VOA慢速英語：視頻通話服務比較

Video Calling Services Compared

視頻通話服務比較

Last week, Google launched Duo, a new video calling app. It was first announced in May this year.

上周谷歌推出了一款新的視頻通話應用程序Duo。該程序于今年5月份首次公布。

Duo means "two." As its name suggests, Duo allows two callers to connect on an Android or iOS device.

Duo的意思是“一對”。正如它的名字所暗示的，Duo允許兩名呼叫者在安卓或蘋果設備上聯(lián)系。

Duo is easy to use and does not require knowing someone else's user name. Video calls can be placed simply with phone numbers.

Duo易于使用，并且無需知道對方的用戶名，它可以通過電話號碼進行視頻通話。

But Duo does require users to download an app.

但是Duo確實需要用戶下載一個應用程序。

And it enters a crowded field of video calling services, including Skype, FaceTime, Messenger and Hangouts.

該應用進入了視頻通話服務這個人滿為患的領(lǐng)域，該領(lǐng)域還包括Skype、FaceTime、Messenger和Hangouts。

Choosing a service

選擇服務

Choosing a video calling service can be difficult because the services have different features. The key is learning what features are important for what situations.

選擇一種視頻通話服務會很困難，因為這些服務各有特色。關(guān)鍵在于了解什么特點在什么情況下非常重要。

Some people use more than one video calling service. For example, they may use one service with friends and another for business.

有些人使用超過一種以上的視頻通話服務。例如，他們可能把某種服務用于和朋友交流，另一種用于工作。

Fortunately, all these services are free, so users can try them without spending any money.

幸運的是，所有這些服務都是免費的，這樣用戶可以不花一分錢嘗試各種服務。

Here are some things to consider when choosing a service:

以下是選擇服務時需要考慮的一些因素：

1) Adding an app

1) 新增應用程序

Many of these services do not work unless you download a separate app for them. If your friends don't already have a video calling app, they may be unwilling or unable to download a new one.

這些服務大多數(shù)都需要下載一個單獨的應用程序才能工作。如果你的朋友尚未安裝視頻通話應用程序，他們可能不愿意或者無法下載一個新的應用程序。

2) Signing up for an account

2) 注冊賬戶

Similarly, if you don't want to sign up for a new account to use a video chat service, you may want one that works without needing a new account.

同樣，如果你不想注冊新賬戶來使用視頻聊天服務，你可能需要一個無需注冊新賬戶就能工作的應用程序。

For example, FaceTime is built into Mac computers, iPhones and iPads. No additional app is necessary.

例如，F(xiàn)aceTime內(nèi)建于蘋果電腦、蘋果手機以及iPad中，不需要下載額外應用程序。

And because many people already are on Facebook, they can use Messenger for video calls without downloading a new app.

而且因為很多人已經(jīng)在用Facebook，他們可以無需下載新的應用程序就能利用Messenger進行視頻通話。

3) Voice calls

3) 語音通話

Some services also offer voice calls.

有些服務還提供語音通話。

For example, FaceTime, Messenger and Skype allow users to make voice as well as video calls.

例如，F(xiàn)aceTime、Messenger和Skype允許用戶進行語音和視頻通話。

Skype offers voice calls to other Skype accounts for free and to phone numbers for a fee.

Skype撥打其它Skype用戶進行語音通話完全免費，撥打電話號碼則需要收費。

FaceTime lets users call iPhone phone numbers around the world for free.

FaceTime允許用戶免費撥打世界各地的iPhone電話號碼。

4) Platforms

4)平臺

The more platforms a video calling service can work on the better. Duo, Skype, Messenger and Hangouts all offer apps across platforms. They can be used on both Android and iOS devices, such as iPhone and iPad.

視頻通話服務支持越多平臺越好。Duo、Skype、Messenger和Hangouts提供了跨平臺的應用程序。它們同時支持安卓和蘋果設備，例如iPhone和iPad。

FaceTime is for Apple devices only –including Mac, iPhone and iPad.

FaceTime僅支持蘋果設備，包括蘋果電腦、iPhone和iPad。

5) Computer

5) 電腦

Many video calling services can be used on computers as well as on mobile devices.

很多視頻通話服務既可以在電腦上使用，也可以在移動設備上使用。

FaceTime, Messenger, Skype and Hangouts all let users make video calls using a computer, phone and tablet. Users do need to have a video camera on their computers to use these services.

FaceTime、Messenger、Skype和Hangouts都允許用戶使用電腦、手機以及平板電腦進行視頻通話。用戶在電腦上使用這些服務需要有一個視頻攝像頭。

Duo is not available for computers.

Duo不能用于電腦。

6) Ease of use

6) 易于使用

Duo and FaceTime are the easiest services to use. Calls can easily be answered, and users can switch between the front and rear camera

Duo和FaceTime是最易于使用的視頻服務。接聽視頻通話非常容易，用戶還可以在前、后攝像頭之間切換。

7) Connecting with others

7) 與他人通話

Connecting with others should be simple.

