VideoCall -- Engadget Mobile

VideoCall posts

Nokia VP: video calling not successful because it turns you ugly

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 2nd 2008 @ 7:55PM

Why has video calling failed to capture the hearts and minds of the many 3G-enabled countries that have deployed the service? At Nokia's S60 Summit in Barcelona last week, it seems that the company's VP of Category Management (whatever the heck that means) for the Nseries line took a rather blunt approach to the question, claiming that it's because the angle at which the front-facing cams are held gives callers a view of your face that "isn't very flattering." He mentioned that most webcams are typically placed just above the user's line of sight, which gives a more pleasing view of the face; obviously, that's not something you can practically do with your phone most of the time. A little controversial? Perhaps -- and it appears that other factions in the company don't share his view, with its Director of Product and Technology Marketing quick to note that video call tech hit the market before consumers were ready, and a lack of carrier support (read: reasonable pricing) has hindered uptake. Now that we think about it, though, do we really want to see up your nose while we're talking?

AT&T Video Share goes national, now live in 160 markets

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 23rd 2007 @ 1:15PM

Following an earlier limited rollout to Atlanta, Dallas, and San Antonio, AT&T has now taken its "video call lite" service -- Video Share -- to all 160 of its 3G markets nationwide. Like the service itself, the compatible handset lineup is extraordinarily limited at the moment; only the SYNC, A717, and A727 from Samsung are being officially advertised, though we know the LG CU500v should work as well. Pricing remains unchanged from before: a stiff $4.99 monthly for 25 minutes of usage, $9.99 for 60 minutes, or 35 cents per minute.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Imaginarium's Cam1 brings video calling to kids

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 19th 2007 @ 9:50AM

Imaginarium's telephony devices for children haven't typically looked like phones -- though we reckon that's by design -- and the trend continues with its latest, the Cam1. The rather beefy looking Cam1 is focused on video calling, giving parents an opportunity to get some visual confirmation that their children are safe and sound (though we're wondering what the toddler in the press shot here is doing far enough away from her parents to require a video call). Other features include 20MB of onboard memory, microSD expansion, and big, colorful buttons that we kinda want to press.

Cingular to demo video calls at CES

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 5th 2007 @ 5:21PM

It's been a long time in coming -- and even its latest upcoming equipment doesn't seem to support it -- but Cingular (or should we say AT&T?) wants everyone to know that video calling is still very much on its agenda. Demos of the feature, made possible by WCDMA's capability to rock voice and data simultaneously, will be taking place at AT&T's CES booth next week. We don't know the full lineup of handsets Cingular will be using for the exhibition or whether said equipment will make it into Cingular's lineup down the road, but one device we know will be shown is the LG CU500v, a video call-capable update to the venerable CU500. Yeah, that's right -- that six month old, HSDPA capable CU500 is obsolete. Some of us haven't even worn the new phone smell off our 8525s and BlackJacks yet, but we doubt they're updatable; no front-facing cam, after all.

Cingular-branded Motorola V3xx hits the FCC

by Chris Ziegler posted Dec 1st 2006 @ 10:18PM

It may be no match for its MAXX cousin, but the scrappy lil' Motorola V3xx (alias "MOTORAZR xx") does alright for itself -- especially this side of the pond, where folks are still relatively starved for HSDPA-equipped handsets. The latest FCC filings reveal that the V3xx will be heading to (or at least tested by) Cingular, which we can say with some confidence thanks primarily to a user's manual absolutely riddled with Cingular references. With just a 1.3 megapixel external camera and that please-make-it-stop original RAZR styling, the V3xx seems ultimately destined for one of the lower tiers in Cingular's 3G lineup, but the presence of a secondary forward-facing cam indicates that it could also end up being one of the first to support video calling.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Radvision gets PCs in on video calls

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 4th 2006 @ 1:08PM

While lack of product (and network, in most places) is the US' biggest roadblock to acceptance of video calling, the technology hasn't exactly captured the hearts and minds of consumers where it's been rolled out, either. There are a few believable theories why it hasn't taken hold: size of the screen, quality of the video, cost, the fact that you're making the call in your skivvies, et cetera. Radvision thinks it might have a lot to do with the fact that PCs are already well-established in the video conferencing game and they've been unable to play nice with 3G handsets thus far, prompting the company to develop "PC-to-Mobile," a PC client enabling video calls to handsets and vice versa. The solution appears to require carrier acceptance and implementation, meaning that unless your operator of choice decides to sign on Radvision's dotted line, you might not be able to get on the action -- but given that video calling likely hasn't made anyone a dime yet, these guys might make quite a splash.

[Via The Inquirer]