Vonage’s iOS and Android apps undercut Skype’s international rates by 30%

VoIP startup Vonage has launched new applications for iOS and Android phones that feature free app-to-app calling and international calling rates that run 30 percent less than rival Skype, the company announced today.

Vonage has made itself known as the company you subscribe to for cheap unlimited calling for your home phone, but it makes good sense for the company to branch out with strong mobile apps as well. The company offered a few apps … Continue Reading

Microsoft now testing Skype for Windows Phone 7, could debut soon

After a surprisingly long delay, Windows Phone owners may soon be able to get their hands on a Skype app of their very own.

Microsoft is currently testing a near-final version of Skype for Windows Phone 7, and the company may be planning to launch the app at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month, reports Tom Warren at the Verge.

Microsoft has been promising a Skype app for Windows Phone for some time. … Continue Reading

Windows Phone 8 ‘Apollo’ may offer support for Skype, NFC, more

Microsoft’s upcoming software for Windows Phone, dubbed “Apollo”, will offer integration with Skype and Windows 8, according to internal video uncovered by Pocketnow.

The Windows Phone OS will have a make-or-break year in 2012, and it’s already off to a good start by being featured in Nokia’s anticipated Lumia 900 smartphone and a few other powerful devices that were pushed by CEO Steve Ballmer (pictured) at CES 2012. Another big update to the phone’s software … Continue Reading

Skype for Windows Phone “coming soon”

Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype promised to be a marriage made in an integration heaven — especially for Windows Phones owners — but so far it’s been all talk and no action.

A Skype for Windows Phone application, however, will soon make its debut, Skype vice president of products Rick Osterloh asserted in a recent interview taped at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas.

“We’re … working on a Windows Phone product that will be coming … Continue Reading

Skype exec flies the coop to join Urban Airship

Urban Airship has robbed Skype of some serious executive talent.

Christopher Dean, formerly Skype’s chief strategy officer and the company’s global business development head, will now be Urban Airship’s chief revenue officer.

At Portland-based Urban Airship, Dean will head up sales and business development efforts for the still-young startup. Dean will work out of the mobile services company’s San Francisco office.

“To be a truly great startup there has to be a combination of first-timers … Continue Reading

Call Trunk now lets you record Skype calls and store them with Dropbox (exclusive)

Cloud-based call recording service Call Trunk will now let Skype users in the U.S. record their voice calls and store them using its new Dropbox integration, the company revealed today.

Call Trunk’s goal is to make it easier for businesses to record and store important phone calls in the cloud. Many times, people may be more forthcoming with details or promises on a phone call rather than through e-mail. All Call Trunk recordings can be … Continue Reading

How Occupiers are using live streaming and “Skype” for a cohesive voice

Technology was once a luxury. Today, technology is a part of everyday life, and indeed it even touches the 99 percent. Protesters are now both live streaming events and using Skype as a megaphone, sometimes literally.

According to The New York Times, live streaming website Ustream has over 700 channels dedicated to the Occupy movement. The point of live streaming is to bring people from anywhere to your event, so they can be involved even … Continue Reading

Facebook may beat Google to adding iOS supported video chat

Facebook’s Messenger application may be adding video chat features, according to a rumor on Italian technology blog iPhoneItalia.

The blog’s source is reporting that Facebook has released a beta test of the new video feature to developers only. The rumor has some credibility since the same source previously said Facebook was planning to let users of its Messenger app chat with friends outside of the social network — a feature which has since been released.… Continue Reading

Video chat service Rounds continues to focus on entertainment with the addition of nine new games

Rounds, described as the world’s only “communitainment” platform, combining video chat and social apps into a single experience, today announced that nine new games will be added to its service by 2012.

Tel Aviv, Israel-based Rounds sees its entertainment apps as a way to stand out from its competitors in the busy live chat sector, and is using significant investment to expand further in this area. It’s another example of entertainment companies turning to games … Continue Reading

Facebook video chat now available on Skype’s desktop app

Internet communication platform Skype has added the ability to make video calls to your Facebook friends in the new beta version of its desktop application, the company announced today.

