One of the technologies that really got my attention in 2010 was Facetime. Sitting there on iPhone 4 launch day and watching Alex Lindsay Facetime into the TWIT studio from the Apple Store was one of those “this could change things” moments.
It wasn’t. Not yet.
Facetime was great to get someone to message you, as a Podcaster, live from an event. If they had an iPhone 4. And they were on wifi. AND you had to have a compatible device to receive it on our end. That meant my wholly second hand Windows and Linux machine studio was out of luck. (I do record/switch on a Macbook, but that’s one task too many.)
Last week, Skype updated their iPhone app with video chat. Amazingly, I found that it worked on even my lowly iPhone 3GS. Finally, we have arrived. I tested it last week out in Export with my phone off wifi, calling through to my Macbook Pro. New Year’s Eve, we geeked out and I called Chilla (who joined us on this week’s AwesomeCast!). We played with it, on wifi, at MTS Tuesday between my 3GS and Mulango’s 4. All with tremendous results.
The following is a test to see how it looked on 3G pumping into our studio system after our AwesomeCast recording:
Bonus info: I used YouTube’s “Video Editor” to crop down the clip and toss that sweet cross wipe at the beginning…
This is the true realization of what I’ve wanted to do to be able to send someone to, say, if Google Pittsburgh had their little opening event during out show, I just need a friend with an iPhone and Skype and we have a live stream to what’s going on. This on top of playing with Ustream broadcasting (actually broadcast the in laws Christmas celebration to California to connect with family), make our phones flexible broadcast powerhouses.
Have any other applications for this? Maybe we can live stream the Yinz Polar Bear Jump next year?