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Skype Qik lets you swap short video messages with your friends
Skype may be one of the better-known options for video messaging, but it doesn't hold a candle to a services like Snapchat if you just want simple, back-and-forth discussions. The Skype team isn't taking this competition lying down, though -- it just rolled out Skype Qik, its own take on rapid-fire video delivery. The mobile-only app is focused solely on swapping short clips (up to 42 seconds; yes, it's a nod to Hitchhiker's Guide) as part of conversations with your phone contacts. In theory, it's just what you need to coordinate a night out or catch up with pals who are rarely available at the same time. All messages vanish after two weeks to help protect your privacy, and you can pre-record "Qik Fliks" to use when you're either too busy or just want to reply with your favorite internet meme.
Qik shutting down April 30th, three years after being acquired by Skype
It's been more than three years since Skype purchased the video calling service Qik, but until now, it's lived on as a standalone app. Finally, though, it's shutting down: Qik announced in a blog post today that it will close its doors on April 30th, taking all your videos with it. The reason: Skype has finally folded all of Qik's features into its own service, so there's no reason to offer a duplicate product.
Sounder launches, we go hands-on (video)
We don't know about you, but most of us Engadget editors live in a perpetual state of inbox insanity. Keeping on top of voicemails, text messages, emails, IMs, Twitter DMs, Facebook and Google+ messages -- to name just a few -- is a herculean yet unavoidable task. As a result, personal messages often get drowned out in a sea of work-related correspondence. Sounder is an app that aims to ease the inbox pain a little by providing a simple and immediate way to speak with those people that matter. Pick a few important Facebook friends and the app lets you talk to them directly at the push of a button via VoIP. The goal is to keep you connected to the folks closest to you. Sounder -- which launches today for free -- supports the iPhone and iPod touch, with iPad, desktop and Android versions in the works. A $0.99 in-app upgrade enables a super slick "flip-to-talk" feature which lets you reply without waking your phone -- just turn it over and speak. After meeting founders Nancy Broden (of Twitter fame) and Michael Fortson (former Qik Director) at SXSW, we got the chance to take an early prototype of Sounder for a spin and came away impressed with how simple yet effective it is. Since our demo in Austin, the company's been busy fine tuning the app and putting in the final touches -- like that "flip-to-talk" functionality. Want to know more? You'll find some screen shots in the gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.
NVIDIA opens Windows 8 developer program with support for Kal-El tablets
Unless you've been living under a rock, you know Microsoft's Build developer conference is going on right now in Anaheim, California, and Windows 8 is the belle of the ball. Earlier today, Windows chief Steven Sinofsky spilled more details about the OS, touting the minimum requirements and NFC support, while we fessed up to having had some quality hands-on time ourselves. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company's hardware partners are also ready to start talking. NVIDIA just opened its Windows 8 developer program, and says it'll embrace not just x86-based PCs, but Tegra-powered tablets as well. Specifically, that means support for its forthcoming quad-core Tegra platform, codenamed Kal-El, along with PCs packing GeForce, Quadro and Tesla cards. Any developers who happen to be hanging around the Anaheim Convention Center can sign up at NVIDIA's booth, though there's also an online registration page for everyone else. Find that at the source link, along with the full PR after the break.