As we previously reported back in July, Skype and Facebook forged an agreement to integrate their services for voice and video calling, which has many benefits for both companies.

With the addition of video chat, Facebook gains a feature that makes it more competitive with Google+ … Continue Reading

Tango gives Windows Phone its first video chat app, beating out Skype

Windows Phone users will finally get their chance to video chat with their iPhone and Android friends, thanks to the hot video chat startup Tango.

The company’s new Windows Phone app, available for free on the Windows Phone Marketplace, is the first to bring video chat to the platform. (Yes, even Microsoft-owned Skype is still a no-show on Windows Phone.)

Just as with Tango’s apps for iOS, Android, and Windows, the Windows Phone app will … Continue Reading

Ballmer: “We’ve picked our play” in social with Skype deal

Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, said in a very loud conversation with co-host John Battelle at the Web 2.0 Summit that his company has made a big bet on social through both Skype and Xbox Live. Ballmer used his signature booming voice to hammer home his points in a comical conversation.

Microsoft hasn’t launched what some people expected it to do: a social network that competes with the likes of Facebook or Twitter. Ballmer … Continue Reading

Skype and Rdio founder to challenge Netflix with Vdio (updated)

One of the founders of Skype and Rdio has decided to make a run at Netflix and Hulu with a mysterious new video service called Vdio, according to a GigaOM report.

Janus Friis, the co-creator of Skype, Kazaa, Joost and Rdio, has kept Vdio a secret for as long as two years and received $5.6 million in funding in Oct. 2010 while the company was listed under the name Project WBS. At present, Vdio.com is … Continue Reading

Microsoft completes $8.5B Skype acquisition

Skype is now officially a part of Microsoft. The software giant announced today that it has completed its $8.5 billion purchase of the video chat company.

Now that the deal — Microsoft’s biggest yet — is official, Skype CEO Tony Bates will become president of the Skype Division at Microsoft, reporting directly to CEO Steve Ballmer. Skype will still have employees located all over the world — including Russia, Sweden, and the UK — but … Continue Reading

Tango’s explosive growth for video calls fueled by rapid 2-week dev cycle (exclusive)

Cross-platform video calling startup Tango has seen tremendous growth since its launch in early fall of last year. One of the biggest reasons for its success, according to CTO Eric Setton, may be the company’s crazy strict 2-week development cycle for its iPhone, Android, and PC applications.

“We’re working literally 24/7 to improve the app, fix issues and add new device support every two weeks,” Setton said.

I spoke with Setton (pictured) during CTIA Enterprise … Continue Reading

Tango video chat heads to Windows PCs

Video-calling application Tango announced on its blog today that it is now available on desktop PCs. The company originally announced the feature back in July, along with a $42 million second round of funding.

The original Tango mobile app allowed smartphone and tablet users to make free video calls to other Tango users over 3G and 4G networks. The same features will be available on the Windows PC version with the usual tech requirements, such … Continue Reading

Updated Skype iOS apps add Bluetooth support and (unfortunately) ads

Skype on Tuesday updated its apps for the iPhone and iPad, which now include Bluetooth functionality and image stabilization. Unfortunately the updates also introduce advertising for non-paid users for the first time.

Skype is trying to better monetize its service after Microsoft announced plans to acquire the company back in May for $8.5 billion. While Microsoft product integration is still in the planning phase, Skype is slowly changing into a company that wants to make … Continue Reading

Skype adds Facebook integration to Mac OS X beta app

Text, voice and video communications company Skype launched a new version of its Mac OS X beta client today that adds extensive integration with popular social network Facebook.

Skype has traditionally allowed its Mac client to lag behind the Windows version in both design and feature additions. Yet, the latest update brings the Mac up to speed.

Like Skype’s Window client, Mac users can now link their Facebook accounts with Skype, which enables them to … Continue Reading

Skype launches new directory for third-party apps

Online voice and video communication service Skype recently opened a new directory site for third-party applications.

The directory will help raise awarenesss of apps using Skype’s API. However, it also represents a shift in the company’s relationship with its developer community, which it hasn’t always been on the best of terms with in the past.

The directory contains a mix of consumer and business apps. You can sort between app categories, pricing and developer. Right … Continue Reading