Not sure where to put this - Line ID

[paborn]

I'm sorry if this is out of place. But, honestly,  I'm lost. I've, of course, googled the topic, but I'm afraid I'm still lost.

 

Just what is a line ID?

 

Do you need an app of some kind?

 

What do you do with it?

[DivineMadman]

Line is a messaging/social app dominant in Thailand and nearby, although these days a lot of the guys are also have the others on their phones.

 

you can download the app for your phone and/or there is a desktop application

 

go to "add friends" and it gives you the choice to search by Line ID or phone number.  When searching by ID, if it doesn't show up at first, sometimes it helps to try again with (or without) an "@"  

 

Some places also display a QR code and adding by QR Code is the easiest way.

[anddy]

haha (sorry if I laugh), not even google could help you with this super easy question:

 

"Line ID" is sort of the "user name" in LINE, LINE being a messenger app, very similar to Whatsapp which you may be familiar with. LINE is almost unknown in western countries, but extremely popular in Asia (with local differences, VERY common in Thailand). The app is from a Japanese company, which might explain the Asian focus. 

 

Personally, I prefer LINE over Whatsapp, because it is easier to use, especially sending pictures  is much easier. Also, they have an abundance of very cute stickers (some free, some for pay) instead of the outdated and boring emojies in Whatsapp. It also has long had free voice call and video call functionality (which Whatsapp only introduced rather late in the game about a year or two ago)

 

Look in the app store of your mobile phone for LINE and you will find it. 

 

and finally, here is the wikipedia article for you:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_(software)

 

 

edit: DM beat me by a minute haha

[anddy]

you may have seen the logo before:

 

[Guest]

I currently have 3 communication apps on my phone:

What's App:   Commonly used in western countries

Line:  Popular in some Asian countries

We Chat:  Popular in China

 

As I see it, the reasons for using Line in Thailand are:

1 Message delivery is much faster than on some of the dating apps like Gay Romeo. 

2 I don't have to give any boys my phone number, as they can have my Line ID instead.   If I then get nuisance messages, it's easier to properly block them.   Even though my phone can also block contacts,  I just prefer the way Line does it.

3 Line still works after changing the SIM, so I can keep in contact when returning home and on the next trip.  That's obviously for selected people only.

[paborn]

Thanks all. I have Whats App for friends in the Caribbean and love it. This sounds like a Godsend.

[Guest Promsak]

3 Line still works after changing the SIM, so I can keep in contact when returning home and on the next trip.  That's obviously for selected people only.

Unfortunately, LINE deletes all your previous messages if you change to a new phone.

It does however preserve your contacts.

I know there is a way to keep all your old LINE messages but it is not straightforward.

[anddy]

Unfortunately, LINE deletes all your previous messages if you change to a new phone.

It does however preserve your contacts.

I know there is a way to keep all your old LINE messages but it is not straightforward.

they actually changed the way to make a back up a little while ago. Previously, you had to back up each and every one chat INDIVIDUALLY, a major pain in the neck. Now, you can just back up your ENTIRE chat history in one go. The function is a bit hidden in "settings - chats", but not too hard to find.

[DivineMadman]

We Chat is popular in Vietnam and with Vietnamese guys because of the easy translation feature.  That is one area where Line is deficient, IMHO.  

 

When I was in Indonesia Whats App seemed more popular than Line with regular folk.

[anddy]

true the translation feature of WeChat can be very handy and should show the competion the way to go. Having said that, you may still run into problems with Thai, as the usually appalling results from google translate attest. Thai doesn't lend itself to automated translation is my feeling. The structure of the language is too dissimilar from English (or other western languages). Not sure how good, say, a Thai-Khmer translation in google is, but my guess is it is equally poor because I get the feeling the translation engine is English-based, i.e. it translates whatever source language into English first, then proceeds to translate that result into your target language. 

 

Yes I agree, in my experience, too, in Indonesia WhatsApp is most common. Like I said , there are regional differences (Singapore has Whatsapp, WeChat and Line, almost in equal shares I'd guess) and the active traveller is probably best advised to get them all 

[fedssocr]

I just invested in the new version of the Travis translator device. They claim to be able to handle Thai and say they use something like a dozen translation engines and choose the one that's best for a particular language. I am a bit skeptical but I guess I will find out eventually.