Motorola Photon 4G review
It's summer, which means the usual deluge of Android handsets is upon us. The Motorola Photon 4G is Sprint's latest specimen, and follows hot on the heels of HTC's somewhat disappointing EVO 3D. Like its stablemate, it's a proper superphone with a dual-core processor, large qHD display, and of course, WiMAX. Instead of trying to wow us with a gimmicky 3D camera, it differentiates itself by being Sprint's first global phone with WiMAX, and as such supports CDMA / EV-DO for North America along with GSM / HSPA for the rest of the world. Motorola further spices things up with a dash of WebTop functionality, something it first introduced on the Atrix 4G. So, is the Photon just the smartphone flavor du jour, or does it stand out from the seasonal crowd? How does it compare to the EVO 3D and the other Android flagships? Hit the break for our full review. %Gallery-130607%
T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review
Not too long ago, things were pretty simple in T-Mobile's Android land. For us (the nerds, geeks, power users, early adopters, and other misbegotten social deviants) there was the G series of phones with plain Android, culminating recently with LG's delightful G2x. If you wanted to buy your mom an Android smartphone, you'd point her at the myTouch series of handsets with custom HTC Sense-based skins, like last winter's myTouch 4G. Life got a bit more complicated with the introduction of LG's Optimus T, Samsung's Galaxy S 4G, and other devices that don't neatly fit into the carrier's grand branding scheme. Well, fear not! T-Mobile and HTC went ahead and refreshed last summer's lovely myTouch 3G Slide with a dash of dual-core tech lifted right from HTC's Sensation flagship and a bespoke 8 megapixel shooter said to be "the most advanced camera of any smartphone". Those are fighting words... so does the myTouch 4G Slide (as it's called) beat the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S II, Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc, and Nokia's N8 in terms of imaging performance? Is the sliding keyboard as pleasant to use as its predecessor? And most importantly, is this your mom's next phone? Read on for our full review. %Gallery-129747%
HTC EVO 3D review
The first time we saw the rumored Supersonic we were blown away. HTC and Google had just wowed us with the Nexus One, and here we were looking at something even better -- a 4.3-inch phone with WiMAX wrapped in a white body. This prototype was buggy and had abysmal battery life, but it was real. Four months later it landed in our hands at Google I/O. We're of course talking about the EVO 4G which went on to become a runaway hit for HTC and Sprint as the first ever 4G smartphone in the US. And here we are a year later with the HTC EVO 3D, the legitimate heir to Sprint's mobile kingdom -- at least until the Motorola Photon 4G comes along. When we first played with the 3D-capable handset at CTIA we were suitably impressed, but we left with a lot of unanswered questions. How do the 1.2GHz dual core processor and qHD display affect battery life? Is 3D a compelling feature or just a gimmick? What is 2D camera performance like with the lower specced camera? Is the EVO 3D a worthy replacement for the EVO 4G? Find out in our review after the break. %Gallery-126409%
Qik Video Connect gets Android and Apple users seeing eye-to-eye
EVO and MyTouch 4G owners have been able to enjoy the virtues of video calling via Qik for some time, but Skype's latest acquisition is finally letting a few more phones in on the action. Qik Video Connect now works with some devices running Android 2.1 and up, iPhones, iPad 2s and any iPod Touch with a camera -- letting Apple fanboys and Android apologists speak face to face over 3G, 4G, and WiFi with the device of their choosing. It's not the first app to do cross-platform video calling, but it is the only one with Qik's video mail and video sharing services. The catch? It's only currently available on ten Android handsets, though dev teams are "busy getting Video Chat ready on additional phones." Let's hope they work quickly.
T-Mobile G2x review
It's only been a few weeks since the Optimus 2X crossed the desk of our European review bureau as the first known dual-core smartphone in the universe. Now LG's wunderkind has made its way across the pond and landed on US soil to be reborn as the G2x on T-Mobile. While the hardware remains the same elegant Tegra 2-infused slab of glass, metal and plastic, the software has been liberated from the shackles of LG's UI customizations into a serving of vanilla Froyo -- the exact same approach T-Mobile took when it introduced the Desire Z as the G2 without HTC's custom Sense skin last fall. Unlike previous G-series phones, the G2x ditches the physical keyboard for a 4-inch WVGA display with HDMI output and an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture. Beyond the transition from messaging-centric device to multimedia powerhouse, what else is different about the hardware? Is plain Android a vast improvement over the lackluster software that shipped on the Optimus 2X? How does the G2x fare against T-Mobile's current flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G? Find out in our full review after the break. %Gallery-121708%
Samsung Galaxy S 4G review
