Texting charges suck. Google Chat lets users bypass them. (It uses your mobile data connection, not your text allotment.) These other Android apps do that and more, with features like group chat and video sharing.
Group Me
The ability to sort your contacts into groups and text them in batches makes GroupMe — which Skype purchased in 2011 — like Google+ Circles for smartphones. The easy-to-navigate app is perfect for coordinating multiperson meetups, but it can also do one-on-one chats.
WIRED: Available on iOS, BlackBerry,...