Today I want to share about my individual assignment for the subject "MANAGEMENT OF INTERNET SOURCES AND SERVICES (IMC 407). It is about social media tools for social networks application and I choose "KakaoTalk".
INTRODUCTION
KakaoTalk was released
on March 18, 2010, by Kakao Corp (the company behind KakaoTalk)
is based in Seoul, South Korea, and Jae-Beom
(JB) Lee and Sirgoo Lee are the current Co-CEOs. KakaoTalk currently available
on iOS, Android, Bada OS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Nokia Asha and Personal
Computer.
KakaoTalk currently has 170 million users and is
available in 15 languages likes English,
French, German, Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai,
Traditional Chinese, Turkish and Vietnamese, and it used in over 230 countries.
KakaoTalk is also evolving as a handy tool for global communication.
KakaoTalk also provides free call and text-messaging
services. In addition, users can share
diverse content and information from
photos, videos, voice messages, and URL links to contact information. On
average, 24 million users are estimated to be using the app on a daily basis
and over 3.4 billion messages are sent every day.
Starting from 2013, KakaoTalk began television commercials in
Indonesia, the Philippines,
Vietnam and also Malaysia by joining with famous
Korean K-pop stars like BigBang. In the commercial, local celebrities like
Yuna ( local celebrity in Malaysia) and BigBang appear together on the screen
and promote KakaoTalk.
Images 2 : Example of KakaoTalk in Personal Computer and Smart Phones.
APPLICATION OF THE TOOL
- KakaoTalk
is a fast and multifaceted messaging app. KakaoTalk can send messages, photos,
videos, voice notes and your location for free. Its easy way to user to
communicate with their friends and family by sharing their information.
- KakaoTalk
automatically synchronizes the user’s contact list on their smartphones with
the contact list on KakaoTalk to find friends who are on the service.
- Users
also can search friends by KakaoTalk ID without having to know each other's phone
number. Other than that, user also can add their friends using a BlackBerry
PIN.
- KakaoTalk
can do multitask during free calls which user can send messages in other chat
rooms at the same time.
- KakaoTalk
also makes user chatting extra fun with an array of emoticons and sticker
collections.
- KakaoTalk
can make user see who read their messages and it will show the unread count.
- Using
KakaoTalk, user can make their schedule appointments, likes lunches,
gatherings, birthday party and so on in their KakaoTalk reminder.
- User
also can have even more fun with Kakao mobile games likes anipang, kalkalkal,
fantasy runner and etc.

Images 3 : Example of Kakao mobile game's "Anipang".
FUNCTIONS
1. Voice call.
: The voice call is free, so user can use anytime and
everywhere.
2. Free chat.
: Easy for users to chat with other KakaoTalk users with
no charge.
3. Video call.
: User also can talk with their friend with use the video
call. The benefit when user use this application, user can saw their friends face.
This communication like talk face to face.
4. Group chat.
: Chats with an unlimited number of friends. User can add
their friends in the group with unlimited number of members in the group.
5. Sticker.
: User can send sticker to their friends. There are many
animated sticker in KakaoTalk to add some fun in user chat.
6. Emoticons.
: User also can share their emoticons with their friend
by express it all with included emoticons PLUS select from endless sticker
collections in KakaoTalk Item Store.
7. Voice note.
: The walkie-talkie is the symbol for voice note. So, you
can use that by tap voice note and the red button will appeared. So, tap the red
button to record and it automatically record
your voice. After you finish it, tap the
button again and it will stop. Then, tap "send" in
a yellow
box to send your voice chat message.
8. Sharing photos.
: By using KakaoTalk, user also can share their photos
with their friends to show some exciting pictures they took on the spot or in
their photos album. It can be memorable moments together.
9. Group call.
: KakaoTalk can talk with up to 5 friends at once. When
you want to call with your friends all together, just a tap on the ‘Free call’
button is all it takes to connect.
10. Create theme.
: User also can create their own theme with their favorite
images.
11. Plus Friend.
: User will discover great offer by using Plus Friend. Users
can follow brands, media and
celebrities to
receive exclusive messages, coupons and other real-time information
through KakaoTalk
chatrooms.
12. Gift Shop.
: KakaoTalk have a Gift Shop. User can step inside the
Gift Shop for a great selection
of gift ideas
which the user can choose.
13. Send File.
: KakaoTalk have a Send File which easy for user to send
their file with their friends or
family.
14. Share location.
: By using KakaoTalk, user can share their location with
their friends.
15. Share contacts.
: User can share their contacts with their friends by
using “Send KakaoTalk Profile” or
“Send Contact”.
Images 4 : Example of free chat.
Images 5 : KakaoTalk's stickers.
