skype

Set the dinner table for Skype

The tablecloth was fresh, the juice was chilled. Francina Richardson and her family were ready for company. But instead of waiting for the doorbell to ring, this Sonoma, Calif., grandmother was listening for the distinctive trill of a Skype phone call. And her guests were joining her as part of a pioneering new initiative called the Virtual Dinner Guest Project.

Right on time, a group of youth in Cairo took a "seat" at the breakfast table. Introductions were made on both sides of the computer screen, and then, a natural conversation began. The young Egyptians, most of them … Read more

Rumor: Facebook to release video-enabled Messenger app for iPhone, iPad

A "reliable source" has informed 9to5Mac that Facebook is currently developing its Facebook Messenger app for Apple's iPad.

According to screenshots provided by 9to5Mac, the iPad version of the Messenger app looks fairly similar to Facebook's current standalone app for iPhone. The app includes one-to-one chats, group chats, and supports push notifications.

Facebook's Messenger app also allows users to see their friends' locations on a map.

Though no timeline for release was mentioned by the source, it did also suggest that Facebook would be adding video chat support through Skype for at least the iPhone … Read more

Skype upgrades interface, adds touch-screen features

A popular choice for VoIP users and those who make international and video calls, Skype (free for iPhone or iPad) received a few improvements that tweak the interface and give you more control over your video calls.

The overall interface has been slightly tweaked to look a bit smoother with a new header and buttons that are more aesthetically pleasing and better match the colors of the rest of the interface. The contact view now shows more contacts on screen, with smaller icons that don't take up as much space as they did in previous versions.

The most noticeable new enhancement is the ability to touch and drag your video preview (the picture in picture view where you can see yourself during a video call) so you can move it anywhere on the screen during a call.… Read more

Skype exploit reveals user IP addresses

A simple Skype exploit can reveal IP addresses -- remote and local -- of any user.

A blog post by skype-open-source runs through the process of obtaining a user's IP address. Essentially, all a person has to do is start the process of adding a contact with a specific user name. Instead of sending a contact confirmation, the person can click on the information card to obtain the IP address of that particular user.

The process only works if the other user is online. The only method of protecting against this is to log off of Skype when you'… Read more

Kindle Fire hotter than any Android tablet

Every weekday afternoon, CNET Update delivers the top tech stories of the day. The show keeps a close eye on emerging trends, hot devices and new apps. And it's all in less than three minutes.

In today's show, Kindle is king, Google's got Zergs and gamers are gabbing:

Amazon had a stellar start to 2012 with it's Q1 earnings report outshining analyst predictions. And ComScore reports that there are more people using Kindle Fire tablets than any other Android tablet. (The Galaxy Tab family of tablets come in second.)

The controversial CISPA bill has been approved by the House … Read more

Skype lands on PlayStation Vita

Skype for PlayStation Vita essentially works just like any other smartphone version of the software, providing a comprehensive set of features, free Skype-to-Skype voice, and high-quality video calls. Also, gabbers can choose between the rear and front-facing Vita cameras during video communication. The aesthetics of the Skype client seem tailored to blend in with the overall tone of the Vita user interface, which I consider a nice touch. … Read more

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Microsoft releases Skype 1.0 for Windows Phone

Version 1.0 of Skype for Windows Phone is now available in the Windows Phone Marketplace, as reported by WPCentral.com.

The 6 MB free Skype for Windows Phone app runs on Windows Phone 7.5 devices and higher. It works over Wi-Fi or 3G. Version 1.0 replaces the beta of the app which Microsoft rolled out at the end of February.

WPCentral notes that the 1.0 release3 adds the ability to search for and add new contacts and call landlines. However, it does not allow background calling, meaning the app will only allow someone to call if … Read more

Wife learns of soldier husband's death via Facebook

There is no good way to learn that your husband is dead.

If you're a military spouse, you surely live in the expectation of a knock on your door and someone in uniform standing there, bearing the worst news.

However, Ariell Taylor-Brown didn't learn of her husband's death in Afghanistan that way.

CBS 4 in Denver reports that she was on her Facebook page when another soldier from his platoon sent her a message to call urgently. It was an emergency, she was told. She didn't know what kind of emergency.

Taylor-Brown called and discovered that … Read more

Microsoft hiring points to Web-based Skype service

Microsoft is hiring staff "to help us bring Skype experience on to the Web," a move that could help people use the Internet-based video and audio chat service more broadly.

Skype's VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) service today requires a native app to run on various operating systems. A browser-based version, though, could bring the service to OSes that aren't supported, such as Google's Chrome OS; make it easier for people to use Skype on a machine for which they don't have installation privileges; and potentially integrate with other Web-based services.

Microsoft revealed the … Read more