I like the fact that Google is trying to make a unified communication app, but right now it still isn’t what I need in every way.  At the moment I’m using a text messaging app called Handcent because it allows me many customization features that I use often.  One thing that I use is custom message tones for different people, I like this because I can know right away if someone important or not is sending me a text.  Second I have custom message notification icons, I have different colors for different people and again I can know just by looking at my phone (if I don’t hear the message tone) who it is that texted me and know if it’s important or not.

If Google were to give me those features in Hangouts I would use Hangouts as my default messaging app right away.  Also if when Google Voice is integrated into Hangouts I could send & receive text messages from my phone, tablet, or PC that would be great.  My only fear with integrating Google Voice into Google Hangouts is that I will loose all the great features that I get with Google Voice right now, please Google don’t screw up Voice, it’s my second number (and possibly my main number if you integrate everything correctly) and my voice-mail, please don’t mess this up guys!

Another feature I’d like to see is message encryption.  Take a look at an app called Threema, They’ve got end to end encryption and three levels of security, one dot means not secure, two dots is relatively secure based on your own contact list, and three dots is very secure and you’ve met in person and scanned each others QR Codes.  This would be a great feature Google Hangouts could offer, users could automatically have a two dot security level with other Google users in their contacts, or even people in their G+ circles.

So those are my requests for Google Hangouts, the main thing I want right away is customization, that would most likely make me switch to Hangouts as my main messaging app.  I still want end to end encryption, but I know that would take longer to implement.