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The joy of iPad

It is easy to get caught up in the drama around iPad sales, the death of the laptop or Apple’s tussle with Google’s Android. However, once I handed an iPad to my mom, and after her FaceTime-ing with her grandkids, none of the drama mattered. Read More »

The challenge is getting the best video quality possible, as well as making the call as convenient to manage as possible. And believe it or not, the trick is to use a smartphone car mount with a hand mirror. That’s right, a common household hand mirror. Read More »

 
 

Previously, we told you how you can use your iPad as a telephone. Using a Bluetooth headset with your iPad makes that idea even more practical. The Jawbone ERA is the one I happen to use, but others should work just as well. Read More »

Skype released new beta clients for both Windows and Mac on Thursday that introduce the ability to make video calls to your Facebook friends from within Skype itself. We went hands-on with the new feature using Skype for Mac 5.4 Beta to see how it handles. Read More »

Skype has updated its iPhone and iPad apps as of Tuesday, introducing some new features. Bluetooth headsets are now supported on select devices, and video has been improved with image stabilization, but these enhancements will cost you: The apps now display ads for non-paying users. Read More »

Skype released a new beta for Mac users on Thursday, which features Facebook integration. You can now chat directly with your Facebook friends, check your news feed and update your status. But it comes at a cost: This beta also introduces ads for nonpaying Skype users. Read More »

Skype just dropped an update for its Mac client. Version 5.3 includes support for HD video, so long as your Mac is equipped with one of the new FaceTime HD cameras introduced in MacBook Pros earlier this year, or a third-party camera that supports HD resolution. Read More »

Late Monday night, Skype for iPad finally went live in the U.S. App Store, but only temporarily. We managed to grab the app before it disappeared (you can still find it in some international stores), and here’s what you can expect now that it has returned. Read More »

Facebook launched a bunch of new features Wednesday, including group chat, a redesigned chat user list, and the biggest of all, video chat via a partnership with Skype. It’s this last one that will have the biggest implications for most average Mac users. Read More »

Skype 5.2 for Mac, released Tuesday, introduces group screen sharing in addition to group video calling, which has been available since the Skype 5.0 beta for Mac. It’s a good update for pro users, but others might not find it so appealing. Read More »

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video will save you even more typing. There are lots of video chat options out there now for both Mac and iOS, and the competition is fierce. Which is your go-to client on either platform, and why? Read More »

Fring first with four-way iPad group video chat

Just last week we saw an early glimpse of Skype’s upcoming iPad app, but today Fring appears to be one step ahead of the game. Fring’s iOS app was updated today to provide iPad-optimized four-way group video calling, before Skype is even out of the gate. Read More »

More Must Reads

After a leaked video accidentally spoiled the surprise, Skype has confirmed that it is preparing an iPad app for release. No firm date is yet known for when it will arrive; it is expected to be approved soon by Apple for the App Store. Read More »

It’s a wonder anyone still uses traditional cellular networking voice or text services at all, given all the alternatives that pop up. But each of these services faces a critical challenge, and in my opinion, they’re all just living on borrowed time. Read More »

Microsoft announced today that it will acquire Skype for $8.5 billion in cash and that Skype will form a new business division within Microsoft. Despite Microsoft’s position as a longtime Apple competitor, this deal could improve the state of video chat on Apple devices. Read More »

Fring released an update Thursday for its iPhone app that brings group video chat over Wi-Fi and 3G to the service. Android users can also get in on the action, using Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G and both platforms can talk to each other. Read More »

iPhone VoIP app Viber introduced a new update Thursday that introduces text messaging and some excellent UX refinements. Viber is growing fast (with 10 million downloads since its introduction), and smart updates like this will help make sure it keeps nipping at Skype’s heels. Read More »

VOIP and video chat solutions are becoming much more common and user-friendly. While I recommend Skype because it’s multi-platform, I’m going to take you through changing the audio/visual settings on a variety of Mac-based voice and video apps, including iChat, Skype and FaceTime. Read More »

