3G Video Conferencing with Smartphones (Amazing Mobile Experience)

Few days back, Skype announced an update to the iPhone 4 app officially supporting full on Video Conferencing over 3G and WiFi (unfortunately, not for Android for now), in an effort to play catch-up to services like TANGO, FRING and YAHOO Messenger apps which are good for both iPhone and Android using 3G or WiFi for quite some time.

SKYPE's value-add is its vast user-base and the massive Desktop-to-PC enablement; enabling mobile video conferencing over 3G (even if only on the iPhone for now) is a huge advancement in mobile experience evolution.  Take for instance, over the new years weekend, we took a family trip out to the Poconos to do some site seeing and snowboarding.  While there, I was keeping in touch with friends and family via SKYPE video conference everywhere I went.  We used SKYPE video on SKI Lift, in a moving car (someone else in the car is using it) and while sitting down at various places (ice cream shop, IKEA, etc...).  The experience was nothing short of breathless.  The last time I felt this mobile-empowered was when I used my iPhone 4 on Virgin America in-flight WiFi service for a TANGO conference call with another friend using iPhone 4.

The official SKYPE 3G mobile-video enablement is a huge break-through for advancement of internet-computing-mobile technology.  Although the picture quality via 3G is still a little blurry for now, it won't be long before the next generations of smartphone featuring 4G or 5G data allowing us to stream HD video conferences or HD Netflix content over the web.  Welcome to the future my friend!

Tango App is Awesome!

I don't usually review apps unless they offer the ability to enhance one's mobile experience.  Tango App is definitely one that enhances mobile experience.  It fills a huge void in the premium smartphone space:  Cross-platform Video Chat over 3G or 4G data network (with ease).

Its what Facetime and Qik should've been.  Simply download Tango on your iPhone 4 or HTC EVO.  Then dial your friends from your address book via Tango.  Tango has no registration process and will tell you if your friend has Tango installed so you can call them.  Video call over 3G data is decent and I had no problem doing so with other iPhone 4 or HTC EVO users.  There are some bugs that needs to be iron'd out, for instance, somehow  my iPhone won't ring when a friend is Tango-calling me even though Tango is running in the background (yet, it works on my friend's iPhone 4) [UPDATE: There is no bug, the app will not alert you if during installation, you've disallowed push notification, albeit they could have explained it better or provided some reference in the settings menu, it can be fixed if you go to your iPhone's SETTINGS>PUSH NOTIFICATION>ENABLE Sound and Display for Tango, thanks to my friend at KRAPPS for the tip!].  In any case, the application is still working pretty good, doing the job that Facetime or Qik should've done.

Tango is an amazing app and I highly recommend it!