What are the advantages of using Telegram? - H2S Media

Posted: 23 Aug 2019 11:45 PM PDT

If you are thinking to switch from WhatsApp or any other Messanger app to Telegram, then first you should what are the advantages you are getting in Telegram messenger App? This will help to know how Telegram is different from WhatsApp?

Telegram Messanger is no longer an unknown app, aginst WhatsApp it is gaining more and more users in the messenger/chatting app market. While WhatsApp has long been the absolute leader and virtually unrivalled, Telegram has become increasingly popular lately. This is due to different functions of the messenger which are better than Whatsapp either in terms of security or handling media files, everything is quite smooth.

Here are the top 10-advantages of Telegram-over-WhatsApp

Telegram is Cross-platform

Yes, indeed the WhatsApp is available for Android and iOS smartphones as an app (officially) along with the ability to use it on the Web browser, however, Telegram is more than this. It is cross-platform in the true sense, the first advantage of Telegram is it officially not only available only as an app for Android & iOS platforms but it even covers Linux, Windows, macOS desktops including Windows smartphones. So, doesn't matter which popular platform you are on, Telegram is always there to connect you with your loved ones.

See: Telegram App vs WhatsApp

Open Source

Telegram is a cloud-based whose client-side app code is open source, however, the server-side source is closed. Yes, empathically, its provided API will not that much great for developers as it not going to allow a person to create an independent app with separate servers or data; instead, the created app will use the same Telegram servers along with accounts and data.

Second thing if you develop some messaging client app using Telegram open source code then as per their license you have to publish the source code of the same on Github. Overall, being an open-source doesn't sound that much great, perhaps if someone wants to create something better for their own or friends usage then it is an option. If you want to use your own client app with Telegram; you will have to register the same here.

Account Self Destruction

Just like WhatsApp or any other instant messaging, the Telegram also uses the phone number to create an account. For verification, it uses an SMS. A user can delete its account any time with all data stored on Telegram servers, however, besides this, there is one more interesting option known as Self Destruction, which once set, the app will automatically delete the user account and its associated data in a given amount of time.

The advantage of this, suppose you are new to Telegram and after creating an account, in case you didn't like it and either you deleted the app or your phone gets lost, in both the scenarios your account will automatically get deleted from the Telegram servers, once it reaches the set time threshold. You pre-define time period are 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.

See: How to Delete Account in Telegram Permanently- Android & iPhone

Telegram Cloud-based messages

The cloud-based messaging feature is one of the biggest advantages of Telegram in my view. It gives an upper hand to Telegram over Whatsapp. So what happens, in other messaging apps all your media files and data stored locally on your phone whether it is an image, video, music or something else which ultimately eat up all your local storage space. However, with Telegram, this is not a problem, all media files including chat store on the Telegram secure cloud servers and remain there until and unless you want to download some of the files manually to save on your local storage. Yes, the cache will be created by the app on local storage. See: How to install the Telegram app on Ubuntu 19.04/Linux Mint?

Up to 1.5 gigabytes in size per file

Are you getting frustrated on Whatsapp while sending some big files? If yes then here is one more advantage of Telegram which is its ability to send larger files. In contrast to WhatsApp that only allow sending files up to 16MB to 100MB( depending on file type); the Telegram users can share photos, videos, audio messages and other files up to 1.5 gigabytes in size per file.

48 hours message revoke

Unlike Whatsapp, the users of Telegram can edit or delete their sent messages up to 48 hours. This means you have plenty of time to correct your mistakes or typo errors. It allows a user to delete from single message to whole chat any time from the beginning without any time limit. Moreover, if the chat deletes process initiated by one user it automatically deletes the same from the other user's end including from Telegram servers. Thus, no strings attached at all…

Add People Nearby without phone number

It is really annoying to add someone on your Instant messenger because for that first one has to add her/his number into the phone's local contact book and then need to refresh IM app to send a message; even if you don't know that person and just want to send some single time message. This procedure ultimately creates a lot of contact junk on our phone. Telegram can save us from all these unwanted phone numbers saving tasks by simply allowing us to add them in our chat list using GPS.

Yes, it is possible Simply open Contacts > Add People Nearby to quickly exchange contact info with Telegram users who are standing next to you (and also have this section open).

Location-Based Chats

The new People Nearby section also shows Groups Nearby – location-based group chats open for anyone around to join.

Groups

While writing this Telegram advantages article as per the official page, the groups created on Telegram can have up to 200,000 members which is really a huge amount. The member of the Group can search for any message instantly posted within the group. The group admin can pin some message on the top of the group that will show to everybody.

