AT&T will enable FaceTime over cellular for everyone by year’s end

By Christian Zibreg on May 20, 2013

In a surprising move, telco AT&T is backtracking from its nonsensical policy of restricting FaceTime to its customers who subscribed to a Mobile Share data plan.

Today we learn that AT&T is promising to enable any video chatting application over cellular for all users, regardless of their data plan or device.

In a statement to The Verge, the wireless carrier said that by mid-June it will enable video chatting over cellular for its unlimited plan customers who have LTE devices from Apple, Samsung or BlackBerry, enabling these services for all customers throughout the second half of this year… Read More

 

Judge upholds $368 million VirnetX court victory over Apple

By Cody Lee on Feb 27, 2013

Last November, a federal jury ordered Apple to pay patent holding firm VirnetX $368 million in a patent lawsuit. The court found the iPad-maker guilty of infringing on its networking patents with its FaceTime video chat feature.

Today, Judge Leonard Davis upheld the ruling, denying Apple’s request for a new trial. This means that it’s about to have to dole out one of the largest court-mandated settlements in its history to, what is essentially, a patent troll… Read More

 

Free Press launches AT&T petition site over FaceTime rules

By Cody Lee on Jan 19, 2013

Last week, AT&T announced that it was going to be opening up FaceTime over cellular to all tiered data plans. This is the latest in a string of policy changes made by the carrier to appease the Net Neutrality groups.

But it doesn’t look like the groups were very impressed. In response to AT&T’s decision to continue to exclude the feature from those on grandfathered unlimited data plans, the Free Press has setup a petition site… Read More

 

AT&T opens up FaceTime over cellular to all tiered data plans

By Cody Lee on Jan 16, 2013

AT&T has announced this morning that it will be once again be expanding support for iOS 6′s FaceTime over cellular for its subscribers. It appears that all iOS users who are on a tiered data plan, will be able to utilize the feature from any FaceTime compatible device.

The carrier took quite a bit of heat last year when it initially announced that FaceTime over cellular would only be available to iOS users on its shared data plans. It later opened up the feature to legacy data plans, and then to LTE users. And now it’s available for all… Read More

 

AT&T reportedly extending FaceTime over Cellular to all customers

By Cody Lee on Nov 21, 2012

AT&T rustled some feathers back in August when it announced that it would only allow its subscribers on its new Shared data plans to utilize the FaceTime over Cellular feature in iOS 6.

Then earlier this month, the carrier said that it would be opening up the feature to legacy data plans. And as it turns out, it looks like this might actually include unlimited plans as well… Read More

 

AT&T announces new FaceTime over Cellular policy

By Cody Lee on Nov 8, 2012

AT&T has announced today that it is reversing its decision to limit iOS 6′s FaceTime over Cellular ability to customers on its new shared data plans. The carrier says that subscribers with LTE devices will now be able to use the feature regardless of what data plan they’re on, as long as it’s not unlimited… Read More

 

Tweaked third gen iPad could have improved FaceTime camera

By Cody Lee on Oct 22, 2012

In addition to the iPad mini, and a handful of other announcements, Apple is widely expected to unveil a tweaked version of its current full-sized tablet at its media event tomorrow.

The retooled slate is said to feature a handful of changes, including Apple’s new Lightning connector, a global LTE chip and, if these images are legit, an improved FaceTime camera… Read More

 

FaceTime preview window now reflects aspect ratio of the caller’s device

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 21, 2012

In addition to the big ones in iOS 6 and a host of lesser-known but otherwise welcome enhancements, every now and then a small tweak surfaces, capturing our imagination and delighting us with simplicity. More often than not, these little nuggets clearly prove Apple remains as obsessed with agonizing over every little aspect of its products as it’s ever been. For example, the FaceTime preview window where a live video stream of the person you’re calling is displayed now indicates their device’s aspect ratio… Read More

 

Net neutrality complaint over AT&T FaceTime blocking looms

By Christian Zibreg on Sep 18, 2012

AT&T’s initial decision to charge for FaceTime video calls made over its cellular network and the subsequently tweaked rules mandating that FaceTime over cellular users sign up for AT&T’s Mobile Share plans both provoked a public outrage which almost snowballed into a PR catastrophe.

Deciding someone should take the nation’s biggest carrier to task for taking advantage of its unsuspecting customers, advocacy group Public Knowledge (PG) figured that AT&T’s policy violates net neutrality rules by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The group is mulling an investigation into AT&T’s practices as Public Knowledge, Free Press and the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute all plan to file a complaint with the FCC for AT&T’s violation of network neutrality rules… Read More

 

Verizon says yes to FaceTime, but no to unlimited data

By Cody Lee on Sep 13, 2012

AT&T kickstarted some controversy last month when it announced that customers would have to switch to one of its Shared data plans to utilize iOS 6′s new FaceTime over Cellular feature.

But it looks like if this is a deal-breaker for you, you can head over to Verizon. The carrier has just confirmed that FaceTime over Cellular will work with any of its available data plans… Read More

 

Everything you need to know about today’s iPhone 5 event

By Ed Sutherland on Sep 12, 2012

The iPhone 5 is finally here.

