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Marvel's VFX Artists Are Suffering -- and Starting to Speak Out

Marvel's VFX Artists Are Suffering -- and Starting to Speak Out

Thor: Love and Thunder  director Taika Waititi makes interviews look fun. During the long and often tedious press tour filmmakers endure to promote their latest films, Waititi brought his trademark laid-back goofiness to a video in which he breaks down a scene. Only, this time, it backfired. Almost offhandedly, Waititi questioned whether a character named Korg, a CGI rock creature he also played, looked "real." "Do I need to be more blue?" he asked.

The comment launched headlines. Waititi, the director, appeared to cruelly mock his own film's VFX work -- work painstakingly toiled over across hundreds of hours by visual effects artists. It got worse. At the same time, severalReddit threads surfaced, charting the harsh experiences of effects artists who worked on Marvel projects as far back as 2012.

Chris Hemsworth and Taika Waititi at the Sydney premiere of Thor: Love And Thunder.

Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

"Working on Marvel projects ends up being incredibly stressful, and this is a widely known issue throughout the VFX industry, it's not specific to any one VFX house," a person who worked on Marvel projects and wished to remain anonymous, told CNET via email. Industry standards dictate a strict policy of not speaking to the press.

Marvel and Disney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Visual effects artists are in more demand than ever, servicing abundant productions from Marvel, Warner Bros., Sony and more. VFX studios secure work by placing a bid based on the number of shots a studio requests. Competition can be aggressive. While a low bid might win, the actual workload the shots amount to can vary dramatically.

"You bid on a number of shots and hope that on average they don't end up being too complicated or difficult, or that the client gets too caught up in minor details and keeps sending shots back for more work," said Peter Allen, an animator and VFX artist and former lecturer in film and television production at the University of Melbourne.

The work is contracted to a VFX house at a set price. An effects artist might manage grueling hours to meet hard release dates but work overtime unpaid. If the final product fails to satisfy audience expectations, VFX artists often take the blame.

"As a visual medium, visual effects are among the easiest targets for fans to pick apart, especially if there are leaks or early releases of unfinished shots," Allen said. Cats and Sonic the Hedgehog are recent examples.

The upcoming She-Hulk has already drawn criticism for the CGI look of its hero.

Marvel Studios/Screenshot by CNET

With an avalanche of new projects lined up in the next phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- a seemingly never-ending stream of content -- effects artists have been coming under intensifying strain. Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Thor: Love and Thunder are the latest to weather criticism about underwhelming superpower effects.

But now, the artists vital to Marvel's storytelling are speaking out. Sick of bearing the brunt of visual effects criticism, tired of punishing working conditions, VFX artists are demanding change.

Unless the industry can make fundamental improvements, Marvel could have a problem on its hands.

An infamous client

Even before the public Reddit threads, insider stories and viral tweets, Marvel had a reputation for pushing VFX artists to the brink. Forget 38-hour weeks. One source described working 60 to 80. This lasted "multiple months in a row."

The toll was brutal. "I've had to comfort people crying at their desks late at night from the sheer pressure involved, and routinely had colleagues call me having anxiety attacks," the effects artist said. "I've heard personally from many artists that they ask to avoid Marvel shows in their future assignments."

Another VFX artist, who also wished to remain anonymous, described harsh conditions that extended beyond the Marvel machine.

"I have worked on several projects for Marvel and other tentpole films," the effects artist told CNET. "For many years, I did work long hours, mostly unpaid. No longer. At no time do I work for free, nor will I work an all-nighter for a perceived emergency."

Sequences underwent late changes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Marvel Studios

One effects artists boils Marvel's problems down to three major issues: a demand to see near-complete work much earlier in the process compared to other clients; high-pressure environments leading to burnout and low morale; and lower budgets squeezing out more experienced, more expensive workers from future Marvel projects.

Even after shots are exhaustively delivered, Marvel is allegedly "infamous" for requesting "tons of different variations" until one earns the green light. It doesn't end there. More changes to a production often come late in the game, potentially weeks out from release, resulting in an endemic practice of working overtime. The latest Doctor Strange flick, for example, underwent late changes to sequences involving VFX.

"We've literally made up entire third acts of a film, a month before release, because the director didn't know what they wanted," one source said about Marvel in general. "Even Marvel's parent Disney is much easier to work with on their live-action films."

Could VFX houses push back? Not if they want to risk financial loss. In 2013, Rhythm & Hues, the acclaimed VFX house that worked on The Lord of the Rings and Life of Pi -- which won the Oscar for best visual effects -- filed for bankruptcy. It was the last major independent VFX studio in Los Angeles. Moving Picture Company, an effects house that worked on Spider-Man: No Way Home, reportedly announced in July that it would be freezing pay rises this year.

Marvel, providing a seemingly endless source of work, is a lucrative client. "Marvel has multiple blockbusters in a row, and studios that displease them risk losing out on tons of work," said one effects artist. "So they don't push back as much as they would with other clients."

The size of Marvel allows it to secure bargain effects work, to "string along" a studio or move on to the next best bidder. Yet, for some, working on Marvel projects is no different from any other big action film. It's about managing expectations.

The VFX studio behind Oscar-winning Life of Pi went bankrupt.

Fox 2000 Pictures

Balance

Not all VFX gigs are an overwhelming slog. Not even with Marvel.

"My experience working on the one Marvel film was pretty much the same as any other film," another artist told CNET. They said that, while the workload was high, the deadlines "were the same as any other action film."

Another VFX artist believes the onus is on the effects houses to stand up for their workers, to "pay overtime" and "manage expectations," both with clients and artists.

"The blame is on the VFX studios, not the client -- Marvel or otherwise."

Yet less established VFX houses might lack the influence to shield artists from the "crazy" schedules Marvel could impose. One solution to this power dynamic has already started to unfold.

A decade ago, visual effects artists were part of one of the "largest non-unionized sectors in showbiz," according to a Variety report. Since then, VFX unions such as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees have attempted to organize visual effects artists.

"Employees unionizing would dramatically change how VFX houses bid shows because they can't simply dump the poor choices onto their employees," one effects artist said. "It makes sure employees can't be pushed around as easily."

Animation artists, for example, can unionize in their respective workplaces with the help of the Animation Guild. The organization acts as an advocate for its members over wage disputes and more between employees and employers. Major studios such as Dreamworks and Walt Disney Animation Studios -- as well as Marvel Animation -- employ artists covered by the guild.