The administrator of the Group can delete messages in mass along with control over membership, furthermore, he/she can only join the group via the link provided by the Administrator (if set). Admin can also restrict members from posting some special kind messages, for example, Adult.

Group administrators can set their own headline titles, and they won't be the same Admin/administrator. Now you can set the little fairy/queen/master/boss/ boss, anyway, your group, you are the master.

For a large group of people, this can be seen as an administrator privilege, but there is also a group in the Telegram: private group in which everyone can be an administrator, and everyone can set a custom title. Then you can do a lot of things.

The advantage of this Telegram feature, For example, some workgroups, pull in new people, they can set an identity title to what exactly they do, and avoid the embarrassment that others do not know what the new person is doing. You can also give each person a nickname in the group of friends…

Transfer Group Chats

If you have some group or channel on Telegram and want to carry forward the burden of it any more on your shoulder then simply transfer the rights or ownership that group to someone else. Yes, you grant full admin rights to your Chosen One to see the Transfer Ownership button.

In this way, one can end his Night Watch…

Channels

Apart from Group, the Telegram also allow creating Channels which will slightly be different as compare to Groups. The Channels are similar to WhatsApp broadcasting groups, however, on Telegram, you can cater larger audience than WhatApp. If I say broadly, then in Channels, there are no limits of subscribers.

Anyone can subscribe to channel like YouTube channels, to get the latest updates posted by the admin of that particular Channel. All the post and photos posted in a channel will be signed by the name of the Channel rather individual.

It also shows the view counts of each update or message when viewed by the subscribers, including its forwarded copies. You can see an example of our Telegram channel, here is the link: https://t.me/how2shout

Video timestamp function

Among other advantages of Telegram, this is, particularly for Video sending. When sending a video, you can set the timestamp and then note: look at it from here. After someone clicks, they will jump directly to that timestamp to play, saving time for both parties. This feature exists in the sharing function of some video websites, and it is very convenient to specify the playing time to share with friends.

Telegram has group chats. It allows a lot of group chats to be duplicated (50 chats in Whatsapp and 99 in telegram). In Telegram, each team member can invite a new participant (in WhatsApp only chat organizers can invite anyone).

Siri Shortcuts

Owners of iOS devices can now use Siri shortcuts to open chats with people.

Slow chat mode

This slow chat mode benefit of Telegram is even more difficult to understand where did the developers get this idea but useful, though. This option can be found in the group permissions settings:

The slow mode will limit the frequency of messages sent by everyone in the group, from one 30 seconds to one hour. Each time a message is sent, the text box will count down to show the countdown of the next message.

This can very effectively improve the quality of group chat, but also can turn a popular group into a dead group. Of course, it is not recommended that the general group open this function for a long time, and choose a suitable time to try.

Silent information

When you send a message, long press to send, the Send Without Sound will pop up and the message will be sent.

The other party will receive the message immediately, but regardless of whether the other party sets the phone to mute, Telegram will not prompt the message, it will only be marked with 🔇 on the notification, this is a silent message.

For example: If you are chatting with your girlfriend and if she got slept or you want to send something her silently then simply can use this function.

Furthermore, if you feel that the time is already late and your message is not much important then simply send a silent message without disturbing the other party, which is perfect. Silent mode is also suitable for groups, avoiding disturbing colleagues who are resting…

Telegram Bots

Telegram will never make you bored again. Instead of long chats, you can also invite your conversation partner to a game duel. Within the app, there are mini-games that you can play directly in competition with the chat partner.

Professionals can even create and use their own bots to perform certain tasks automatically, like proving some information to the newly joined member to some group or channel. They are made by third-party developers using the Telegram Bot API.

Sticker+Emoticons

In addition to the emojis, there are stickers at Telegram – another amusing feature of Telegram. Some of them simply express the mood a bit better than a simple emoji. They are always funny. Plenty of Stickers are available on telegram to represent every mood of your further a user can create and use its own stickers.

Secret chat, the benefit of Telegram

Out of the other advantages, security is a big concern and Telegram will full fill that via Secret Chat. You can chat to someone secretly using the Secret Chat option of Telegram which will transmit each and everything encrypted, moreover, the secret chat will automatically get deleted from the Telegram servers and don't allow forwarding.

Moreover, as the secret chat will not be a part of Telegram Cloud, thus, it can only be accessed on the device where it was originated or initiated. For example, if I select new Secret chat on the smartphone, then that will only available on that particular smartphone – for the duration, I have set.

Access telegram on several devices (simultaneously)

Another big advantage of Telegram over WhatsApp the, user can access it on multiple devices concomitantly. It can be an app on a smartphone or Desktop client or web version. You simply enter your mobile number and then receive a code, which you must enter on the new device. Moreover, the login message code will receive by the user in Telegram previous activated device; means no need of SIM card to activate some new device for example if you want to use Telegram app on Desktop…

Yes, aforementioned, the user must have the access of the device which already been registered with Telegram and authorized to receive messages.

