Comments on: A killer feature Facebook needs now: Video Chat

By: Ovhalsachin

Ovhalsachin — Fri, 27 May 2011 06:06:00 +0000

crig hoe are you

By: shanesnow

shanesnow — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:33:58 +0000

Wow I totally look bald in this picture! Don't worry everybody – it's just an awkward cutoff of the frame at the top of my head!

By: lavrusik

lavrusik — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:45:34 +0000

These are all good things, but you're points see to lack one point: you have a lot of control over how you would use it. If you're in your pj's, just use the standard chat. Similarly to how I use the video chat feature on Facebook, sometimes it's appropriate and other times it simply doesn't make sense. Same thing with having news networks popup, you control who you accept as a friend, right? I think that it would be a great feature to have an OPTION to use during specific circumstances. Voice chat at this point seems ancient.

By: michsineath

michsineath — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:08:51 +0000

Facebook can't get regular chat right, so jumping to video would be premature. And who are all of these people requesting this feature? I don't want more face-to-face communication. It's still in the a.m. here so I'm in my pj's. Now I have to get dressed to go online? No, thanks. For me, voice is just fine. Video chat feels more like a natural evolution -- the step before the step where we get what we really want and haven't thought of yet -- rather than a want or need.

I've participated in enough video chats to know that just because there's a camera present doesn't force the participants to pay more attention. I can still see my friends and family turn away, walk away, or look up something online. And can you imagine the onslaught of new "news" networks to pop up. We'll have so many http://www.youtube.com/user/sxephil 's we won't know what to do with. Then we'll be talking about the death of the news anchor instead of the newspaper. I'm not so sure about this. #justsayin

By: jchewitt

jchewitt — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 05:25:44 +0000

I'd be exciting if they implement it. I'd instantly solve the "penis problem" by removing anonymity.

Still, FB has lost some of the identity verification strength that it had when it was founded. Perhaps as they work to transition it into a platform for commerce, that part may improve.

It's a private company - they may be working on surprises. I'm open to seeing what they might accomplish.

My question is, could they replicate the functionality of Skype? I'm unsure of the technical challenges that might be involved.

By: Craig Kanalley

Craig Kanalley — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:54:41 +0000

So what are they waiting for? Imagine celebs using their Facebook fan pages to broadcast live on Facebook, etc. It would be a killer feature as you say.

By: lavrusik

lavrusik — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:42:05 +0000

Agreed. I think group video chat would be fantastic. They could also then move into allowing people to host video chat events. People are already using social to share their thoughts during Grammy's, etc.

By: Craig Kanalley

Craig Kanalley — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:20:16 +0000

Interesting, Vadim. It would be a great feature for sure and I hope Facebook is considering it too.

Communication-wise, video obviously has a different dynamic than text; it is so much more personal. And when you're able to chat with someone you know and like (unlike Chatroulette), it's comforting to be able to see them.

I like the idea and with all of your friends embedded in one place, it would be such a cool integration. I feel if Facebook does it though, it should go all out --- allow for video chat with multiple friends simultaneously.