The time could be right for making unionization happen for effects artists, VFX artist Allen said. "Right now, there's high demand for staff so there is an unusual opportunity for those staff to organize since production companies really need them."

But this solution isn't as easy as snapping one's fingers. Outsourcing, or using ununionized workers, is another way for studios to cut costs. "Many studios will bring in people on work visas with the promise of long-term employment," one effects artist said. The studios then leave the employee "dangling."

Still, signs could be positive for effects artists. Other production workers, including staff in IT and logistics, have been successful in joining the Animation Guild, which "used to be for artists only," Allen says. For VFX professionals, traditionally viewed as craftworkers rather than artists, this could be an "interesting development."

"But individual workplaces have to agree to unionize, it's not an automatic protection for all workers."

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Marvel Studios/YouTube

The Marvel effect

One effects artist believes the onus is still on Marvel to enact its own changes. It could come down to greater training for its directors on the VFX process.

"Marvel's directors are often inexperienced with the VFX process, both on set and after," an effects artist said.

If the director happens to prefer longer takes, it can "dramatically" increase the workload on artists, Allen said. Not only are there more frames to create effects for, but the longer the effect is on screen, the more precise they have to be. "Shorter shots mean you can cut a few corners."

The effects artist said Marvel must stop believing "VFX gives [it] infinite room to change things." They said Marvel must work with its directors to reduce the number of iterations in the VFX process. "With training -- with clearer, more 'decisive' visualization provided to directors early in the process -- everyone could be on the same page." 

Then, maybe, no one would have their work come under fire during press tours.

---

Source

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Marvel's VFX Artists Are Suffering -- and Starting to Speak Out

Marvel's VFX Artists Are Suffering -- and Starting to Speak Out

Thor: Love and Thunder  director Taika Waititi makes interviews look fun. During the long and often tedious press tour filmmakers endure to promote their latest films, Waititi brought his trademark laid-back goofiness to a video in which he breaks down a scene. Only, this time, it backfired. Almost offhandedly, Waititi questioned whether a character named Korg, a CGI rock creature he also played, looked "real." "Do I need to be more blue?" he asked.

The comment launched headlines. Waititi, the director, appeared to cruelly mock his own film's VFX work -- work painstakingly toiled over across hundreds of hours by visual effects artists. It got worse. At the same time, severalReddit threads surfaced, charting the harsh experiences of effects artists who worked on Marvel projects as far back as 2012.

Chris Hemsworth and Taika Waititi at the Sydney premiere of Thor: Love And Thunder.

Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

"Working on Marvel projects ends up being incredibly stressful, and this is a widely known issue throughout the VFX industry, it's not specific to any one VFX house," a person who worked on Marvel projects and wished to remain anonymous, told CNET via email. Industry standards dictate a strict policy of not speaking to the press.

Marvel and Disney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Visual effects artists are in more demand than ever, servicing abundant productions from Marvel, Warner Bros., Sony and more. VFX studios secure work by placing a bid based on the number of shots a studio requests. Competition can be aggressive. While a low bid might win, the actual workload the shots amount to can vary dramatically.

"You bid on a number of shots and hope that on average they don't end up being too complicated or difficult, or that the client gets too caught up in minor details and keeps sending shots back for more work," said Peter Allen, an animator and VFX artist and former lecturer in film and television production at the University of Melbourne.

The work is contracted to a VFX house at a set price. An effects artist might manage grueling hours to meet hard release dates but work overtime unpaid. If the final product fails to satisfy audience expectations, VFX artists often take the blame.

"As a visual medium, visual effects are among the easiest targets for fans to pick apart, especially if there are leaks or early releases of unfinished shots," Allen said. Cats and Sonic the Hedgehog are recent examples.

The upcoming She-Hulk has already drawn criticism for the CGI look of its hero.

Marvel Studios/Screenshot by CNET

With an avalanche of new projects lined up in the next phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- a seemingly never-ending stream of content -- effects artists have been coming under intensifying strain. Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Thor: Love and Thunder are the latest to weather criticism about underwhelming superpower effects.

But now, the artists vital to Marvel's storytelling are speaking out. Sick of bearing the brunt of visual effects criticism, tired of punishing working conditions, VFX artists are demanding change.

Unless the industry can make fundamental improvements, Marvel could have a problem on its hands.

An infamous client

Even before the public Reddit threads, insider stories and viral tweets, Marvel had a reputation for pushing VFX artists to the brink. Forget 38-hour weeks. One source described working 60 to 80. This lasted "multiple months in a row."

The toll was brutal. "I've had to comfort people crying at their desks late at night from the sheer pressure involved, and routinely had colleagues call me having anxiety attacks," the effects artist said. "I've heard personally from many artists that they ask to avoid Marvel shows in their future assignments."

Another VFX artist, who also wished to remain anonymous, described harsh conditions that extended beyond the Marvel machine.

"I have worked on several projects for Marvel and other tentpole films," the effects artist told CNET. "For many years, I did work long hours, mostly unpaid. No longer. At no time do I work for free, nor will I work an all-nighter for a perceived emergency."

Sequences underwent late changes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Marvel Studios

One effects artists boils Marvel's problems down to three major issues: a demand to see near-complete work much earlier in the process compared to other clients; high-pressure environments leading to burnout and low morale; and lower budgets squeezing out more experienced, more expensive workers from future Marvel projects.

Even after shots are exhaustively delivered, Marvel is allegedly "infamous" for requesting "tons of different variations" until one earns the green light. It doesn't end there. More changes to a production often come late in the game, potentially weeks out from release, resulting in an endemic practice of working overtime. The latest Doctor Strange flick, for example, underwent late changes to sequences involving VFX.

"We've literally made up entire third acts of a film, a month before release, because the director didn't know what they wanted," one source said about Marvel in general. "Even Marvel's parent Disney is much easier to work with on their live-action films."

Could VFX houses push back? Not if they want to risk financial loss. In 2013, Rhythm & Hues, the acclaimed VFX house that worked on The Lord of the Rings and Life of Pi -- which won the Oscar for best visual effects -- filed for bankruptcy. It was the last major independent VFX studio in Los Angeles. Moving Picture Company, an effects house that worked on Spider-Man: No Way Home, reportedly announced in July that it would be freezing pay rises this year.

