After an extensive public beta test Apple has released its FaceTime application for Macs, available for 99 cents from the Mac App Store. The new app is also included on Apple’s newly shipping MacBook Pro models, also announced Thursday.
[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]FaceTime is a video conferencing application, a feature of the iPhone 4 which has since migrated to the (front facing camera-equipped) iPod touch and now the Mac. The software works using the same Apple ID users depend on to purchase iTunes music, iPhone apps and Mac apps, and it works between Mac OS X and iOS devices.
Features include support for Mac OS X Address Book; support for HD video up to 720p on supported Macs; widescreen aspect ratio; the ability to ring incoming calls even if FaceTime isn’t running; and more.
Really? They’re going to milk another dollar out of us after advertising Macs and their “facetime cameras”. How can a product have a device installed in it that doesn’t come with the named application?
This should be free. Apple is credit card number grabbing.
Beta still works, meh for now.
Are you actually bitching about spending a *dollar?*
The first computers with “FaceTime cameras” include the bloody software for free.
Everyone else has to pay a buck, thanks to the U.S.’s screwed up corporate accounting regulations.
A dollar is a dollar. I am bitching about it because on my brand new macbook air that is advertised as having a “facetime camera” then charges me to download the application to use the “facetime” function?
That’s similar to them saying the iPhone 4 comes with Retina display and then when you buy the phone you have to pay 99 cents to use the screen at good resolution.
I have the beta installed and haven’t looked to see if I am forced to update or if it will be a free update somehow but charging me a dollar for something that was assumed free for good reason is dumb.
Lucky you. You don’t have to “bitch” about spending a *dollar?* Quit bragging if you want to keep your face.
Yeah, dumb along with 99 percent of federal regulations. Blame Sarbanes-Oxley, not Apple.
“Quit bragging if you want to keep your face”
HAHAHAH. Awesome!
Edited: for not reading your comment first.
Ok. I’m not going to spend time reading that precedent on Wikipedia at work. Can you summarize in a sentence? If not… I’ll just assume there’s good reason that they’re forced to charge for something that in my mind they could easily offer for free just like the beta was.
“They’re going to milk another dollar out of us…”
Seriously? Send me your PayPal account address and I’ll email you a dollar. Jesus….
“Apple is credit card number grabbing.”
I’d bet 99.9% of people who buy FaceTime (after all, IT’S JUST A DOLLAR!) already have an account with Apple. They aren’t doing this to harvest CC #.
“I’m not going to spend time reading that precedent on Wikipedia at work. Can you summarize in a sentence?”
Oh Dear God…the above translates to, “I want to argue with you but can’t be bothered to inform myself about the issues to have a cogent discussion. I’m just going to make stuff up.”
Ok. Read the weird accounting rule stating that you can’t release a feature for a device for free due to recognizing revenue before you’ve finished delivering the product. Couldn’t they just charge 1 cent? haha.
I read it and posted the below comment now after understanding the law. Im sorry I didn’t read it before. I work during the day and didn’t have time to interpret accounting practices right away.
Couldn’t they just charge 1 cent for it? Why a dollar? Why 5 dollars for wireless N a few years ago?
Is there a certain price that it has to be?
Few companies can afford to charge a penny. It costs more in various fees and other charges.
Do you see anything in the Mac App Store that costs less than 99 cents, which isn’t free? My guess is that’s Apple’s minimum transaction price.
I haven’t found any features missing in the beta (other than perhaps HD video, but I can’t verify that).
I have seen reporting which suggests the incoming call requests with Facetime not running do not work in the beta. I can verify that is wrong-oh.
-dan
I still don’t believe this applies. Apple gave away the beta for free. The law doesn’t distinguish beta from final, so then if the rule applies, they already broke it.
Not only that, Apple gave away features for their hardware before. iOS 4 for iPod Touches is a good example. The Remote App is another.
I argued this point with Dan Moren (Macworld) on Twitter. He indicated Apple thinks the rule now applies to Macs only, but not portable devices.
May or may not be true, but Apple is taking the conservative approach to the decision.
I won’t bother (even if free I wouldn’t bother). I installed the beta, never used it, so no need at this time.
How much you wanna bet that out of the blue, FaceTime will be free? Like what happened to the iOS software updates for iPod touches?
I can’t download faceime on my tablet. And i really want to download it. Ayone have any ideas how i can download facetime on my VIZIO tablet?