Hangouts

Hangouts lets you send messages, photos, emoji, and make video calls with your friends and family. Hangouts are great for chatting with people all over the world, hosting meetings, trainings or just catching up with a bunch of friends. Learn about Google Hangouts 

Google Hangouts is a communication platform developed by Google which includes instant messaging, video chat, SMS and VOIP features. It replaces three messaging products that Google had implemented concurrently within its services, including Google Talk, Google+ Messenger (formerly: Huddle), and Hangouts, a video chat system present within Google+. Google has also stated that Hangouts is designed to be "the future" of its telephony product, Google Voice, and integrated some of the capabilities of Google Voice into Hangouts.[1] In current versions of Android, Hangouts is the default application for text messaging.

Features: Hangouts are free video conferencing calls with up to 10 people, done through the Google+ website or mobile app. Many apps can be used inside the hangout, allowing users to share documents, a scratchpad, or their screens with other users, as well as many built-in apps such as YouTube, Google Docs, and the new Capture. Third-party apps built using the Hangout API are also available[59]

• Mobile Hangouts has supported Android 2.3+ devices with front-facing cameras since September 20, 2011. As of July 10, 2012 Google+ users on iOS are able to use Hangouts on iPhone and iPad.
• Hangouts On-Air gives users the ability to create instant webcasts over Google+ and live-streamed to their connected YouTube channel. The broadcasts can also be recorded for later retrieval. This feature, announced on September 20, 2011, was initially limited to some videocast personalities, but the tool has since been made publicly available to all Google+ users. The first publicly broadcast Hangout was with The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am on the night of September 21, 2011.[60] The feature became available at a large scale on May 7, 2012.[61] The feature is not available to users under age 18 or from China, Thailand, or Vietnam.[62]
• Hangouts on Air create YouTube video files that can be shared like all other YouTube videos socially, so beginning December 2013, future G+ HOA events scheduled on Google+ will immediately and automatically create YouTube video files, that are indexed for Google search engine results (SERPs) instantly. Then audiences can engage with the video page (YouTube comments) and event page (Google+ event with video embedded), leading up to the live video recording event, which gives you until the live recording to generate live audience and panel participants. With an extended planning period (3 or more months), Google+ Hangouts on Air live recording events can 1) include relevant business celebrities & influencers as guests on the video chat panel, and 2) pre-promote, livestream, and distribute the YouTube video code embedded into the digital channels of established-audience mass media brands, like Forbes.com. Inviting thought leaders and brand advocates to participate in a pre-planned and pre-promoted live interactive roundtable, town hall, webinar, chat show or other format, allows the host business to effectively "sponsor" the media production and generate brand awareness, similar to publicity, for being known as the person/organization who "always hosts that show".[63]
• Google+ offers a top-line schedule of featured selected Google+ Hangout on Air events/shows, with instructions for how to schedule G+ HOA events so they may qualify for inclusion on the page. All G+ HOA events scheduled are included in the dynamic, comprehensive schedule under the Hangouts on Air tab on Google+.  Read More