After Apple in 2011 unveiled the iPhone 4S — when everyone and his mother expected the iPhone 5 — the wizards of Cupertino introduced a smartphone for everyone. Want something smaller? Check. How about a big screen? Got you covered. Need power? No problem. Although this was the first post-Steve Jobs iPhone rollout, there was enough technology and geekitude on display today that even the Man in Black would have had a tough time fitting in just one more thing.

Most of the rumors about the iPhone were confirmed. The iPhone 5 sports a 4-inch (1136 x 640) display enclosed in an aluminum and glass shell. That larger display is becoming defacto on smartphones. Not to be outdone designwise by Android, Apple pushed suppliers to use an in-cell manufacturing technique that embeds the technology used in an edge-to-edge touchscreen, eliminating the need for a separate layer. Read More

 

A concise iPhone 5 hardware overview

By Jeff Benjamin on Sep 12, 2012

We’ve already brought you a truck load of coverage from today’s iPhone 5 event, so how about a concise wrap-up of the iPhone 5′s hardware features as a night cap?

What do you think? Are you satisfied with Apple’s hardware offerings for the iPhone 5?

 

iPhone 5 does FaceTime in HD, detects faces

By Christian Zibreg on Sep 12, 2012

In addition to the 25 percent thinner and improved iSight camera found on the back of the iPhone 5 (and featuring dynamic low light mode, precision lens alignment and sapphire crystal), Apple bumped up the specs of the front-facing FaceTime camera. It now lets you conduct video calls in high-definition, has a backside illuminated sensor and can detect faces when you snap images. Developing… Read More

 

Report: iPod touch upgrade to include new colors, GPS and enhanced camera

By Ed Sutherland on Sep 12, 2012

Not all of today’s news centers on Apple’s much-awaited next-gen iPhone. The iPod touch, seen as the ‘gateway drug’ for the iPhone, is also expected to debut with a wider palette of colors, global positioning and a better camera. Indeed, one analyst is calling the 2012 iPod touch the “biggest upgrade ever.”

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the most noticeable change will be an expanded choice of colors beyond the current black or white. Read More

 

AT&T: FaceTime fears are ‘wrong’

By Ed Sutherland on Aug 22, 2012

AT&T Wednesday tried to clarify its position on limiting the iOS 6 FaceTime over Cellular feature to its Mobile Share data plan customers. The carrier called concerns that last week’s move might require subscribers change data plans “wrong” and “another knee jerk reaction” about net neutrality.

“The FCC’s net neutrality rules do not regulate the availability to customers of applications that are preloaded on phones. Indeed, the rules do not require that providers make available any preloaded apps,” AT&T said in a blog post. The cell provider said subscribers can download a number of video chat apps that compete with AT&T’s service, a requirement of net neutrality laws… Read More

 

AT&T’s FaceTime limits could violate FCC rules

By Cody Lee on Aug 21, 2012

AT&T sent shockwaves through the tech community last week when it announced its future plans for iOS 6′s new FaceTime over Cellular feature. The good news is that it won’t be charging separately for the service, but the bad news is only customers on its new Mobile Share data plans will be able to use it.

As you can imagine, this has folks upset — particularly AT&T customers who are still on unlimited, or other legacy, data plans. Why should they have to switch to a [likely] more expensive data plan to use the feature? Well, according to Public Knowledge’s senior lawyer John Bergmayer, they shouldn’t have to…  Read More

 

Question of the week: your thoughts on AT&T requiring shared data for FaceTime over Cellular?

By Jeff Benjamin on Aug 18, 2012

When we first saw the message asking us to contact AT&T before we could enable FaceTime over Cellular, we knew something was up. Now the cat has been let out of the bag.

As it turns out, AT&T won’t be charging for FaceTime over Cellular as if it were a separate feature, but it will require you to switch to their new shared data plan.

What do you think about this? Read More

 

AT&T says FaceTime over Cellular feature will require Shared Data plan

By Cody Lee on Aug 17, 2012

Some news today for AT&T customers hoping to take advantage of the new FaceTime over Cellular feature in iOS 6. The carrier has just announced that it won’t be charging subscribers separately for the service.

The news comes in the wake of ongoing criticism, after warning messages started popping up in handsets running iOS 6 last month indicating that the feature would be an additional cost for AT&T customers.

But there is one major stipulation… Read More

 

iOS 6 beta 4 adds Wi-Fi Plus Cellular data switching option

By Cody Lee on Aug 9, 2012

The latest beta of iOS 6 was released this week with a handful of changes. We’ve already mentioned a few of these differences like the new Bluetooth Sharing menu, and the missing YouTube app. But another one has been discovered.

In beta 4, a new option can be found deep in the Settings application, under the Cellular tab, called Wi-Fi Plus Cellular. When enabled, it allows apps that are having trouble with Wi-Fi to automatically switch over to cellular data… Read More

 

Apple hit with China lawsuit over FaceTime patent

By Cody Lee on Aug 7, 2012

It just doesn’t seem like Apple’s legal team can catch a break these days. Even when it’s not fighting major handset-makers in high profile patent trials, it’s still dealing with smaller lawsuits over Siri and other features.

And today we add another one to the list. A Taiwanese man is claiming that Apple’s FaceTime service directly infringes on a patent he holds regarding “voice network personal digital assistant,” and has just filed a lawsuit… Read More

 
Page 112345