Now that’s a chathead: Rounds adds co-browsing to its mobile video chat apps
What would get your average teenager to ditch their favorite video chat app and switch to a competitor? Co-browsing may just be one of those features. Read more »
Skype originally wanted to be like Fon, but had to solve VoIP first
photo: Jaan Tallinn
Skype’s founding team originally set out to build a crowdsourced Wi-Fi network, much like the one operated by Fon. Only, it didn’t have an adequate VoIP solution for that network. Read more »
Silicon Valley companies deny reports U.S. government has “direct access” to their servers
photo: Shutterstock/deepspacedave
Here’s how nine Silicon Valley companies have responded to reports that the U.S. government can reach into their servers and extract personal data, almost at will. Read more »
Viber morphs into full-blown Skype rival by releasing desktop app
Until now, Viber has been a mobile-only play that sits somewhere in between Skype and WhatsApp. Now it’s on the desktop too, and the different platform versions are very tightly integrated indeed. Read more »
Ring, ring! Skype video calls arrive in the browser … with Outlook.com
Skype in the browser is finally arriving, but there’s a bit of a catch: The service is fully integrated with Microsoft’s Outlook.com email service. It’s a smart move by Microsoft to integrate the service, which will require a browser plug-in. Read more »
Skycam: A simple $99 remote webcam solution that uses Skype
Remote webcams are super for checking in on your home, pets or office. So why aren’t more people using them? They’re too complicated and costly. That’s where Skycam comes in: It leverages Skype to make for an inexpensive, simple solution. Read more »
Orange outs Libon for Android and adds voice chat to iOS version
Orange’s Skype-and-WhatsApp rival is gaining functionality and reach for users around the world, with particular benefits for customers of certain Orange carriers. Read more »
Viber for BlackBerry finally finds its voice
The beta release of Viber for BlackBerry 2.4 is the first to include Skype-rivalling VoIP functionality. However, this only applies to older versions of the BlackBerry platform, not the freshly-launched BB10. Read more »
Make sure you look good: Skype for Windows Phone 8 gains HD video calling
Microsoft’s purchase of Skype is starting to benefit the Windows Phone 8 platform: The newest preview version of Skype for Microsoft smartphones is the first to offer HD video on mobiles. Read more »
Transferwise’s ‘peer-to-peer’ international money transfer system just got easier to use
Customers of the UK fintech startup can now use their debit cards on the site, instead of having to visit their online bank in order to initiate a transfer. Canadian dollars will soon be supported, too. Read more »
Telefonica’s Tu Go shows that, finally, a telco has figured out the value of the app
Tu Go extends essential functionality to Wi-Fi-connected devices, making the service you’re already paying for more relevant and easier to use. It may be the first time a telco has created a genuinely sensible OTT app. Read more »
Can you see me now? Video messaging and the future of communication
The web is getting more visual and our communication options now span video, voice and the written word. Technology and the web are breaking down the barriers of distance. Can bandwidth and devices keep up? Read more »
Yep, Skype is still taking business away from the telcos
Skype is the largest international voice provider in the world, and this year saw it continue to steal minutes away from carriers. Skype calls accounted for 167 billion minutes in 2012. Read more »
That Skype for BlackBerry 10 app? It’ll be an old Android port
When the BlackBerry team said Skype was committed to bring its app to BB 10, did you envision the software being a simple Android port? Me neither. Read more »
Carriers finally get a cut of Skype Credit sales, starting in Russia
Mobile operators have treated Skype as a threat for years. Now they’re going to profit off it by allowing customers to buy Skype Credit directly through their phone bill or pre-paid allowance and taking a cut. Read more »
Group calls on Skype to release a Google-like transparency report
After Microsoft bought Skype, some were concerned about the security of their Skype calls. Microsoft did little to assuage those concerns, so a group of human rights organizations and journalists are demanding more transparency. Read more »
Futureful’s smart content discovery app hits the iPad in the U.S.
The Janus Friis-backed serendipitous browsing tool is now available and, based on a pre-launch play-around, there really is something new and interesting in there. Read more »
Microsoft pushes ahead with its own take on WebRTC
Microsoft published a first prototype for plugin-free video chat in the browser Thursday. However, it’s a bit different from what Google and others have in mind. Read more »
Facebook tests Wi-Fi calling, and voice app in Canada
Facebook is testing out Wi-Fi based calling in Canada with its latest update to its Messenger app. The calling is only avoidable for the iOS app, but both IOS and Android users still get the benefit of being able to record voice messages. Read more »
Subscriber Content
Forecast: the converged mobile messaging market
The mobile-messaging value chain is changing as OTT players upend mobile operators’ SMS business. There will be 27.7 trillion messages by 2016, and most of the growth in traffic will come from IP-based services. Successful carriers will use this new technology to extend reliability and scalability. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Android this week: LTE for Nexus 4; Skype 3.0; Google’s AirPlay
About that Nexus 4 with no LTE. Turns out it has LTE, but only on a single band. Android owners got a Skype update this week and can expect to see more AirPlay-like features in the future from Google for media and apps. Read more »
How Orange hopes to benefit from a future of free calls and messaging
The France-based operator group is the latest to deploy an app that competes directly with the likes of Skype and WhatsApp, but also potentially steals away its own paying customers. Apart from evolving because it has to, what does it hope to gain? Read more »
Skype 3.0 for Android: It’s better, but still needs work
Skype 3.0 for Android is here, boasting improved audio quality thanks to Skype’s own SILK codec. After testing the new client on both Android phones and tablets, I can hear a bit of a difference, but some key flaws remain for video calls. Read more »
Ring, ring: Skype for Windows Phone 8 now calling!
