chat

Apple patent application hints at future FaceTime features

Swapping between the front- and rear-facing cameras on Apple's latest-generation iOS devices during a FaceTime call is currently a manual process, requiring users to tap an onscreen button. But that could become a thing of the past with a system Apple hopes to patent.

Patently Apple has unearthed a patent application Apple filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in January of last year titled "automatic video stream selection." In short, it's a system for automatically swapping between the two captured video streams depending on what's happening in front of each lens. … Read more

New Facebook scam takes advantage of video calling

Facebook scams and viruses grow by the day, so it's no surprise scammers are taking advantage of the new video calling feature.

Sophos' Naked Security blog reports that the newest Facebook scam makes Video Chat look like an application called Video Call, as seen in the screenshot below. That, in turn, tricks users to be "easily convinced to approve the application to have more liberal permissions."

However, there are a few more noticeable problems with the permissions request if one actually takes the time to read. After all, why would an app that comes directly from Facebook … Read more

The 404 855: Where it's just malarkey (podcast)

Today's 404 Podcast includes stories about a guy that's amassed every single PS2 game released in North America, a user-submitted show title generator, and Facebook's underwhelming new video chat plugin. We also have a bunch of quality video voicemails to show!

The 404 Digest for Episode 855

The Man Who Has Every PS2 Game In America. Facebook unveils video chatting, thanks to Skype. Dan's video voicemail from the top of Mt. Massive, Colorado. Kokesh's random show title generator.

Episode 855 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Facebook launches video calling

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Facebook unveils video chat features

Amazon offers unlimited cloud music storage

Spotify makes official U.S. launch

Civ World comes to Facebook

Mac Blu-ray a possibility now

Motorola Droid 3 launch date

Facebook and Google+'s video chat tools compared

Video chat is the big thing again, at least according to Facebook, which let loose a new video chat service yesterday. Powered by Skype, the new feature lets Facebook users start video calls with one another while continuing to use the site.

While other video chat tools may have been built on top of Facebook's application platform, this now comes out of the box for Facebook users, old and new. The result is that Facebook's added yet another way for its 750 million users to communicate with one another.

But moving beyond the hype, the big thing you'… Read more

This Day in Tech: Facebook releases video chat; Obama on Twitter for town hall meeting

Too busy to keep up with today's tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Wedesday, July 6.

Facebook had big news today: The social-networking giant announced a new video chat feature powered by Skype, which means you can now see your Facebook friend's face in real-time. Mark Zuckerberg spoke today on stage about why mixing Facebook's social infrastructure with new apps like video chats will create new scenarios for their users. CNET's Josh Lowensohn, who was at the event, wrote Zuckerberg says 4 billion things are shared every day. &… Read more

Facebook intros group chats, new chat tool design

Facebook is launching a new group-chat feature and a redesign to its chat tool, the company announced today.

The new features were revealed during an event Facebook held today at its Palo Alto, Calif., headquarters. Last week, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that his company was planning to "launch something awesome" today.

The social network's new offering will allow users to group multiple people into a single window to chat. Those who are online will get messages immediately, while those who are not on the platform will receive a summary of the conversation at a … Read more

Facebook unveils video chatting, thanks to Skype

Facebook and Skype have inked a deal that will bring video chatting to the world's largest social network.

Last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that his company was planning to launch "something awesome" today. As early rumors speculated, Skype video calling turned out to be that big announcement.

Video calling has been built into Facebook's chat platform. Users need only to click the video call button at the top of their chat window in order to start communicating over video--once the call recipient accepts the video request. According to Facebook, video chatting is just "two clicks away" on the service.

That level of ease is something that Facebook and Skype seem focused on with their new deal. The social network said its video calling is "the easiest way to get connected with video."

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced plans to acquire Skype for $8.5 billion. If the companies secure regulatory approval, Skype CEO Tony Bates will lead the new Microsoft Skype division. Zuckerberg said today that the acquisition would not "change anything" related to video calling on Facebook.

Facebook is being rolled out in 70 different languages starting today, and will be available to all of its 750 million active users "over the next few weeks."

Update at 10:58 a.m. PT to include more details.

Facebook taps Skype for video chat

Editor's note: We used Cover It Live for this event, so if you missed the live blog, you can still replay it in the embedded component at the end of this post. Replaying the event will give you all the live updates along with commentary from our readers and CNET reporters. For those of you who just want the basic updates, we've posted an edited transcript below. You can also read our stories about the partnership between Facebook and Skype and Facebook introducing group chats.

Update 10:28 a.m. PT: The social network has tapped Skype for … Read more

Skype for Android gets video calling

Video chatting has made its way to Skype's Android app, the VoIP provider announced today.

Video is extremely important in the Skype ecosystem. At any given time, there are 30 million concurrent users on Skype, according to Skype vice president and general manager of product and marketing, Neil Stevens. At its peak, Skype sees 500,000 simultaneous video calls across its service.

When users download the free Skype for Android 2.0, they'll find that they can place or receive video calls with owners of other Android handsets, as well as those who use the platform on their … Read more