Facetime

How to make a FaceTime call from your Mac

By Allyson Kazmucha, Thursday, Feb 21, 2013 a 12:26 pm

You can make FaceTime calls not only from your iPhone or iPad, but from your Mac too. This means you can use it with anyone else using an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac computer that also supports FaceTime. It also doesn't eat into your cellular data plan like FaceTime calls over cellular do, which makes it an even better option for when you're at home.

Here's how to get started.

How to turn off video while on a FaceTime call

By Allyson Kazmucha, Wednesday, Feb 20, 2013 a 10:54 pm

While FaceTime calls are much more interactive and personal than regular old voice calls, you may find a time that you need to pause a video feed but continue talking to the person on the other end. Whether it's kids running around or you need to tend to something around the house, you can easily convert a FaceTime call into an audio only call with one simple tap. When you're ready to restart the video stream, you can do that just as easily.

Here's how.

How to make a FaceTime call from your iPad or iPod touch

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Feb 19, 2013 a 1:38 pm

Apple's free video calling service, FaceTime, is available on every iPad since the 2011 iPad 2, and iPod touch since the 2010 iPod touch 4. Because FaceTime requires an internet connection, on the iPod touch and non-cellular iPads, you need to be connected to Wi-Fi to make a call. On an iPad or iPad mini with cellular, you can FaceTime any time, from anywhere, you just need to keep an eye on your data limit, if any. Unlike the iPhone, FaceTime on the iPad, iPad mini, and iPod touch is a separate app. Tap it, and you're ready to call any other FaceTime user!

How to make a FaceTime call from your iPhone

By Allyson Kazmucha, Monday, Feb 18, 2013 a 4:58 pm

The iPhone was the first Apple device to gain access to their free video calling service, FaceTime. Since 2010 and the iPhone 4, FaceTime has been integrated right into the built-in iOS Phone app. That means you can make, or switch to, a FaceTime call as easily as a regular call. What's more, because your iPhone is with you all the time, and because FaceTime now also works over cellular data as well as Wi-Fi, you can make a FaceTime call at any time, from anywhere. That makes it perfect for everything from keeping in touch with family while you're on the road, to getting a second opinion on that jacket while you're out shopping! (Just keep an eye on your data cap!)

Apple airs iPad mini commercial - I'll be home

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Dec 21, 2012 a 10:07 pm

Apple has aired a new iPad mini commercial featuring FaceTime and aimed at the holidays. It's called I'll be home, and features a girl and her grandfather sharing a musical "moment of holiday cheer".

AT&T may be further expanding FaceTime over cellular

By Joseph Keller, Wednesday, Nov 21, 2012 a 11:19 am

AT&T may be further relaxing its restrictions on FaceTime over cellular, allowing anyone with access to the feature to use it. AT&T had previously announced that all iPhone 5 customers, including those on individual plans, would be able to use the feature. Anyone with an iPhone 4S or a grandfathered unlimited data plan on AT&T was left out in the cold.

iMessage and FaceTime down. Are you affected?

By Rene Ritchie, Sunday, Nov 18, 2012 a 4:46 pm

iMessage and FaceTime are both experiencing outages according to Apple's iCloud system status page, and numerous reports flooding into iMore's various comm channels. Apple says service will be restored asap.

Online continues to be a huge challenge for Apple, and if you haven't already, I invite you to read why I think it's going to be one of Apple's biggest challenges going forward.

As always, let me know if iMessage and FaceTime are working for you, where you are, and when you get your service back.

AT&T set to expand availability of FaceTime over cellular

By Joseph Keller, Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 a 5:00 pm

AT&T will loosen its restrictions on FaceTime over LTE. Previously, AT&T had limited use of FaceTime over LTE to those customers with a Mobile Share plan. Now, a customer on any of the carrier’s plans will be able to use FaceTime over LTE. AT&T also announced that they would be making special text and data-only packages available to deaf and hard of hearing customers to increase the utility of FaceTime over cellular. In a statment, AT&T said that these initiatives would roll out in eight to ten weeks.

Apple fined $368 million for violating VirnetX patents in FaceTime

By Joseph Keller, Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 a 1:27 pm

Apple has been fined $368 million after their video calling feature, FaceTime, was found to infringe on patents owned by a company called VirnetX, a company that provides solutions for secure internet communications. A US court ruled that Apple’s FaceTime product infringes on four patents by VirnetX. One of the patents at issue involved the ability to establish a secure communication link. Apple apparently has no option for appeal in this matter. VirnetX has also brought suit against a number of other larger companies over its patent portfolio.

AT&T's FaceTime over cellular restriction could put them at odds with the FCC

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Aug 20, 2012 a 8:53 pm

AT&T's restriction of iOS 6 FaceTime over cellular to shared data plans might cause them to run afoul of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). AT&T won't be charging extra for FaceTime over cellular, but will be requiring what for many could be more expensive plans. Since AT&T doesn't do that with other video calling services, like Skype.