Marvel, providing a seemingly endless source of work, is a lucrative client. "Marvel has multiple blockbusters in a row, and studios that displease them risk losing out on tons of work," said one effects artist. "So they don't push back as much as they would with other clients."

The size of Marvel allows it to secure bargain effects work, to "string along" a studio or move on to the next best bidder. Yet, for some, working on Marvel projects is no different from any other big action film. It's about managing expectations.

The VFX studio behind Oscar-winning Life of Pi went bankrupt.

Fox 2000 Pictures

Balance

Not all VFX gigs are an overwhelming slog. Not even with Marvel.

"My experience working on the one Marvel film was pretty much the same as any other film," another artist told CNET. They said that, while the workload was high, the deadlines "were the same as any other action film."

Another VFX artist believes the onus is on the effects houses to stand up for their workers, to "pay overtime" and "manage expectations," both with clients and artists.

"The blame is on the VFX studios, not the client -- Marvel or otherwise."

Yet less established VFX houses might lack the influence to shield artists from the "crazy" schedules Marvel could impose. One solution to this power dynamic has already started to unfold.

A decade ago, visual effects artists were part of one of the "largest non-unionized sectors in showbiz," according to a Variety report. Since then, VFX unions such as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees have attempted to organize visual effects artists.

"Employees unionizing would dramatically change how VFX houses bid shows because they can't simply dump the poor choices onto their employees," one effects artist said. "It makes sure employees can't be pushed around as easily."

Animation artists, for example, can unionize in their respective workplaces with the help of the Animation Guild. The organization acts as an advocate for its members over wage disputes and more between employees and employers. Major studios such as Dreamworks and Walt Disney Animation Studios -- as well as Marvel Animation -- employ artists covered by the guild.

The time could be right for making unionization happen for effects artists, VFX artist Allen said. "Right now, there's high demand for staff so there is an unusual opportunity for those staff to organize since production companies really need them."

But this solution isn't as easy as snapping one's fingers. Outsourcing, or using ununionized workers, is another way for studios to cut costs. "Many studios will bring in people on work visas with the promise of long-term employment," one effects artist said. The studios then leave the employee "dangling."

Still, signs could be positive for effects artists. Other production workers, including staff in IT and logistics, have been successful in joining the Animation Guild, which "used to be for artists only," Allen says. For VFX professionals, traditionally viewed as craftworkers rather than artists, this could be an "interesting development."

"But individual workplaces have to agree to unionize, it's not an automatic protection for all workers."

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Marvel Studios/YouTube

The Marvel effect

One effects artist believes the onus is still on Marvel to enact its own changes. It could come down to greater training for its directors on the VFX process.

"Marvel's directors are often inexperienced with the VFX process, both on set and after," an effects artist said.

If the director happens to prefer longer takes, it can "dramatically" increase the workload on artists, Allen said. Not only are there more frames to create effects for, but the longer the effect is on screen, the more precise they have to be. "Shorter shots mean you can cut a few corners."

The effects artist said Marvel must stop believing "VFX gives [it] infinite room to change things." They said Marvel must work with its directors to reduce the number of iterations in the VFX process. "With training -- with clearer, more 'decisive' visualization provided to directors early in the process -- everyone could be on the same page." 

Then, maybe, no one would have their work come under fire during press tours.

---

Source

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Quiet Quitting: The Work-Life Debate Is Having Another Viral Moment

Quiet Quitting: The Work-Life Debate Is Having Another Viral Moment

Months after "the Great Resignation" entered the collective vocabulary, the question of what, exactly, a person owes their employer is having yet another viral moment. 

At the end of July, @zaidlepppelin posted on TikTok about a phrase called "quiet quitting." It's the idea of meeting the requirements of a job and stopping there. The video has since racked up more than 3.4 million views, while the hashtag has more than 21 million views from other TikTokers chiming in with their views on the broader idea, and even the term itself.

The concept is reigniting another debate over work-life balance, with proponents saying it's just a necessary call for boundaries while critics bemoan a perceived lack of initiative and slacker mentality. 

As always, it's not clear cut. Here's what you need to know about quiet quitting. 

What is quiet quitting?

Quiet quitting is the idea of doing your job and nothing more. In the original viral TikTok, @zaidlepppelin described it like this: "You're still performing your duties but you're no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life. The reality is it's not, and your worth as a person is not defined by your labor."

@zaidleppelin On quiet quitting #workreform♬ original sound - ruby

Is quiet quitting new?

In a word, no. 

"It's popular now because of the hashtag," said Jha'nee Carter, who goes by @_thehrqueen on TikTok where she talks about leadership and employee advocacy.

Although the phrase "quiet quitting" has only gained traction in the last few weeks, the struggle to find a balance between work and personal life is far older. The National Labor Union first (if unsuccessfully) asked Congress to establish the eight-hour work day in 1866. 

A century later, American pop group The Vogues sang about the bliss of being off the clock in their 1965 song Five O'Clock World: "It's a five o'clock world when the whistle blows. No one owns a piece of my time."

These days, you're more apt to hear about achieving a healthy "work-life balance." 

The trend shows up globally at times, too. In July 2021, Brookings wrote about the "lying-flat" movement in China, where a culture that prioritizes overwork started to clash with a feeling of stagnation among workers, particularly among younger people. In April of that year, the concept went viral.

"For some, 'lying flat' promises release from the crush of life and work in a fast-paced society and technology sector where competition is unrelenting. For China's leadership, however, this movement of passive resistance to the national drive for development is a worrying trend," the article said, also explaining that China has aimed to "end its reliance on imported technology," hence driving a particular pressure in the tech sector. 

What's the controversy?

Some of the controversy around quiet quitting surrounds the question of whether this is a healthy approach to your job, or whether you're being a slacker. 

"The tether to the workplace … the expectations and exploitation of employers is so extreme now, that just doing your job is considered quitting," said Leigh Henderson. You might have run into Henderson on TikTok as @hrmanifesto, where she uses her more than 15 years of experience in the corporate world to talk about everything from dealing with your toxic job to interviewing for a new one.

She was initially confused by the idea of quiet quitting, thinking how is that "different from just work life balance, creating boundaries, having priorities, and just having a life?" Henderson says it should the be responsibility of employers to keep their employees engaged.

And on TikTok, people have questioned whether anyone should be expected to put in more work than they're being compensated for. 

