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Posts Tagged ‘Video Chat’

Apple releases, pulls iPad SDK beta, camera hints inside

Apple released a third beta of the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK on Tuesday afternoon, the version of the iPhone OS that is exclusively for the upcoming iPad. Apple later pulled beta 3, but not before several developers had downloaded it. Now, a couple details have surfaced, including more references to camera compatibility.

The latest version of the beta includes resources to help developers build applications that will run on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Developers can include code specific to each device as a “universal” app, enabling them to release one app for all platforms if an app is destined for all three devices.

The new SDK also includes a Photos application for testing via the iPad Simulator. That app can automatically access camera hardware if it is present, and offers an interface like that previously uncovered inside the Contacts app. Though Apple didn’t show off an integrated camera when the iPad was introduced, the system-wide capabilities to use a camera suggest Apple either is keeping the feature to reveal when the iPad ships or plans to build one into a future version.

Furthermore, numerous references to video chat capabilities have been discovered in the SDK’s telephony frameworks, including requisite functions to enable the capability as well as icons for buttons to begin and end a video call. These inclusions hint at a possible front-facing camera for future iPhone or iPad models.

Documentation for the third beta also confirms that Apple’s A4 processor includes a GPU core based on Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR SGX technology, the same used in the latest iPhone 3GS and third-gen iPod touch models. An earlier rumor claimed that it used an ARM-based Mali GPU core.

Apple hasn’t explained why the beta release was pulled from distribution shortly after it became available via the Apple Developer Connection, though some who downloaded it said that it contained a “major bug.”

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CHATROULOLZ Collects Great Chatroulette Screencaps So You Don’t Have To

By now, you’ve probably heard of Chatroulette, the website where one can anonymously have video chat conversations with random strangers from around the world. Needless to say, this freaks out just about everyone who has tried the service so far, which was started by 17-year-old high school student Andrey Ternovskiy from Moscow.

Check out SFWeekly editor Alexia Tsotis’ experience here on TechCrunch, for instance.

It was of course just a matter of time before sites started collecting screencaps from all those mostly NSFW funny, weird, disturbing, [insert appropriate adjective] video chat sessions and turned it into a phenomenon of its own right. One of them, and perhaps the best one around, is Tumblr blog CHATROULOLZ.

The blog was set up by young entrepreneur and photographer Lewis Chaplin, who judging from his last post is already getting bombarded with about 50 image submissions a day, mostly from French people who don’t really know what the site is all about in the first place.

Without further ado, some of the best Chatroulette has had to offer so far:

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Macworld 2010: Chat live with team TUAW

Filed under: Macworld

Welcome back to our team coverage of Macworld 2010. We’re wrapping up day 2 of the expo with an all-hands chat… and you can join in! Click ‘Read More’ below to see the video live and chat with us directly at the show.

It’s been a busy couple of days with plenty to talk about.

Chat below… TUAW Live at Macworld Expo 2010

TUAWMacworld 2010: Chat live with team TUAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype: iPhone App for 3G Coming "Soon"

The latest word on Skype for 3G is “soon” according to a blog post on its website today. You may have missed out last week, amid all the iPad hubbub, but Apple removed its restriction on VoIP calls on 3G with the release of its latest iPhone SDK.

The return of Skype to the iPhone is something we’ve not-so-patiently awaited since it was banned only a short time after being released last March, and it looks like we won’t have to wait much longer. And this time around, we’re hoping video chat isn’t far behind.

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Since AT&T first banned Skype over 3g last April, with Apple following suit, iPhone users have only been able to make VoIP calls over WiFi.

According to a video interview with David Ponsford, project lead for Skype for iPhone, the move to 3G will provide “CD quality” when making Skype-to-Skype calls. Ponsford says that the new Skype app will also include a quality indicator, which will use a traffic light style notification to show network quality.

We also chatted with Peter Parkes, the social media communications lead at Skype, and asked him when we could reasonably expect video chat capabilities. He told us that he couldn’t be specific on any time-line or make any promises regarding video chat, but that “where devices can support video calls, we’ll look to develop video-capable apps.”

“But the focus will be on a great experience,” he said. “If all we can get is pixelated and low frame rate, we won’t release it. When it looks great – that’s when we’ll make it available.”

The interview with David Ponsford is included below.

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Inbrics’ SoIP S1 tries to make videophone converts out of us yet

We saw some incredibly cheap, ill-thought, Android-based videophones at CES this year, but this wasn’t one of them. The SoIP S1 from Inbrics is running Android, of course, but it’s under that same fine UI skin that Inbrics has coated its M1 Android slider in. The result is a finger-friendly device with nice software for making calls and sending messages — though it could really benefit from an external text-input device of some sort, and luckily there’s Bluetooth onboard to make that a possibility. There’s HDMI, Ethernet, USB and an SD slot around back, and the device is designed to sling video calls and media playback to a TV over the HDMI plug or DLNA (there’s also WiFi onboard, natch). For VoIP there’s a wireless handset embedded in the base of the unit. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see a demo of the video calling in action, and the big hangup with most of these video calling stations is still here: there’s no mention of the big standards in video calling like Skype, Google Talk or iChat, so it’s hard to see this catching fire with people who actually video chat. Still, at least Inbrics has roughly half of the software problem solved. Check out a video walkthrough after the break.

