Know WhatsApp

As South Africans we’re all familiar with MXit, BBM and 2go… to a lesser extent WeChat. Now I’d like you to know what’s up with WhatsApp. Yes, another mobile application that allows you to send messages to your friends who also use the WhatsApp application on their mobile phones.

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messenger that replaces SMS and works through the existing internet data plan of your device. WhatsApp is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia Symbian60 phones. Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.

How is WhatsApp Messenger different from SMS?

SMS is an older messaging system with a limited functionality and high cost. WhatsApp Messenger aims to provide more at a lower cost. We are sure you and your friends will figure out the difference between SMS and WhatsApp Messenger very quickly.

Your Web AddiCT found out about this app from a guy standing in a queue with me while I was playing with my Android device. Unlike some other apps out there WhatsApp is available on Nokia, BlackBerry, Android and iPhone. Have you or do you use WhatsApp?

You can now WhatsApp on your PC

It is now possible to run whatsapp on you computer with Whatsapp Web. Find out how here.

WhatsApp will remain free

You’ve probably received this message below from a few of your WhatsApp contacts. Don’t worry, it’s a hoax and WhatsApp have confirmed that it’ll remain free on their blog

WhatsApp is going to cost us money soon. The only way that it will stay free is if you are a frequent user i.e. you have at least 10 people you are chatting with. To become a frequent user send this message to 10 people who receive it (2 ticks) and your WhatsApp logo should turn Red to indicate a frequent user.

South African Whatsapp Bitcoin Group

Join the SA Crypto Whatsapp group and learn all you need to know about bitcoin and other crypto currencies in South Africa here.

Question: What do these things all have in common? Everybody know…

👐Track Bitcoin & other Cryptocurrencies with 22seven I’ve posted about the awesome financial app 22seven many times before and today they’ve announced the ability to track your Bitcoin and…

👐How technology is reshaping the apartment renting experience When was the last time you poured over the newspaper’s classified section looking for a place to rent or delivered a lease…

👐Joe invests in Bitcoin Personal Finance The average South African is living below their means and yet are still not cutting it in today’s economy. So…

51 Responses to "Know WhatsApp"

Gerhard says:

7 March 2011 at 10:53

Been using WhatsApp for a while now, just prefer it to mxit cause it integrates so seamlessly into the different handsets. IMO Mxit has become really bloated with all the extra additions they have.

WhatsApp messages feels more like a real SMS to me.

Reply
1. Rafiq Phillips says:
  
  7 March 2011 at 11:09
  
  can you only message other users of WhatsApp?
  
  Reply
  1. Gerhard says:
    
    7 March 2011 at 11:14
    
    Yes
    
    Reply
  2. Jonathan Peel says:
    
    7 March 2011 at 11:23
    
    I have also been using WhatsApp for a while.
    
    As far as I know, you can only send messages to other WhatsApp users, but it checks your address book, and automatically looks up who else is using it.
    A very nice feature is being able to send your current location to someone.
    
    I see it as quite a different thing to mxit.
    I feel mxit (like most other IMs) has a sort of “presence”. you can be offline or online (online includes away, etc). If you want to chat you go online, if you don’t want to chat you go offline. WhatsApp is more like an SMS. You cannot “log off”, so chat is more “purposeful” and not as casual as what mxit might be.
    
    I am not saying you can’t use mxit for serious chat, and you can’t use whatsapp for casual chat, I am only saying how it feels to me…
    
    Reply
    1. Leela Jnansekhanam says:
      
      22 December 2011 at 15:11
      
      How to pt it offline?
      
      Reply
2. Pmudhuvuri says:
  
  4 August 2012 at 12:52
  
  Really like to use whatsapp it’s easy and cheap
  
  Reply
Amien says:

7 March 2011 at 11:22

Been using it for 9 months now and I love it, just wish everybody else would wake up too. I no longer user mxit because of this

Reply
Anonymous says:

7 March 2011 at 11:23

I’ve been using WhatsApp for several months now, as a lot of my friends prefer it to normal texts (WiFi costs, etc.) and it’s really useful. With WhatsApp, you can actually communicate with that BB Messenger thing that comes with BlackBerry’s..