@hrmanifesto ✨New Trend Alert✨Loud Failing #insanity#quietquitting#loudfailing#employee#engagement#nightmare#corporate#victimblaming#hr#hrmanifesto#greenscreen @wsj @zaidleppelin ♬ original sound - HRManifesto

Not everyone sees it that way. Kevin O'Leary from ABC's Shark Tank took to TikTok to say, "Quiet quitting is a really bad idea. If you're a quiet quitter, you're a loser." O'Leary did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a video on CNBC, he said you're hired at a company to make the business work, and you should go above and beyond because you want to – and that's how to get ahead.

@kevinolearytv What are your thoughts on quiet quitting? #kevinoleary#quietquitting#entrepreneur#career#careeradvice♬ original sound - Mr. Wonderful

TikTokers have pointed out that to the ears of an employer, quiet quitting could sound like suddenly getting less out of their employees, regardless of whether those employees were getting paid to do the extra work anyway.

What's more, the term itself – quitting – has a negative connotation. Henderson thinks of it as "quiet survival," and it's something she's done in her own career. In a follow up TikTok, Henderson said, "I was saving myself from the toxic work environment and protecting myself from the toxic work environment that my employer not only established and facilitated but continually benefited from." 

Why are people talking about quiet quitting now?

The easy answer is that this particular TikTok went viral at the end of July. But circumstances have been ripe for this for much longer, according to Matt Walden, managing partner at Infinity Consulting Solutions, who has been working in the recruiting space for more than two decades. He pins some of this moment to burnout. 

For one, Walden looks to the pandemic – as employees shifted to remote work, often it could be more difficult to compartmentalize work and home life. It's easy to keep your laptop open and answer a few extra emails while cooking dinner, perhaps. 

"Work from home was a blessing for many. And for others, it had people working more than they've ever worked, unknowingly, in isolation," Walden said. 

Quiet quitting also comes in the wake of the Great Resignation, the term for the phenomenon of American workers quitting their jobs in record numbers, often to pursue better pay, benefits and flexibility, or even just to dodge going back to an office. A July report from McKinsey called it the "quitting trend that just won't quit." Although open jobs in the US fell to 10.7 million in June from 11.25 in May, the report said it's likely openings won't return to a more normal range for a while.

Another possible facet is a backlash to hustle culture – the mentality that calls for optimizing every minute of your life for productivity and glorifies non-stop work. 

Henderson also pointed out that there's a whopping four generations in the workforce now, bringing with them different perspectives, attitudes and experiences which inform their relationship with work. 

"Make no mistake that Gen Z employees watched those Gen X parents stick the finger right to corporate America," Henderson said.

Who is quiet quitting?

While there are no numbers on quiet quitting, Walden said he wouldn't characterize this as a tidal wave trend. Though Gen Z is being largely associated with quiet quitting, demographic breakdowns from the Great Resignation show they're not the only generation reappraising work. 

And not everyone has the luxury of quiet quitting. 

"In order to climb that corporate ladder as a person of color, I believe that it's a necessity to go above and beyond," Carter said, talking about how those in minority groups, like people of color, don't always have the same resources available to them, so upping their skills, getting in the right rooms with the right people to network, and the like takes more work. She also says it takes learning to advocate for yourself in order to not end up burned out and exploited. 

@_thehrqueen Can quietly quitting destroy your career? ✨ #hrqueen#quietquitting#iquit#corporateamerica#mentorforu#youngprofessionals#hrlife#hrtok#careertips#careeradvice#careeradvicedaily#leadershipdevelopment#ReTokforNature♬ Level Up - Kwe the Artist

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Source

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WWE Clash of Champions: Results, new champions, match rankings and full recap

WWE Clash of Champions: Results, new champions, match rankings and full recap

Emanating out of Charlotte, North Carolina, WWE's Clash of Champions pay-per-view was OK. It wasn't bad, per se, but there was nothing on the show that was truly exceptional, with most of the event being average to good. Seth Rollins was the MVP of the night, being a key part of the strong open and closing matches. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks was on its way to being a standout match but was stymied by a poor finish.

Here's a quick rundown of highlights:

• Seth Rollins is still Universal Champion, but he and Braun Strowman lost the Raw Tag Team Championships to Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler. Not that it'll end up meaning anything, but Rollins was pinned fairly cleanly by Roode.
• AJ Styles vs. Cedric Alexander was on the preshow, for some reason.
• Becky Lynch retained her Raw Women's Championship via DQ, lengthening her feud with Sasha Banks.
• Roman Reigns vs. Erick Rowan was a waste of time -- until Luke Harper returned.

Below you'll find all the results of the night, as well as match recaps and ratings. See you next month for WWE's Hell in a Cell event, which will be headlined by Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt. 

Seth Rollins retains his Universal Championship

Hot start, with Strowman bulldozing Rollins and going for his powerslam finish. Rollins escapes, works over Strowman's legs and hits three superkicks followed by a frogsplash. Rollins is so good. Two count. 

Good action, with Rollins springboarding all over the place and Strowman showing great intensity. The crowd is quiet, tired from a long and only OK show. Strowman hits his running shoulder tackle on the outside twice, but Rollins sidesteps him on the third one. Strowman crashes through an announce table, and Rollins hits dual suicide dives. The two end up fighting on the turnbuckle, and Strowman eventually hits a frogsplash from the top. Props.

We get a light, polite "this is awesome" chant. Rollins locks in a sleeper hold but Strowman rolls out. Rollins hits a curbstomp for a one count. He hits another for a two count. A third stomp for another two count. Rollins goes for a fourth but Strowman counters, hoisting him up for a powerslam. Strowman's leg gives out, Rollins nails a pedigree and then a final curbstomp for the pin.

After the match Rollins is attacked by Bray Wyatt, aka The Fiend. They'll wrestle next month at Hell in a Cell.

Rating: 3.5 stars. Very similar to SummerSlam's main event between Rollins and Brock Lesnar, but not as good. Suffered from a flat crowd, but still a solid main event. 

Erick Rowan beats Roman Reigns (!) 

Not much to this match. It's no DQ, so it's just a bunch of brawling outside the ring. Rowan has improved his intensity a great deal, but the crowd doesn't buy him as a threat to Reigns. Which is a shame, because the match was just Rowan beating down Reigns, trying to convince the audience he's a threat to Reigns.

One moment did impress the crowd. On the outside, Reigns jumps from the steel stairs for an elevated Superman Punch, but Rowan counters by grabbing him by the throat and pulling him up for a huge powerbomb through an announcer's table. This gets Rowan a 2 count. 

