# hangouts for SMS



## Throbbing Angel (May 13, 2015)

Hi,

Is anyone using Google's Hangouts for their text messages?

On android.

How does it differentiate between SMS and IM?  I don't like unified messaging really but my son seems unable to stick to one device per conversation.


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## Mr Smin (May 13, 2015)

It takes getting used to but it does have something beside each message to show if its SMS or hangouts.
Bottom left next to the text input box you can tap to change from one to the other per message


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## Throbbing Angel (May 13, 2015)

Hmmmm


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## 2hats (May 13, 2015)

In a given conversation instant message bubbles just have a time/date stamp at the bottom of each. SMS messages have an additional 'via SMS' next to the timestamp and MMS 'via MMS' in the same location.


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## farmerbarleymow (May 13, 2015)

All this new technology is too confusing.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 13, 2015)

cheers peeps, I'll have a think.

The fact the alerts are a different colour is good/useful, and the via SMS is useful too.  

How does one differentiate between sending an SMS and sending an IM over Hangouts?   *looks this up*


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## dishevelled (May 13, 2015)

You can run, but you can't hide.


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## 2hats (May 13, 2015)

Throbbing Angel said:


> How does one differentiate between sending an SMS and sending an IM over Hangouts?   *looks this up*



Press the green speech bubble in the lower left hand corner and you get to select between Google Hangouts instant message and SMS text (to multiple numbers if your contact has them listed) - illustrated in the double screenshot above.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 13, 2015)

Is there any advantage using it over things like Facebook Messages and WhatsApp. 

What I generally use depends on what other people have got, but if using stuff other then text WhatsApp seems most persistent in areas of poor data coverage.


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## Throbbing Angel (May 14, 2015)

How do you use WhatsApp with no/poor data coverage?

I stayed away from it as an IM replacement as they charge from year 2 I believe. 

Never used the Facebook messenger as I don't use Facebook.


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