It's only been six months since Samsung launched its highly successful Galaxy S assault upon the US market with a series of carrier customized phones: the Vibrant and Captivate GSM twins for T-Mobile and AT&T, the WiMAX-rocking Epic 4G for Sprint and the Fascinate for Verizon. More derivatives arrived later, with the Mesmerize, Continuum, Nexus S, and LTE-equipped Galaxy Indulge. Still the Vibrant was the first, and the closest in appearance to the original Galaxy S, losing the front-facing camera, but gaining a search button. Unfortunately, Samsung was slow to upgrade early devices like the Vibrant beyond Eclair, and to fix the well-documented AGPS problems. As such, the release of the Samsung Galaxy S 4G for T-Mobile -- basically an updated Vibrant with HSPA+, a front-facing camera, a bronze battery cover, Froyo out of the gate, but no dedicated internal flash storage -- is bittersweet. While beneficial to those who waited, it's a slap in the face to those who purchased the Vibrant. But is it a worthy upgrade? How does it fit into T-Mobile's high-end Android lineup? Read on for our full review after the break. %Gallery-118786%
Skype hints at video calling for Android users on AT&T, promises improvements to Qik
We haven't heard a ton out of Skype since its acquisition of Qik last month, but executives from the two companies have finally done a bit of talking at Mobile World Congress this week. As you might expect, any actual merger of the two applications is still a ways off, but Skype has revealed that it plans to share some of its technical expertise to improve the quality of Qik video calls on Sprint and T-Mobile devices, and Skype exec Rick Osterloh also said that we should "watch out for some announcements" when it comes to AT&T. Considering Skype for iPhone already does video calls on AT&T, we assume that means we should look for video calling to come to Android phones on the carrier as well. In the longer term, PC Magazine reports that the "new vision" for Skype and Qik involves Skype's video call technology being used alongside Qik's video mail, video sharing and live streaming abilities, although the companies aren't providing any timeline for when any of that might happen. Update: It looks like there may have been a slight misunderstanding on that AT&T tidbit. According to a Skype spokesperson: Skype never stated to PC Magazine to expect that Skype is coming to AT&T. Skype has nothing to discuss or announce regarding future developments with carriers in the US and globally. We make a deliberate point to avoid any forward looking statement.
Skype's acquisition of Qik is now complete
Huh, that was fast. Barely one week has passed since Skype announced plans to acquire rival Qik, and now the buyout is complete. Skype celebrated with a blog post announcing the deal and reaffirms that its teams will be "working together... to make our mobile video products even better." Not to worry, Qik faithful, we doubt you're world will change much -- not yet, at least. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera
Samsung did say it's ready to supply all US carriers with 4G phones, not just Verizon, and we may already be looking at one of those devices before us. Billed as a T-Mobile exclusive, the Vibrant 4G looks to be a gentle refresh of the current Vibrant handset, with the notable upgrades being the inclusion of 21Mbps-capable HSPA+ connectivity -- to speed your mobile broadband up into T-Mobile's definition of 4G speeds -- and a front-facing camera paired to Qik video chat software. The onboard version of Android is 2.2 and internal specs seem to generally match the earlier-released namesake. Speaking of the original Vibrant, these leaked docs also show it's sold over one million units in its time in the US and is the nation's best-selling Galaxy S variant. Great, now can someone please leak it to Samsung that Android 2.3 is already out? [Thanks, Brian]
Skype announces plans to acquire Qik
Well, we can't say we saw this one coming, but Skype has just dropped a bombshell right in the middle of CES -- it's announced plans to acquire rival video calling company Qik. No terms of the deal have been disclosed, but Skype says that the transaction is expected to close this month. According to Skype, the two companies will "focus on providing a richer, more integrated experience that will allow people globally to share experiences in real-time video across different platforms," and it notes that Qik's "deep engineering capabilities and strong mobile relationships will be an impressive complementary fit with Skype." Head on past the break for the official press release.
Qik integrates deeply into myTouch 4G's hardware, Android contact book
Surely you've heard of Qik by now, right? It's most closely linked to Sprint's EVO 4G, but it looks as if the video calling service is now siding with another "4G" carrier: T-Mobile USA. Shortly after T-Mob tossed off the gloves and proclaimed to be "America's largest 4G carrier," Qik has come forward with an interesting tidbit about the newfangled myTouch 4G. According to it, the "integrated T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik will be the first to offer integration into the native Android address book with the benefit of indicating live presence allowing customers to connect with friends and family through live video conversations and video messaging over T-Mobile's network and WiFi." We're even assured that T-Mobile Video Chat will offer "dramatically improved video quality and frame rates compared to other video calling solutions on the marketplace through deep hardware integration," and users can even see if folks in their contact book are able to video chat at a glance -- no trial and error necessary. We'll be testing this stuff out in our upcoming myTouch 4G review, but be sure to let us know how it's treating you in comments below. You know, if you're an "early adopter."