Free and No ADs

Telegram is absolutely free to install and use without any within app advertisements or spammy ads.

Encryption benefit

In Telegram, you can secure chats with end-to-end encryption. So, only you and the recipient can read the message. If someone could prove to Telegram he/she has decrypted someone's encrypted message then Telegram will reward that person with $300,000.

Although all messages of Telegram messages are always encrypted, however, Secret Chats messages use client-client encryption, while Cloud Chats use client-server/server-client encryption.

Few Other Telegram Advantages

Voice calls available to users around the world.
Replies, mentions, hashtags
Based on the MTProto protocol and more secure than messengers like WhatsApp and Line
2-Step Verification, passcode and Fingerprint authentication method to lock and unlock app locally.
In case your phone gets stolen, then simply use any other new device log with Telegram or some other device with pre-login Telegram account and go to Telegram Settings — Privacy and Security and turn on Two-Step Verification. This way the phone number alone will not be enough to log in to your account.
Supports high-quality 60 FPS motion, lightweight Animated Stickers which require less battery than GIFs and less bandwidth than regular stickers.

So, these are the Telegram advantages, enough to compel someone to lay his hand once on this app…

Cybersecurity 101: How to choose and use an encrypted messaging app - TechCrunch

Posted: 25 Dec 2018 12:00 AM PST

Text messaging has been around since the dawn of cellular technology, and sparked its own unique language. But it's time to put sending regular SMS messages out to pasture.

If you have an iPhone, you're already on your way. iPhones (as well as iPads and Macs) use iMessage to send messages between Apple devices. It's a data-based messaging system reliant on 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi, rather than SMS messaging, which uses an old, outdated but universal 2G cellular network. iMessage has grown in popularity, but has left Android devices and other computers out in the dark.

That's where other messaging services have filled a gap in the market.

Apps like Signal, WhatsApp, Wire and Wickr are also data-based and work across platforms. Best of all, they're end-to-end encrypted, which means sent messages are scrambled on one end of the conversation — the device — and unscrambled at the other end on the recipient's device. This makes it near-impossible for anyone — even the app maker — to see what's being said.

Many popular apps, like Instagram, Skype, Slack and Snapchat don't offer end-to-end encryption at all. Facebook Messenger has the option to use "secret" end-to-end encrypted messaging, but isn't enabled by default.

Here's what you need to know.

Why hate on SMS messaging?

SMS, or short messaging service, is more than three decades old. It's generally reliable, but it's outdated, archaic and expensive. There are also several reasons why SMS messaging is insecure.

SMS messages aren't encrypted, meaning the contents of each text message are viewable to mobile carriers and governments, and can even be intercepted by organized and semi-skilled hackers. That means even if you're using SMS to secure your online accounts using two-factor authentication, your codes can be stolen. Just as bad, SMS messages leak metadata, which is information about the message but not the contents of the message itself, such as the phone number of the sender and the recipient, which can identify the people involved in the conversation.

SMS messages can also be spoofed, meaning you can never be completely sure that a SMS message came from a particular person.

And a recent ruling by the Federal Communications Commission now gives cell carriers greater powers to block SMS messages. The FCC said it will cut down on SMS spam, but many worry that it could be used to stifle free speech.

In all of these cases, the answer is an encrypted messaging app.

What are the best encrypted messaging apps?

The simple answer is Signal, an open source, end-to-end encrypted messaging app seen as the gold standard of secure consumer messaging services.

Signal supports and encrypts all of your messages, calls and video chats with other Signal users. Some of the world's smartest security professionals and cryptography experts have looked at and verified its code, and trust its security. The app uses your cell phone number as its point of contact — which some have criticized, but it's easy to set the app up with a dedicated phone number without losing your own cell number. Other than your phone number, the app is built from the ground up to collect as little metadata as possible.

A recent government demand for Signal's data showed that the app maker has almost nothing to turn over. Not only are your messages encrypted, each person in the conversation can set messages to expire — so that even if a device is compromised, the messages can be set to already disappear. You can also add a separate lock screen on the app for additional security. And the app keeps getting stronger and stronger. Recently, Signal rolled out a new feature that masks the phone number of a message sender, making it better for sender anonymity.

But actually, there is a far more nuanced answer than "just Signal."

Everyone has different needs, wants and requirements. Depending on who you are, what your job is, and who you talk to will determine which encrypted messaging app is best for you.

