video chat

Apple's FaceTime hit the big time when it was released on the iPhone 4 last year, and has since made its way to Apple's computers and the iPad 2. But if you're not calling between Apple devices, FaceTime isn't an option. Tango for iPhone and Android is a messaging application that allows users to make video calls between devices (including the iPod Touch) over 3G, 4G, and WiFi connections, similar to Fring.

In order to chat, both users must have the app installed. Tango pulls contacts from your existing phone list, and invites users to invite others via email or text. To make a call, simply tap the contact you'd like to reach in the Tango contact list. The recipient will receive a push notification alerting them to your call.

Tango is free, and available in the App Store and Android Market and works on phones with a front-facing camera.

This weekend was not pretty for me — I lost my iPhone. Now that the initial panic has subsided, and the pangs of withdrawal are gone, I'm doing OK. I'm getting a new iPhone next week, and unlike my landline- and voicemail-only days, not having a cell phone doesn't mean lugging a roll of quarters and an address book around. Besides email, here's how I'm staying connected:

• Gmail's "Call Phone" feature — Being able to make phone calls from my Gmail account is pretty amazing. The desktop VoIP client is free when calling any number in the United States and super easy to use. You just dial the number on a pop-up keypad and talk right into your computer. I've ordered food delivery, called a cab, and confirmed appointments using the Call Phone feature.
• Video chat — Whether it's Skype or Gmail, I've been all about using video chat this week to call my friends, which is something I've never really done on the regular. This is especially cool when I'm video chatting with a friend who only lives a few blocks away. In the past, I would have just texted and lost out on the face-to-face time that video chat provides.

See what else I'm using after the break.

When I first saw Back to the Future 2 back in 1989, I thought it was the coolest thing since Parachute Pants. I watched it over and over and wondered if this was how the future would really turn out to be.

One of the most memorable scenes for me was when Jennifer finds herself at her future home. Not only was the "Rehydrator" something I looked forward to, but Marty Jr.'s TV glasses and Marty Sr.'s video chat with his boss Needles totally blew my mind. These days, video chatting is a common way to communicate since it's accessible on all kinds of devices — from TVs to computers to phones. But more than just a way to say hello, video conferencing can be valuable in many areas of your life. Check out five simple ways you could utilize a webcam, or something like the new Umi Telepresence system, after the break.

This morning in San Francisco, Cisco invited the press to come and "taste the chocolate" of its new product. Unfortunately for my sweet tooth, there was no actual chocolate, but there was a pretty cool product in its stead. The company unveiled the Umi Telepresence — a sophisticated video chatting system that allows you to use the HD TV you already own to talk to the people you love.

Coming with an HD video cam, a set-top box, and a remote, the Umi (pronounced Yoo-Me) delivers outstanding video quality over your broadband Internet without virtually any lag (latency is only around 200 milliseconds). Setup is easy, too — just plug in the camera to your console, plug the console into your TV set, and connect to the Internet via WiFi or Ethernet cable. Voila!

Want to learn more about the Umi, its features, and price? Then just read more.

Major win for technology and dating: iChat with video, Google video chat, and FaceTime. My guy and I both have packed schedules, and between our work and our families on opposite sides of the country, there are some weeks we see more of each other via video chat than we do in person. When we're at home (or at least, away from other people), video chatting is fun. But there are some days when one of us is stuck somewhere (like an airport) for hours, and we need to sneak in some chat time. Convenient, yes. But the embarrassment factor? High.

So in this installment of Tech Dating 101, read my story and share your own after the break

You've got an iPhone 4 and want to use FaceTime, but don't have a WiFi connection. What to do now? Well, you can download the newly-updated Fring App (Free) and video chat all you want since it now allows video calling over 3G on any phone, by taking advantage of front-facing cameras (like the one on the EVO 4G).

Take note that chatting over 3G will impact your data usage (unlike the FaceTime feature), so be sure to monitor how much data you're pulling down each month. Fring is available in the Android Market as well, so gather up your Droid-loving friends and start chatting!

There are times that I'm so engrossed in my technology-filled life that I forget that not everyone has the same geeky habits and quirks that I have. After reading this article about friends watching TV together in different time zones, I had one of those reactions. Call me an early adopter, but I've been doing this since high school, when my then-boyfriend and I used to watch Dawson's Creek together on the phone.

But, like so many other things, technology makes co-watching TV shows even easier, thanks to DVRs and services like Hulu, which allow you easily to watch the same show with a friend from virtually any two locations. Then, add services like Skype, which allow you to talk to friends in real time while you're watching. Not to mention there's no danger of someone else in your house complaining that you're hogging the phone line during your favorite show (or picking it up every five minutes until you promise to hang up).

I love doing this with friends who don't live in my city. Usually, my friends on the East Coast will DVR a show and watch with me when it's live in PST here in California. We'll iChat — sometimes with video, sometimes without — and talk as the show progresses. It's an easy (and fun!) way to feel in touch even when there are thousands of miles between us. Do you ever do this?

Although iChat allows me to video conference with up to three people at the same time, sometimes I just want to have an iChat party with more of my friends or family. Same goes for those who work from home and need to video with other co-workers in a conference. And with SuperIM, you can now video chat with up to 10 people. Amazing!

All it takes is a free account with Paltalk and a quick download of SuperIM, and you're on your way to chatting with 10 of your buddies from around the world who have an Internet connection. But it's not just video, you can also text IM with Paltalk too. So if you're having a bad hair day, no one has to know.

The trailer for Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen shows Sam moving into a dorm and flirting with a Bluetooth-using Mikaela about the webcam he got so they can "chat like 24/7." It's a cute scene, but I can't help but think about how unnatural both technologies are to use. Many states have adopted hands free laws, which require cell users to use a Bluetooth or hands free device when driving (just ask Tinseltown celebs who stay connected via a headset), but there's no getting around the funny feeling of sticking a device on your ear when trying to connect with someone. And then there's video chat. Most of you admit you've used video chat before, but it's not exactly a natural experience. As soon as I receive a request to video chat I wonder if I have salad in my teeth or if my hair looks a mess. They are great technologies, but boy are they strange to use. Which communication tool do you think is more awkward?