A smartphone app called FireChat has emerged as the messaging tool of choice for Hong Kong protesters . `` It 's like a giant megaphone , '' he said . The app, which is available in English, Chinese and Cantonese, allows users to send messages directly from their smartphones. The company registered 500,000 downloads in Hong Kong alone within two weeks . Other emerging services are exploiting the same 'mesh-network ' technology .
A smartphone app called FireChat has emerged as the messaging tool of choice for Hong Kong protesters . The app, which is available in English, Chinese and Cantonese, allows users to send messages directly from their smartphones. The company registered 500,000 downloads in Hong Kong alone within two weeks . Other emerging services are exploiting the same 'mesh-network ' technology .