WeChat — a New and Powerful Communications Tool

A powerful one indeed

WeChat is a new form of online connection created by Tencent, Inc., which has become the biggest and most widely used Internet portal in China. It comes with an array of attractive features, viz.:

1. Live chat
2. Group chat with QR code
3. Chat history backup
4. Video call
5. Moments
6. Voice chat
7. Web WeChat
8. Emoticons
9. Group chat
10. Shake
11. Look around
12. Drift bottle
13. Facebook connect

Each of these are described below.

Live Chat

Live Chat is for connecting with friends and exchanging instant messages. Only one person at a time is allowed to talk; if anyone tries to break this rule a red light goes on, with a green light indicating that it is okay. The person who talks is heard by the others immediately.

Group Chat QR Code

QR codes, invented in Japan in 1994 by a subsidiary of Toyota, have become a ubiquitous feature of store products; customers can scan items with their smartphones to learn more about them. In the most recent version of WeChat for iOS and Android, QR can also be used for group chats. Each chat room has a QR code that can be scanned by anyone who wishes to join (to scan the code, you align it within a circular frame as it appears on the screen).

Chat history

Your chat history can be backed up and restored to a new device from the server, but it can be stored for only seven days. A password can be selected for each chat.

Video Call

Video Call enables you to talk face to face with people. It is available only on versions 4.2 and later. To use this feature, make a video call to the desired person, and if you do not get a response within ten minutes, invite him or her to join the chat. That person can then click on either “accept” or “ignore.”

Moments

Moments is a feature by which members can share their precious moments in the form of photos and videos. They can indicate that they like each other’s photos, make comments on them and view timelines of their own moments.

Voice Chat

With Voice Chat you can record messages and send them to other users (or if you change your mind at the last minute, you can choose to discard it). You simply keep your finger on the spot where it says, “Hold to Talk” and say what you want to say, releasing your finger when you are through. The message will then be sent.

Web WeChat

Web WeChat is quite straightforward — here you scan the QR code that you see when you select the feature, just as you do with Group Chat QR Code described above.

Emoticons

People who use email have become fond of the multitude of cute faces called “emoticons” that can be inserted in messages to indicate various emotions. And they can be used in WeChat, too — they have an online catalog from which you can select and download them, or you can do so from your own phone album. They really give life to your emails!

Group Chat

WeChat has a group chat feature that is easily one of its most attractive features for some users. Not only does this make it easier to send group texts, but it also saves on your phone bill. All you have to do is invite friends to join your group chat

Shake

The app also allows you to locate users who are “shaking” their phones and make friends with them. For this feature you need to enable WeChat to access your location data, and as with online services in general, you should be careful about giving your personal information to strangers.

Look Around

Look Around is a similar feature to Shake, except that it is for locating others who are using it nearby.

Drift Bottle

Some people like to send out messages by bottle over the sea and see who gets it. Drift Bottle works much the same way — send a voice message for anyone to receive.

Facebook Connect

Finally, WeChat can be used to log on to your Facebook account, which makes it all the more easier to access, and to sync and connect with your friends on your friends list.

More more details subscribe to WeChat’s Youtube channel