Talk Chart: A Zimbabwean Chat App

As someone who loves to chat with friends and family online(like everybody else), I was curious to try out Talk Chart, a chat application that claims to be the first Zimbabwean-owned chat app that allows people to connect seamlessly from any part of the world. I downloaded the app from Google Play Store and installed it on my phone. Here are my thoughts on Talk Chart and its features.

What is Talk Chart?

According to the app description, Talk Chart is a fast, reliable, and secure chat app that lets you stay connected with your friends, family, and colleagues. You can send and receive text messages, photos, videos, voice messages, and more. The app also uses state-of-the-art encryption to keep your messages safe and private. Sounds pretty good, right?

Well, not so fast. The app also promises to offer some features such as buying airtime, electricity, and sending or receiving money through Talk Chart. There’s nothing bad about these though, my greatest concern is that they don’t have Ecocash or Paynow integration even though their target market is Zimbabwe. Crazy right?

How does Talk Chart compare to other chat apps?

The first thing I noticed when I opened the app was how familiar it looked. The app’s interface is almost identical to Whatsapp, the most popular chat app in the world. The app has the a green and blue color scheme, the same layout of tabs, the same icons, and the same fonts.

I was disappointed by the lack of originality and creativity in the app’s design. It felt like the developers just copied Whatsapp and changed a few things here and there. I was expecting something more unique and innovative, something that would reflect the Zimbabwean culture and identity, something that would make me proud to use a local product.

The app’s functionality is also very similar to Whatsapp’s. You can create or join groups, make voice or video calls, send or receive media files, and use emojis or stickers. Although the app doesn’t use Whatsapp’s sticker pack, that’s still not a green flag for me. The app also has a dark mode and a light mode, which you can switch between easily. The app works fine, but it does not offer anything new or different from Whatsapp.

The app’s performance is also not very impressive. The app consumes a lot of data, which is a problem for many Zimbabweans who have limited access to affordable internet. The app also drains the battery quickly, which is another inconvenience. The app also has frequent updates, which can be annoying and time-consuming. The app also has some bugs and glitches, such as messages not being delivered or received, calls being dropped, notifications not working properly and the most annoying one was that I couldn’t set up a profile picture.

What are the pros and cons of Talk Chart

To sum up, here are some of the pros and cons of Talk Chart that I found:

Pros:

• It is a Zimbabwean-owned chat app, which is a rare and commendable achievement.
• It is easy to use, as it has a familiar and intuitive interface.
• It is free to download and use, as it does not charge any subscription fees or ads.

Cons:

• It is not original or unique, as it copies Whatsapp’s design and functionality.
• It is not innovative or creative, as it does not offer any new or different features.
• It is not data or battery efficient, as it consumes a lot of resources.
• It is not stable or bug-free, as it has frequent updates and glitches.

My verdict on Talk Chart

Overall, I think Talk Chart is a decent chat app, but it is not a great one. It is not a game-changer, as the developers claim. It is not a one-stop shop, as it does not have the features that it promises. It is not a Zimbabwean pride, as it does not reflect the Zimbabwean spirit.

I appreciate the effort and ambition of the developers, and I support their vision of creating a local product that can compete globally. However, I think they need to work harder and smarter to make Talk Chart stand out from the crowd. They need to improve the app’s design, functionality, performance, and stability. They need to add the features that they promised, and maybe some more that would surprise and delight the users. They need to make Talk Chart more than just a chat app, but a platform that connects, empowers, and enriches the Zimbabwean people.

That’s all for today, guys. Thank you for reading my article. If you have tried Talk Chart, let me know what you think about it in the comments. If you have not tried it yet, you can download it from the Play Store or the App Store and give it a try. if you’re looking for another app by Zimbabwean developers, check out Ruvara Rwakasiyana and Kai.