Match ends when a returning Luke Harper blocks a spear attempt from Reigns. Harper and Rowan double team Reigns. Rowan gets the win.

Rating: 1.5 star. Cool powerbomb spot and it's awesome that Luke Harper, who is awesome, is back. Other than that, this was not good. 

Kofi Kingston retains his WWE Championship

Orton and Kingston start slow. This is likely because they're following a hot match and want to restart the crowd, but it's also vintage Orton. 

The wrestling here is actually very tight. The two exchange snug shots, and Orton ends up bumping Kingston out of the ring. He then follows up with suplexes all around the outside area, including two on the announce table.

The pace slows down though as Orton picks apart Kingston. Eventually Kingston mounts a comeback, but it's not a particularly vigorous one. He goes for a Trouble in Paradise, but Orton counters with a nice neckbreaker. Kingston gets some of that missing fire, though, with a huge over-the-top-rope dive.

Orton regains control and there's more slow-paced dissection. He sets up an RKO but Kingston counters into a rollup. Kingston starts a comeback but is cut off with an RKO outta' nowhere. Kingston gets a foot on the rope at 2. Orton goes for his infamous punt but Kingston dodges and nails a Trouble in Paradise to retain.

Rating: 3 stars. A lot of nice wrestling here, but nothing remarkable. 

Sasha Banks beats Becky Lynch via DQ

Crowd reacts big to Lynch, and is more into this match than the last few. Lynch starts out on top, but once Banks gets control the crowd breaks out into loud "Let's go Sasha!/Let's go Becky!" dueling chants.

After Banks worked over Lynch for some heat, Lynch mounts a comeback. She gets cut off in spectacular fashion though, with Banks countering a flying clothesline with a Banks Statement submission. Lynch powers out and hits an exploder suplex. Crowd has been more quiet, but wakes up with more dueling chants.

The two women trade submissions in the center of the ring, Banks going for the Banks Statement and Lynch the Disarmer armbar. Lynch ends up on top, getting her submission, but Banks gets her foot on the rope. Good stuff here. Banks nails double backstabbers and rolls Lynch into a Banks Statement for an intense false finish, but Lynch gets the rope break.

Banks villains it up, tossing in a chair to distract the ref and then, while the ref isn't looking, hitting Banks in the torso with another chair. She follows up with a shining wizard for a two count. The ref accosts Banks for using a chair and then Lynch takes a chair herself and swings for Banks, but Banks ducks and Lynch hits the ref. 

The two then brawl into the crowd. Lynch uses the stair rails to put Banks in a Disarmer armbar, which was gnarly. Banks and Lynch brawl into the backstage area, where Lynch smears Banks with mustard, and eventually come back to the ring. We're told by Michael Cole that Lynch has been disqualified for hitting the ref. Cool. Inside the ring Lynch destroys Banks with a chair.

Rating: 3.5 stars. A very good match with a weak finish. In fairness, Lynch looked like a badass babyface tearing apart Banks and leaving as a defiant champion, but that's in spite of an uninspired ending.

Still the champ.

WWE

Shinsuke Nakamura retains the Intercontinental Championship

After The Miz' entrance, Sami Zayn comes out to berate the audience, talk smack about The Undertaker and to introduce Shinsuke Nakamura. It sucks that Zayn is a manager, because he's such a terrific wrestler, but he is a fantastic manager. 

Nakamura and The Miz open with some chain wrestling. Zayn immediately takes the mic and starts commentating from the side. After about 30 seconds of amazing commentating, Zayn's mic gets cut off. 

Miz works over Nakamura's leg throughout the match, leading up to a Figure Four submission that gets a nice pop thanks to this being Charlotte, North Carolina, aka Flair Country. Nakamura grabs the ropes to break up the pin. Zayn distracts Miz, allowing Nakamura to his a modified Kinshasa to the back of Miz' head for a 2 count. Miz regains control and nails a Skill Crushing Finale, but Zayn distracts the ref.

Ending comes as Miz chases Zayn around the ring. Nakamura cuts him off, then hits a Kinsasha in the ring for the win.

Rating: 3.25 stars. This match had a slow start, got very good towards the end but had a finish that made The Miz look dumb. Miz's offense also looked weak at points. 

Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss retain Women's Tag Titles

Alexa Bliss comes out with a Harley Quinn-inspired look tonight.

Nikki Cross starts the match with Mandy Rose, who after some taunting from Cross tags in Sonya Deville. Eventually Rose is back in the ring against Bliss. Some sloppy stuff here, some of Bliss' forearms and slaps look great but there was some conspicuous mishaps too. The two were at some points a second or two out of sync. 

R-Truth runs into the ring and is chased by the 24/7 Championship crowd for a quick distraction. Bliss tries to rollup Truth, but he kicks out and runs into the crowd. This sentence must be completely incomprehensible to someone who doesn't regularly watch Raw.

Deville and Rose hit a double-team move on Bliss, but the pin was broken up by Cross. Bliss tags in Cross, Cross scores the pin on Rose after a top-rope neckbreaker. 

Rating: 2 stars. Not bad, a well laid out match (except for the 24/7 distraction), but there was a lot of sloppy wrestling here and the crowd wasn't particularly interested.

The Revival defeats The New Day

The Revival are awesome and The New Day very good, but these teams are struggling to get the crowd alive. The New Day dominate until The Revival out Xavier Woods and double team Big E. The crowd did wake up when Big E, after around 5 minutes of being beaten down, tagged in Woods. 

Woods runs wild on The Revival, but is cut off when he gets kicked in his injured leg. Big E comes in for a nice sequence that ends up with The Revival hitting a Shatter Machine on the outside. Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder then pick apart Woods in the ring and nail him with a Shatter Machine. They could go for a pin but decide to work over Woods' leg more.

Dawson puts Woods in a submission lock and Woods taps out.

Rating: 2.75 stars. Some nice wrestling here, but the middle section of the match felt plodding and the crowd, though sporadically invested, on the whole wasn't super into it. 

Bayley retains her SmackDown Women's Championship

Flair opens hot with a big boot to Bayley, who then retreats out of the ring. Flair chases Bayley around and, back in the ring, hits her with some chops and some snug-looking strikes. Outside the ring Flair throws Bayley into the ringside barricades. Pretty gnarly looking. Here the crowd pipes up with a "Let's go Charlotte!" chant. 

