Android 2.3.4 brings video and voice chat to Gtalk

[zerocool84]

For an update with such a modest name, this is actually quite a major step forward. Google's about to start delivering Android 2.3.4 to Nexus S devices out in the wild, and in among all the bug fixes and optimizations, users will find the addition of video and voice chat to Google Talk. You'll be able to do it anywhere you can get a web connection going, whether by virtue of WiFi, 3G, 4G, or the force, and other Gingerbread handsets are expected to get the same improvements in time. For now, however, Google's own-branded device is the only one enjoying the very freshest Gingerbread around.

We all knew this would be coming but I didn't expect it until some time later this year.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/android-2-3-4-heading-to-nexus-s-over-the-air-bringing-video-an/

 

[Bateluer]

Need to make a very strong push get my friends to use gTalk.

 

[Deeko]

Wow, that's impressive. I figured it would be in the next major version of Android, not in some small 0.0.1 version update.

 

[Red Storm]

Wish they could have just updated the Gtalk app itself so we can get around carrier-delayed updates.

 

[Dulanic]

Wish they could have just updated the Gtalk app itself so we can get around carrier-delayed updates.

Yeah The APK is easy enough to push to the system folder, but it needs some updated files elsewhere to work. The CM7 team is working on putting it into CM7 soon tho.

 

[MrX8503]

I wish all phones were vid chat capable. Alot of my friends have android phones but no front camera. If they do have a front camera they don't have Skype vid chat. I think were almost there with vid chat being mainstream, someone just needs to make it fully crossplatform including desktops.

FaceTime works but only on Apple devices. Tango is a great cross platform app too but there's no desktop client.

 

[sjwaste]

I wish they'd all agree to a fucking protocol and standard, and use it. There is no technical reason why Apple devices can't video chat with other brands, or how "officially" I need someone using Qik on the other end to do it with my Evo. Android devices will have it enabled with GTalk soon enough, even if its unofficially through a Gingerbread port. What are the odds Apple would allow GTalk to run on the iphone, though?

I don't even insist that it has to be Google's implementation, but it's ridiculous that I can't video call from my Evo to a family member's iPhone.

 

[zerocool84]

I wish all phones were vid chat capable. Alot of my friends have android phones but no front camera. If they do have a front camera they don't have Skype vid chat. I think were almost there with vid chat being mainstream, someone just needs to make it fully crossplatform including desktops.

FaceTime works but only on Apple devices. Tango is a great cross platform app too but there's no desktop client.

I swore Yahoo Messenger did cross platform video chat even with desktop but I've never used it.

 

[s44]

I wish all phones were vid chat capable. Alot of my friends have android phones but no front camera. If they do have a front camera they don't have Skype vid chat.

Pretty sure the recent Skype app revision removes all the stupid restrictions that were there before. It still doesn't play well with the Atrix audio driver (without a hack), but that's Moto's damn fault.

 

[MrX8503]

I swore Yahoo Messenger did cross platform video chat even with desktop but I've never used it.

You're right, but from what I remember, the video quality was really bad. That was at launch though, it could be better now.