Signal may be the favorite app for high-risk jobs — like journalism, activism, and government workers. Many will find that WhatsApp, for example, is good enough for the vast majority who just want to talk to their friends and family without worrying about someone reading their messages.

You may have heard some misinformed things about WhatsApp in recent years, sparked largely by incorrect and misleading reporting that claimed there was a "backdoor" to allow third parties to read messages. Those claims were unsubstantiated. WhatsApp does collect some data on its 1.5 billion users, like metadata about who is contacting whom, and when. That data can be turned over to police if they request it with a valid legal order. But messages cannot be read as they are end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp can't turn over those messages even if it wanted to.

Although many don't realize that WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, which has faced a slew of security and privacy scandals in the past year, Facebook has said it's committed to keeping WhatsApp messages end-to-end-encrypted by default. That said, it's feasibly possible that Facebook could change its mind in the future, security researchers have said. It's right to remain cautious, but WhatsApp is still better to use for sending encrypted messages than not at all.

The best advice is to never write and send something on even an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that you wouldn't want to appear in a courtroom — just in case!

Wire is also enjoyed by many who trust the open-source cross-platform app for sharing group chats and calls. The app doesn't require a phone number, instead opting for usernames, which many who want greater anonymity find more appealing than alternative apps. Wire also backed up its end-to-end encryption claims by asking researchers to conduct an external audit of its cryptography, but users should be aware that a trade-off for using the app on other devices means that the app keeps a record of everyone you've ever contacted in plain text.

iMessage is also end-to-end encrypted and are used by millions of people around the world who likely don't even realize their messages are encrypted.

Other apps should be treated with care or avoided altogether.

Apps like Telegram have been criticized by experts for its error-prone cryptography, which has been described as "being like being stabbed in the eye with a fork." And researchers have found that apps like Confide, once a favorite among White House staffers, don't properly scramble messages, making it easy for the app's makers to secretly eavesdrop on someone's conversation.

How to verify someone's identity

A core question in end-to-end encrypted messaging is: how do I know a person is who they say they are?

Every end-to-end encrypted messaging app handles a user's identity differently. Signal calls it a "safety number" and WhatsApp calls it a "security code." Across the board, it's what we call "key verification."

Every user has their own unique "fingerprint" that's associated with their username, phone number or their device. It's usually a string of letters and numbers. The easiest way to verify someone's fingerprint is to do it in person. It's simple: you both get your phones out, open up a conversation on your encrypted messaging app of choice, and you make sure that the fingerprints on the two sets of devices are exactly the same. You usually then hit a "verify" button — and that's it.

Verifying a contact's fingerprint remotely or over the internet is tricker. Often it requires sharing your fingerprint (or a screenshot) over another channel — such as a Twitter message, on Facebook, or email — and making sure they match. (The Intercept's Micah Lee has a simple walk-through of how to verify an identity.)

Once you verify someone's identity, they won't need to be reverified.

If your app warns you that a recipient's fingerprint has changed, it could be an innocuous reason — they may have a new phone number, or sent a message from a new device. But that could also mean that someone is trying to impersonate the other person in your conversation. You would be right to be cautious, and try to reverify their identity again.

Some apps don't bother to verify a user's identity at all. For example, there's no way to know that someone isn't secretly snooping on your iMessage conversations because Apple doesn't notify you if someone is secretly monitoring your conversation or hasn't somehow replaced a message recipient with another person.

You can read more about how Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Wire allow you to verify your keys and warn you of key changes. (Spoiler alert: Signal is the safest choice.)

There are some other tips you should know:

Encrypted message backups are usually not encrypted in the cloud: A very important point here — often, your encrypted messages are not encrypted when they are backed up to the cloud. That means the government can demand that your cloud provider — like Apple or Google — to retrieve and turn over your encrypted messages from its servers. You should not back up your messages to the cloud if this is a concern.

Beware of desktop apps: One of the benefits to many encrypted messaging apps is that they're available on a multitude of platforms, devices and operating systems. Many also offer desktop versions for responding faster. But over the past few years, most of the major vulnerabilities have been in the buggy desktop software. Make sure you're on top of app updates. If an update requires you to restart the app or your computer, you should do it straight away.

Set your messages to expire: Encryption isn't magic; it requires awareness and consideration. End-to-end encrypted messaging won't save you if your phone is compromised or stolen and its contents can be accessed. You should strongly consider setting an expiry timer on your conversations to ensure that older messages will be deleted and disappear.

Keep your apps updated: One of the best ways to make sure you stay secure (and get new features!) is to make sure that your desktop and mobile apps are kept up-to-date. Security bugs are found often, but you may not always hear about them. Keep your apps updated is the best way to make sure you're getting those security fixes as soon as possible, lowering your risk that your messages could be intercepted or stolen.

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