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Skype with video calling leaks for HTC Thunderbolt, celebrations unsurprisingly erupt (update)
Verizon may have left it out from the get-go, but it looks as if eager HTC Thunderbolt owners needn't wait another day to test out a video-enabled version of Skype. For those outside of The Loop, there was quite the back-and-forth going during the early days, with Verizon announcing at the 11th hour that its flagship LTE phone would be shipped sans Skype. It's still unavailable in the bona fide Android Market, but a build has appeared from the ether and seems to be humming along just fine here at Engadget HQ. Hit the source link if you're feeling froggy, and let us know in comments how things work out. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: So we just happened to have a Thunderbolt on hand, and gave Skype's mobile video chat a try. We came away quite impressed -- video is as good as can be expected from the handset's 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and the experience on WiFi and LTE is virtually indistinguishable. The app even worked on 3G, though that reduced the picture quality to the point of being almost unusable. Michael Gorman contributed to this report.
Group video chat coming to iPhone via fring
fring is working on a group video chat implementation for its iOS and Android apps. The update will eventually allow users to chat with up to four participants on-screen at once; fring's developers are allowing users to sign up for a beta version so that they can test it out before it's officially available on the App Store. Group video chats appear to be a bit choppy even in fring's announcement video (which you can view on the next page), but that could be due to any number of factors from the connection speed to the iPhone 4's processor. Thanks to Photo Booth, we already know the iPad 2 with its faster A5 processor can display multiple video streams at once without a hitch, so it'll be interesting to see whether the same is true for apps like fring. fring offered video chatting long before Skype's iOS app enabled it (and even before Apple's FaceTime debuted), so I'm wondering if Skype will follow in fring's footsteps again and enable group video chats in a future update. Personally, I'll be happy if Skype just produces an iPad-native app; the iPhone version feels pretty limited. [via CNET]
Skype wants the people to fix Skype 5 for Mac, will you answer the call?
Skype 5 for Mac leaves something to be desired -- we know it, you know it, and looks like Skype knows it too. That's why our fav VoIP app is soliciting the help of you, the people, to improve its UI. Skype's running a competition to find the one chat style to rule them all, and it starts taking custom CSS submissions April 8th. The contest has three rounds, with one judges' and one people's choice in each, followed by the selection of a grand prize winner from the six finalists. People's champs get an Apple TV and those picked by the judges snag a WiFi iPad 2, and all the winners get a copy of CSS3 for Web Designers and a year's subscription to Skype Unlimited World Extra. The grand prize is an eleven-inch MacBook Air, an iPad2, and the ego boost that comes with knowing your chat style forged in the flames of competition will be included in a coming release of Skype. Up to the challenge? Hit the source link for the full details.
Skype 5 for Mac continues to frustrate -- how's it treating you?
It's rare that a new piece of software generates only positive feedback, but the world's most popular VoIP app has seemingly frustrated throngs of loyal Mac users, including a number of technologically savvy individuals within these very walls. A brilliant comparison of the old vs. new has emerged over at Ignore The Code (linked down below for your perusal), and it got us wondering -- are average consumers seeing this any differently? There's no question that Skype 5 for Mac looks a heck of a lot like the Windows build, but as the aforesaid article points out, it seems that the UI engineers lowered the standard of the OS X version rather than dragging the Windows variant up. What makes the new edition so difficult to swallow is just how ideal the prior model was -- now, it's a chore to spot contacts, initiate chats and handle the most basic of tasks that Skype should handle. So, we'll leave it to you: is Skype heading in the wrong direction in terms of usability and functionality, or should the collective world just get a grip? %Poll-62303%
First 'Skype booth' opens at Estonian airport as company reaches 30 million simultaneous users
Phone booths are old hat, we know that much for sure. But Skype booths? Tallinn Airport in Estonia's capital has become the first site to host a dedicated Skype station, which allows you to video chat with your friends or call them on their phones using Skype credit, exactly as you might do on your computer at home. There's a 22-inch touchscreen up front and a headset nearby, only thing you'll need are some actual friends you want to communicate with. The idea's being put into action by three Estonian companies, all of whom are quite happy to remind us Skype originated in their fine Northern European nation, and the plan is to roll the futuristic-looking booths out to other airports, hotels, shopping malls, hospitals, and the like. In the meantime, Skype usage keeps growing and the company recently recorded 30 million simultaneous users online, breaking its previous record by a trivial three million extra souls.
