http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Verify yourself wiener! ]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
done.]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
I quite agree, everywhere else 3g phone means that it can do normal 3g things like, say, video-calling. Even a dumbphone can do that if it's got 3g and is from SE, Nokia and others. But American phones always seem to miss such basic features.

Not that I've ever had much of a use of video calling over 3g...]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
144x76 pixels of reality inspiring compression to create that perfect impressionist view of your 5 frames a second loved one as your ears are treated to a white noise rendition of their voice beautifully out of sync.

All displayed on your glorious smartphone with it's unviewable (at normal viewing distance) super HD screen and 7.1 surround sound delivered through a mono speaker.

Gold! Gold!

Nah, Americans couldn't the handle the power!

LOL. Ahh btw 3g video calling is crap in case the comedy was lost on you.]]>Dec 1st 2009 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
So, you're saying that because 3G video calling is crap currently, we shouldn't hope for a better version down the line? I can think of endless circumstances where it would be wonderful to share one's audio/visual experience with another, live, while both are on the go. Wouldn't that be nice? ]]>Dec 1st 2009 5:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
o wait... does iphone have a usb port?

hmmm... better spent next month's rent on buying an apple tagged webcam]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 2:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/that's exactly what is was thinking right before i read your comment. i'm sure some company will take on the task. after all, another computer made a special optical zoom lens for the iPhone]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 3rd 2009 11:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
But as someone stated in another post - this has been around in Europe but hasn't really caught on.

Do you think it will become popular in the coming years?]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
I think it has to do with the fact that providers charge more money for video calls and doing a video call sucks battery life. This obviously doesn't fix the battery life but at least it's free on Skype.]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/It's been around in the U.S. for a while too but nobody uses it. ]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Well, that depends on the country and providers.

Here in Slovenia video calls (with most providers) cost exactly the same as regular calls.

They don't get used massively instead of regular calls, but I think this will never happen. They are fun every once in a while or if you want to show something...]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
O2 say they won't charge anymore either .. ]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
On my provider it costs the same as regular voice calls, in fact it's included in my free minutes. But i don't use it anyway. Just face it, video calling sounds nice in theory, but in practice nobody really wants to use it.]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
I think also that a lot of people aren't even aware that they can make video calls or how it works.. For example, my brother -who's relatively "tech curious"- thought he needed to use data transfer (or a data plan) to make video calls.

Some years ago, when it was a new thing, this feature was being promoted and I remember video calls being actually free for a while. But at the time very few people had phones capable of this. Maybe if they repeated this now more people would catch on...

But again, I don't see this being used massively either way. Still, it's nice to have it when you need it.]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/It's a nice feature to have, but I don't see this catching on here, and I'm not surprised it hasn't caught on in Europe. Aside from video chat, which is fine for the occasional Skype call home to parents, it really has to do with how we physically interact with a cell phone call.

Most people who speak on the phone don't want to be involved to the extent that they're focusing on a screen. Many multi task while on a call; others simply just don't want to be seen on the other end. It isn't a technological barrier to this being adopted, it's a human behavioral barrier.

]]>Dec 1st 2009 3:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
How is that, BY taking a POS phone on a POS network and adding a feature that makes no sense whatsoever?

Hense all their effort mounts up to a HEAPING steaming pile of shit.
Fring is Ghey, this APp is Ghey]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
that costs $20 on prepaid.
]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Most 3G phones released in Europe have a front facing camera. It's only those primarily targeted at the US market that don't have it. I read that AT&T actually modified some Nokias for selling them in the US, by removing video calling functionality altogether...]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Yep. The carriers over here purposely remove the front facing cameras on OEM model phones, so even if someone did make software like this, they couldn't use it on their crappy network anyways. Great job to fring for sticking it to them either way, although it seems that this can only be used on WiFi. Oh well, I can make video calls with my N97 all day long on AT&T, and I encourage anyone else who has a front facing cam to do so. Let's clog their network so bad it goes out :)]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Yeah I remember the very first 3g phone I got on AT&T in December of 2006. It was an LG CU 500 filp phone and the camera was where it filpped open and it swivled on the same hinge as the top connected to the bottom and it would face both directions all you had to do was turn it like a knob. I can't remember if they had video calling back then but you could watch video thru their media net store. ]]>Dec 1st 2009 8:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.mobilewhack.com/iphone-video-calls-with-imirror/]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/I can see it now "Hey baby, you should pr0ncast for me."]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
its already on the iphone bro....]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Yeah, with NO 3G, WiFi Only.
Apple wins. Same thing with the SlingBox application.
WiFi Only. We wouldn't want to put a strain on that great network AT&T has been advertising lately would we?]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/How dare you take my second name!!!?]]>Dec 1st 2009 4:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 4:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 1:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Ki Ki Ki, Ma Ma Ma]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Shouldn't that read:
"as this 3G network doesn't support video calls."]]>Dec 1st 2009 1:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/

I'm on my 3rd videocall-capable phone now, but i never use it and neither does anybody else, it's just a stupid function.]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/"why would you want to see the face of who you are talking to?"

Yeah, even IRL I just look away or close my eyes when I'm talking to someone. Watching faces = overrated.

:P]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/

I wanted to say it doesn't really add anything useful to a conversation :P
besides nobody wants to hold his phone up in front of his face for however long the videocall lasts, especially in public.]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Communication is done verbally and non-verbally, so surely it does add something useful. But I'd specify that not with every person and not in every conversation. There are some conversations where you could benefit by using video and there are others, where you wouldn't want to use video at all.

Web cams (for PCs) are popular enough, so there must be a market for this. But I'll agree with you that holding the phone in front of you in public is not what most people really want to do...]]>Dec 1st 2009 3:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 2:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/
Ever since then, I haven't seen one carrier (or developer for that matter) really try to support or push for videoconferencing over a mobile network. Certainly, Windows Mobile and the non-carrier-branded HTC devices with all those front-facing cameras could have done it.

But, now all the carriers are pissing that it'll kill the network, or perhaps they're trying to find a way to make extra money off of it. AT&T even got Apple by the balls to make sure nothing is released unless it's done "over Wi-Fi."

Frustrating, to say the least.]]>Dec 1st 2009 2:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/fring-brings-one-way-video-calling-to-the-iphone/Dec 1st 2009 3:51PM