[paborn]

Forgive my Luddite tendencies. But, I downloaded Line and it seems I create my own idea.  Is there some format I'm not seeing - I just make it up?

[fedssocr]

yes, you choose an ID that you want

[paborn]

Thanks everyone. Please report back about the Travis - the reviews on Amazon are terrible.

[a447a]

I'd be lost in Thailand without Line. All the guys seem to have it.

 

They know exactly how to use it and can quickly set it up for you and then add you as a "friend."

 

These days we tend to exchange spoken messages rather than type.

[ChristianPFC]

I have been using Line for years and here some thoughts:

 

I haven't set a Line ID (just can't think of any, and once you set it you can't change it), I give the boys my phone number to add me.

 

If you are friends with someone on Line, I didn't find a way to get his Line ID other than asking him. A friend wanted to introduce me to one of his friends via Line, so we he set up a group with us three, and in this group I friended the third.

 

I accidentally logged off Line on my phone, and on logging in all chat data was gone because Line didn't recognize my phone as the same as before, thought it was a new device. With upcoming purchase of new phone, I want to move all chats from old to new, and then have to look again into how to do this.

 

Pictures and videos are only available for 30 (?) days. However, on my phone I found a folder that seems to contain all pictures I even sent or received on Line, and which amounted to 2 GB (!!!) of data. The folder is ASUS_Z00LD/Internal Storage/Android/data/jp.naver.line.android/storage/mo (might differ for your phone).

 

The two points above are an awful backup and awful waste of space.

[Jasper]

On my LINE app, settings>Chats>chat history back up

It says can be restored.

[fedssocr]

Thanks everyone. Please report back about the Travis - the reviews on Amazon are terrible.

 

Yeah, we'll see. They're raising money for the new version on Indigogo. 

[Guest Promsak]

On my LINE app, settings>Chats>chat history back up

It says can be restored.

Thanks so much Jasper. That looks straightforward enough.

Now only one thing needed on LINE --- a good translator.

I think I have a clue about why Google Translate seems so awful even bizarre. My other half often writes in Thai and when I show him the translation (from Facebook say) he says "that's because I wrote in 'north' or 'Lao'.

[anddy]

I haven't set a Line ID (just can't think of any, and once you set it you can't change it), I give the boys my phone number to add me.

you don't even have to give them your phone number (makes subsequent disconnect easier should someone bother you), you can use the QR-code or "shake-it" funtionality while you are physically with the other person. As for ID, how about PFC? Or similar? But not really necessary I guess

 

 

If you are friends with someone on Line, I didn't find a way to get his Line ID other than asking him.

yes, there os no way to find someone's Line ID within Line, even if you are already friends. Same goes for the phone number, can't find it in Line. I like that feature a lot, protects your privacy better than most other similar apps. 

 

 

I accidentally logged off Line on my phone, and on logging in all chat data was gone because Line didn't recognize my phone as the same as before, thought it was a new device. With upcoming purchase of new phone, I want to move all chats from old to new, and then have to look again into how to do this.

see the (new-ish) back up funcionality described above to rectify loss  of data when switching phones or even when accidentally logging off. Just back up on a regular basis, unfortunatley there is no automated scheduled back up functionality (yet?) in Line, as there is in Whatsapp (I have whatsapp on auto-back up every week)

 

 

Pictures and videos are only available for 30 (?) days. 

I noticed an expiration as well, though no idea how long. Some seem to be available forever, others only a rather short period of time. Dunno....

[Guest]

Losing photos after 1 month is not the biggest hardship, particularly when using Line to fix up what are often 1 night stands with a MB.

   

I wasn't even aware that this happens until mentioned above, despite using Line for several years.   

 

If a boy is really good, I will remember what he looks like.     If he's sent a particularly horny photo, I shall just have to remember to copy it to an appropriate folder.

[DivineMadman]

if you don't want to lose a Line photo or video you can save it to "Keep".