FriendCaller Blog

Recently, we made it possible to make echo-free video calls using our browser-based WebPhone. This has resulted in very positive feedback from our users, who have had a lot of fun trying out this great new feature.

This month, video calling will also be integrated into our popular iOS apps for your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. In the coming months, we will also add video calling to our Android phone and tablet app.

Of course, integrating such a development-intensive function into our products is no easy task. In fact, it required extensive programming and testing.

Check out this picture we took while testing this new feature!

As you can see, we had a lot of fun, and we found that the user experience for video calling is vastly different from voice-only calls.

Will you try video calling with FriendCaller? If the answer is yes, please tell us about your experience!

The browser-based VoIP Java solution supports free and clear live video chats with anyone, anytime or anywhere

Sunnyvale, Calif., July 6, 2011 – C2Call, the pioneer for Java-based VoIP calls via the browser, today introduced a complete browser-based echo-free video calling solution via the FriendCaller Web phone.

C2Call was the first company to leverage the modern operating systems’ Java Virtual Machine (VM) to offer FriendCaller.com’s free WebPhone calls to anyone, anywhere, without requiring users to download software or register. Once again, C2Call is the first company use Java to its advantage to introduce browser-based video calling.

Most browser-based video chat services use Flash enablement to make calls. Until today, FriendCaller was the only VoIP service using Java for browser call capabilities. The company’s announcement today coincides with Facebook’s announcement that it will partner with Skype to offer video calls. Unlike FriendCaller, Facebook’s solution requires an alternative installation flow of various Java plug-ins and exe files for each OS and browser combination. Furthermore, this configuration will not work on the Linux platform. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/notes/philip-su/building-video-calling/10150229123673920.

“Today’s announcement from Facebook is a significant endorsement of Java for large scale video calling and VoIP services, and until today we were pretty much alone in using Java for VoIP,” said Martin Feuerhahn, CEO of FriendCaller developer C2Call GmbH. “FriendCaller’s video calling feature supports an exceptional VoIP calling experience for users of our browser-based WebPhone, enabling them to chat with their FriendCaller contacts, or make free browser-based online video calls to friends who have not yet registered with FriendCaller, using their unique CallMe-Link, all without installing software or plug-ins.”

FriendCaller’s unique CallMe-Link technology makes it possible to connect with friends via free, PC-to-PC calls, even if they haven’t yet registered with FriendCaller. The FriendCaller CallMe-Link is a unique URL link that can be sent to anyone, even if they aren’t a FriendCaller user. When the recipient of the CallMe-Link clicks on it, they will be able to instantly call the sender, via their browser.

Availability

Video calling is currently available via FriendCaller’s WebPhone and Facebook app. Video calling for FriendCaller’s Apple® iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad™ will be available in July 2011, and for Android™ devices during Q3’11.

About C2Call

C2Call is the first company to offer free VoIP phone calls to anyone, without the need to download software or register. C2Call’s FriendCaller is the first and only WebPhone solution that lets anyone make a free call by clicking a link sent via email, IM, social networks, blog or website. C2Call was founded in 2008 by CEO Martin Feuerhahn and CTO Michael Knecht, founders of Actai Networks, the mobile Internet solutions development company. C2Call is a venture-backed company that has generated more than $4 million in revenue since April 2010. Investors in C2Call include Bill Draper, an early Skype investor.

For more information visit www.FriendCaller.com.

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Apple, iPhone and iPod touch are registered trademarks, iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

These days, everyone is a critic. Tools like Yelp! make it possible to instantly rant or rave about an experience you had with a restaurant, retailer or service provider. For casting a wider net with your rant or rave, simply update your Twitter or Facebook status. So powerful are some of these tools, that a single comment, regardless of whether or not it is legitimate, can make or break a business.

The same holds true for apps available through the iTunes Store or the Android Market. Some apps, especially the more popular ones, can have hundreds of reviews. However, not all of the reviews are constructive, and many can be misleading and a waste of time.

It amazes us that people will spend between $200 and $400 for the latest and greatest smartphone, an additional $75 to $150 per month for service, and then spend their time griping unnecessarily over a 99 cent app!

So, when it comes to user reviews, how much weight do you think a review should carry when deciding to purchase an app? As a user, is it easy for you to discern between a simple rant, and a legitimate issue that the reviewer had with the app? Do you even take user reviews into consideration when purchasing an app?

I would love to hear your thoughts that value of user reviews for apps, as well as any tips you may have for cutting through the clutter of useless reviews that plague both the iTunes Store and the Android Market.

Well, actually I do not like Apple that much, but I love to buy them. They make it really easy. Take the iPhone, every year they release a new iPhone. Usually June or July there is a new phone, really nice looking, cool feature, so I just buy it, connect to my MAC and all set to go. By the time I have learned the new features the new model will be out, never boring.

Try this with Android: Every week a new model, or is it every day? One maker like HTC will have multiple models, all nice looking but what is the difference? Do you really want to study 100 different models to buy one, just to find out there is just the next model out with another feature? Life is getting complicated and we do not need complicated. And what about Android, the operating system? Nice, it gives you more mobile freedom than iOS but the updates are a total nightmare, actually not, you never get them so you better go and buy a new one. iPhone? Easy, the updates coming, you sync your phone and are happy, remember the update when Apple gave us copy&paste?

That reminds me the German and American car makers. In Germany a car maker will launch a new series like a BMW 3 and keep it for 5 to 7 years without major changes. So you buy the new model in its second year of production to have it bug free and keep it 5 years or so, it always looks good. Easy. An American car? They start shipping the 2012 model in March 2011 with some sort of face lift and you can not help of thinking “Better wait for the 2013 model”.

So yes, Apple product are expensive but they make it easy, just as the German car makers. But they make it easy, and we do like easy!

C2Call, Werl announced today a ground breaking innovation that allows VoIP calls through any system with LCD monitor. A little know feature is the build in LCD back panel protection sensor that is part of the VESA. The sensor automatically shuts down the Super Video Graphics Array before it can hit the Extended Wide Quarter Video Graphics Array.

We now managed to read out this sensor form any common LCD monitor and use the monitor as microphone. When talking the LCD panel starts swinging, unseen to eye, an effect called retina display. Currently in beta it will become soon an industrial standard. We filed this morning with the USPTO our patent title Super Flat Microphone, USPTO Nr, 88looflirpa66. You can try this out right here!!!