5 ms·

Facebook+Skype Video Calling

40 points by borism 15y ago

drivebyacct2 15y ago
Not surprised to see Skype's stunning Linux support continues. http://i.imgur.com/Mfa2z.png http://i.imgur.com/Mfa2z.png
ddw 15y ago
As far as privacy goes, Facebook and Skype are perfect together.
bretthopper 15y ago
Oh, marketing copy: "no need to launch new software". Of course you need to INSTALL new software to use it though.
- gfodor 15y ago
  Not launching a separate app for video is certainly a nice feature.
joegaudet 15y ago
I enjoyed the Jar install too..
jamesbkel 15y ago
I was OK with the MS deal, but now I am seriously reconsidering paying for my Sype #. I still use facebook on occasion for purely trivial/social reasons: birthday parties, holidays, checking to see if there are any random friends who serendipitously now live in the city I'm visiting for business. But I use Skype professionally... even the off chance that these accounts would eventually be linked (i.e. "You talked to XXX on Skype, you should be FB friends!") makes me very uncomfortable.
h00k 15y ago
D'aw, it's cute that Facebook is playing catch-up. You can't share other information while you're chatting (watch a YouTube video together), it doesn't integrate with Skype contacts even though it uses Skype's services (read: network), and it's 1-to-1 calling (unlike Google+ Hangout), you can't turn off video and leave it only voice-only calling, you can't be selectively offline to people (you have to un-friend them). Source: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2011-07-06-facebook-video-chat_n.htm http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2011-07-06... If you need me, I'll be using Google+ Hangouts instead. EDIT: We're sorry. Video calling isn't available on this browser. Please try again with a different browser. Their nifty 'use these browsers' post include my browser (Chrome[ium]). Well done! EDIT 2: Note that video calling for Linux is not currently supported. You will need to use one of these browsers in a Mac or Windows operating system. If you’re having trouble with video calling, try upgrading or switching your browser using the links above.
- tejaswiy 15y ago
  >it doesn't integrate with Skype contacts even though it uses Skype's services (read: network) I think that's a good thing for Facebook?
- ern 15y ago
  you can't be selectively offline to people (you have to un-friend them) It looks like you can, the same way you can be offline in regular FB chat: by choosing a Friend List that contains the friend, and making yourself offline to that list. I'm currently offline to everyone on chat, except immediate family, and my closest friends.
- hammock 15y ago
  Wow complain much? The thing just launched a couple hours ago. I think it just makes sense to integrate video calling with facebook--because today facebook is most people's worldwide, online contact book so to speak. The idea is similar to the way google added voice calling to gchat.
  - h00k 15y ago
    While I'm not saying it's a bad idea to have voice and video, something makes me think implementation and release was hurried after Google+ release (EDIT: I'm sure they've been planning for a while, but I think Google+ prompted Facebook to push this out the door. I am, however, only speculating.), and that there are things that should be taken care of. > The idea is similar to the way google added voice calling to gchat. Voice-and-video chatting for Google Talk (which came out in 2008, remember when I said catch-up?) and was similar in that you could contact your google-talk friends with voice and video, sure, which is what they're enabling users to do today (2011). While their page (http://www.facebook.com/videocalling http://www.facebook.com/videocalling) has an image Facebook + Skype, I would assume I could use it to connect with my Skype people as well, but that isn't the case. Expansion to potentially add this in the future would be a good marketing ploy, however.
- CGamesPlay 15y ago
  But you have to hand it to Facebook for hearing about Google+ Hangouts on Monday and implementing video chat on Wednesday.
peterb 15y ago
Google vs. Microsoft+Facebook vs. Apple+Twitter. This is fun.
- rimantas 15y ago
  Well… One can look at it this way, but this is mostly Google vs. Facebook. While FB + Skype is important I don't think Apple is really trying to get into social networks with Twitter integration. Honestly, I have no idea why they did it. Google and Facebook make money from advertising, Apple makes money from selling hardware (and a bit from selling content).
  - peterb 15y ago
    Apple needs applications clients want/need to use. Facetime is a direct competitor to Skype. Twitter integration will help on their social front. This is a 3-way war.
motters 15y ago
I'm just wondering how long it will be before the moral panic. Social networking video opens up new horizons for copyright/trademark violations, "public broadcasts" and all manner of Chatroulette-like tomfoolery.