Skype is making it clear that it doesn’t want third-party clients using its services. First, Fring for iPhone lost Skype support (though there was debate regarding who was in the wrong), and today, another popular multi-service IM and calling client, Nimbuzz, had its Skype privileges revoked. Read More »

A new version of Skype for Windows arrived yesterday, bringing tighter Facebook integration along with other new goodies like group video calling. But while Windows users celebrated the new arrival, Mac users watched from the sidelines as the parade marched past. What’s up with that? Read More »

Skype has updated its iPhone application, making it compatible with iOS 4. The free communication app, which was originally released back in March of 2009, can now be run in the background thanks to iOS 4 multitasking capabilities. And 3G service charges have also been scrapped. Read More »

It’s been a long time coming, but you can now finally make calls using Skype over 3G. Version 2.0 of Skype’s free iPhone app can be downloaded from the iTunes store now. However, despite making 3G VOIP calls a reality, it’s not all good news Read More »

As our sister site GigaOM reports, video calling has indeed arrived on the iPhone. It’s just a little one-way, is all. A new version of Fring supports video calls made using both its own and the Skype network, but you’re only able … Read More »

In what BusinessWeek is describing as “his first extensive interview on the subject,” Phil Schiller, everyone’s favorite Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apple, has defended Apple’s application approval process. I’ve read through it a few times, and I’d hardly call it “extensive.” I … Read More »

Rumors were circulating earlier in the day, but now AT&T has made official its plans to allow Internet calling services to be used with its wireless network. That’s great news for iPhone users, at whom the news was mostly targeted, since it means we could … Read More »

It’s the weekend and this is TheAppleBlog…so that means only one thing: the latest picks fresh from the App Store. This week, Apple news seems to have been predominantly iPhone-centric so, before jumping in to the latest apps, it’s time for a quick refresher of Apple news … Read More »

Really? Come on, really? It was almost like waking up on Christmas morning and hurrying down the stairs, only to find that there are no presents under the tree. I’m referring, of course, to the release of the official, free Skype application (iTunes link) … Read More »

Last week we got news via our very own sister site, GigaOM, that Skype would finally being releasing their own official app for the iPhone and iPod touch, and that the release date was imminent. Skype has … Read More »

The holy mecca of VOIP calling could be coming to an iPhone near you. Om Malik wrote that he received a tip that Skype is nearing release on the iPhone. What does this mean for us iPhone users? Well, if I had my druthers, … Read More »

The great thing about using Apple computers (loaded with OS X of course), is that some of the tasks that can be frustrating and difficult on another operating system are simple and possibly even fun. So assuming you’ve got a handle on using that Mac of … Read More »

Get your spoon and prepare to swallow a whole tub of awesome because we’ve got the freshest picks from the App Store to stuff in your mouth. Before we get in to the latest releases, I’ve got a couple of interesting picks from the week’s Apple news. First … Read More »

I have no numbers to back this up, but based on personal experience, and anectdotal evidence, I would say that a lot of Mac users are probably using some kind of multi-client IM application like Adium or aMSN. That said, … Read More »

One of the early treats of Macworld this year is the release of a new Skype beta which boasts some big improvements over the existing stable release. The beta was demoed during ShowStoppers yesterday at the Macworld trade show, and released today for public download. … Read More »

Not to be confused with Apple’s Remote app for iTunes, iPhone Remote is an application for Mac OS X that puts the contents of your Mac within easy reach of your iPhone or iPod touch. With iPhone Remote, your Mac is in your iPhone. Developed … Read More »

This Friday Apple will be releasing the 2.1 software update for iPhone users. This update will be completely free for iPhone users and, according to Jobs, will fix address a lot of issues such as dropped calls, crashes, and painfully slow sync times. Along with the fixes … Read More »

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