Video Calling App Necessary?

**Max741** · 06-26-2012, 05:30 PM

So after 2 months use of my PB i was fed up with having this HD front facing camera and not being able to use it so i prowled the forums and saw some apps like reel portal etc.... I tried reelportal but it never really worked as well as i wanted it to becuz it lagged. Then i saw someone post about AOL sumn but some people claimed it was laggy and unsatisfactory, so i didnt try it.

Today i really was desperate to speak to my brother so i decided to try the AOL chat thing and boyy did it work wonderful

. In my honest and unbiased opinion, I think that site works much better than any app that the PB lacks (Skype, Oovoo....) He even invited my cousin and his gf to the chat and it worked without lags the delay was abt a sec or less at times and the quality was exactly what you would expect from the PB camera, so why are Ppl complaining?

Pros of it.... No app installation necessary for any of the parties involved. Thanks to the amazing PB browser

**Marty_LK** · 06-26-2012, 06:02 PM

Do you have a link to this video calling app?

**Max741** · 06-26-2012, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Marty_LK

Do you have a link to this video calling app?

AV by AOL - Let's video chat!
Just make sure your Internet connection is good

**jwn66** · 06-26-2012, 06:21 PM

Doesn't matter what you or I think or how ever well something works. No one cares, people want skype and that will never ever change. Anything less would be uncivilised.

**Thunderbuck** · 06-26-2012, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by Max741

AV by AOL - Let's video chat!
Just make sure your Internet connection is good

I think you're on to something. Sure SEEMS to work...

**CairnsRock** · 06-26-2012, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Thunderbuck

I think you're on to something. Sure SEEMS to work...

It does work. Let's hear from more Crackberrians. It sure would be nice to not need Skype or Microsoft.

**cbvinh** · 06-26-2012, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by jwn66

Doesn't matter what you or I think or how ever well something works. No one cares, people want skype and that will never ever change. Anything less would be uncivilised.

I don't care about Skype video chat as much as Skype Out, which really came in handy for me when an airline lost my bag for five days. Two days, I called from Paris-to-Paris. Two days, I called from London-to-Paris. All calls required long hold times, which I couldn't have done with borrowed phones.

Current VOIP solution for Playbook: Comwave ePhone (though I've yet to try it. It's an annual subscription-based service instead of Skype's pay-as-you-go)

**bounce007** · 06-26-2012, 08:16 PM

I have been saying this for a loooooong time: AOL AV is the best video calling alternative for us PlayBook users.

**TNNurse** · 06-26-2012, 09:34 PM

The problem is not AOL AV, it is trolls. I have used this sevice for months with out a problem. Trolls don't like it because even though it is cross platform, even with Mac, it can not be used on Ipad or Iphones.

**amiteo** · 06-27-2012, 02:41 PM

This works really well, Skype would still be good though as it's just default for so many people

**yvrbs** · 06-27-2012, 03:15 PM

This works great. Thanks for the heads up. I talked to someone today who is always bugging me about the fact we skyped with him on his IPad and me having to use a computer. Today when I sent him the invite and we started talking I started moving around to show him I was on my PB. He couldn't believe it. Only thing missing now is ability to call landlines/cell phones but this is a definite keeper.
Thanks again

**billbsb** · 06-28-2012, 05:43 AM

What about Google Hangout? I haven't had the opportunity to test on Playbook yet.

**spatialmongrel** · 06-28-2012, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by TNNurse

The problem is not AOL AV, it is trolls. I have used this sevice for months with out a problem. Trolls don't like it because even though it is cross platform, even with Mac, it can not be used on Ipad or Iphones.

There are 10s of millions of iPhone and ipads. That's not trolling. That's reality. Including in the hands of my parents, sister and wife. Whom I would like to call - particularly when I'm off on a business trip with just my 9700 and playbook.

Saying it's a "troll" issue is mighty silly. You're saying that YOU can be mobile, but everyone else must sit in front of their desktop computer. Okay. Good luck with that.

**Itstakenovermylife** · 06-28-2012, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by Max741

AV by AOL - Let's video chat!
Just make sure your Internet connection is good

Wow! This is one of the best tips I've seen yet for the PB!! Awesome job, and thank you!!

Does anyone know if this works on the iPad? To be able to use this cross-tablet would be awesome, too.

UPDATE: Does NOT work in iPad, as it needs Flash. (No shocker here...)