與他人通話本應很簡單。

Skype users must know a friend's user name before placing a video call on Skype.

Skype用戶在Skype上發(fā)起視頻通話前必須知道好友的用戶名。

But Duo and FaceTime users need only a friend's phone number to place a video call.

但是Duo和FaceTime只需要好友的電話號碼就能發(fā)起視頻通話。

Messenger lets users make video calls to their Facebook friends.

Messenger允許用戶向Facebook好友發(fā)起視頻通話。

And Hangouts users can place calls with their friends' Gmail addresses or on Google Plus.

而Hangouts可以通過好友的Gmail地址或是在Google Plus上發(fā)起通話。

8) Multiple users

8) 多用戶

Some video calling services let users have group chats with multiple people joining the call at the same time.

有些視頻通話服務允許用戶同時與多人進行群聊。

Hangouts, Skype and Messenger let users add multiple people to the call.

Hangouts、Skype和Messenger允許用戶把多人加入到通話中。

Duo and FaceTime allow users to connect only two callers.

Duo和FaceTime只允許兩人通話。

9) Screen sharing

9) 屏幕共享

Screen sharing allows users to display their computer screens in the video call instead of the image from the camera. This feature is useful to demonstrate something or to get help solving a computer issue.

屏幕共享允許用戶在視頻通話中展示自己的電腦屏幕，而不是攝像頭圖像。此功能在展示某些東西或?qū)で髱椭越鉀Q電腦問題方面非常有用。

Hangouts and Skype allow screen sharing.

Hangouts和Skype支持屏幕共享。

Comparing services

服務比較

This chart sets out the different features for each service. (Double click or tap on the chart for a larger view.)

這張圖列出了各款服務的不同功能。(雙擊或點擊圖片查看大圖)

Duo

Duo is available as an app on:

Duo應用程序下載地址：

Duo for Android

適用于安卓系統(tǒng)

or Duo for iOS

適用于蘋果系統(tǒng)

Duo has a feature called Knock Knock that shows video from the caller before the user answers the call. Knock Knock works only on iOS when the Duo app is open.

Duo具備Knock Knock功能，它可以在用戶應答前顯示呼叫者的圖像。Knock Knock功能只有在Duo應用程序打開時才能在蘋果系統(tǒng)上工作。

The app will also lower the quality of the video if the Internet signal strength is weak.

如果網(wǎng)絡信號強度很弱，該應用還會降低視頻質(zhì)量。

This video shows how Duo works.

該視頻展示了Duo如何工作。

Because Duo is new this month, users will probably have to ask friends to add the app in order to connect with the service.

因為Duo本月才新發(fā)布，用戶可能需要讓好友安裝這個應用程序才能通過它進行溝通。

FaceTime

FaceTime lets users of Apple products connect via video and voice calls.

FaceTime允許蘋果產(chǎn)品用戶通過視頻或語音通話進行溝通。

The service is easy to use and available on iPhone, iPad and Mac computers. Users can connect with others using cell phone numbers or email addresses.

該服務易于使用，支持iPhone、iPad和蘋果電腦。用戶可以使用電話號碼或電子郵件地址同他人聯(lián)系。

Skype

Skype is Microsoft's video chat service. Users can also make voice calls on Skype.

Skype是微軟公司旗下的視頻通話服務。用戶也可以通過Skype進行語音通話。

Skype calls can be made using a computer or mobile device. People then use screen sharing to see each other's screens during a video call.

Skype通話可以在電腦或移動設備上進行。然后人們使用屏幕共享在視頻通話中看到對方的畫面。

Up to 25 people can be added to a group Skype call.

Skype群聊中最多支持25名用戶。

Skype also offers voice messages and other features.

Skype還支持語音信息和其它功能。

Messenger

Facebook's video calling service, Messenger, is available on computers in chat using Chrome, Firefox and Opera browsers, but not on Safari.

Facebook的視頻通話服務Messenger在電腦上支持Chrome、Firefox和Opera瀏覽器，但是不支持Safari瀏覽器。

It also works on mobile devices in the Messenger app.

它還適用于移動設備。

Users click on the camera icon to begin a video chat with a Facebook friend.

用戶點擊相機圖標開始同F(xiàn)acebook好友進行視頻聊天。

In April, Messenger was updated to allow group chats.

今年4月，Messenger升級到允許群聊。

Hangouts

Google's other video calling service is Hangouts, which is available on computers and mobile devices using the Hangouts app. Users can add multiple people to the video chat and share their computer screens.

谷歌的另一項視頻通話服務就是Hangouts，它支持電腦和移動設備。用戶可以把多人添加到視頻聊天中并且共享他們的計算機屏幕。

I'm Jill Robbins.

吉爾·羅賓斯報道。