The Best Alternative for WhatsApp and Google Map

Hello everyone,

            Oxford has recently released the Hindi word of the year 2020. Can you guess what could be that word? This word was uplifted by Indian PM Narendra Modi during his speech amidst lockdown. Thereafter the word went viral everywhere like news and social media. Many memes were made on this word. The word was… AATMANIRBHAR. The internet was loaded with this word and finally, it became the Hindi word of the year 2020.

Meaning of Aatmanirbhar

            Self-reliant or self-dependent is the meaning of the word Aatmanirbhar. However, until now most Indians were using foreign products especially products from China. The Aatmanirbhar campaign might get success in order to switch most of them to use our own indigenous products. Here I will talk about indigenous or alternative apps which can be used instead of the foreign application.

Google Map Alternative

            Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and MapmyIndia have collaborated to develop an indigenous map system to overcome the monopoly of Google in the mapping system. Right now, the only wide accepted app in the navigation sector is Google Maps. Every smartphone user knows about it.

            Google is best known for providing the best user experience and easy to operate applications to their users. No one would be ready to give up on using its product to adapt to other applications. However, it is not impossible to eradicate the monopoly of Google from the navigation sector if someone presents a better product.

            An MoU has been signed in order to develop our own 100% Indian navigation and mapping system between ISRO and MapmyIndia. The MoU has been signed between the Department of Science (on behalf of ISRO) and CE Info System Pvt. Ltd. (owned by MapmyIndia).

            ISRO has already developed the NavIC system also known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). It is designed to provide accurate position service data to users in India and areas surrounding up to 1500 km outside the Indian boundary (as stated on their official website).

            IRNSS will be providing two types of services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for all general users and Restricted Service to authorized users only.

 Applications:

            The application of MapmyIndia is available on the Play Store for Android, App Store for iPhone, and also a web app. I have used it and I can definitely say that it will make a strong impact on Google Map’s monopoly on navigation and mapping sector.

            The user interface is too good and the most important factor which would make every Indian switch on this map as Google Map Alternative is that– it is indigenous.

            You can download the application here: 

Get it on Google Play Store: MapmyIndia Move: Maps

Download on the App Store: MapmyIndia Move: Maps

Try Web Version: MapmyIndia Move: Maps

Alternative for WhatsApp

            The recent privacy-related issues raised after WhatsApp’s new policy greatly reduced the users’ trust in the Facebook Company. The Company owns Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp and already known for violating the privacy rules of users and leaking private user data. Many times this has happened that private chats were available on Google search results that were easily available to all. There are plenty of applications available as alternatives for WhatsApp but most of the options do not provide strong security over privacy matter.

            However, there are two applications that can be used as WhatsApp alternatives but both are not indigenous.

1)      Telegram

            This is a product from a German Company founded by two Russian brothers. There were rumors about this app that it is an Indian app and can be the best alternative for WhatsApp. However, one of the rumors is entirely false moreover the second rumor is partially true.

            Telegram does provide security but also involved in illegal piracy of movies and web series and much more copyrighted content. This might take it down in the near future if the Telegram channel won’t stop all these piracy things.

2)      Signal

            The best alternative for WhatsApp is this In case of WhatsApp ban or suspends your account upon denying the new privacy policy. Signal is considered the best alternative because of the following reasons:

·     Founded by Brian Acton and Moxie Marlinspike in 2018. Brian Acton was Co-founder of WhatsApp but left the Company after three years when Facebook bought it. Acton has experience in this area of messaging app and so he has designed Signal just like WhatsApp.

·     The user interface is purely based on WhatsApp and so if one switches from WhatsApp to Signal, one won’t be facing any problem regarding how to operate a new messaging application.

·     Signal provides end-to-end encryption which means that no other authority even government or Company can see your private messages. SO, providing the best possible privacy and security. This feature is also enabled in WhatsApp however one cannot entirely trust it because of past events.

            The signal app went viral after a tweet of Elon Musk in which he just tweeted two words: USE SIGNAL.

Use Signal

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021

The Only Problem:

            Signal is overall the best alternative for WhatsApp but it is not easier for Signal to entirely manipulate the market and clash with WhatsApp directly. It is because most public uses WhatsApp and our important contacts and groups are on WhatsApp. So it is nearly impossible. Although, it is possible for Signal to break the market of WhatsApp unless and until most of the public users diverts to use Signal and quit WhatsApp.

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