Reply
1. Jonathan Peel says:
  
  7 March 2011 at 12:29
  
  How do you communicate with the BBM thing?
  
  Reply
  1. Anonymous says:
    
    7 March 2011 at 12:38
    
    I could be wrong Jonathan, but I was under the impression that WhatsApp provided the ability for iPhone users (WhatsApp) to communicate with BlackBerry users via their BB Messenger, I just thought the two software packages communicated..
    
    Reply
    1. Jonathan Peel says:
      
      7 March 2011 at 12:46
      
      They might, I don’t have a blackberry, so I don’t know how whatsapp works on it. I was just wondering if there was something different I needed to do if I wanted to send someone a message on their blackberry from my phone.
      
      Reply
      1. Anonymous says:
        
        7 March 2011 at 12:49
        
        It wasn’t about installing WhatsApp on the BB, it was about allowing iPhone users to install WhatsApp and then communicate with BB users via the BB messenger. But now I think I’m wrong 😛
        
        Here’s a post I wrote: http://goo.gl/O3ZNQ – It states that WhatsApp works on BB.
        
        Reply
    2. Amien says:
      
      7 March 2011 at 12:50
      
      nah it doesn’t communicate with bbm, bb users still have to install WhatsApp to communicate with other WhatsApp users
      
      Reply
Marek says:

7 March 2011 at 12:18

WhatsApp is very limited as opposed to SMS. SMS has a 100% connectivity.. no need for downloads, updates, installs, invites etc. It’s just another Instant Messenger.. if your mate or your mum doesn’t have it, you’ll end up using SMS in the end. 🙂 Guaranteed.

Reply
Naz says:

12 March 2011 at 14:21

is there any way to send mp3s via watsapp on an iphone 4?

Reply
Vonneeb says:

20 June 2011 at 09:42

Do I have to purchase this app ?

Reply
1. Rafiq Phillips says:
  
  20 June 2011 at 09:50
  
  WhatsApp is free to download from your Market/App Store.
  
  Reply
Princessnaz69 says:

22 June 2011 at 21:56

Hey Rafiq, do you know who’e the holding company for whatapp in south africa. Or who deals with their PR?

Reply
1. Rafiq Phillips says:
  
  23 June 2011 at 08:55
  
  Nokia I believe
  
  Reply
2. Lolo says:
  
  29 August 2011 at 17:21
  
  Are you a hujurati indian?you seem like… heheh clever boy
  
  Reply
Bt1997 says:

3 August 2011 at 00:10

on a blackberry how do you go offline?

Reply
Neal says:

8 October 2011 at 08:21

How to get offline in watsapp mesanger ????

Reply
1. Ray T says:
  
  3 January 2012 at 14:56
  
  Hi Neal.
  From what I gather, you can’t – except by turning off your GPRS (3g/Edge/HSDPA). This is different from one phone to the next.
  
  Downside is that if you want to browse or send/receive E-mail etc, you first have to turn the GPRS ON otherwise you will get a message that the internet was not available.
  Hope this helps
  Regards, Ray
  
  Reply
Guest says:

14 December 2011 at 10:53

WHY can’t my Nokia N9 get Whatsapp?

Reply
1. Ray T says:
  
  3 January 2012 at 14:39
  
  Hi Guest, Rafiq and all others.
  
  I haven’t actually used WhatsApp but any Android phone can load it from the Anroid Market. Running it will allow it to be set up. You can use it for 1 year without ‘fees’ (unregistered free year) after which you must register (each year) and pay $1.99 for that year.
  Costs in SA will be the cost of running your 3G/EDGE/HSDPA. If you are a serious messenger then simply buy an ad-hoc ‘add-on’ data bundle to your pay-as-you-go or contract. You can exchange messeges only with others who also use WhatsApp.
  
