Maxcer reports, “After using it, though, I realize I was wrong.”
Advertisement: Introducing the new iPod touch. Now with FaceTime, Retina display, HD video recording and Game Center. From $229. Buy Now.
“Now, one thing is certain: Apple’s FaceTime video calling simply rocks,” Maxcer reports. “It’s just plain goodness all wrapped up in a seamless user interface, behind-the-scenes magic — and it has surprisingly clear video and audio quality.”
“Apple has ingeniously integrated FaceTime into the iPhone 4. You can start a regular call, then, once connected, tap a FaceTime button and initiate a FaceTime video call, which drops the cellular service call and transmits the call over WiFi with FaceTime. The transition is surprisingly fast and easy,” Maxcer reports. “Even if you set your iPhone to Airplane Mode so that the cellular radio portion of your phone is inactive, you can still use WiFi, and if you’ve got a WiFi connection, you can FaceTime.”
Maxcer reports, “Here’s the deal: Apple will make mobile video conferencing a reality.”
Full article here.
Just did a face time call with a buddy this morning who just got his new iPhone. He couldn’t figure out Skype, but this was easy.
You can also start a call in FaceTime without making a cell call first.
Makes phone sex easier too
I was one of those people that always said video calling was a novelty/for people in long-distance relationships (and still kind of do) but recently jailbroke my phone and started using FaceTime over 3G – initially to see how well it works (awesomely) but this passed week actually used it in a way that was beneficial. We went out for drinks, my friend texted me and said, “are you guys there yet? where are you?” and without hesitiation realized I should FaceTime him and show him. A few weeks ago I just would have texted back with the name of the place but the more I use FaceTime the more it becomes the first or second option for contacting people as opposed to it being a novelty/after-thought.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the adoption of FaceTime works with computers and other applications (like Skype). I think it’s going to be really cool.
I don’t think it will truly take off until iPhone is available on multiple carriers in the U.S. and who knows how long that will be.
Dick Tracy strikes again!
Apple answers Greenpeace yet again. Facetime will reduce the carbon footprint of many executives by cutting down airmiles, road and rail miles.
If Facetime is finally integrated into the mac line via ichat, and then onto systems such as Denon, meetings will be held up & down the World without people having to leave their offices, factories or even homes, in fact it could become cheaper for some business to drop their leases in favor of home working via Facetime. Documents can be printed via airplay anywhere thus reducing paper output.
That would be an awesome outcome but not without ramifications to other industries. Let us wait & see.
Even Star Trek with their Tricorders are envious now!
It will take off when Apple releases it(which they are) for others to follow. But it’s still a hit. I just had video chat with my nieces and nephew, it was amazing to see them where I was thanks to facetime over 3G.
50% to 75% of the freshman going to college will want to call home on FaceTime for a, “Hi how are you doing and need some extra cash again this week mom.” When Apple does a Windows FaceTime version, this is over and another market will belong to Apple!
I don’t know. My mom still doesn’t understand the difference between 3G and wifi. She was just on a trip and called me 3-4 times with people she was visiting and thought we could FaceTime (which would have been a great way for me to see those old friends and family) but she kept trying it when she was in 3G-only area. She’s pretty confused and disappointed about it now. I keep explaining that if she just goes a Starbucks for their wifi she can Facetime, but she finds that too complicated.
Now when Facetime works on 3G, then it will go mainstream, absolutely!
Up & down the world??? Whatever happened to ‘around the world?’
@ Jim TIV
FaceTiming all over town now, I see? ;P. Whatever…. I’ll always know I was your first.
@ Tim,
My girlfriend prefers the handset on the old rotary phones for phone sex. They even have a spiral cord on them for retrieval.
@ DLMeyer
Just wait a couple years. Imaging FaceTime on the iPod nano, with a watch band. Can you say “iPhone nano with FaceTime?”
@ ron
Around the World indicates some form of travel. Up & down the Country or World I believe indicates an event that is happening simultaneously without travel involvement.