40 points by borism 15y ago

Not surprised to see Skype's stunning Linux support continues. http://i.imgur.com/Mfa2z.png http://i.imgur.com/Mfa2z.png

ddw 15y ago

As far as privacy goes, Facebook and Skype are perfect together.

bretthopper 15y ago

Oh, marketing copy: "no need to launch new software". Of course you need to INSTALL new software to use it though.

gfodor 15y ago
Not launching a separate app for video is certainly a nice feature.

joegaudet 15y ago

I enjoyed the Jar install too..

jamesbkel 15y ago

I was OK with the MS deal, but now I am seriously reconsidering paying for my Sype #. I still use facebook on occasion for purely trivial/social reasons: birthday parties, holidays, checking to see if there are any random friends who serendipitously now live in the city I'm visiting for business. But I use Skype professionally... even the off chance that these accounts would eventually be linked (i.e. "You talked to XXX on Skype, you should be FB friends!") makes me very uncomfortable.

h00k 15y ago

D'aw, it's cute that Facebook is playing catch-up. You can't share other information while you're chatting (watch a YouTube video together), it doesn't integrate with Skype contacts even though it uses Skype's services (read: network), and it's 1-to-1 calling (unlike Google+ Hangout), you can't turn off video and leave it only voice-only calling, you can't be selectively offline to people (you have to un-friend them). Source: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2011-07-06-facebook-video-chat_n.htm http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2011-07-06... If you need me, I'll be using Google+ Hangouts instead. EDIT: We're sorry. Video calling isn't available on this browser. Please try again with a different browser. Their nifty 'use these browsers' post include my browser (Chrome[ium]). Well done! EDIT 2: Note that video calling for Linux is not currently supported. You will need to use one of these browsers in a Mac or Windows operating system. If you’re having trouble with video calling, try upgrading or switching your browser using the links above.

tejaswiy 15y ago
>it doesn't integrate with Skype contacts even though it uses Skype's services (read: network) I think that's a good thing for Facebook?
ern 15y ago
you can't be selectively offline to people (you have to un-friend them) It looks like you can, the same way you can be offline in regular FB chat: by choosing a Friend List that contains the friend, and making yourself offline to that list. I'm currently offline to everyone on chat, except immediate family, and my closest friends.
hammock 15y ago
Wow complain much? The thing just launched a couple hours ago. I think it just makes sense to integrate video calling with facebook--because today facebook is most people's worldwide, online contact book so to speak. The idea is similar to the way google added voice calling to gchat.
- h00k 15y ago
  While I'm not saying it's a bad idea to have voice and video, something makes me think implementation and release was hurried after Google+ release (EDIT: I'm sure they've been planning for a while, but I think Google+ prompted Facebook to push this out the door. I am, however, only speculating.), and that there are things that should be taken care of. > The idea is similar to the way google added voice calling to gchat. Voice-and-video chatting for Google Talk (which came out in 2008, remember when I said catch-up?) and was similar in that you could contact your google-talk friends with voice and video, sure, which is what they're enabling users to do today (2011). While their page (http://www.facebook.com/videocalling http://www.facebook.com/videocalling) has an image Facebook + Skype, I would assume I could use it to connect with my Skype people as well, but that isn't the case. Expansion to potentially add this in the future would be a good marketing ploy, however.
CGamesPlay 15y ago
But you have to hand it to Facebook for hearing about Google+ Hangouts on Monday and implementing video chat on Wednesday.

peterb 15y ago

Google vs. Microsoft+Facebook vs. Apple+Twitter. This is fun.

rimantas 15y ago
Well… One can look at it this way, but this is mostly Google vs. Facebook. While FB + Skype is important I don't think Apple is really trying to get into social networks with Twitter integration. Honestly, I have no idea why they did it. Google and Facebook make money from advertising, Apple makes money from selling hardware (and a bit from selling content).
- peterb 15y ago
  Apple needs applications clients want/need to use. Facetime is a direct competitor to Skype. Twitter integration will help on their social front. This is a 3-way war.

motters 15y ago

I'm just wondering how long it will be before the moral panic. Social networking video opens up new horizons for copyright/trademark violations, "public broadcasts" and all manner of Chatroulette-like tomfoolery.