Skype testing short video messaging feature

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 15, 2013

Microsoft is launching a new Video Messages feature to allow Skype users to send short video snippets to each other up to three minutes long. The feature works in both online and offline mode and Microsoft has started testing it with some Skype users on the Mac, iOS and Android, according to multiple web reports. Surprisingly, Skype Video Messages won’t be initially available on Windows, but Skype for Windows users will receive these messages with a link to view them online. More tidbits right below… Read More

 

Skype for iPhone gains emergency call redirection, automatic call recovery

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 7, 2013

Following a Skype for iPad update earlier this week that has enabled automatic dropped call recovery, in-app purchase of Skype credits and a minor UI tweak, the Microsoft-owned VoIP provider has pushed out an update to its iPhone and iPod touch client this morning. Borrowing from the latest iPad build, the iPhone version will now automatically reconnect any dropped call.

More importantly emergency calls now get routed through the native dialer, which is interesting knowing most other VoIP apps don’t support this feature. A few more tidbits and the full changelog follow after the jump… Read More

 

You can now add money to your account directly in Skype for iPad

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 4, 2013

Microsoft-owned Skype has some nice mobile clients on the iPhone and iPad (unlike its fugly Mac app). Though it’s a tad heavy on CPU and battery, Skype on iOS offers excellent voice quality and image clarity in video chats. At least that’s what my experience’s been, your mileage may vary. Today, a new iPad build has surfaced on the App Store with some new nice capabilities worth a mention.

If you use Skype credits to text people and make inexpensive calls, no longer do you need to buy these on the Skype web site as the iPad build now supports adding money in-app, but only if you live in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Sweden or Estonia (more countries to follow soon).

Experiencing poor reception (it’s Skype’s way of letting us know we should buy some credits)? No problem, the new version now automatically reconnects a dropped call. More tidbits right after the break… Read More

 

Skype update enables chatting with Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 28, 2012

Skype was recently updated with a taller UI tailored for the iPhone 5. Today, Microsoft pushed another update, bringing a few new features to the popular communications client. For starters, you can now merge your Skype and Microsoft account, which also enables the software to connect to Microsoft’s other messaging properties. Most notably, this means you can now chat with Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts right from Skype… 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

 

Skype app updated with new photo sharing feature

By Cody Lee on Aug 21, 2012

Skype users rejoice! The video calling service just updated its iPhone and iPad apps, bringing the mobile client to version 4.1. The update includes a handful of bug fixes and a new photo sharing feature.

That’s right, users with the latest version of the app will now be able to send and receive photos… Read More

 

Facebook testing Messenger for iPad with Skype video calling

By Christian Zibreg on May 2, 2012

A new report alleges that Facebook is working to add video chatting capabilities to its standalone messaging app for the iPhone. Additionally, the Facebook Messenger for iPad with video calling is also being tested internally.

Both versions of the Messenger app take advantage of Facebook’s deal with Skype from July of last year which has enabled the social networking behemoth to deliver Skype video calling right within the desktop interface… Read More

 

The AudiOffice dock turns an iPad or iPhone into an office phone

By Oliver Haslam on Feb 29, 2012

It turns out that there are more things being announced at Mobile World Congress than just hundreds of new cookie-cutter Android phones, and some of them are even pretty interesting. Some of those are iPhone accessories, with one in particular catching our eye.

The AudiOffice dock from Invoxia not only looks absolutely gorgeous, but it also fulfills a real purpose, especially if you’re a business type who finds themselves tethered to their desk.

What the AudiOffice offers is actually pretty simple: it turns an iPhone or iPad into a desktop office phone, complete with corded handset and speakerphone options… Read More

 

How to Install Siri on iPad 2

By Jeff Benjamin on Jan 23, 2012

Siri on the iPad 2 is now a reality, courtesy of the iPad 2 untethered jailbreak. It became a lot more compelling with the release of tweaks like SiriToggles, and updates to Hands-Free Control.

We’ve already shown you how to install Siri on the iPhone 4, so we’ll use that tutorial along with some additional key information to help you get Siri running on the iPad 2! Read More

 

Facebook is Ready to Bring FaceTime-Like Video Calls to Messenger App on the iPhone

By Cody Lee on Dec 5, 2011

Earlier this year Facebook added Skype video calling to its social networking service. The new feature allows users to make free video calls to other Facebook friends from their computers.

We’ve been expecting Facebook to bring the service to the mobile space since it was introduced this summer, but we haven’t heard anything about it… until now. We’ve just gotten word that Facebook is testing a new Messenger app with the ability to make video calls. Read More

 

Google+ for iOS Updated with Hangouts and Other Improvements

By Cody Lee on Sep 24, 2011

Well, that didn’t take long. Just three days after we reported that the Google+ app was going to be getting an update, the new software dropped. And just as we expected, the update brings Hangout support as well as a host of other enhancements.

