![]() When the connection speed got bad, it reduced the resolution of the incoming video stream, when it got even worse, it slowly greyed out the video and paused it but kept the audio going, and when I got far away from my MiFi router, it switched to a data connection instead without dropping the call. Not only was it able to connect, it also kept the call going against all odds. ![]() Even WhatsApp voice calls are often choppy, suffering from 2-3 seconds lag and frequently cutting off and disconnecting.ĭuo, however, surprised me. I would never dare start a Skype or Hangouts video call here because I'm 1000% sure it will either not connect or it will disconnect in the first 5 seconds. The WiFi connection you see my phone using here is a MiFi router, so it suffers from the same piss-poor reception as my HSDPA signal, which you may have seen revert back to Edge sometimes. See, I'm residing in my mountain house now, where reception is beyond terrible: even WhatsApp text messages take more than 10 seconds to deliver sometimes. What gives, Rita? How can Duo be so good when most of what you're seeing are pixelated images? Well, those are not a testament to how bad Duo is, but quite the contrary, they prove just how good the app is at keeping the call going regardless of how poor the connection is. Now you may tell me that most of my screenshots in this post have a rather bad resolution. To achieve the latter, you'll see that Duo activates both WiFi and data immediately every time the app is opened, to make sure that the latter is already connected and ready should the WiFi signal drop. The video call that doesn't disconnectĭuo prides itself on two important features: adaptability to your connection speed (the quality of the stream drops if you're on a slow connection) and seamless transition between WiFi and data networks. Duo might not do more than one-on-one video calls, but it has implemented the essentials of that pretty well with mute, multiple camera support, and even a viewfinder switch to let you gaze upon yourself for a while if you need to. ![]() While using the app, I've found this interface intuitive and quite easy to get used to. If not, you can always do it manually.Įxcuse me, my fiancé Donald Duck is calling me. A verification SMS will be sent to your phone - these were not working worldwide the first day, but now appear to be - and Duo should be smart enough to pick up the code from the SMS and input it inside the app. Once you've installed the app, all you have to do is agree to a couple of permission requests if you're running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or above, then type your phone number. ![]() Simplicity is the name of the game with Duo and that starts with the setup. Once that foundation is built and trust is gained with users, I'm sure Duo will start adding more traditional options and filling the gaps for a more demanding user base. If I dare say it, it's the millennial's ( shivers) approach to video calls. Audio-only or group video calls aren't yet possible, there's no web or desktop client, no multi-device support, and no way to share what's on your screen for example instead of what you see with your cameras.īut even though these seemed like deal-breakers to me when the app was announced, after using it for a few days, I'd argue that they're secondary features to what Duo is trying to be: an instantaneous way for you to get in touch with someone else as if you were near them. But Duo isn't yet without its faults or missing features. ![]()
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