TEROOS robotic avatar gives your long-distance girlfriend a tiny, googly-eyed face (video)
Do you pine for animatronic eyes and robots that whisper sweet nothings in your ear? Well, geeks with distant girlfriends rejoice, because TEROOS, the shoulder-mounted, remotely-controlled telepresence avatar has arrived. Created by researchers from Keio University in Japan, the little bot has a camera and mic so far away friends can see and hear what you do, while a directional speaker keeps your conversations private. Communication's courtesy of Skype, while some custom code lets users control the device's six-axis articulating head. It's not an independent system, however, as it relies upon a smartphone to relay commands from a PC to the avatar through Bluetooth. Users can also change the bot's facial expressions thanks to a couple of googly eyes and mechanical eyelids, though it doesn't have quite the emotional range of other androids from the land of the rising sun. Intrigued? Check the vid after the break.
So what works with FaceTime?
Apple comes to the rescue with a KnowledgeBase posting that will give you all the details on what systems are capable of using FaceTime. As you may know, FaceTime HD is a new feature of the just released MacBook Pro line, and Apple has taken FaceTime for the rest of us out of beta and made it a US $0.99 app. While the HD feature of FaceTime is built into the just-released laptops because of an updated higher resolution camera, it doesn't mean those with older equipment are out of the game. Apple says you need Snow Leopard 10.6.6 or above to send a standard definition call. Many, but not all older Macs can view a call in HD, but Apple says it requires a minimum download bandwidth of 1 Mbps. Check out the specifics after the break. [via The Mac Observer]
Apple FaceTime for Mac finally out of beta, available on the Mac App Store for $0.99
After a lengthy four-month beta trial, Apple's decided that it's about time to make FaceTime for Mac available to the masses, meaning any Mac user can finally do video chat with other Mac or iOS users. Unlike the app's free iOS counterpart, though, you'll have to chip in $0.99 on the Mac App Store for some enlarged video chat sessions. But hey, it's totally worth it, especially if you have a 27-inch screen to play with. [Thanks, kariminal]
Ittiam shows off four-way 720p HD video conferencing using Android, OMAP 4 (video)
Being Mobile World Congress, quite a few software vendors found themselves tucked into corners of bigger booths, eager and willing to showcase their latest work. Ittiam is one of those companies, relying on Texas Instruments' OMAP 4 platform to power its new HD video conferencing system. The demo shown here at MWC involved a foursome of TI development boxes, but the underlying platform was most certainly Android 2.2. Anil Kumar, the manager of Ittiam's video communications division, noted that the system would work just fine on Gingerbread and Honeycomb, enabling up to four devices (smartphones, tablets, whatever) to link up and enjoy a multi-faced call over a standard 3G network. Of course, the demonstration that we were shown used an Ethernet network for maximum stability, but the low-bitrate technology would allow bearable results on 3G networks (and better-than-average results on a 4G network). We were told that the company is in talks with "numerous" phone makers, in hopes of getting their VCS software integrated onto Android devices by the year's end -- think Qik, but for video conferencing -- but he couldn't hand out any specifics. Head on past the jump if you'd like to see a demo (and hear an awful lot more). %Gallery-116761%
Verizon VoLTE voice and video call demo at MWC 2011 (video)
There may not be a native LTE network live in Barcelona yet, but that didn't stop Big Red from hauling a 700MHz demonstration to Spain for the purposes of gloating at Mobile World Congress. We heard just days ago that the LG Revolution would be one of the first phones to support voice over LTE (VoLTE) on Verizon, and today we were given quite a bit of extra information about the rollout. For starters, Verizon's hoping that other carriers adopt their VoLTE platform, even going so far as to encourage it. It's sort of comical to hear the company that once crippled Bluetooth on dumbphones and still makes you buy a month of data just to activate a tablet talk about "openness" when it comes to communications, but we suppose the tables are turned somewhat when it's VZW that stands to gain. At any rate, VoLTE essentially acts as a VoIP lane, giving a specific amount of bandwidth to the call (which ensures call quality, unlike Skype, which is at the mercy of shared applications that