Why I Finally Gave In and Installed 'Mah' (or Max)

Hello there.

I'm like many people who chose WhatsApp for communication. Over time, it became a familiar and even a native choice. Although I also had Telegram, things took a turn for the worse when they started blocking WhatsApp and it didn't get added to the whitelist. To make matters worse, they introduced restrictions that gradually slowed down message sending speeds. It became tough to communicate, whether it was personal or work-related.

At the time, people were already introduced to the new Russian messenger 'Max', but I was wondering why it had an English name. It's like they were pushing everyone towards this messenger, almost by force. As far as I know, kindergartens, schools, and household chats were also shifted to this messenger.

My initial reaction to the messenger was skeptical, given all the reviews and info I'd read about it. There were some nuances that made me hesitant to install it, but mainly because I was being forced to. I mean, who's going to make me do it? I'm a freelancer, so I don't have a boss telling me what to do. In short, I couldn't imagine a scenario where I'd voluntarily download it. The arguments against it were too strong.

Every time I spoke to someone, whether it was work-related or just chatting, I'd hear: 'Do you have Max?' or 'I can only send it on Max.' And I'm like, 'No, I don't have Max.' It was getting annoying.

Why I Installed the Messenger Anyway.

I was in a bind at work when I needed to get some critical files and photos. But WhatsApp was taking forever, and Telegram was slowing down too. These files were stuck for hours, and I really needed them – not just for me, but for others who were counting on them to get paid. I was getting desperate, not knowing what to do. That's when I said, 'Okay, I'll just download your Max app.' I was on edge, but I downloaded it and signed up within two minutes using my phone number and password. The files came through, and I was able to send them on to others, so I could finally breathe a sigh of relief after all the stress.

As for the differences between Max and WhatsApp, I didn't really notice any major ones. You can choose from a bunch of interfaces, and there are plenty of stickers to pick from. The stickers are actually pretty cool – they're themed around Russian culture, which I appreciated.

To be honest, at first glance, Max just seemed like a standard messenger – nothing too exciting or confusing.

All the IT experts are saying that Max isn't fully developed and has issues with encryption, but as a non-expert, I have no idea what that means.

I've gotta say, I know some people are just paranoid about downloading Max, worried they'll get targeted or something. Nothing malicious, just people who complain about life and stuff. We've all been there, right? Even I have my gripes, and sometimes I want to share my thoughts or frustrations. It's just human nature. But nobody wants to get called out or criticized for something they wrote on the spur of the moment.

Now that I've been using Max for a while, I'm totally comfortable with it. I just tweak my language a bit, you know, think before I write.

Scammers.

I might be the only one, but I haven't had any issues with scammers on WhatsApp. However, in the Max messenger, which I've used for less than a month, I've already encountered some suspicious activity. So, this guy calls me through Max. I look at the phone number and it's not in my contacts, but it shows his name, and honestly, it spooked me. I pick up the phone, and the girl on the other end is telling me this story about how I've received some documents in the mail. Apparently, a courier is supposed to deliver them, but I need to verify the code they sent me via email. I check my email, and sure enough, the code is there. But then I ask her if I can pick up the documents at the post office, and she says yes. Things take a turn when she starts asking me for the code over the phone. That's when I get suspicious and tell her I'm not going to give it to her. I hang up the phone. It's weird, because everywhere they're saying about scammers, but how did I almost fall for it? What really got to me was that the caller's name was displayed in the messenger, and it wasn't until later that I realized the avatar didn't even have a phone number linked to it – just a name.

I'm baffled – I've never seen this before. Apparently, this messaging app was supposed to block suspicious calls, but I couldn't find a button to report it. I couldn't even tell the developers about the scam call I received. And to make matters worse, this contact is still in my list, and it looks like she's been scamming other people too.

Features.

Now you can book an appointment at our city hospital through the Max app. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm skeptical – our hospital is usually a mess. The Max app also lets you make calls when the regular network is down. I've heard you can even go to government services without a passport if you have the Max app. And, of course, it's great for fast access to government services.

Verdict.

So, the Max app is pretty good. It's in the white list, works with and without the internet. But, to be honest, other messaging apps used to work just as well.

So, I guess it's worth recommending this messenger given the circumstances. But honestly, I've got plenty of friends and family who still aren't on it. It seems like the people who are on it are either under pressure from their situation or their workplace. I even had a weird experience at a private clinic in my city where the registrars still use WhatsApp to send prep info for tests. I was waiting all day for that info to come through. It was pretty frustrating.

As the song goes: 'think for yourself, decide for yourself, install Max or don't.'