I admit that even I don’t use this feature a lot, for two big reasons. One is that when I need to make a video call, I am usually near my computer, at home. If I need to urgently make video call to somebody and am outside the house, I just don’t feel comfortable smiling at the phone and attracting curious looks from everybody around me. So, if you want to make a video call using your Android smartphone, you shouldn’t make the same mistakes I do. After all, why should you care what others think? In a matter of few years, the entire consumer technology will change and you will see more and more people hanging out with their tablets, for instance. That’s why don’t be afraid to unleash the geek within.
How to Make Video Calls on Android: 10 Apps to Use
- Skype
It’s Skype, right? Everybody knows it, be it geeks or average users. Albeit the service has been recently acquired by Microsoft, it still remains Skype (I, for one, hate that I have to pay for multiple users in a video chat). My mother and father use it and it’s probably the single thing that they can really master when it comes to modern technology. Feel free to download it from the Android Market and use it to talk and see your buddies or members of the family even when you are not indoors. I also use Skype to call my friends overseas, because, hey, why pay for international calls when you have VoIP, right? The video quality on the Android version of Skype, don’t you worry about that. 2. gTalk
Google Talk may seem easier to use than Skype for many Android lovers out there because it’s incredibly simple, just like all things that have been created and marketed by Google since its existence. To make a video call, you just need to touch that small camera that appears near the contacts that you have. What’s really great about video calling using gTalk is that the links that you share with your friend become visible in the call window. So, you don’t have to close the window as you can immediately click on that. gTalk video calling is great because you basically don’t need to install anything on your smartphone besides the video plugin. But, it consumes less resources than any other apps or programs enlisted here. 3. Tango
Would you like to Tango with your Android phone? Use the free Tango program to connect with your Android buddies and see the faces of beloved ones. The program that has more than 110,000 fans on Facebook lets you make video calls not only on your tablet or phone but on your PC, as well. You can judge by the picture the quality of video calling using this program, albeit, in most of cases, it really depends on how good is the network coverage on your mobile device. So, if you really want to feel the power of free Android video calling, I advise you to get a good network plan which could save you from the hassle of international calls, for example; obviously, if you friends have similar services in their smartphones. 4. Fring
Fring is another free video calling service for Android that you’ve probably heard of. It maybe not be as popular as Skype, gTalk or Tango is, but it’s quickly gaining more and more devotees. You can use the Fring application to make Android video calls on 3G, 4G and WiFi networks. The guys behind Fring are praising the program and saying that it actually has the best video quality that one could ask for as it features the DVQ technology which translates as Dynamic Video Quality. Try Fring and see for yourself whether this technology is really the best or not. Having used the group video call on my Android phone, I must admit that it was the best I tested so far and I liked it even better than the video chat on my computer. Well done, Fring. 5. Movicha The team behind Movicha did a really good job creating this product and by including their application in our list we show our appreciation for the hard work, because it’s a brand new service. So what does Movicha that makes them different and stand out from the crowd? “See anybody, anywhere” boasts the team at Movicha. But isn’t this what Skype and others are already doing? Why bother trying another product when you already have so solid programs to use. Well, what happens if you want to call your buddy but he’s not using the smartphone but the laptop? Didn’t think about that, right? Well, Movicha supports multiple operating systems in both mobile and laptop platforms, so, if your friend has iPhone, there’s no hate! You can call from your Android smartphone to an iPhone and even to a laptop, or, vice-versa, laptop to mobile. I say that this is one of the most needed features at video calling these days. 6. Friend Caller
Pretty straightforward, right? Friend Caller is a video calling service that allows to, well… call friends. The product may not be that “polished” as other programs are, but, if for a particular reason you dislike the programs presented here before the Friend Caller program, you can surely use it. It seems that Friend Caller loves to stay updated, as their recent blog post seems to suggest. Stay tuned, as Friend Caller may have some real important updates once the Ice Cream Sandwich rolls out to the big audience. After the installation of this program, you can spread a short link to your friends on Twitter or Facebook; they can use that link afterwards to come in direct video contact with you, without needing to install any programs at all. 7. Linphone
Right, this is another “stranger” in the video calling business, I’ll agree with you. That’s why this program/application should be regarded as a pioneer in this field, albeit, if you study their website, you’ll realize it is filled with geeky terms and notions. The video call quality is improved when using the Linphone application because it has echo cancellation, so you will hear your voice only once, not more. Being given how powerful other players in this market are, I am not quite sure whether Linphone stands a chance or not. But, I’m not saying you should neglect it, maybe there’s something that can touch your heart. 8. Qik
What a beautiful, calling to action name, right? I wonder how much they paid for the domain name, though! The website looks great, we all have to admit that. I was browsing on their website here and there when I realized that, actually, the service has been acquired by Skype. However, you’ll see that they still operate under the same name, without being branded by the Skype logo. Qik actually stands for “quick”, if you didn’t realize so far. Quick because the video calling has a real fast speed and you don’t need to waited a lot of time before you can see your friend on the other side. Quick as the speed of light, or, your mobile plan data. 9. Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger is one of the most known chat services in the world. Even if Yahoo! may not be facing the most pleasant moments of their existence, Yahoo! Messenger and Yahoo! Mail still remains their biggest products, the pillars on which the company can still weave dreams of a rosy future. I put Yahoo! Messenger on the nine place, because, I am not a big fan of Yahoo!, to be honest. And, since I don’t use Yahoo! at all, I don’t see any point in using their video chat options. Obviously, Yahoo! has much more fans in U.S and that’s why there will be many that will welcome this Android video calling option. If you’re an Yahoo! lover and you happen to own and Android smartphone, this is your solution for video calling. 10. ooVoo
ooVoo is another small application that I love for the fact that you are not restricted to a single system or type of device just like Movicha. The advantage that ooVoo has over other applications is that you can do have a video chat with up to 6 persons! Crazy, huh? This could prove to be a really useful tool for the corporate field, but I have to wonder whether the screen of the smartphone would be big enough? If you happen to own a Samsung Note, no probs there, albeit a tablet would still be the best idea. As great as Android is, it still has some major drawbacks, one of which is the battery. It is vital that you ensure the health of your Android batteries if you really want to make some quality qualitative video calling. But, as every problem has its solution, you can solve the battery problem on Android if you make use of some Android extended batteries.
