Socializing Made Fun With Cool Video Chat Apps This Winter
COVID-19 is making its presence felt even ten months after its arrival, with lockdown being reinforced in many places. However, people have gotten used to the new way of life, maintaining social distancing. In fact, most people are well adjusted to the new-normal of limited IRL physical human connection and are using the wonderful world of technology to the best of their ability. From using apps for work conferences and collaborations to finding ones for socializing that offer everything from DIY safaris to celebrity-led-cooking sessions and virtual weekend bashess, people are getting creative with the technology at hand. If you are looking for something more than just regular video and audio calls to connect with old friends and make new ones, fret not: many video chat apps offer much more than regular chatting. Get ready to make this cold, dreary winter fun and cozy with some help from the world of the internet, and download these video chatting apps immediately.
1. Camfrog
Camfrog is a free video chatting community to meet new people and to hang out with old friends and family. It offers free video calls to connect with peers and pals, and also to correspond with strangers.
Camfrog is the go-to app if you are looking to maintain your anonymity and chat with strangers. With its global reach, you can connect with people from all over the world on any compatible device. The best part is that it has many exciting features such as games, stickers, karaoke, and public chat rooms to connect with thousands of people and talk about music, sports, politics, and more.
Camfrog also allows you to make private video calls to anyone you want to. This is a more intimate set-up and is best for introverts. However, if you are looking for more interaction, you can join public chat rooms. Here, you can meet thousands of people at the same time and discuss interesting subjects. You can also upgrade your membership to view more cams and join more chat rooms simultaneously.
For entertainment, the app offers rewards in the form of free virtual gifts when you complete daily streaks such as sending gifts daily or going on cam in a group chat. You can also send and receive virtual stickers and gifts from the Camfrog virtual gift store. These work out to be great ice-breakers.
One unique feature of the app is the built-in software for hearing impaired people. There are unique video chat rooms with features for deaf and hard of hearing people that make it convenient for them to talk. It is time to bid farewell to those winter blues and join this video chatting community immediately.
2. Zoom
To Zoom or not to Zoom? This has been the question for many months since its security problems were disclosed. However, the app has hired high-profile security experts and has many new updates with heightened security firewalls, and many companies, schools, and individuals are back to using the most favorite video conferencing loaded with new features.
Zoom is a mix between a work app and a social one used for both business meetings and family and friends get-togethers. Zoom allows up to 49 people together on a big screen regardless of device or whether they have an account. All you have to do is to click a link to get in.
Zoom’s latest social features can help you throw the best party of the year for your friends, colleagues, and family. Pick from a range of virtual backgrounds for the next virtual get-together, from your favorite sports teams, exotic travel destination, Star Wars characters, and more. Also, use the Touch-up My Appearance feature to give yourself a face-lift..
Use screen sharing to watch a live event or your favorite show or movie together. If you want to have a big bash but still give your guests space to connect, use Breakout Rooms to let them join in smaller groups. You could also make team rooms for games during the party. Use the whiteboard and annotation feature to play a quick game of Pictionary or tic tac toe. If you want to have a virtual talent show like a best-dressed competition and get live results, use the polling feature.
Get ready to have some fun in-between long, boring office meetings or on weekend nights!
3. Houseparty
The name says it all. Houseparty is a funky video chatting app made especially for users to have some fun in times of social distancing. This face-to-face social networking app makes connecting seamless, alerting you when a friend is “in the house” and ready to chat and you can start a small virtual party immediately.
You can chat with all the friends in the house or talk to them privately. If you are a part of a particular room and don’t want gatecrashers, you have the option of locking it or leaving it open for new people to join in the fun.
One of the best features of the app is the availability of simple games to play when the party is on. Some of popular options are Heads Up, Pictionary, and Apples to Apples. Another great feature is the option to record. If one of your buddies cannot make it to the Houseparty, you can always record the session and send him a video message. Get ready to have a virtual version of a massive get-together.
4. Discord
Create a community of friends through the virtual medium where you can stay connected and have a lot of fun with text, voice, and video chats. Discord is an easy to use and simple to navigate app that lets you hang out and talk with near and dear ones.
