Facetime

iPod touch 4 with dual cameras, retina display, coming in a few weeks?

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 a 7:27 am

Yes, it's really come to the point where a casual reference on Daring Fireball to the next generation iPod touch 4 -- with rear and front FaceTime cameras and Retina Display screen coming in a few weeks -- gets plastered all over the internet.

if you wait a few weeks to buy the Touch, you’ll get one with a Retina Display and dual cameras.

iOS 4.1 beta 3 features: FaceTime connections via Email

By Rene Ritchie, Saturday, Aug 7, 2010 a 8:17 am

FaceTime accounts are currently tied to iPhone 4 phone numbers but new reports on iOS 4.1 beta 3 show the option to initiate a FaceTime video call via email address as well.

We've already seen rumors that FaceTime would be tied into Apple or iTunes IDs, and if Apple does indeed plan to roll out the service to future iPod touch and iPad devices with front-facing cameras but without phone numbers, it's a logical and necessary step.

iPod touch 4 parts hint at front FaceTime camera?

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Aug 5, 2010 a 4:07 pm

We just saw a case that hinted at a new rear camera on iPod touch 4, now images from a parts supplier show what looks like a front, FaceTime camera hole.

this part is clearly marked as an Apple part "Apple (c) 2010". This stamp is visible in the full resolution image. The part is also stamped with April 29, 2010, indicating that the build date is relatively recent.

iPhone 4 jailbreak enables FaceTime over 3G

By Jeremy, Monday, Aug 2, 2010 a 1:59 pm

If you were looking for an excuse to jailbreak your iPhone 4 using FaceTime over your carriers 3G network may just sway some of you to bite the bullet and go through the process. This can be done by installing a application located in Cydia called My3G [$3.99]. The app allows you to run any Wi-Fi only app over your carriers 3G network. While the FaceTime video calling quality suffers a bit compared to using Wi-Fi it still looks more than decent.

Update: If you're curious, 9to5Mac says a 5 min FaceTime call used almost 15 MB of data. Something to keep in mind if you have a data cap.

To those of you who have not tried to jailbreak, is using FaceTime over 3G worth giving it a shot? Sound off in the comments below and be sure to check out the video after the break!

[9 to 5 Mac x2 and TiPb forums]

How to fix FaceTime waiting for activation error on iPhone 4

By Georgia, Monday, Aug 2, 2010 a 7:26 am

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Suffering from a FaceTime "waiting for activation" error? So was I. The one thing I wanted to try most on my new Canadian iPhone 4 was FaceTime. I've made no secret about being jealous of Chad and Leanna, so the instant iPhone 4 was in my hand and on Wi-Fi I went to hit the FaceTime button and... found no button. I checked my Settings immediately and saw, under the FaceTime on/off toggle the chillingly cryptic words: waiting for activation. What the h3ll?

To make matters worse, Rene's was working fine. Intolerable!

FaceTime from the middle of the Pacific Ocean

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Jul 19, 2010 a 3:58 pm

This is ridiculously future-cool -- an iPhone 4 video call from the middle of the Pacific Ocean thanks to a boat, a satellite-powered Wi-Fi hotspot, and FaceTime.

FaceTime from the middle of the Pacific. Arthur and Peter, my MotionX colleagues are in the office in Santa Cruz, California and get video-taped doing FaceTime between Pete’s iPhone 4 in Santa Cruz and my iPhone 4 in the middle of the Pacific Ocean one of the most isolated spots in the world. When it came up, it was like magic! To paraphrase Arthur Clarke, Great innovative technology and magic are literally indistinguishable. This is what the Camera-Phone was designed to do.

Video after the break...

[Skipper's Blog via Daring Fireball]

Is this how FaceTime will work on next gen iPod touch G4, iPad G2?

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Jul 19, 2010 a 9:11 am

Boy Genius and 9to5Mac have been digging deep into how FaceTime might work on iOS devices that don't have phone numbers attached to them -- namely the next generation iPod touch G4 and iPad G2. Since iPhone 4 uses phone numbers as "accounts" to route FaceTime connections, the alternative for iPod touch and iPad seems to be Apple ID and the associated email address.

How to use iPhone 4 FaceTime behind a firewall

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Jul 12, 2010 a 4:05 pm

FaceTime might be easy but network traversal can be hard, which is why Apple has posted a knowledge base article to help you get your FaceTime behind a firewall.

If the Wi-Fi network router that you are connected to uses a firewall or security software to restrict Internet access, contact the network administrator and reference this technical article. To use FaceTime on a restricted Wi-Fi network, port forwarding must be enabled for ports 53, 80, 443, 4080, 5223, and 16393-16472 (UDP).

The Wi-Fi network administrator can refer to their router, firewall, or security software documentation for information on configuring port forwarding.

Apple airs 4 new iPhone 4 ads and they're all about FaceTime

By Rene Ritchie, Sunday, Jul 11, 2010 a 10:47 pm

Apple has begun airing 4 new iPhone 4 commercials and once again, it's all about FaceTime, and heavy on the emotion and sentimentality. Titled Smile, Meet Her, Big News, and Haircut, each focuses on a moment of shared intimacy, of insecurity and anticipation, of surprise and joy. And they do it in a way that makes the visual integral to he communication.

Again, incredibly smart advertising on Apple's part, and another step towards mainstreaming video calling and the way they're doing it...

It's no longer about their being an app for that. Now it's about there being a phone -- specifically iPhone 4 -- for that.

Videos after the break.

[YouTube.com/apple via 9to5Mac]