video calling – SomeGadgetGuy

August 26, 2014

HD Voice and Video Calling on Verizon Wireless “In Coming Weeks”

AT&T and T-Mobile have already announced their plans for VoLTE, which should enable much higher quality calls over data instead of traditional phone calling.

Today Big Red finally detailed their plans for a similar service, and they’re adding video calling to boot.

Video Calling is simplified when using VoLTE technology. The contact list in the phone clearly shows, with a video camera icon next to the name, who can receive a Video Call, and a tap or two on the phone starts the call so you can speak to friends and family face-to-face. Customers control Video Calls, easily switching to a voice-only call from a Video Call and back with a tap on the phone. The audio portion of a Video Call is delivered in HD Voice.

HD Voice and Video Calling work only when both people are in the Verizon 4G LTE coverage area and are using VoLTE-enabled smartphones from Verizon.

We’ll have to see how much support third party Video Calling receives, if services like Facetime, Hangouts, or Skype will also stream easily over LTE. It will be very interesting to see if VZW allows for free video calling over their network, and if third party video calling continues to count against your monthly data cap.

Still it’s good to see America’s first place carrier also start the transition to VoLTE, as this should help simplify networks. With both data and voice traveling over one radio standard, we should see LTE only phones as early as 2016. Full PR below.

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April 28, 2014

Group Video Calling Now Free on Skype

Skype set the standard for one on one video calling, but services like Facetime on the Mac and Hangouts through Google quickly ran with group video chat for free.

Skype offered a “Pro” version where you could conference call, but that was an additional cost over the free service. Announced today on the Skype blog, video group calls will now be coming to all for free. Initially available on the Mac, PC, and XBox One, free group calling will eventually make its way to all other platforms as well.

The one area Skype will still be behind is in video broadcast. Google scored a hit with Hangouts on Air, allowing users to broadcast publicly live, and automatically uploading that vid to Youtube. For folks coordinating podcasts, Skype could do well to offer some kind of video capture service to compete.

You can read Skype’s full PR below.

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December 18, 2013December 18, 2013

Viber releases new app for Windows 8

Viber is quickly becoming one of the primary third-party competitors to services like Google Voice and Skype. Allowing users to call, text, and send voice and video messages to each other over the internet. They rolled out a service during the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, allowing people to call land lines, which became a standard part of the Viber package.

Now they’re expanding their service again, with a proper Metro app for Windows 8. This is pretty significant, as it continues their build out on being a global service. Currently supporting Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone, traditional Windows Desktop, and OSX. Now Windows 8 Hybrids and tablets can utilize the service without leaving the modern UI. Doubly helpful for folks using Windows RT, which can’t install third party software.

If Viber is the way you keep your family connected, it’s always nice having an additional option for how you might use that service.

Viber in the Windows App Store.

September 5, 2013

Skype for Windows Phone Finally receives Video Messaging.

It’s been a long time coming. While Windows Phone is now the third place phone platform, these kinds of announcements still get us excited.

Now if you’re using a WP8 handset and Skype, updating the app will finally give you the ability to send video messages to your Skype contacts. Your own private video communications, free and unlimited messaging. So go get updating! And now instead of leaving me a voice mail you can shoot me a video. That’s way more interesting. Just remember to look into the camera and stop trying to make eye contact with yourself.

While I have you here on this post, I do have a gripe. If Microsoft owns Skype, why are Windows Phone users the last, DISTANT last place, to be getting this kind of functionality? If Redmond is going to drive the WP8 platform to any kind of success, and after buying Nokia I’m guessing they hope for some kind of success, this kind of neglect needs to stop.

Seriously. I hate myself for what I’m about to type here, but Microsoft, yeah, we need a little more brand synergy. Thanks.

Love,

GadgetGuy

P.S.

Skype on the Microsoft App store