This app initially was popular for video game streaming, but it is excellent to share information or just for some entertainment with friends. You can play DJ and have a custom playlist for all the people in the group, watch videos through screen sharing, and have special chat rooms to discuss topics, from politics and books to movies and cooking. You can have Discord servers for anything that you can imagine. If you are a fitness enthusiast, join the yoga server or if you enjoy comedy shows, be a part of comedy fan clubs. There is a plethora of choices for everyone. If you want to build relationships with friends and family and have a fun winter, it’s time you downloaded Discord.
5. Marco Polo
Marco Polo app has a fine blend of texting games, entertainment, and video chats. It is apt for those who want to see and talk to loved ones but do not have the time to. The push-to-talk feature creates a virtual walkie talkie that allows you to leave a video or ‘Polo’ that can be watched whenever the other person gets a chance. If you spend a lot of time in back-to-back office meetings or need to complete your assignment that keeps you away from the phone when your friends are video chatting, fret not! The app will savour those moments for you to relish later.
Besides this fantastic feature, the app also offers cool doodles and voice filters to add a fun quotient to the calls. You can sign up for the Marco Polo Plus membership by paying a minimal amount to unlock some amazing features like photo polos, video reactions, notes, reminders, and bookmarks. It’s time to get really connected with loved ones through this fabulous app.
6. Bunch
An amazing party app, Bunch is for those who love sports and games. It is the first group video chat app for multiplayer games. With this app, you can have a virtual party while playing an exciting game. Some of the popular games are Draw Party, where you draw silly pictures with friends and guess what it is, and Mars Dash, where you run a race on the hills of Mars. There are trivia games and puzzles too.
The best part about this app is that if you have a game downloaded on your phone but can’t find it on Bunch, just send them an email and they will get it on board for you. While playing these fun games with your friends, be sure to tag everyone on the instagram handle: @bunch.live. Become a member today and explore the vast arena of virtual games on this magnificent app.
7. JusTalk
Looking for a safe video chatting app for children? Your search ends at JusTalk. This easy to use and absolutely safe app is the best option for children to connect with their school pals or to have a virtual social get-together with cousins. Designed for children over three years, the app has a simple interface and heightened security features.
Kids can use it to make video calls to their classmates and friends anytime and speak about the latest in music and sports or even enjoy a game together. With fun doodles, casual games, photo sharing options, and a plethora of emotions and stickers, this app fills in the void created due to the ongoing pandemic and the oncoming winter. It is time to let your kids have some fun and use technology to enjoy time out with friends.
8. Kik
Stay in touch with family and friends with this simple and fast app. Kik is one of the preferred video chatting apps today owing to its simplicity. You can use it to chat one-on-one with a friend or take part in group chats. You can add some fun to the chat through exciting emojis and stickers. Another great feature making chatting more interesting is the Kik Bot. You can use the bots to chat, do quizzes, or get advice on anything and everything. You can also bring a bot into your group chat and have fun playing games with a larger number of people. Begin a chatting session with your friends through this fun app.
9. Snapchat
Snapchat makes video chatting more fun. You can capture special moments with friends and family in seconds through live messaging, photos, and videos. Use the funky lenes or filters to tweak your photo or dance with 3D Bitmoji and play games using your face. Use the Snap Map feature to find where your friends are hanging out using the location mode or go completely off-grid with Ghost Mode. With so many interesting features, you can surely have a weekend full of entertainment with your near and dear ones.
10. Viber
Tagged as one of the most secure video chatting and calling apps, Viber is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends in far-flung places. With crystal-clear audio and instant video calling capabilities, it is a popular app in the US and abroad. It also has the ability to self-destruct messages, where once the recipient reads the message it is automatically deleted to keep conversations private.
To add some fun and excitement to the conversations, you can use GIFs and choose from more than 35,000 stickers available in the Viber Sticker Market. You can enrich your chats with chat extensions like Viber stickers, Yelp, YouTube, Spotify, Booking, and more.
Conclusion
Nothing can replace meeting old friends and making new ones in person. However, with these fun video chatting apps, you can surely tide over in the present times of COVID – 19 and make dull and gloomy winters fun and exciting. So whether it is calling your boss or to connect with old friends and family, these video chatting apps fulfill every requirement and help rekindle a connection. Try out these amazing apps and enjoy these winters with your loved ones.