**Sonic-NKT** · 06-28-2012, 06:53 AM

Doesnt work on my pb running 2.1, tells me flashplayer is outdated and there is no update...
Anyone else has this problem?

**TNNurse** · 06-28-2012, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by spatialmongrel

There are 10s of millions of iPhone and ipads. That's not trolling. That's reality. Including in the hands of my parents, sister and wife. Whom I would like to call - particularly when I'm off on a business trip with just my 9700 and playbook.

Saying it's a "troll" issue is mighty silly. You're saying that YOU can be mobile, but everyone else must sit in front of their desktop computer. Okay. Good luck with that.

No, I never said only one platform should be mobile. What I said is that I have had no problems with AOL AV. This does include cross platform with Android, Windows and Mac. To the troll issue, saying AOL AV is inferior to Skype because it is not available on IPad is laughable. Yes I have seen just that in both this and other forums. I also believe the reason AV has not gotten more traction with PB is people insert troll, lying about the usefulness of AV. I have seen in this forum supposed PB owners say that AV does not work on the playbook or how poor it works. With a look at their other posts you will find they are almost always only IPad supporters. So I stand by my quote the problem is not with AV it is with trolls. Would it be great if AV or Skype or any other video chat service supported all platforms, yes. Until that happens AV allows me to contact the hands of my loved ones including my parents and grandchildren.

**angkorbeer** · 06-28-2012, 08:19 PM

It doesn't work for me either: i reach a page that asks me to click an "allow" button, but it doesn't appear correctly and I can't click it...

**TNNurse** · 06-28-2012, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by angkorbeer

It doesn't work for me either: i reach a page that asks me to click an "allow" button, but it doesn't appear correctly and I can't click it...

Sorry to see AV is not working for you. AOL AV is still in beta, contact them and see if there is a solution. Below is what it should look like.

IMG_00000020.jpg

**angkorbeer** · 06-28-2012, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by TNNurse

Sorry to see AV is not working for you. AOL AV is still in beta, contact them and see if there is a solution. Below is what it should look like.

IMG_00000020.jpg

Yeah, it's a strange thing. When i first got the pb, about a month ago, like many others i was very disappointed to realize the limitations of the video chat app. I'd looked at aol av back then too. It then gave me a different error message: something to the effect that my device wasn't supported.
Maybe when i get 2.1?...

**angkorbeer** · 06-28-2012, 10:13 PM

Well, i tried it again and it worked. Though i got error messages about three times at first.

I'll try chatting with the gf tomorrow. Hopefully this option will prove satisfactory.

**whereiskype** · 06-29-2012, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by TNNurse

Sorry to see AV is not working for you. AOL AV is still in beta, contact them and see if there is a solution. Below is what it should look like.

IMG_00000020.jpg

2 years into playbook lifecycle and the only alleged working video utility is still beta? Now that's laughable!

Good to know about this alternative regardless. But like greater majority of consumers, a dedicated video chat app with crossplatform capabilities is a nessecity and valuable tool to me!

Ty OP will give this a try!

**beman39** · 06-29-2012, 01:41 AM

so I was just wondering, can I chat with this to saaaay...my buddy who has an ipad? cuzz then that would be kool and FUN

**Opteva** · 06-29-2012, 02:54 AM

Skype is the most popular VOIP vehicle and a lot of people use it on many different platforms. People also have money on their Skype accounts and even have on-line numbers for personal and business purposes. So being without Skype is a big sales problem for the Playbook. It is crazy that after all this time the only platform without Skype is the Playbook, not a good business plan.

**angkorbeer** · 07-07-2012, 02:13 PM

I finally got to test AV AOL a bit. All I can say is it's better than the reelportal app in that it doesn't cut off sound. But it's comparable for me in terms of delay, which is much longer than when I chat using my pc, with Skype or Facebook.

Soooo, still hoping that rim will either develop a Skype app, or any multi-platform chat app...

**lyon819** · 11-12-2012, 02:48 PM

I installed Comwave ephone. It is great for playbook.

The application website:
ePhone VoIP App With calling to almost 60 Countries | Comwave
The application at BlackBery App world
Free Comwave Mobile - Download Comwave Mobile - Free Apps from BlackBerry App World

Installation:
1.download from Appworld
2.register a user name and email, and then the company will send you a password.
3.after login, the application will pop-up.
4.Enjoy it.