Telegram: It’s a service that many people love. In just 2015 alone, usage of it absolutely exploded. It’s safe to say that this platform is on its way to becoming one of the most popular messaging services out there, even competing with the likes of Whatsapp, Hangouts, Facebook Messenger and more.
Still, though the platform itself is neat, the client is lacking. It’s dull, and it doesn’t look the greatest, not to mention the Telegram developers don’t really take an active role in making sure that their client integrates well with whatever desktop it’s running on. That’s where Cutegram comes in.
Installation
Cutegram can be installed on a variety of operating systems: Linux, OpenBSD, Mac OS X and Windows. To download it for any of the platforms supported, just head over to this page, scroll to the bottom, and find the icon that corresponds with your operating system. Additionally, if your operating system isn’t officially supported, find the GitHub icon and download the source package.
Usage
When the program starts up, a prompt for your information appears. As Telegram works with phone numbers, you’ll be required to enter the phone number associated with your account. Once that’s done Cutegram will load up all of your contact information and messaging can commence.
Creating groups, much like in the official Telegram app, can be done with ease. All that is needed is to click the group icon on the left, followed by clicking the Create button. It’s as simple as that. Secret chats and contacts can also be created and added with the same ease. Click the icon, and do it.
Along with the basic things you’ve come to expect in a Telegram client, Cutegram also allows users to modify the client quite a bit. In fact, it has many options. If you click on the gear icon in the bottom left corner, you’re treated with a myriad of different settings to change: things like notifications, auto start, system tray icon style, languages, list style, scrolling settings, and many different theme and emoji settings.
What Makes Cutegram Special?
Quite simply, the reason Cutegram isn’t just another Telegram client is because of its commitment to working with desktop environments fully. It’s a focus that the developer takes into account. Too many clients out there don’t take into account the multitude of desktop environments on the Linux desktop or just how different each operating system (Linux or not) can be.
Cutegram tries its best to do that along with just providing a modern, easy-to-use interface that works for everyone and isn’t confusing. That’s the selling point here – it’s a vast improvement on an already stellar messaging platform.
Conclusion
Telegram is a great platform, especially if you’re looking to leave mainstream chat services for something more safe and secure. On that front it’s stellar. However, the official client looks a bit dated, to say the least. That’s why I think Cutegram is such a great client.
If you’re convincing your group of friends or family to switch, and they’re less than impressed with the official client, this program may be a winner, especially for those who want something that looks good and is easy.
Obviously, it’s not all perfect, and sometimes authentication problems appear, but overall, if you’re looking for a modern Telegram client, Cutegram should be your first stop.
Derrik Diener is a freelance technology blogger.
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