are using the same bandwidth) and also enabling the phone to use data whilst the call it ongoing. The Revolution, which is slated to launch in March, will eventually gain VoLTE support, though VZW's not expecting the feature to go live in America until next year. Bilal Wahid, Verizon Wireless' Associate Director of Product Development, told us that at least initially, you may see VoLTE voice and videocalling available on Android smartphones, but there's no reason that the same apps couldn't be developed for other platforms. The call quality was on par with some of the high-bandwidth VoIP calls we've encountered, and the videocalling was particularly impressive. The resolution was tremendous, and there was essentially no lag whatsoever. Of course, this all happened over a locked, modular LTE network, so results will almost certainly vary out in the real world; regardless, it's a beautiful start, and it certainly makes the wait to 2012 that much more difficult. Hop on past the break for a demonstration as well as a lengthy explanation of the technology, where it's going, and when it'll be implemented. %Gallery-116749%
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]
Skype hits new record of 27 million simultaneous users in wake of iOS video chat release
Even though video chat has been available in some form or another for a good few years, it seems to only really be hitting its stride now, perhaps owing to the fact smartphones are no longer the brick-shaped and -sized beasts they once were. The latest evidence for this trend comes from Skype, who unveiled video calling on the iPhone a few days ago and yesterday managed to reach a new milestone in its history: 27 million users online at the same time. That comfortably overshadows the previous record, which wasn't even over 26 million, and while not all of those logged-in Skypers can be attributed to its FaceTime alternative, it's undeniable that the recent growth in Skype's customer base has been catalyzed by its introduction of video calling. And now that it's coming to Android phones and TVs of all creeds, that number should only continue to grow.
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.
Apple patent frenzy: TV set-top box, Cinema Display, iChat, liquid metal
According to Patently Apple, this week Apple's been granted a storm of patents. The patents include: 1. An advanced set-top box that sounds like the superhero offspring of the current Apple TV and a TiVo set. What's new and exciting in this patent is a multiple search engine implementation that would allow programming data to come from multiple providers. The patent also describes a system of searching for "advanced metadata" for shows, which, if found, could include the types of special features that DVD aficionados have grown used to over the past decade. Being able to download, for instance, a director's commentary track for the movie you're watching on HBO would be pretty sweet. 2. A design patent for the Cinema Display. Other than the overall design of the display, there doesn't appear to be much else to this patent; this seems mostly aimed at ensuring that other companies don't copy Apple's design shamelessly. 3. An iChat patent related to audio processing in multi-participant video conferences. This covers the stereo effects seen in multi-participant video chat sessions, ensuring that audio signals are mixed according to the position of the participant's onscreen image. 4. Another iChat patent, this time covering the multi-participant video chat user interface itself. This patent appears to be very specific to iChat's UI rather than a generalized patent, so Skype likely has little to fear from this patent. 5. The final patent is the one I find most interesting, and the one which could have the most far-reaching implications. Apple and Liquidmetal Technologies entered into a Master Transaction Agreement in August of last year, and this patent relates to building a collector plate from a "solidifying amorphous alloy" -- i.e., liquid metal. Patently Apple notes this invention is related to fuel cells, which could mean Apple is looking at developing its own in-house method of deploying next-gen, miniaturized fuel cell technology in its portable products. Even if Apple is developing this technology, it'll likely be years before it deploys in shipping products... but once it does, MacBooks, iPhones, iPods and iPads will run for pretty much forever compared to the running time they get on current lithium ion batteries. The usual caveats apply: any patents granted for products Apple hasn't shipped yet may never actually find their way to the market (or your living room). In this case, though, let's all hope they do.
