News tagged ‘FaceTime’

Apple released iOS 4.1 beta and SDK for developers. Here is a quick look at the changes:

1. Larger signal bars.



2. New look of Game Center.




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Few days ago Fring released new update for their iPhone app. Now it supports multitasking and, what is more important, 3G video calling via front facing video camera. With new Fring you can make video calls to anyone who has the same app installed on his device (and that must not be necessarily iPhone).

9to5mac already tested this new function and found that the quality of video leaves much to be desired, though over WiFi it's a bit clearer (that is why Apple didn't make 3G support for FaceTime). In some situations video call over 3G didn't have any audio streaming, so the interlocutor could not be heard.

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John Lewis from Electricpig.co.uk received new rumors from his suppliers about next-gen iPod touch. Here is a list of innovations that will be likely added to the new device:

• FaceTime support;
• 5-megapixel camera;
• front-facing camera;
• LED flash;
• Ability to capture video in HD;
• support for iOS4;
• gyroscope (to be precisely, he said the device "will also offer the same movement sensors as the iPhone 4").

As we see, new iPod touch will be pretty much the same as the new iPhone (but without phone functions, of course). The new device will be probably presented on the next Apple's music event in September.

One of the main iPhone 4’s innovations is FaceTime, a new video calling feature. Unfortunately, at the moment it is only limited to calls from one iPhone 4 to another, and it makes it rather challenging for people to try it out, since not all of them know other iPhone 4 users.

Apple has suggested a solution: a new testing and support hotline at 1-888-FACETIME. Before starting a FaceTime session with a representative from Apple, callers will be asked a couple of questions about their new phone. Then they can get more information about the new feature, ask some questions and test FaceTime.

The hotline currently works from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. Central Time.

Good news for those who thought that FaceTime feature may spend your carrier minutes. Yesterday Apple representative told BusinessInsider that it is not true:

"The voice call ends as soon as the FaceTime call connects. The FaceTime call is over Wi-Fi so does not use carrier minutes."

That really wasn't so obvious because there was a possibility that voice call would keep running in the background in cases if Wi-Fi signal went out or video chat dropped.

The reason why FaceTime feature doesn't work in 3G networks is that it is not decided how exactly such videocalls must be billed - as data toward monthly data caps or in some other way.

When Gizmodo showed new iPhone's prototype most of us stopped expecting from Jobs anything shocking on WWDC 2010. But he amazed us, and not only with new display's resolution, FaceTime function and 802.11n support, but also with gyroscope. Many developers instantly realized - this is a new breakthrough.

While conventional accelerometer measures linear acceleration as a change of direction apart a change in velocity, a gyroscope measures angular acceleration, or in other words, a change in both direction and velocity at the same time. Thus the device can sense its rotation while ignoring hand jitters and linear movements, which is impossible for accelerometer.

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As you remember, this Monday Apple unveiled iPhone 4 and its new feature, which allows Wi-Fi video chatting via iPhone's cameras. It's called FaceTime and the company is going to make it an open industry standard to allow communicating with other devices and services.

This news made major online chat providers like Skype and Google to express interest in the new technology, but at the moment they decided to take wait-and-see strategy.

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After yesterday's introduction of iPhone 4 most of the Wall Street analytics expressed their opinions about new device. Everybody is satisfied and certain about new handset's upcoming popularity and that it will boost sales for Apple again. Here are the words of people to whom we are referring frequently.

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Apple has published the entire WWDC 2010 keynote video. It is available via Apple website (in QuickTime format) and via official Apple youtube channel:

Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces iPhone 4, with FaceTime, Retina display, multitasking, 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, and HD video recording and editing. All on the world's thinnest smartphone.

Engadget published a video demo of the iPhone 4 running its FaceTime video chat app:

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Here's an official video from Apple's youtube channel:

People have been dreaming about video calling for decades. iPhone 4 makes it a reality. With the tap of a button, you can wave hello to your kids, share a smile from across the globe, or watch your best friend laugh at your stories — iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over Wi-Fi. No other phone makes staying in touch this much fun.

So iPhone 4 is finally unveiled and what do we have in it? Here is a list of hardware upgrades:

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Here’s a video from WWDC 2010 with Steve Jobs actually making a video call using his new iPhone 4 and FaceTime feature:

Thanks to Engadget we now have a spec comparison between the iPhone 4 and the older model iPhone 3GS.

iPhone 4

iPhone 3GS