Flair starts working over Bayley's leg. The story of the match so far is that Flair is murdering Bayley. Bayley reteats to the corner and the ref stops Flair from keeping the offense up. Bayley takes the bottom turnbuckle padding off, pulls Charlotte into it in an illegal move and, surprisingly, gets the 1-2-3. 

After the match Bayley legs it to the back.

Rating: 2.5 stars. This match actually told a coherent story. Flair was killing Bayley, who blatantly cheated to retain her title. The hero looks strong, the villain looks evil. It was too short to be a great or even good match, but was solid for what it was.

Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler are Raw Tag Champions

Good opening match here. It opens with Strowman dominating both Roode and Ziggler, then tagging in Rollins. Ziggler turns the tide with a wicked DDT on Rollins outside the ring. The crowd was a little quiet at the beginning, but really got into the match as the bad guys kept cutting off Rollins from tagging in Strowman. 

Big pop when Strowman gets tagged in. He runs wild -- literally running Ziggler and Roode down on the outside -- but Ziggler rakes his eyes and double teams him with Roode. Eventually Strowman tags in Rollins. Amazing hot tag. This guy was flying all over the place, springboards inside the ring, suicide dives outside, more springboards inside. 

Match ends when Roode sets up a Glorious DDT and Strowman bumps Roode into Rollins. Strowman and Ziggler take a tumble outside, and Roode hits a DDT on Rollins for the win. 

Robert Roode, bottom of the card a month ago, pins the Universal Champion.

Rating: 3.5 stars. Slow start, but ultimately a solid match with a very good final few minutes. 

Your new tag champs. 

WWE

Preshow results

AJ Styles defeats Cedric Alexander in a United States Championship match: The first surprise of the night is that this match was on the preshow. Styles beats Alexander in a 5-minute match.

Drew Gulak retains the Cruiserweight Championship: Gulak beats Humberto Carrillo and Lince Dorado in a triple-threat match.

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Garmin Venu Sq review: A solid fitness tracker without the frills

Garmin Venu Sq review: A solid fitness tracker without the frills

The $200 (£179, AU$300) Garmin Venu Sq has almost every fitness- and health-tracking feature you could want in a smartwatch for less than competitors like the Apple Watch ($349 at eBay) and Fitbit Versa 3 ($170 at Target). It has a bright LCD touchscreen, built-in GPS, SpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking and up to six days of battery life, which makes it a compelling buy, especially if you want a watch that's compatible with both Android and iOS. 

It's not the most premium-looking smartwatch out there and it misses out on features like a voice assistant and altimeter, but it makes up for it in health and fitness features that elevate it from the rest. 

A functional watch without the wow factor

Like the name suggests, the Venu Sq has a square watch face with rounded edges, unlike the original Garmin Venu and almost every other Garmin sports watch with circular designs. Its 1.3-inch color LCD display feels a bit cramped compared to other Garmin watches, but it's clear and easy to read even in bright sunlight and you can keep the screen set to always-on. Having used the larger Garmin Venu for a while, the smaller size of the Venu Sq took a bit of getting used to, especially during workouts when I couldn't see as many stats at a glance and had to scroll to find the right metric like heart rate, which was all the way on the last page.

The overall build quality is sturdy enough thanks to an aluminum bezel, although the plastic case and buttons make it feel like a cheaper watch than it actually is, especially compared to something like the Apple Watch SE ($280 at eBay), Galaxy Watch Active 2 ($200 at Amazon) or Fitbit Versa 3 for example, which all have metal finishes and OLED displays. The Venu Sq has two side buttons: one to start/stop activities and the other to navigate back and forth between menus. Once I figured out which did what, it took me a few days to get completely comfortable using them to navigate the interface. 

My biggest complaint with the Venu Sq's design is the vibration motor, which is not particularly strong. Half the time it was the buzzing noise, not the vibration itself, that clued me in on a notification. 

Blood oxygen monitor and heart health alerts 

Garmin's biggest strength is in health and fitness tracking, with the Venu Sq squarely hitting the mark. It has an SpO2 sensor to identify blood oxygen levels, either as a spot check or automatically throughout the day and night, similar to the $399 Apple Watch Series 6. Although setting it to monitor constantly will reduce battery life a lot faster. It's also hard to find the SpO2 option in the menus and I found that adding it as a widget in the settings is the best way to get it to pop up on your wrist. 

Unfortunately I didn't have a pulse oximeter to compare the readings from the Venu Sq to determine accuracy. Either way, it's important to note that the Venu Sq has not been approved to be used as a medical device and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Always consult with a physician or other qualified health provider about any health-related issues you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Though the Venu Sq doesn't have an ECG, or electrocardiogram, like the Apple Watch Series 6 and Galaxy Watch 3 ($399 at Amazon), it does give you the option to receive high and low heart rate notifications that will let you know if your heart rate spikes above or falls below what it considers to be a healthy threshold. 

The Venu Sq also uses heart rate variability to determine your stress levels, but doesn't really offer much guidance on how to decrease your stress. I found Garmin's Body Battery meter, which takes into account heart rate variability readings, activity levels and sleep, a more accurate representation of how my body was working that day and helped me decide what kind of workout to do and how hard to push myself. It works better than the Stress Management Score in the Fitbit Sense ($240 at Target) that is a bit more difficult to interpret for me.

Garmin also offers breathing rate and estimated VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise, which can be used to gauge and improve athletic performance. The higher the number, the more fit you are. 

Screenshot by Lexy Savvides/CNET

Sleep tracking is also great on the Venu Sq and clearly identifies your sleep stages of REM, deep and light sleep. You'll also be able to see breathing rate and SpO2 levels in the morning. The downside is that the Garmin Connect app doesn't give you any tips on improving your sleep quality. Menstrual cycle tracking is also available on the Venu Sq and like other Garmin watches, it offers pregnancy tracking to log symptoms and monitor baby movement.

The Venu Sq has a range of workouts preloaded onto the watch, including cardio, strength, Pilates and yoga, so you can follow along with a preset routine on your wrist. There aren't any visual cues on the screen though, just text cues, so if you're doing yoga for example, you'll need to know what "standing forward bend pose" or "low lunge pose" means to get the most out of the routine. You can also build your own workout, such as a circuit of weights, a Pilates routine or a run, within the Garmin Connect app and sync them to the watch. There are also over 50 additional Garmin-created workouts you can load.