Samsung's CY-STC1100 Skype TV camera lets you video chat at 720p
Yeah, Samsung enabled Skype video chatting on a select few of its HDTVs last year, but it was still on you to pony up for a camera. Now, the company's taking the guesswork out of it by introducing the 1H 2011-bound CY-STC1100. The device you see above is Sammy's own Skype-certified TV camera, tailor made to sit atop the LED D6500 (and up) lines as well as on the Plasma D8000 series. It's an autofocus camera that encodes up to 720p, and there's also an array of four microphones, an H.264 encodes and an angle adjuster. We're digging as hard as we can to find a price, but till then, have a peek back at our own good times with television video calling on the October 2010 Engadget Show.
HTC Thunderbolt has 8 megapixel camera and video chat, according to the ad up there
HTC's slogan is "quietly brilliant," and the company's living up to it right now -- it snuck new details about its mystery handset directly under our nose. What you see above are three screencaps from a banner ad running on the pages of Engadget even as we speak, hinting at an 8 megapixel imager, a sizable screen, and perhaps even 4G video chat. Why, hello there HTC Thunderbolt / Mecha / Droid Incredible HD, and hurray for controlled leaks! [Thanks, Taylor S.]
Skype teases video recording and sharing 'as it happens,' inventing synonyms for 'video calls'
It's hardly a secret anymore that Skype will be making some manner of video-related announcement at CES, but now the company's stepping up the hype offensive with a series of teasing videos and tweets. The common thread between the vids is that they're all shot in remote locations or on the move, eliminating the current PC / Mac dependency for video chat and forcing our minds to consider mobile, perhaps smartphone-shaped, devices instead. What Skype's promising is that we'll be able to share our favorite moments "as they happen," which together with all this video recording stuff seems to point to only one thing: video calling on mobiles. Only mystery left now is which platforms will get it when.
Yahoo! Messenger and ooVoo Mobile do video chat on Android, but only for a lucky few
Two video chats enter the ring, only one comes out. In this corner it's ooVoo Mobile, a portable version of the (somewhat) popular desktop video chat application that will let up to six users simultaneously swap bitrate over 3G, 4G, or WiFi -- but only if you have an HTC Evo or Samsung Epic. In the other corner it's Yahoo! Messenger, with version 1.3 adding video calls and similarly limited device support, though this time it's the myTouch 4G and the Evo getting the nod. So, Android owners, which of these is going to reign supreme? Or, are you going to tap out and stay cozy with Qik? Hit the Android Market now and place your bets. Update: We're told that Paltalk has also recently released an Android app to the Marketplace, giving you yet another way to say "hey."
Tango updated to support iPod touch
This is going to be a great holiday gift for many of our readers. Tango Video Calls, the app that lets you do free video chats with friends over 3G as well as Wi-Fi, has been updated to work on the 4th generation iPod touch. Rather than use the app for registration, you can register via email. The update, which also applies to the iPhone 4, gives the contact list a new look and feel and also has improved resolution on the Retina Display. Check our previous review for details on how Tango works, and if you have a newer iPod touch, well, get over to the App Store.
Fring adds Dynamic Video Quality to its video calling apps
Fring is working hard to seize on this (hopefully temporary) gap in the video chat firmament, where Google is lacking in a first party mobile video chat solution, Apple's supposedly open FaceTime standard has yet to be opened, and Skype is dragging its feet on a mobile video call implementation. We're not sure how long that will last, but until then we're happy to have Fring sprucing up its own cross-platform solution. Fring just pushed out new Android and iPhone versions of its app that include "DVQ," or "Dynamic Video Quality" for video calling. It's pretty simple: the video quality automatically (and asynchronously) adjusts to use your available bandwidth, with an emphasis on keeping the audio stream pure and uninterrupted. It might sound like a no brainer, but it's a nice touch -- particularly for folks straying from WiFi and trying their luck with carrier data. Check out a video of DVQ in action after the break.
