In this Isolation Age – avoiding physical contact with family and friends can be a bummer! Know what? You can still socialize! At a distance that is!
I’m not dumb enough to ask how many of you are Netflix-binging these days but hopefully I don’t sound too stupid when I ask if you heard of ‘Netflix Party’. Because I hadn’t!
At least not until a friend asked if I was up for a movie marathon last night… while self-isolating a couple of miles apart at that!
Image MensXP
As an increasing number of people isolate and countries including India lockdown, Netflix has done one on the competition by bringing Movie Night right into our homes. This Google Chrome extension aims to make it easier to spend time online with friends while enjoying a movie or TV show together.
One person fires up a Netflix video in their Chrome browser, clicks on the extension button to begin a “party” and sends a unique link to anyone interested in joining. Click the link, and whatever the host is watching pops up, along with a small text chat window that allows for your “Mystery Science Theater 3000”-esque group banter.
I haven’t tried it yet but Netflix Party allegedly has a huge drawback! Apart from having to necessarily install the Google Chrome browser (the extension won’t work with Safari or Firefox), the stream, that is shared from one account, has quite a bit of lag while live streaming. May not be too much of an issue when everybody is busy chatting though – in the added group chat window!
Ummm! I dunno, I kinda like my Netflix me-time without a constant WhatsApp buzz
Netflix party can host up to 500,000 watching at the same time. Image: Netflix/Netflix Party
On the topic of Social Distancing, according to Scientific America, COVID-19 is not the only public health threat we should be worried about – loneliness is one as well. While scientists are rushing to understand how the coronavirus works, researchers have long understood the toll that social isolation and loneliness take on the body. People who do not feel connected to others are more likely to catch a cold, experience depression, develop heart disease, have lower cognitive function and live a shorter life. In fact, the long-term harm caused by loneliness is similar to smoking or obesity.
Getty Images
So, to kick some isolation butt, I decided to scour the deep web for stuff to keep you socially active and connected as we fight this pandemic together.
Forget WhatsApp and Messenger, believe me there are apps out there that will blow your mind!
Background: As expected, Social Media and dating apps are recording significant spikes in usage, but I was looking to things that made sense for friends and family to do together. So here goes…
Increasingly, apps and social platforms are being designed to help us optimize our online interactions with loved ones, including Ikaria, Cocoon, Monaru and Squad. If you do well with structure, these resources may be a useful option for you. Or you can consider using conversation prompter TableTopics to spark interesting dialogue during a video call.
Aside: Groups have been finding innovative ways to socialise, hosting dinner parties and even meetups online, Book clubs are operating digitally, with private WhatsApp groups forming to share reading lists and reading challenges for anyone who needs extra accountability. You can Google that stuff later if my killer app list doesn’t deliver 🙂
Presenting Moi List of Isolation Age Essential Survival Apps 🙇♂️
DISCORD
For those like me who can’t be too bothered with lag time, streaming issues and typing into chat windows, Discord is the perfect streaming option for you lot.
Do stuff like watch movies or play games together as long as the stream is in sync – Discord’s voice chat feature is active in the background for handsfree discussions with your group at all times.
HOUSEPARTY
‘Download Houseparty!’ is the ‘add me on Insta?’ of March 2020 – the social call to action of an international society living through isolation
You may have already heard of this one. It’s become the app to have while in isolation. Houseparty lets you video chat with up to 8 people and is incredibly simple to jump into. The main menu is a default display of your front-facing camera. Swipe up to see your friends list and if you don’t have any, you can add them by name, through contacts, Facebook or just send them the link. If you just want to video a call a friend — that’s fine — but you’re missing out on the fun. Tapping the dice icon will bring up the game options which, although few, are a welcome touch! Tapping the plus button in the top right allows you to add friends and in the bottom left you’ll see a lock symbol to make your room private which stops unwanted people wandering into your fun.
Pros: Fun; will keep you connected with friends
Cons: Some might not enjoy getting bugged every half an hour; it can be a little invasive
Plug.DJ
If you’re willing to hang out solely via text, and if you and your friends enjoy swapping tunes, this is the app for you. It allows everyone in a party to queue their own music videos in a master list, meaning no one person needs to pay particular attention to the app to keep the party going. Sure, you can’t talk to one another with your voice, but even in a real club, you can’t hear each other anyway.
ZENLY
Zenly could make it cool to show off how you’re NOT grabbing coffee, visiting friends or taking a walk down Main Street
This Snapchat-owned app has turned self-isolating into a game with its ‘Stay At Home Challenge’ that shows users which of their friends have spent the most time inside over the course of three days. Location apps traditionally encourage users to see the world around them, but right now Zenly, adapting to the new normal is motivating people to stay home.
The app detects when the user is home and allows them to share how long they have been there, which is displayed on a leaderboard for others to see, according to The Verge.
There is also a map that displays how many cases are in your state or country, along with coronavirus information and tips for staying healthy during the outbreak that is sweeping across the globe.
