Lightest way to run Google Hangouts Chrome app on Mac

Question

I recently transitioned to Safari because I'm really tired of how Chrome hogs memory and drains my battery like crazy. The only thing that has been keeping the Chrome icon open is the Hangouts plugin. Basically, I am looking for the lightest way to run Hangouts on my Mac. By light, I mean the least amount of RAM usage, and preferably a way to do it without Chrome open/light version of Chrome that only opens extensions. Any suggestions?

EDIT: Another thing I noticed was that Hangouts ignores your default browser if links are sent to you by chat, and when clicked they open in Chrome. My question doesn't relate to this at all, but I found it interesting...

Solution 1

I think the Chrome hangouts plugin is very nice, and the solution from McGuire can be used to make a browser dedicated to hangouts. Alternatively we can also use Fluidapp, which "transform" Hangouts web application into a "dedicated" desktop application - which is stored like any other mac os application in the Applications folder. This seems to be a very light browser (from a quick inspection on the activity monitor).

Here are the instructions:

• download http://fluidapp.com/
• define the app URL as https://plus.google.com/hangouts
• launch it
• click on "open chat in new window", and this opens a tab for each conversation

It is not like a native client (like Adium)... also it does not provide notifications as nice as the Hangouts chrome extension... but it provides a nice way to organize all the chat windows in more contained manner, and it is a light way to have Hangouts running.

Solution 2

Personally, I run Chromium only for Hangouts.

I am on Linux and don't know if it works well on Mac but I think you can try: - I have installed Chromium - I have installed the Hangouts extension from the Chrome web store - I have allowed apps to run in background in chromium settings (Advanced section) - I have logged in Hangouts - Totally close Chromium, including systray icon - Launch chromium with command line

chromium-browser --no-startup-window &

I have no browser window, only the Hangout extension window/popup.

Regards.

Solution 3

There's Flamingo, but it costs $10 :(

The description says:

Flamingo is a beautiful, native instant messaging client for OS X that supports Hangouts/Gtalk, Facebook, and XMPP.

Comments

[Devin Rhode]

also would be nice for other chrome exclusives like chromecast

[Alvaro Lourenço]

Flamingo does not support group chatting, which basically kills the concept of Google Hangouts.

[William Everett]

That doesn't start Hangouts, it starts a Hangout. If you're trying to stay available to other people via Hangouts this will not work.

[mphair]

My biggest gripe with Flamingo (and Adium, and OSX Messages) is the lack of syncing offline chat history. Apparently it's a problem with google's API and not likely (possible?) to be fixed in any 3rd party programs. But it's worth noting alongside the suggestion.

[mhucka]

I would give this 100 points if I could. I tried it and it works! And after initially thinking that notifications didn't work, I just now saw a notification come in after someone else typed in a hangout. This is fabulous!

[Ravindra Bawane]

This doesn't answer the question. OP is asking how to run a old web app inside a browser, not whether there are 3rd party utilities to do this.