any phone in the USA and India, but if you live outside of these countries we'd recommend you stick with WhatsApp or Viber, since they're nicer to use and have more features.

Download JaxtrSMS 2.0.9 in Softonic

Bambuser is similar to the excellent Qik Live, in that it allows you to capture video of yourself using your iPhone camera then stream it to a channel online. It’s very easy to start using the program. You just need to sign up for a free Bambuser account then click the 'Go Live' button.

As soon as you start recording, Bambuser shows you the address where the video is being streamed to. You can then share this with your friends via Twitter or Facebook and anyone can come to the page and see and hear what you’re doing live. Actually there’s a delay of a couple of seconds, but this time gap is much less than it is in Qik. Unfortunately, there aren’t many camera options available to you in this iPhone version of Bambuser. However, you can toggle between high and low quality audio/video, enable GPS to share location, or turn on private mode.

During broadcasting there is a raft of options available to the viewer, too. They can see your location on Google Maps, share the video with their friends, or chat with all the other viewers in the built-in chatroom. After you’ve finished recording, all of the footage is saved on the Bambuser site, so it can be watched again by anyone who missed the live broadcast.

Bambuser offers a quick and easy way to broadcast yourself live over the internet.

Download Bambuser 1.9.2 in Softonic

The Flirtomatic application has a dizzying amount of different ways you can hook up with people through the site. You can search for people based on their area or what they're looking for then send live one-to-one messages to each other, as well as sharing photos of yourselves and exchanging winks, kisses, smooches, etc.

Flirtomatic's 'Pulse' dashboard displays a timeline of the activity of Flirtomatic users. You can see who is getting kissed, who's updating their profile, when your friends are online, and more. Feed updates can be shared via Facebook or Twitter.

Many of the features on Flirtomatic are free, though there are some you have to pay for, including 'Look at me' bids, gifts, and 'flirtbombs'.

The sign-up process for Flirtomatic is very simple, and you don't need to give too many details about yourself to start with (obviously you can pad out your profile later on). Getting around the app feels a little awkward at first, and it takes a while to get to know what all the various sections are and how to perform searches for singles in your area. Hopefully, the developer will make this clearer in future releases.

Overall, Flirtomatic is a safe and fun way to find people in your area, which boasts a thriving community of active users.

Download Flirtomatic 2.5 in Softonic

This iPhone app, like the web app, concedes that you probably use Facebook and Twitter and allows you to sign in with those accounts, as well as Myspace.

The home screen is a portal to Myspace's various tools. The stream gives you either a traditional news wall, made of updates from Myspace, Twitter and Facebook, or you can use the Grid view. Grid is split into three parts, your live stream, Artists on Myspace and Discover.

The Artists stream takes your iPhone library, and gives you news on your favorite stars, while Discover sends you updates on movies, celebs and more. Discover seems to be unpersonalized, and just a stream of celebrity marketing. You can also use 'super post' to update your status across the three social networks, use Myspace chat, read your mail and more.

The Myspace app is a pretty confused thing. It doesn't take advantage of the network's great music and video at all, can be slow and a little unstable. You cannot delete or edit posts you make, and both Facebook and Twitter are better served by their own apps.

If you're a Myspace fan, you'll like this app. However, it doesn't stand up well as a social media app when compared to the competition.

Download Myspace 2.0.6 in Softonic

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March Madness comes but once a year, and diehard college basketball fans need to be prepared when it does. Want to make guesses on who will make the Final Four Championship? Or maybe you just want to discuss your favorite team or that star player you're hoping will get MVP. You can do all that and more with NCAA Fan Zone.

Either way, NCAA Fan Zone will help you connect with other fans to get the discussions going. You do have to create an AT&T NCAA Fan Zone account before you can get your chat on, but once you have it, this app's a great venue to discuss virtually any topic under the sun.

Messages are organized by teams and games. You also have the option of creating private groups and inviting your friends to your groups via Facebook, Twitter, or SMS texting. Alternatively, you can entice your friends by sending posts from NCAA Fan Zone to your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

When the games actually get started, follow them live from your mobile device with the College Basketball Live! app.

For discussing your favorite teams and the most exciting games, NCAA Fan Zone is a must for hardcore college basketball fans.

Download NCAA Fan Zone 1.0.1042 in Softonic