MARCO POLO
My fav by far – Marco Polo video messaging app allows you to record short video messages for your friends. The app has lots of useful features and personalization options, but you only need a few of them to start resocializing. Their push-to-talk feature creates a sort of digital walkie talkie where you leave someone a video, or ‘Polo’, and they watch it whenever they get the chance. This app is for people who want to see their loved ones’ faces, they want to hear what they’re up to, but they might not have the time to sit there and video chat. Even if you’re social distancing right now – you may still be working or studying and might not have the time to talk to people for prolonged periods of time – no matter how much you miss them. Isolation doesn’t mean you’re not keeping busy and if that’s the case – Marco Polo is the perfect app to get.
ZOOM
Emerged as the video conferencing system du jour for the 9-5 crowd and the ‘Zoomers’
Right into your living room – a web-based video conferencing tool with a local, desktop client and a mobile app that allows users to meet online, with or without video. Zoom users can choose to record sessions, collaborate on projects, and share or annotate on one another’s screens, all with one easy-to-use platform. Zoom is the go to app for video conference calling for many businesses both big and small and it works great for families and friends too.
Think like the mafia: your family can act like a business.
BUNCH
What’s better than video chatting with friends and family? Seeing their faces while you beat them at a game. Bunch is a great little party app that aims to create a ‘frictionless experience’ between playing games and seeing someone face to face on your phone by allowing you to do both at the same time. It’s been called ‘the Discord of mobile games’ – which is high praise as Discord is the most popular chat program for desktop gaming. If you’re not a gamer, though — don’t be put off — most of the games are simple and easy to jump into. Trivia, drawing and charades give you a more casual experience but there’s plenty of more challenging games and established titles such as Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft which are supported as well!
JusTalk
Great for large video calls as it can support up to FIFTY people at once for free while other apps may charge you to do those kinds of numbers!
GLIDE
A fantastic interface for creating your own apps from spreadsheets while video chatting so this is great if you want to do something productive with friends or families.
QuizUp
No surprises here – an app that lets you do quizzes. It’s been at the top of the genre for many years now by offering fun quizzes to do with your friends and family across a sea of different topics.
DUOLINGO
Take the time in self-isolation to learn a new skill or keep up with an already existing one. Duolingo is one of the best apps to download during self-isolation as it can not only enrich your mind but allow you to connect with others around the world. If there’s one thing we’ll take away from this pandemic, it’s that we’re all more connected than we probably once thought. And, one day when things get better, you’ll be able to take that trip to France and speak French with the locals.
DRAW SOMETHING
Draw Something reinvents Pictionary for the mobile and one of the best apps to download during self-isolation. It facilitates remote connection and is fun, easy and lighthearted. You choose a word to draw for your friends and then watch them try to guess what in the world you’re drawing. It’s a fun back and forth game that’ll make the time pass just a little bit quicker.
WORDS WITH FRIENDS
Apps like Words With Friends can help to bridge the social gap a little.
If you and a friend or family member both download it and create accounts, you can challenge each other to Scrabble-style word games that can play out over hours or weeks, depending how addicted you get.
HAGO
Abbreviation for Have A Good One – This is one of the top social gaming apps in the world, and a huge hit in India already. It lets you discover friends, play games, host ‘voice parties’, and earn real rewards (mobile recharges, shopping vouchers, and even smartphones and bikes).
DRAWFUL 2
A super-fun Pictionary-like group game with the object of sketching a picture on your phone or tablet based on a text prompt, and then everyone gets to vote on what the picture represents. And because we’re all social-distancing right now, you can play this not only at home with family, but also remotely with far-flung friends and relatives. The free version is available via the Mac App Store and Steam.
WORLD WAR Z
A cooperative shooter for you and up to three friends drops the team right in the middle of a zombie invasion, World War Z chaos, in which the main motive is “Play to survive”. The first person shooter game gives the player an opportunity to rescue loved ones as in the story line of the movie. Mow down wave after wave of zombies in this game inspired by the movie inspired by the book. This is another Epic freebie.
NIKE TRAINING CLUB
The best apps to download during self-isolation are the ones that will keep your mind, body and spirit healthy. Playing games is a great way to de-stress, but remember to keep your body moving, even in the confines of your home. Nike Training Club currently offers 185 free workouts at varying different skill levels – featuring world-class Nike Master Trainers in every exercise & drill. Workout anytime, anywhere, and track all your activity in the app. The workouts come in all different categories to suit your exercise preferences and goals, such as strength, endurance and even mobility training.
Last but not least… If you want to watch a concert together…
Since quarantine began, artists ranging from Coldplay’s Chris Martin to John Legend have been taking live shows to the Internet. For some, such as Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, that means intimate shows broadcast from a home studio, while others such as the Dropkick Murphys put on a full show. Then there’s DJ D-Nice, who has been hosting online dance parties that have attracted fans including Dave Chappelle and Michelle Obama.
Hope this helps! Do comment with any apps I may have missed that can be added on here as well, Thanks!
The pandemic has reminded us that human connection can spread illness, but human connection also promotes wellness. Let’s take this opportunity to recognize the importance of relationships and to practice leveraging technology for social well-being.
Derek J. Wheeler 