Apple Debuts Facetime for the Mac, Beta Available Today

[Superdrive]

I said, "Thank you, Steve." When I saw this. It is about time.

I am interested to see how iChat progresses over time. I feel that it is very much a back burner piece of software since things like Facebook and text messaging have become more prevalent.

I wonder if the app will need to remain open to receive calls on the Mac or if we'll need to wait for a "Push notifications" update.

 

[alansaysstop]

Still getting the iwork trial. someone want to host the facetime beta on megaupload/mediafire maybe?

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

It Is Awsome I Just Facetimed Myself!

 

[wrmoody]

Still not working

The link isn't fixed. I am still downloading iWork09 trial.

 

[alansaysstop]

I wonder if the app will need to remain open to receive calls on the Mac or if we'll need to wait for a "Push notifications" update.

curious about this myself. hopefully FaceTime on 3G comes fast to the iPhone 4 also. Would make this way more relavent.

 

[digiphantom]

What's the correct direct link? I still get the iWork09 trial.

 

[Demosthenes X]

Should have been built into iChat......

I agree. Why reduce your potential use base by requiring people to download and install another piece of software? Just design it into software that's already installed on every Mac...

On the plus side, I just tested it out between my iPhone 4 and my MacBook, and it seems to work pretty well. There's no function to "mute" the video portion of the call (though you can mute the audio) without also ending the call, though... that would be nice.

 

[azdude]

Works well, and listens in the background (i.e. without the app launched) for incoming FaceTime calls.

I wish I could tell it to accept Facetime calls addressed to my iPhone 4's number and have it ring on my Mac and iPhone, so I could choose where to answer an incoming call. As is, it's only set up to use an email address.

 

[gage006]

No windows version? Or even integrated into an iChat for windows?

 

[celebi23]

Here's the correct link to the FaceTime download
http://appldnld.apple.com/FaceTime/061-9589.20101020.Mbgt5/FaceTime.dmg

 

[Mac-Mariachi]

Worked for me

Works for me!

 

[simon48]

link #1 = iWork.

link #2 = FaceTime.

 

[PantherJeep]

Here's the correct link to the FaceTime download
http://appldnld.apple.com/FaceTime/061-9589.20101020.Mbgt5/FaceTime.dmg

That worked - thanks!

 

[Silentwave]

My thoughts exactly. I don't know why they needed a whole new piece of software to do what iChat did, except not with iDevices. I wonder if FaceTime will replace iChat in Lion.

It didn't make sense to me at first but it now seems like it makes a ton of sense. One of them has to maintain a list of active/online contacts and the other does not have any way of telling you contacts are online but must maintain a full list of contacts that would clutter up iChat

 

[ks-man]

Does it work Mac to Mac or just Mac to iPhone?

 

[kirky29]

Downloaded and called myself
Works good!

 

[NeuralControl]

The link is working now. Download was extremely fast.

 

[potatis]

Note how Steve called the camera FaceTime instead of iSight when presenting the Air, could it be a HD camera or just a name change

 

[jonnysods]

Weird. I can't make any calls yet as it won't populate my address books list in FT with my Exchange contacts. They are synced with my Address Book but FT doesn't like it.

 

[Demosthenes X]

I wish I could tell it to accept Facetime calls addressed to my iPhone 4's number and have it ring on my Mac and iPhone, so I could choose where to answer an incoming call. As is, it's only set up to use an email address.

I just thought of this, too. Good idea.

It's also too bad Facetime doesn't have a better communication protocol. That is, if I try and Facetime someone who isn't in a WiFi hotspot, it should let me know somehow, instead of just ringing...

 

[jamesa]

i was really excited about this but it hasn't been properly thought through. for example, what difference does it matter what country i'm in? video chat only works over wifi anyway - i want to call my folks back home, and i can't do it.

don't tell me to use ichat - doesn't work if i don't have my computer with me.

they need to invest some time into thinking through a proper unification of this with ichat. right now it' just a hodge-podge of stuff added on

-- james

 

[hobspain]

Downloaded and tried to call my iPhone 4 next to me. It didn't work and tells me that me (I suppose on the iPhone 4) "needs to update to the latest version of FaceTime".

Anyone having the same issue?

 

[Small White Car]

Should have been built into iChat......

I disagree. I really don't care about text-chatting. What does video calling have to do with that?

Should they build face time into Apple Mail because they're both communication toools? Or should it be part of Address Book because they both involve people?

No, it makes more sense as a stand-alone app.

 

[mdwsta4]

Not that I use facetime or ichat, but I might be more inclined to use this over ichat as I haven't used AIM or any of those programs since I was a teenager. Will be nice to access people right from my address book.

 

[ttrentler]

Installed!

It Works!!!!