It’s easy—and free!
When AT&T demonstrated a picture phone at the 1964 World’s Fair, the device was greeted with oohs and aahs. Nearly half a century later, video calling is finally easy enough that it can play a big role in your communications.
Picture and sound quality tend to be quite good. Computer-to-computer video calls usually are free—even internationally. How to get it going…
calling with a computer
The best way to place video calls is through your computer, although that means both parties must have the same video-calling service set-up. The software required is free and easy to use. You’ll need a high-speed Internet connection and a Webcam that is either built in or installed.
If your computer does not have a Webcam, consider buying a Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 ($99.99 list, www.Logitech.com). It provides good picture quality and works well with the major video-calling programs.
There are three major video-calling services…
Skype is the most popular, in part because it’s very easy to install and use. Once it’s set up, you just select the person you want to reach off a list you create and click “Video Call.” (On a Mac, select the person, click the green phone button, then the blue video button.) If the person you are calling has Skype turned on, his/her computer will ring like a phone, but you might want to send an e-mail or call in advance so that the person knows to expect your video call.
To install Skype, visit www.Skype.com, click “Get Skype” and follow the directions. Skype’s software will help you add names to your contact list. Unlike the other video-calling services, Skype also lets users place ultra-low-cost voice-only calls from their computers to any traditional phone.
Apple iChat. Apple’s video-calling program is very much like Skype, but it’s available only on Apple computers. You can use an Apple MobileMe, AOL AIM or Google Talk account. Some newer Apple computers allow you to add special effects, such as fish floating across the screen or the Eiffel Tower in the background, and up to four callers can take part in a video conversation at once. If your Apple computer doesn’t have iChat, you can add it by downloading the free version available through CNET (http://Download.CNET.com/mac).
Google Video Chat. Sign up for a free Gmail e-mail account (http://mail.google.com), and click “Settings” at the top of the screen. Next, select “Chat,” then “Learn more” from the “Voice and video chat” section, and “Install voice and video chat.” To place video calls, just click the name of anyone in your Gmail account contact list and then click the video camera icon next to his name.
Which of the three services should you use? You might want to set up two or all three of them and then, at any given time, use whichever one that a particular contact tends to use.
VIDEO CALLS WITHOUT A COMPUTER
It is increasingly possible to place video calls without a computer…
Call from your phone. Apple’s new iPhone 4 has a feature called FaceTime that allows you to video-chat with someone on another iPhone 4 (but only over WiFi networks) by tapping a button on the screen (www.Apple.com). The Ojo Personal Video Phone, which connects to a home Internet router (www.OjoPhone.com), and the Saygus VPhone smartphone (www.Saygus.com) have the ability to place video calls. Skype is expected to offer cell-phone
