Lockdown Brits are increasingly turning to apps to keep themselves connected and entertained during the coronavirus pandemic.
While a chat over FaceTime isn’t quite the same as a hug with your mum, Brits are adapting extraordinarily well to the new measures.
And it’s partly due to the abundance of apps that have launched to enable us to stay in touch.
Here, we rate our favourites.
1.
Houseparty is a social networking service that enables group video chatting through mobile and desktop apps.
Users receive a notification when friends are online and available to group video chat. Then all you do is jump in a room and start chatting.
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On average, users spend approximately 51 minutes a day on the app in group or one-on-one chats.
2.
By now, you’re probably very well acquainted with Zoom.
You get an email from your boss, click on the link, make sure your camera is off and head into a virtual meeting. There’s also a handy screen share function.
However, it can be used for fun.
Brits have been having Zoom drinks with their pals or competing against each other in pub quizzes on the app.
And you can change your background too, so instead of your boring sofa, you can look like you’re Zooming in straight from the beach.
We can but dream!
3.
On the subject of pub quizzes, if you’re a fan of trivia, you should definitely download QuizUp.
This free app lets you challenge friends – and people you don’t know from around the world – to thousands of different trivia questions.
No cheating!
4.
TikTok has taken the world by storm.
It’s officially transcended from teenager users to adults and it’s the world’s fastest-growing social media platform.
When you throw shapes in the kitchen and your son walks in not impressed!
At the last count it was being used by more than a billion people.
Users on the app make videos up to 15 seconds long, often of them dancing, singing or doing challenges where they have to do specific dances.
Although the app was once dominated by younger viewers, many parents are getting involved, with Alison Hammond’s son recently popping up in the background of one of her videos!
She said: “When you throw shapes in the kitchen and your son walks in not impressed!”
View this post on InstagramWhen you throw shapes in the kitchen and your son walks in not impressed 😂🤣🤣
5.
If you’re after a little Netflix and chill but have no one to chill with (keep it clean!), then Rave will be your new best friend.
A game-changer when it comes to hanging out with your friends online, Rave allows you to watch the streaming service with friends.
Whether it’s a movie night with a date or a film you’d planned on watching with your pals, it provides the perfect chance for you and your friends to sync video playback and group chat from the confines of your own home.
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It works on iOS and Android devices and lets you steam media from platforms such as YouTube, Netflix and Google Drive.
6.
Marco Polo bills itself as the “video walkie talkie,” a video chat app that lets you send quick messages back and forth with your friends.
Not dissimilar to Snapchat, the main difference is storage.
Videos disappear on Snapchat, while Marco Polo videos are stored until you decide to delete them.
7.
It’s undoubtedly a stressful time for many.
People are missing their families, missing their everyday lives and scared that they’ll either lose a loved one to the virus or get struck down themselves.
So make time to clear your head and improve your sleep with the Headspace app.
It’s ideal for taking some time for yourself and clearing your head and offers a library of guided meditations.
There’s everything from mindfulness exercises, anxiety-reducing meditations and even a sleep section with stories and exercises.
8.
Initially created to combat loneliness, the Dialup app now has a QuarantineChat service.
It connects individuals who are quarantined or in self-isolation following the coronavirus outbreak.
Once you sign up and choose your language preferences, you’ll be subscribed to periodic calls.
The app states that, after a brief moment on hold, you’ll match with another random person.
You don’t have to pick up if you’re busy – your partner will be automatically matched with someone else. And you can join and leave the line whenever you’d like.
You use your phone number to sign up for Dialup, but your matches will only ever see your username.
You can chat with others in the UK – or across the world – who are currently stuck at home too.
And, because it’s done via the app, all calls are free.
Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what apps you’re using during the pandemic.