On top of these preloaded routines, the Venu Sq can track more than 20 different workout types, from the usual running and walking variants to golf and pool swimming. There's also a personal running coach you can use to help you train for a race or to hit a set goal. It doesn't give you personalized feedback on your form or audio cues like the Galaxy Watches ($295 at Amazon), for example, instead it's more a guide for when you should warm up or how long you should run for, displayed on your wrist.

The Venu Sq has built-in GPS, meaning you don't have to rely on your phone for distance tracking when you're outside. Just be warned that it does take at least 30 seconds to lock on to a GPS signal when you are outside (regardless of whether you have your phone with you or not), which seems like an eternity if you're an impatient runner like me who just wants to get on with it. Once it finally locked though, it tracked my route accurately.

The downside is that there is no gyroscope or altimeter on the Venu Sq, so if you need accurate elevation data you'll likely want to look elsewhere. The Garmin Connect app does a good job of clearly showing you all the details after your workout, but it doesn't dive any deeper into metrics than what similarly priced rivals like the Apple Watch SE or Fitbit Versa 3 offer.

Like other Garmin watches, the Venu Sq has Garmin Live Track which lets you share your location with a safety contact when you are doing an outdoor workout. It does however require a cellular connection, so you will need your phone with you to use this feature. 

You can customize the options on this screen to show only your favorite workout types to track.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

Just enough smarts for most people

While the Venu Sq is geared towards fitness and health tracking, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll miss out on smartwatch features. Like almost every other watch, the Venu Sq displays notifications from your phone and pings your phone to locate it if you lose it within Bluetooth range. You'll be able to see call notifications come through regardless of which phone you have the watch paired with, but only Android users will be able to decline calls and respond to text messages from the watch with prewritten responses. There is no speaker or mic onboard so you can't use voice-to-text responses.

The Venu Sq runs Garmin's own operating system (Garmin OS) which is not as seamless as that of Apple or Samsung's smartwatches, but I found it to be stable and more responsive than the Fitbit OS. It's faster to sync updates and doesn't experience any lag in selecting menu options or opening apps.

The biggest pain point for me when using the Venu Sq paired with an iPhone ($500 at Best Buy) has been notifications. The Garmin Connect app on iOS doesn't let you filter out what notifications come through on your wrist and simply mirrors whatever notifications you have set up on your phone. It might not be a deal breaker for many, but I like to push only the most important notifications such as calls and text messages to my wrist, rather than everything that my phone shows. Android users get more control over which notifications come through.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

If you want onboard music storage, you'll need to opt for the music edition of the Venu Sq that costs $50 more, which is the version I tested in this review. The Venu Sq Music lets you store music for offline listening from apps like Spotify (with a Premium subscription) or songs you already own. It's also the watch to get for faster data transfers as it has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, whereas the regular Venu Sq only uses Bluetooth.

Garmin has plenty of watch faces to choose from, including third-party options to help personalize the look, plus a fairly wide selection of apps through the Connect IQ Store (a separate app you need to download on your phone). You can also make contactless payments with Garmin Pay on all versions of the watch. The main Garmin Connect app is where you see all your stats and change settings on the watch, while the Connect IQ Store is for adding apps and watch faces.

The Venu Sq, however, lacks a voice assistant, a feature that by now has become standard for most of its similarly priced competitors. This might not be a deal-breaker for you, but it means you miss out hands-free voice control, which I like.

A week's worth of battery life 

The Venu Sq has great battery life and you can get up to six days worth of use before you'll need to charge it up, though that number may start to whittle down if you're using it for a lot of GPS workouts, listening to music or continuously tracking your blood oxygen levels. Garmin quotes up to eight hours of battery when playing back music, 14 hours if you are using it in GPS mode, or up to six hours with GPS and music playback. 

A great fitness watch without extra bells and whistles

If you're willing to sacrifice a few smart features for better health and fitness tracking, the Garmin Venu Sq is a solid choice that works with Android or iOS. That said, I do wish that Garmin wouldn't charge the extra $50 for the music version, as it does alter the value proposition quite a bit, particularly if you are an iPhone user who might also be considering the Apple Watch SE which, at that point doesn't cost you that much more. 

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Whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is gadmowera whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is hacked whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is crashing whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is in another language whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is my home whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger home whatsapp/kik/line

WhatsApp, Kik, Viber or ReTXT: Which third-party messenger is right for you?

WhatsApp, Kik, Viber or ReTXT: Which third-party messenger is right for you?

James Martin/CNET

There is no shortage of third-party messaging apps in either the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store and it's pretty easy to see why. While every smartphone has a default messaging app, none have many extras.

Sure, you can send photos and videos, and probably emoticons, but beyond that the default chat apps are pretty bare. To its credit, Apple has made strides with iOS' Messages app with features such as being able to send your location and voice memos, while Android will let you send contacts and other business-related tasks, but there's not much fun in that.

Fortunately, third-party messaging apps are mostly free, offer fun extras, and some even have added features like encryption to keep your messages secure. All use data, so any texting limits you have with your carrier don't apply and the ones that make calls are free for people who have the app.

Feature comparison

Obviously, a text messaging app has to let you send text messages, and adding photos and videos is more or less the standard with these type of apps. But it's the extras like locations, contacts, and even doodles that set some of these apps apart. On the other hand, you may be someone who is uninterested in stickers and gifs, so this chart will let you zero in on the things you need and the things you don't.

	WhatsApp Messenger	Kik	Viber	ReTXT
Text messages	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Phone calls	Yes	No	Yes	No
Photos	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Videos	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audio clips/voice memos	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Video calls	No	No	Yes	No
Sketching/drawing	No	Yes	Yes	No
Locations	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Share contacts	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Special Graphics/Stickers	No	Yes	Yes	No
Emoticons	default keyboard	Yes	Yes	default keyboard
Subscription	Yes ($0.99/year)	No	No	Yes ($0.99/year)
Encryption	No	No	No	Yes
Read receipts	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
In-app purchases	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

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James Martin/CNET

WhatsApp Messenger

WhatsApp has been in the third-party text messenger business for a long time, and even if you're not using it, chances are a lot of your friends are. The app has an extremely easy setup because you don't have to add buddies or invite people; WhatsApp Messenger scans your contacts for other users of the app and lets you start a conversation on your own.