Qik happy to work with FaceTime APIs; anticipates 75 million copies preloaded next year
What's new with Qik, the cross-platform video chat and sharing service that made a splash on Sprint's EVO 4G? Oh, not much -- just some plans to make sure the app is the most popular client around. Qik reps just told us the company's definitely planning to integrate FaceTime compatibility (sound familiar?) as soon as Apple rolls out those free APIs, and is presently engaged in deals to make sure Qik comes preloaded on devices from most every major carrier and handset manufacturer worldwide. Presently preloaded on the aforementioned EVO 4G, Epic 4G, Samsung Omnia II and Nokia's N97 and N97 mini, the app is estimated to come standard on a total of 75 million devices by the end of next year. How many of those phones (and tablets?) will have front-facing cameras is a question for another day. Update: Qik pinged us today to let us know that FaceTime isn't a sure thing -- rather, they're just looking to take video sharing and calling to as many systems and platforms as they can, and they'll certainly look into FaceTime when Apple makes APIs available.
iPhone 4 vs. EVO 4G... fight!
If you put your ear up to the screen, you can hear these two beasts snarling at one another. Hit up the gallery for more shots, along with some iPhone 3G for good measure. Let's see how they stack up on the big stats, shall we? iPhone 4 EVO 4G Screen 960 x 640, 3.5-inch 800 x 480, 4.3-inch Thickness 0.37-inch 0.47-inch Primary camera 5 megapixel 8 megapixel Secondary camera VGA 1.3 megapixel Video chat FaceTime Qik Not enough for you? We'll have a big comparison of all the "majors" for you shortly. Now, there's a lot left to learn about Apple's FaceTime video chat service. For instance, they called it "open," but they also only mentioned a zero-configuration iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 calling setup. Meanwhile Qik can make calls between EVO 4Gs, but also stream video live to the web (while the iPhone needs to record and then upload to get "social" using its official apps). No mention was made of the FaceTime call resolution, but given the fact that the front camera is merely VGA, it's probably streaming at the same 640 x 480 that Qik is constrained to in the free service. However, a premium version of Qik for $5 a month lets you go beyond that resolution, using the EVO's higher resolution cameras. Perhaps the largest distinction is the fact that the EVO can stream video calls over 3G or 4G, while the iPhone 4 is constrained to WiFi for the time being. Naturally, we expect other video calling apps (Skype, please?) to crop up on both platforms and give these initial offerings a run for their money. %Gallery-94632%
QIK admits Evo 4G launch problems after 20x increase on server load
While record sales are generally a desirable thing, that one-time spike in demand can leave service providers scrambling to cope on launch day. Evo 4G owners are well aware of this after noticing one of the handset's flagship features -- Qik video calling -- was unavailable in the Android Market on Friday. After correcting the issue, Qik then had to pull the app after users experienced intermittent service failures resulting from what Qik calls "an unprecedented 20x" workload increase on its servers. The Qik team is scrambling to provision more capacity and expects to have things under control "shortly."
Qik details its premium service tier, free until July 15 (video)
Remember how we said Qik was going to rock your world (and your credit card) with its premium-tier offerings for the Evo 4G? Well, as promised, June 4 is here and we now know exactly what you'll be getting for your extra $5 a month. The full table of goodies is after the break, but highlights include video conferencing at resolutions greater than 640 x 480, unlimited archiving of video, the ability to send video mail, and of course "priority support" should you have a problem handling the Qikening. The updated version of the app, demonstrated in a video below, is available today for the Evo 4G and users can get a taste of those sweet, exclusive features for free until July 15. After that, it's time to pay up or take the trip back to VGA Chatsville. Don't have an Evo? There's also a new version of Qik in the Market for lesser Android smartphones, but video chat is still not on offer.
Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not
Qik has lived up to its name in clarifying some leaks indicating that future EVO 4G owners on Sprint will be charged $5 a month to make use of its video chat services. As it turns out, that subscription fee will be for a new range of "advanced premium features," which will be elucidated on June 4 alongside the EVO's retail launch. The core two-way video calling will come absolutely free, we're promised, and only those yearning for extra features will have to pay up. It seems clear from the wording of that statement that multi-party conversations will figure prominently in the premium set, though we're left guessing at what other ways Qik has for seducing us to part with our cash. Either way, good news if you wanted to keep things simple... and cheap. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
