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Today, more and more families are being separated by cities, states, countries or even continents. Whether it’s for deployment, or working across the state, moving abroad, going away for college or just simply living in a distant place, far from your family, familiar long distance relationships are really common nowadays.
To maintain close ties with your family, constant communication is a must – and this is where technology comes to the rescue. With today’s age of smartphones, webcams and internet, keeping in touch with your family despite the distance has never been this easier.
In today’s blog post, let’s take a look at the 5 essential apps to keep families connected anytime, anywhere.
1. WhatsApp
This app allows you to send messages, recordings, videos and pictures personally and in groups, and also make calls and video calls for free as long as you have an internet connection. Among all other chat messaging apps, WhatsApp is the most universal of them all. Countries in the Middle East block certain apps like Viber and Facetime, but not WhatsApp. Plus, it’s available in both iOS and Android devices.
2. Skype
For making video calls, it’s best to use Skype because it’s readily available not just on smartphones but desktops as well – perfect for staying in touch with a grandparent who only has a computer at home. On Skype, you can even have conference calls with the whole family that can accommodate up to 25 callers!
3. Cluster
Not every member of the family is on social media so I would recommend using Cluster instead. It’s a group sharing app dedicated for providing users their own private space to share photos and memories. With Cluster, you can upload photos privately and just share them amongst members of the family.
4. Life360
Life360 keeps families connected 24/7 with its ability to instantly see where everyone is in the app’s map. The app also includes both private and group messaging to simplify communication among all family members, especially when organizing plans.
5. Red Stamp
Nothing beats snail mails to brighten someone’s day. But going to the post office can sometimes be a hassle. Thanks to Red Stamp, you can now send your family members greeting cards straight from your phone to their doorstep.Through the app, you can choose from a plethora of cards for every occasion, theme or design that you can think of – you can even add personal photos and messages to your cards, and the company will print the card, do the envelope addressing and mail services for you. Easy!
