The thing about getting is older is that staying in touch with friends becomes more difficult. People get married, have kids, and maybe move country. You find yourself living far away from the people who make you feel the most whole.
Sometimes, you might wish friends just lived next door again. When a new movie comes out, part of you just knows it would have been more enjoyable with each other. Thankfully, there’s a way that you can bring everyone back together for a movie night with Rave.
Rave is an app that syncs together streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. Here's how to use it.
What Is Rave?
Rave is a video stream syncing app that lets users chat through voice and text while watching.
Through Rave, you can start or join watch parties with content streamed from Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, and more. While you will still need to have your account on paid streaming platforms, those that do not require subscriptions are free to watch in the app.
Additionally, Rave is a great way to share your subscription with friends who do not have accounts themselves. In fact, they may enjoy it so much that they will eventually subscribe. The interactive element also helps reduce the issues with syncing that often happen when trying to do it manually.
One of the unique things about Rave is its social networking aspect. Unlike its competitors, Rave lets you watch along with not just friends, but also strangers on public channels. With this, if your friends don’t like the same content as you, you can find new friends that do.
Rave also has a Rave DJ feature, which lets you generate original mashups and mixes using songs from YouTube and Spotify. After rendering, you can invite your friends to listen to them together.
Rave is free to download and is available on Mac, iPhone, Android, and Windows. However, if you’re not a big fan of ads, only Android users have the option to pay to remove them for $1.99.
Download: Rave for iOS | Android | Mac | Windows (Free, in-app purchases)
How to Use Rave for Synced Viewing
Once you have downloaded the Rave app, open it on your device and log in using your Facebook, Twitter, or Google account. Next, you can set up the content that you want to watch. You can either join an existing rave hosted by another person or start your own.
If you want to join a public rave, simply select any that are available. The main channel is filled with ongoing streams that you can watch for free. Before joining, you can see the platform, content title, and the number of people streaming it. When joining a rave, only the person who started it can control it and adjust the settings.
To start your own rave, select the plus icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen. Choose from the list of streaming platforms. If the content is only available on a streaming platform with a subscription, you will need to log in to it first.
Then, you can invite your friends to use the app and add them by tapping the Menu Icon > Friends. Your friends need to download the Rave app on their individual devices before they can watch. Tap the link icon to send an SMS invitation or add friends who are already on Rave to join.
You can restrict the room’s privacy settings to your group's preference. Rave lets users decide whether they want the room to be accessible to the public, nearby Rave users, friends, or invite-only.
Once the room is ready, you can also use the chat box or microphone feature to start talking and chatting while watching. The Rave leader can also decide to limit the voice capabilities to everyone, themselves, or no one at all. Once your friends have joined the room, press play and enjoy the experience.
Is Rave Safe?
One of the key issues that users point out with Rave is that it does not let you create your own Rave account within the platform. Rave requires all users to link existing accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google using single sign-on.
If you are a privacy buff who likes to decentralize your data, it is understandable that you are against this. Linking all your online experiences to a single account puts you at higher risk in case of a security breach.
Additionally, while the app is available across platforms, Rave has not yet been approved in the Apple App Store for Mac. To use Rave on Mac, you will need to download it directly on their website. There is no way to tell for sure why it is not available, but this could signal that it has not yet passed the standards that Apple requires for safety.
Many users also don’t feel comfortable sharing subscription login information with Rave. There is already a large black market for Netflix account login details that make Rave a prime target for hacking.
While the reviews for Rave is generally positive, several users have reported critical security breaches on Rave. For example, users note how supposedly private rooms are hijacked by unknown people that play videos and change the privacy settings of the room without their consent.
Watch in Sync With Friends on the Go
Despite some negative reviews of Rave, it's an innovative app that offers something new for the streaming experience. Currently, there are no direct competitors that offer the same experience, especially for free.
However, it’s important to note that it’s not the most secure app, so weigh its pros and cons before use. If you’re not very particular with your security, there are plenty of users who attest that Rave generally does what it promises which is a stream syncing and conversation app.
Alternatively, if you’re not comfortable with the safety concerns over Rave, Netflix Party lets you experience something similar without needing to download a new app or give up your subscription login details.