ANALYSIS OF THE TOOLS
KakaoTalk currently has
170 million users and is available in 15 languages and it used in over 230
countries. Hence, Kakao Corp. (the company behind KakaoTalk) has released more
than 10 services in less than three years of entering the mobile market.
Starting in 2010 with a "gifting" feature that enabled users to buy
gifts and coupons virtually through KakaoTalk and send it to their friends via
KakaoTalk. In 2011, Plus Friend was introduced in which users receive messages,
announcements, coupons from celebrities and brand name stores. This is a
feature which acts as a source of advertisement and marketing for companies and
celebrities, since KakaoTalk does not have banner ads. KakaoTalk also features
emoticons that web cartoonists draw, may be purchased in the "Item
Store". In 2012, Kakao Corp. introduced their gaming system, Playing Game,
in which gaming items may be purchased. Kakao also expanded their social
networking system by introducing Kakao Story, a mobile photo sharing application.
Kakao Style, a fashion trend and retail application, was introduced along with
Choco, Kakao's cyber money.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Advantages of KakaoTalk :
1. Free
: You
can use Kakao Talk for free until whenever.
2. Without advertisements
: You
can enjoy CHAT without worrying about the presence of advertisements.
3. Supports Multiple OS
: OS
types that support KakaoTalk is pretty much like iOS, Android, Bada OS,
BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Nokia Asha and Personal Computer.
4. Available in 15 languages
: KakaoTalk
availables in English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese,
Korean,
Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese,
Turkish
and Vietnamese languages,
5. Free Call and Group Call
: This is one of
the strong features of the KakaoTalk. When user use voice call in Kakaotalk,
its free and user also can use it anywhere, anytime through the Internet
connection. Recommended either call or a call at least use a 3G connection.
Other than that, KakaoTalk also have the group
call. User can talk with up to 5
friends at once.
6. Number of Group Members is unlimited
: This feature is
in KakaoTalk allows you to have a number of people in group chats are
not
limited.
7. Privacy Protection
: KakaoTalk has a
pretty good privacy protection. It is seen from the password when you open
the
application.
8. Registration for KakaoTalk is
easily
: User can
register at KakaoTalk in two ways. First, through user phone number. Second,
using
the ID. This allows our smartphones that if no privacy so we can still
use or just promoting
our KakaoTalk ID.
9. Notifications can be turned off
: If user get
annoyed with the notification, user can turn it off
10. There emoticon move
: Chatting on
KakaoTalk to be more cheerful and more alive with animated emoticons can
express user mood at the moment.
11. Network fairly stable
: With Ignite
Engine built by Tim KakaoTalk, user can chat smoothly.
12. Supports many Themes
: User are given
the freedom to create their own theme by using a software they already provide.
13. Plus existence Friend
: Do you like k-pop
music? Surely user will like KakaoTalk, because here there are features
plus
friend that contain images, exclusive video chat from a girl band and boy band
that
user prefer.
14. Item Store
: To buy premium
emoticons, but some are free. Surely there is only a trial period of validity.
To purchase the emoticon in store item, you must first create a KakaoTalk
Account.
15. Multimedia file sharing
: You can share
photos, video (up to 20MB), sound recordings, and phone contacts.
Images 6 : Example of group call.
Disadvantages :
- Unable
to see the availability person “Last seen”.
- Unable
to see people online or typing likes WhatsApp.
BENEFITS OF THE TOOL TO THE NEXT CITIZEN
- KakaoTalk is a free
downloadable software application for mobile devices providing free text
messaging and call services.
- User
easy to connect to each other without meet by using the KakaoTalk.
- KakaoTalk
is nationwide. Not only Malaysia but between the other country and we can make
a new friends likes friends from Indonesia, Thailand and etc.
- Users
can share diverse contents and information from photos, videos, voice messages,
URL links, and contact information to their friends.
- Connections
between users are very simple witch is automatically synchronizes with the
user’s contact list saved in the phone, and find friends who are also using the
service.
- There
are no limits to the number of friends to join in a group chat with using the
KakaoTalk.
CONCLUSION
KakaoTalk is one of the
social media tools that give a lot of benefits for the users. It connects
people all around the world because it availables in 15 languages and used in
over 230 countries include Malaysia. KakaoTalk also evolving as a handy tool
for global communication. KakaoTalk does not require any payment to install it
just download with Play Store or App Store (for iPhone). KakaoTalk not use in
smartphones only but it also can use by your personal computer. By using the KakaoTalk user can share valuable
moments and pictures with others. Besides, KakaoTalk is an interesting
application that brings something different to user because KakaoTalks have
many function likes Plus Friend, Gift Shop and so on. Applications of KakaoTalk
is different with other social media tools likes Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Telegram,
WeChat and so on. What are you staying waiting for ? Lets trying KakaoTalk and feel it different.
That's all for my assignment. Thank you.