Now that the social networking service is open to the public, and has a well-rounded mobile application, it’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up against the competition. Hit the jump for a full rundown of all of the app’s new features and improvements… Read More

 

Fring Launches Playgrounds, Group Video Meets Chatroulette

By Oliver Haslam on Sep 9, 2011

You know when something seems like a really good idea, but in reality, it’s going to be hijacked by the less morally upstanding? Fring’s latest video chat feature feels just like that, and we’re sure it’s going to turn out badly.

Fring has been around for some time now, offering cross-platform chat and video chat via their own apps. Their latest feature is an interesting one, and it’s clear that they are trying to get more people to use their smartphones as video communicators.

Fring calls it “Playgrounds,” and the idea is a simple one: ‘rooms’ based on categories, such as, fans of a TV show, in which people can join and video chat. Like we say, it seems like a good idea. But it probably isn’t… Read More

 

New Facebook Messenger App is Hiding a Dirty Secret

By Cody Lee on Aug 10, 2011

In case you missed it, Facebook released a messaging client yesterday afternoon called Facebook Messenger. It’s the company’s first iOS application since the original Facebook app.

From the outside, the Messenger app looks fairly normal. In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to its counterpart in Facebook’s native iOS app. But the folks over at 9to5Mac have just discovered a dirty little secret hiding in the app’s underlying files: video conferencing… Read More

 

New in iOS 5: AirPlay Mirroring for FaceTime

By Cody Lee on Jul 13, 2011

Apple has come up with some remarkable technology over the last few years, AirPlay and FaceTime to name a few. AirPlay allows users to sling media from their iDevices to the big screen via an Apple TV, and FaceTime enables one-tap video calling.

What would happen if you combined the two technologies? According to TiPb, you would get a unique video chatting experience that can be shared by everyone in the room. Meet the latest iOS 5 feature to surface, FaceTime via AirPlay mirroring… Read More

 

App Picks of the Week: Starbucks 2.0, fring for iPad, Tumblr 2.0, Glo Bible, TimeSpan

By Alex Heath on Jul 3, 2011

Every week, we select a few apps that catch our eye. These apps can be from the App Store, web apps, or jailbreak apps.

We took a week off last week, so we’re back with an extra large dose of picks from the App Store! This time around, we have several updated apps that bring new features and enhancements, alongside a couple new picks that bring something interesting to the table as well. Hope you enjoy this week’s picks! Read More

 

Skype App Finally Coming to the iPad? Check Out this Mysterious Promo Video

By Cody Lee on Jun 24, 2011

Remember when Skype finally enabled video calling for the iPhone late last year? The iPhone 4 debuted with FaceTime in the summer and it was nearly 6 months before we saw Skype add video calling to its iOS application.

Fast forward to March of this year, and Apple launched the iPad 2 with a front facing camera and FaceTime support. Since then, everyone has wondered if Skype would port its video calling application to the popular tablet.

Well, we are about at the 6 month mark since Apple released its second tablet, and it just so happens that a mysterious Skype promo video is making its way around the internet… Read More

 

FaceTime to Go 3G in iOS 5, Carrier-Pending of Course

By Cody Lee on Jun 8, 2011

I’m sure most of you have seen the T-Mobile commercials that poke fun at the iPhone 4′s inability to make video calls outside of a Wi-Fi area. The tagline at the end of the ads is always “Introducing the new T-Mobile MyTouch 4G, video chat without needing Wi-Fi.”

Although the commercials don’t account for services like Skype or jailbreakers using the My3G utility, they are otherwise spot-on. Apple’s popular FaceTime video chat service has been restricted to Wi-Fi usage since its inception last year, but that could all change in iOS 5… Read More

 

Teladoc Looking to Make Virtual Doctor Visits a Reality with FaceTime

By Cody Lee on May 18, 2011

Healthcare company Teladoc has been in the doctor-visits-over-webcam industry for the last 8 years. In that time, the group has facilitated somewhere in the range of 80,000 patient/doctor visits by webcam or telephone.

Now it seems like the group is looking to release new iPhone and iPad apps that will allow patients to visit the doctors office, by simply making a FaceTime call. But can a doctor effectively diagnose a patient over the web? Read More

 

Microsoft Buys Skype for $8.5 Billion

By Alex Heath on May 10, 2011

In a shocking report, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that Microsoft has purchased Skype in a 8.5 billion dollar buyout. This deal gives Microsoft complete ownership of Skype Technologies SA, and this buyout is one of Microsoft’s biggest purchases to date.

Skype has been a key player in the desktop and mobile space as one of the most popular VoIP services in existence. On iOS, Skype has always been a wonderful service for those wishing to make calls (both audio and video) over 3G and Wi-Fi. Read More

 

Fring for iPhone Updated with Group Video Calling

By Alex Heath on Apr 29, 2011

Earlier this month, we told you that the popular video chat client, fring, was adding four-way video conferencing to its iPhone app. This new feature would allow cross-platform video conferencing with up to four different calls at once.

Fring has been beta testing this groundbreaking feature for awhile, and the update has now been officially added to the iPhone app in the App Store. This is the first time that you’ve been able to do group video calling on the iPhone. Read More

 
Page 112