  Getting ‘off-line’ would be turning your GPRS (3G, edge etc.) OFF. I have a SonyEricsson X10i which allows doing this at will, with the touch of a button….
  
  Only reason I haven’t used it is I could not be bothered doing an international transaction of $1.99 every year. Or can we pay in South Africa Rand by EFT? Rafiq, comments?
  
  Thanks guys.
  -Ray
  
  Reply
  1. Rafiq Phillips says:
    
    3 January 2012 at 14:49
    
    Thanks for your comment Ray. What are your concerns paying via credit card?
    
    Reply
    1. Jackie says:
      
      28 November 2012 at 14:53
      
      hi!! guyz any1 who can assist me please
      
      Reply
      1. Rafiq Phillips says:
        
        28 November 2012 at 15:04
        
        Hi Jackie
        
        What do you need assistance with? What phone are you trying to use Whatsapp with?
        
        Reply
  2. zintle says:
    
    9 October 2012 at 23:53
    
    zii thnk do
    
    Reply
Stefanos says:

2 February 2012 at 10:16

Hi I cannot find WhatsApp in itunes App Store in Cyprus. Can you please tell me if the application is not available in all countries? Do I hva eto change the country in my itunes account settings in order to find it?

Reply
Desnayc says:

2 February 2012 at 11:21

can a nokia n9 have whatsapp and mxit? i’m about to give this phone away

Reply
Handsomemzy says:

9 February 2012 at 20:53

How do I download the application to my laptop?

Reply
Sabelo31 says:

14 February 2012 at 22:36

i am horny

Reply
Saúl Suárez Gámez says:

16 May 2012 at 23:16

I like the absolut

Reply
Saúl Suárez Gámez says:

16 May 2012 at 23:17

I like the absolut

Reply
Kanya says:

16 July 2012 at 17:17

JO GUYZ ITS NOT EASY 2FORGET UR FATHER OF UR BB

Reply
Mqhayi says:

30 July 2012 at 15:59

whatsapp rocks i give it 10 out of 1
0

Reply
Sobahle Penelope says:

1 August 2012 at 19:53

hei gud frndz

Reply
monica says:

31 August 2012 at 14:12

Hi my world

Reply
war£ords says:

14 October 2012 at 08:11

trying to download whatsup on my nokia without any results.

Reply
1. Rafiq Phillips says:
  
  14 October 2012 at 08:25
  
  Try downloading whatsapp instead. What kind of Nokia do you have?
  
  Reply
zeba says:

15 October 2012 at 21:07

Hii hw r u

Reply
cat8468 says:

13 November 2012 at 16:17

the problem here is those who wish to purchase whatsapp and dont have credit cards like myself what then i think the form of payment is ridiculous really

Reply
Senzo Dlamini says:

6 December 2012 at 23:35

ummm

Reply
Senzo Dlamini says:

6 December 2012 at 23:43

peace give healthy!!!

Reply
Name says:

4 March 2013 at 09:02

Hello friends.

Reply
1. Rafiq Phillips says:
  
  4 March 2013 at 09:38
  
  hello wwworld
  
  Reply
lindi says:

16 May 2013 at 07:53

Hey btyful plp I install whatup on my fone blackberry and iv got a message it say whatsup 39 attempt an access on API. What must I do or just wait until got into that API

Reply
manqoba says:

25 May 2013 at 18:05

ya ne

Reply
Queen says:

4 June 2013 at 19:29

Hi wona be a friend?

Reply
Whatsapp Costs South Africa | Whatsapp Upgrade says:

12 September 2014 at 06:20

[…] WhatsApp – Download here on Nokia, iPhone, Blackberry … – WhatsApp is a mobile instant messenger for BlackBerry, Nokia, iPhone and Android. WhatsApp lets you message friends using the mobile web without paying for SMS…. […]

Reply