facetime

The 404 1,133: Where we put the Apple iPhone 5 on a pedestal (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Check out Scott Stein's comprehensive review of the Apple iPhone 5.

- Scott writes about the 5 things that surprised him about the iPhone 5.

- Apple delivers iOS 6, available for download now.

- First Look video of Apple's new Maps application.

- How to control your privacy settings on iOS 6.

- Apple Lightning Adapter adds life to your old gear.

- Sony unveils super slim PlayStation 3.

- … Read more

AT&T's FaceTime limits might conflict with FCC rules

Some people have raised red flags regarding AT&T's limits on the use of FaceTime on the upcoming iOS, alleging the restrictions could go against Federal Communications Commission rules.

"Over-the-top communications services like FaceTime are a threat to carriers' revenue, but they should respond by competing with these services and not by engaging in discriminatory behavior," senior staff attorney at Public Knowledge John Bergmayer said in a statement. Public Knowledge is a nonprofit organization that works on Internet law.

The "discriminatory behavior" that Bergmayer is alluding to is AT&T's newly announced … Read more

Apple's Facetime faces patent infringement suit in China

Apple's Facetime is the latest technology stirring up legal complaints against the Mac and iPad maker in China.

A Taiwanese man who claims to hold a patent on a "voice network personal digital assistant" technology has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that his technology is used in Facetime, says blog site MIC Gadget. The Intermediate People's Court in Zhenjiang confirmed the lawsuit and contacted Apple, but the company reportedly has not yet responded.

CNET has contacted Apple for comment and will update the story if we get more information.

The Taiwanese man, known only as … Read more

AT&T CEO says too early to talk about FaceTime pricing

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said the company is still in talks with Apple concerning the data-gobbling FaceTime service, following a rumor reported earlier today that AT&T has plans to charge for the use of FaceTime over its network.

When asked about it at a Fortune conference today, Stephenson skillfully skirted the issue, saying it's too preliminary for talk about pricing information.

"It's too early. We're working with Apple right now to work out stabilizing -- it's too early to talk about pricing," he said before moving on to another topic. … Read more

iPhone 5 leaked photos show tall white frame with center camera

Possible images of the next-generation iPhone continue to pop up online, with the latest allegedly revealing a peek at the front frame.

Two photos merged into one image posted by Taiwan-based blog Apple.pro display a white frame and the same white frame flipped over to reveal its back. 9to5Mac says the image is the first peek of a white front frame for the upcoming iPhone.

The width of the alleged frame is apparently the same as that of the iPhone 4S, according to Apple.pro, but the length is greater. That description follows several reports this year claiming that … Read more

Apple iOS warning message suggests 3G FaceTime coming

Apple's FaceTime video-chat service may be freed from its Wi-Fi-only restrictions soon.

At least, that's according to a warning message that pops up on current iOS devices when a user shuts off 3G during a FaceTime call. The message: "Disabling 3G may end FaceTime. Are you sure you want to disable 3G?"

There's really no reason why the message should pop up since FaceTime runs only on Wi-Fi, and that has prompted some to believe that FaceTime over 3G may be coming to the next version of iOS. The message was first discovered by Romanian … Read more

How to easily create a video chat with Vidless

Trying to explain to your your grandma, or even your parents, how to get Skype set up so you can video chat with them can be infuriating and frustrating for all involved.

By using Vidless, setting up a video chat is as simple as creating a room, and sharing the link to that room. No user names, no downloads, no installing, no logging in. The only requirements are a solid Internet connection and the latest version of Flash.

Still not convinced? Below you will find the steps required to create a video chat.

Visit Vidless.com from your computer browser. … Read more

The problems with video chat

Smartphones accounted for 59 percent of the handsets sold to U.S. consumers in the third quarter of 2011, according to The NPD Group's Mobile Phone Track.

As the phones' penetration has grown, consumers have been more likely to find themselves with an ever more versatile tool in their pockets. These capabilities have certainly contributed to the decline in once hot-selling categories, such as MP3 players, digital cameras, and portable navigation products. These companies, in turn, have sought to differentiate themselves with, for example, larger screens on car navigation products and better image quality and longer zooms on digital cameras.

Smartphones are relatively cheap because of carrier subsidization; they are almost always with us because of the desire to be available for phone calls. However, are consumers settling for a second-hand experience in leaving their specialized gadgets behind? According to recent research from NPD Connected Intelligence, most consumers would say they are not. … Read more

Skype for iPad hands-on: New competition for Apple's FaceTime

Editors' note: This post was updated August 2, 2011, to reflect that the app is now publicly available.

Skype for iPad got off to a rocky start. It was meant to be available in the App Store in June, languished until August 1, was introduced, pullled for a few hours, and then, finally, settled in. Here's our original hands-on review from June; we'll continue using the app now that the final version is in.

The new iPad-optimized Skype client takes advantage of the tablet's larger screen real estate, making for crisp and clear video chat over Wi-Fi, … Read more