WhatsApp shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives you a time stamp for messages, notifies you when a text has been viewed by your recipient and lets you include photos, audio notes and videos within your conversations. You can also change your background and send your GPS location to an interactive map. You can use premade away notes such as "I'm busy," "Available" or even "My battery is about to die," and you can block specific contacts from within the app. You also can easily send a friend's contact information to another user without leaving the app. So, while the app is not leaps and bounds ahead of other messaging apps, there are some nice extra features here.

It's important to note that WhatsApp is free for the first year of use, but then you'll need to sign up for subscription at 99 cents per year. But even though free is always better, I think a dollar a year (at the current exchange rate, that's about £0.65 or AU$1.25) is easily worth it for what you get.

Where it excels

• A lot of people already use it so you don't have to convince as many people to download it.
• Location maps look natural inline and let you tap to get more info.
• You can make free calls to others who have the app.
• You can customize the look by changing backgrounds.

Where it falls flat

• You can't make video calls.
• It has no special graphics other than emoticons.
• It doesn't have strong encryption.

Best for: People who know that their friends already use the app. Also, it's great for sending texts and making international calls to others who have the app.

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James Martin/CNET

Kik

Free; iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Kik is a messaging app that's much more about fun than it is about productivity. Yes, it has the regular messaging features and you can easily add photos and videos like most apps, but the extras here are more for a younger audience and not what you get with the other apps in this collection.

I noticed right away that Kik didn't have the ability to send your location or contacts. Instead, it's set up for having fun with things like stickers, the ability to sketch, add the latest viral videos and memes, and more. One really useful feature is the ability to perform an image search from within the app. It also has an assortment of original emoticons, but the ones you can use for free are not much different from what you get on your default keyboard.

And that's the other thing about Kik. It has its own currency called Kik Points (KP) that you use to buy sticker packs and special emoticons you can't find anywhere else. You don't buy Kik points with cash, though. You earn them by completing surveys, visiting specific websites, or signing up for services from one of Kik's partners. In other words, it's a way for Kik to make money without billing the users of the app.

Where it excels

• It has a huge number of things you can add to your messages, like stickers, icons, doodles, memes and more.
• You can perform an image search from within the app to add images to the conversation easily.
• It has its own in-app browser to find other content.

Where it falls flat

• Lack of location-adding and contact features make it less useful for working folks.
• The requirement of using Kik Points to buy features means you'll need to jump through hoops to get that unique zombie emoticon.

Best for: Students or groups of friends who like to keep the conversation going continuously with lots of fun stuff to add

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James Martin/CNET

Viber

Free; iOS, Android, Windows Phone

I recently reviewed Viber and found it to have the most useful features I've seen so far in a messaging app. It's excellent for messaging and calling your friends for free around the globe and you can even make video calls.

Sending a message is just like other apps, with balloons for each of the people chatting, and you can set up group texts for up to 100 participants. You can create an audio clip by touching the microphone, then touching and holding a big button in the bottom center to record. You also can send photos and videos, and you can send your location.

For some fun, there is a doodle feature, which lets you pick a brush size and color, then draw on the screen to send little doodles to your friends. You also get a good assortment of stickers for free, but can buy themed sticker packs if you're interested.

But what sets Viber apart from most third party messaging apps is the ability to make both audio and video calls and you can do it on a 3G connection or better. The app uses your regular phone number, and you can call anyone around the globe for free provided they also have the app. In my testing, call quality was excellent and even sounded better than regular calls on my iPhone.

You'll have to pay (through in-app purchase) if you want to call landlines or people who don't have the app, but it has a guide which shows how much it will cost you depending on the country.

Where it excels

• You can make free calls to other people who have the app (like WhatsApp) and you can make free video calls.
• Both audio and video calls are high quality even without a Wi-Fi connection.
• It has its own assortment of high-quality, original emoticons.
• It has plenty of stickers included for just about any situation, and you can buy more if you want themed sets.

Where it falls flat

• The Public Chat features let you browse subjects and enter a conversation, but you can't participate (coming in a later update).
• Not a lot of people use it.

Best for: People who want to message, or make audio or video calls internationally for free.

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James Martin/CNET

ReTXT

Free; iOS and Android

ReTXT is the newcomer to the collection having only been out for a few weeks, but in my review, I really liked the unique features you can't find in the other apps of this collection.

It does all the usual things such as letting you send photos and video, and you can add audio clips and send your location. But while it's not big on special graphics, stickers or anything like those, it has something even better to offer: the ability to correct or delete a message you already sent. Everyone has been a victim of their smartphone's autocorrect at one time or another, but with ReTXT, you can just tap the sent message and edit whatever you want. It then corrects the message for both you and your recipient.

Another unique feature is the capability to ask for clarification. When someone sends you a message that doesn't make sense, you can tap a button that sends them a question mark that appears right next to their own message balloon. This indicates that they should clarify their meaning without you having to ask questions or engage in a lengthy back-and-forth conversation.

Finally, ReTXT has strong security features which ensure you and your recipient are the only people to view your message content. It doesn't store your conversations on any server, and it has end-to-end encryption. The other apps can't boast this level of security, so if security is your number one concern, this is the app for you.

It's important to note that -- like WhatsApp -- you'll need to pay a 99 cents a year subscription (about £0.65 or AU$1.25), but if these features are important to you it's easy to part with a dollar per year.

Where it excels

• ReTXT lets you edit sent messages to fix any errors, whether it was an autocorrect mistake or maybe even something you shouldn't have said in the heat of the moment.
• You can ask for clarification by touching a button so you can avoid the back and forth texts.
• End-to-end encryption means you'll know only you and your recipient can see your messages.

Where it falls flat

• It doesn't have any customization or special graphics and emoticons besides what comes with your default keyboard.
• Almost nobody uses it because it's so new.

Best for: Those who find themselves making a lot of typos in their messages, or those who want an added level of security not found in other messaging apps.

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CNET recommends...

All of these are great chat apps, and really it comes down to a matter of your messaging style for which one you pick. But I think for most people, the fact that Viber covers so many bases puts it on top.

Not only does it have more practical features, like sending your location and contacts, it also has fun features which let you add audio clips and stickers to your conversations. And the fact that you can make both audio and video calls pushes it over the top.

There's still the problem of getting your friends to download the app, but with all these features, it shouldn't be too hard to convince them.

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