Continue reading Inbrics’ SoIP S1 tries to make videophone converts out of us yet

Inbrics’ SoIP S1 tries to make videophone converts out of us yet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype Says Next Generation Platform Will Embrace Developers

I’ve had a couple of conversations with Skype exec Jonathan Christensen over the last few days to get a better understanding of just what directions the company plans to go with regard to third party developers. The recent announcement of the closing of the Skype Extras program seems to suggest Skype is heading exactly in the wrong direction.

As an aside, one of those conversations was extraordinary from a technical perspective. Jonathan called me via Skype, which forwarded via Skype Out to my mobile phone when I didn’t pick up. Since Google now controls my mobile number, it rang my cell and my home Vonage line per my rules. I picked up the vonage line and I had a crystal clear connection with no lag.

Christensen says that the Extras announcement is not about Skype backing away from a robust developer platform. Rather, he says, Skype is focusing on a next generation platform that will hopefully address the deficiencies of the old program and open many more opportunities for developers to build on Skype services.

Vague? Somewhat. But it’s a heck of a lot more information than we’ve ever gotten out of Skype before.

Eventually, we suspect, Skype will release a SDK that allows developers to integrate deep into Skype and make calls over the Skype service without opening the Skype client. In other words, people may start to think of Skype (voice, video, chat) as a service rather than a client that must be installed and used to communicate. Today’s tools, which include a public API and the now defunct Extras program, require developers to open the Skype client to make a call.

In the future we’ll see other third party desktop applications be able to make Skype calls directly, and possibly share in the growing Skype-out per minute charges that make up the bulk of Skype revenues. And sometime after that, we will see web applications leveraging Skype as a service, too.

A couple of things have to happen first, though. There are two reasons Skype has to run on a client today. The first is audio/video encoding at the client level that ensure high quality calls with low latency and minimal configuration. There’s a reason calls on Skype tend to sound good. The second is the p2p architecture of Skype, which also affects latency and cost.

It’s relatively straightforward for Skype to allow third parties to build both functions into their apps via a SDK, which is why we’ll see desktop applications integrate Skype as a service first.

But the real win is when you can initiate skype voice and video calls via web applications. It’s not clear that we’re anywhere near that being possible with today’s browses, say experts we’ve spoken with. There will likely always need to be some desktop software to assist with at least audio/video encoding. But it’s possible this could be done via browser plugins, or even in Flash.

Anyway, we’re looking a ways into the future with all of this. But one thing seems clear – Skype, which is happily soon to be under new management, will someday open its doors widely to developers.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

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TokBox Adds Document Collaboration Powered By EtherPad

TokBox, the web-based video chat application, has announced that it has partnered with EtherPad to bring document collaboration straight into TokBox. Now, all Tokbox users can simultaneously collaborate on one text document or “pad”, while chatting in a video call. What’s cool is that when multiple people edit the same document at the same time, all changes are instantly reflected on everyone’s screen who is in the document. Once your done with your document, you can save it for later use.

Essentially, you start a call on TokBox and invite up to 20 friends or coworkers to the call. You then put in your URL for EtherPad in an existing URL pad.

After speaking with TokBox CEO Ian Small, TokBox wants to focus more on collaboration, and they have started a great relationship with EtherPad. Small also mentioned that EtherPad will be integrating TokBox into their service in the next couple of weeks. According to Small, EtherPad will be able to collaborate on documents with the addition of voice and video chatting powered by TokBox.

It’s still unclear what TokBox’s business model is, but they’re possibly positioned well because they are not limiting their service to an operating system, but just to the browser. TokBox also recently laid off 50% of their engineering team, and all the companies founders have left the company.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

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iGoogle Video Chat Threatens Shirtless Blogosphere

While tax season is always a scramble, one of the best perks of being self-employed is the fact that you can generally arrive to the office / living room in your pajamas. Think about all the blogs you read on a regular basis. Now imagine those people in their underwear, because that’s honestly how the foremost technology bloggers are dressed as they deliver you the latest news. But video chat threatens to unsettle this wonderful world of pants-less utopia. This past weekend, Google announced the launch of iGoogle voice and video chat.

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While Skype was one of the first large communities to incorporate video chat, the company has always positioned itself as a VoIP solution for long-distance international phone calls etc. Meanwhile Google’s applications have always been positioned as personal email and office solutions. Even after launching office-related features like screen sharing, Skype’s video chat is still marketed with the overseas grandparent angle in mind. A crisp video of a grandchild’s first steps is featured on Skype’s main video page alongside links to web cam-related merchandise. However, when Gmail’s video chat feature arrived, it wasn’t positioned towards grandparents or overseas friends. It was presented as an everyday lifestyle-related product, and it meant that for launch week, 150 million monthly users would habitually open their email and face the threat of the pre-coffee video ping.

Now with iGoogle video chat, the threat of the unwanted video chat is even more constant. For many iGoogle users, opening the main page is similar to opening a morning newspaper. Imagine opening your news feeds and having your boss or mother-in-law call you when you least expect it. Egad! We’ll have to keep our homes clean, brush our hair and put on respectable clothing. And what about home office productivity? All of those precious morning minutes we spent mentally prepping for phone interviews will now be spent picking out an appropriate shirt.

If you’re the kind of upstanding citizen that gets dressed before 10:00 am, install the iGoogle voice and video chat plug in and try it out. But if you’re a nudist, self-employed hermit or hopeless slob, consider holding off until the community has established guidelines for etiquette.

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