Any thoughts anyone?
imagine – blast you iPhone autocomplete!
Our daughter away at College, loves to Facetime with all of us at home. Her friends have fun with it too, nice sometimes to add a face to a name. As with most Colleges these days, she has access to wifi all over her extensive campus inside and outside.
i had to look up ubiquitous. having a bad day.
Until it works with 3G – marginal value. For me at least. I’ve made one FaceTime call since I got it. Most of the time when you want to actually use it – you’re nowhere near wifi.
“Any thoughts anyone?”
I think Ron is easily confused.
Will be interesting if they have an app for Android. not much ppl use ichat these days but rather Skype.
Not an iPhone owner yet; waiting for current contract to become eligible for subsidised upgrade. With the new, cheaper data rates, I’m ready.
Right now, I’m the one doing grocery shopping in our household, with my significant other providing instructions over the phone (“They’re out of green peppers, but they have red and yellow ones. Shall I get them? “Are they firm and fresh”? “Not quite…” “Then don’t; any cucumbers?”…). I can see using Facetime in these situations to show what I’m getting. Same as any other kind of shopping that I get to do, but that requires my wife’s opinion.
There will me numerous creative ways for ad-hoc use of FaceTime, once it establishes itself as the dominant and omni-present solution. Funny thing is, mobile video-conferencing is nothing new (the world outside of America has been exposed to it for years), but it never caught on.
As always, Apple is again the company that will take an obscure but promising concept and make it right.
@tim
Tell your mom she needs to shave
Strange, I thought some 3rd-party had already made a sleeve/case that the iPod slid into, that would give the iPod a cell chip and extra battery life, or perhaps they only announced they were making such a thing.
Absolutely amazing technology… but be careful… it actually works!
Just recently was vacationing in Paris, France, and my wife wanted to check in with her parents in Florida. Our hotel had a nice fast WiFi connection and we had an international calling plan, so she called her mother (who has WiFi in her home) and they immediately connected via FaceTime. The audio and video quality was superb and the lack of latency was amazing.
After chatting face-to-face for a while she decided to show her mother the view from the balcony of hotel room, so she switched to the front-facing the camera and went out on the balcony. At that particular moment the Tour de France was just completing down the Rue de Rivoli, just a couple of blocks from our hotel, and her parents got a real-time view of the sights and sounds… they were thrilled.
Unfortunately, my wife then decided to show her parents what our hotel room looked like and they got an embarrassing shot of me relaxing on the bed in my underwear reading MDN on my iPad… a real conversation stopper.
So as I mentioned above, it’s amazing technology, but use it carefully.
My work pays for my cell phone and picks up the tab for unlimited calling and data. I’ve had phones that handle video calls over 3G for the past 3 years. Used the feature once to verify that it worked, but I haven’t used it since. YMMV.
PS – I use iChat and Skype computer video chats with family on a regular basis. Just not tempted to do it via phone.
Once it become a 3G thing more people will use it!!! I know I will!!!
Becomes that is!!!!!
Obviously people like it.
Using Facetime just for the GREAT audio quality! It’s incredible !!!! I wish my iPad had face time!
Calls on regular cell service over my iPhone 4 using my speaker phone now pail in comparison
still waiting to try facetime on my iPhone 4… i dont know how well it works yet, i dont know anyone with an iPhone 4 yet…
BDD; your regular cell service is now like a bucket!?
saying “it’ll take off when it’s on more networks” is like saying Facebook will take off when more people use the internet. (what’s the stat? something like only 35% of the world can afford computers or the internet?) The plane has flown chums! Iphones number 1, the savviest people use them, and Droids (‘Roids) way behind. The iphone’s selling fast, and with hooks eventually placed into ichat (AIM network) – there you go! Compare this to the competition (sound of crickets). Instead of asking Apple to do more, people should ask why ‘competitors’ aren’t competing – stockholders should make an uproar!