A preview version of Skype for Windows Phone 8 is available for those with new Microsoft-powered handsets. Although the app isn’t finalized, it offers a solid set of features such as People hub integration, calls in the background and presence in the contact list. Read more »
In new era, operators scorn over-the-top services at their peril
photo: Shutterstock/caliber_3D
Consumers are gravitating to an ever expanding array of OTT services – much to the chagrin of telecom operators. Andreas Bernström, CEO of Rebtel, argues that not partnering up means missing out on big revenues and the control of their market. Read more »
It’s great that AT&T opened FaceTime up but when will Apple?
Isn’t it time for Apple to make good on its promise to make FaceTime an open standard? After all, the video service arrived in June of 2010 and we haven’t heard a peep on any effort to open up FaceTime for use on other platforms. Read more »
A Skype in Microsoft’s clothing
Microsoft today announced that it is transitioning over 100 million of Windows Live Messenger users to Skype. It is the latest sign of Microsoft-ization of Skype. The race to integration is having some unintended consequences — including declining quality of voice calls. Read more »
Skype for Windows 8 app arrives this week, part of People hub
When Microsoft’s Windows 8 debuts later this week, one of the most popular voice and video calling apps will be available. That makes sense, as Microsoft bought Skype last year, but making even more sense is Skype integration with the Windows 8 / RT People hub. Read more »
Polycom wants to build a modern conference call that doesn’t suck
Conference calls and collaboration needs an overhaul to fit better in this consumer-oriented VoIP, video and social age. Too many platforms, complicated dial-ins and keeping clients up to date, make the experience miserable. Polycom wants to change that, with new software. Yes, software. Read more »
TeliaSonera drops extra VoIP fees but raises rates
A data plan to charge consumers extra for Skype, Google Talk or other VoIP calls has been squashed by TeliaSonera; sort of. Instead of the planned 6 Euro fee for 5 to 10 hours of VoIP calls, the operator is simply raising rates for all. Read more »
Can you hear me now? You bet I can, and in HD
With iPhone 5, Apple might just have launched a mad dash towards high-definition voice and what that means is when some calls, we can actually enjoy the conversation. Skype, Google and others have similar ideas. Does that mean return of voice. God, I hope so! Read more »
Behold! The a la carte pay TV model is coming to your mobile data plan
Carriers are struggling to match the demand for data with pricing plans that keep their profits up. Over the top services like Viber and WhatsApp are causing even more pain, but 3 Hong Kong may have found a solution that would work for everyone. Read more »
Subscriber Content
IT spending update, third quarter 2012
While cloud, mobility, social, and analytics have been driving demand for IT products and services in 2012, the worldwide IT spending picture has become dimmer as the year has progressed: We’re looking at 5.1 percent worldwide IT spending growth in 2012. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Google+ ready for business with IT-friendly bells and whistles
Google is rolling out business-friendly features for its Google+ social networking service. That paves the way for a paid-version next year or beyond and escalates the battle between Google and Microsoft for the corporate desktop. Read more »
Blaast opens cloud-based mobile app platform to global developers
Blaast, which puts a subscription spin on the provision of key apps to low-end phones, has signed up more carrier partners in Asia and is planning a data-frugal app for Android users in developing markets Read more »
Forget video chat: The front camera on my smartphone is a mirror
The growing number of handsets that have front-facing cameras may mean that another common device becomes less necessary — the mirror that many women carry around in their purses. After all, why pull out a compact when your smartphone can show you exactly what you look like. Read more »
Revolutionizing toilets by rethinking the network
Yesterday’s toilet is like your parent’s phone line system: wired, and expensive. The next-generation bathroom for the next billion people in the developing world will be “wireless,” and water-free. Read more »
Poll: If carriers charge for FaceTime over cellular, will you pay?
I’ve been testing FaceTime over cellular data for a few weeks using the iOS 6 beta software. It works OK, but not as good as on Wi-Fi. Now, a new pop-up message indicates that carriers may charge for the service over their networks. Will you pay? Read more »
New Microsoft Office ropes in Skype, Yammer, SkyDrive
As Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off the company’s latest Office software Monday, he hit all the right marks — a touch interface, cloud storage, VoIP integration and social networking tie-ins. They had to. But a very different interface might spook current Office users. Read more »
GroupMe launches group event planning service
GroupMe is looking beyond messaging with the introduction of Experiences by GroupMe, a new group event planning service that is launching in New York City. It’s part of GroupMe’s larger plan to influence local spending and get a piece of the local ad and offers market. Read more »
