Voice and Video chat now in Gmail

Gmail already has its chat i.e. Gtalk integrated into its web app. Now what’s better is that through that same very page where you have your mail and your Gtalk contacts you can now voice and video chat with them. Gmail’s Gtalk web app has just recently added new emoticons making it more fun to chat via the web app. This feature uses Internet standards such as XMPP, RTP, and H.264, which means that third-party applications and networks can choose to interoperate with Gmail voice and video chat.

To get started hit the link in the top right in your Gmail app reading - “New! Video chat” or head to http://gmail.com/videochat. Once you install the plugin, to start a video chat, just click on the “Video & more” menu at the bottom of your Gmail chat window, and choose “Start video chat.” You’ll have a few seconds to make sure you look presentable while it’s ringing, and then you’ll see and hear your friend live, right from within Gmail. You can click the “pop-out” icon to make the video larger, or click the fullscreen icon in the upper left-hand corner for a fully immersive experience. Gmail is also offering a few webcams with special discounts through November 30th.

“Bhuvan” India’s Google Earth

Come March 2009 ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) will launch its own IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) image portal called Bhuvan. The portal states that it will offer even better detailed satellite views of our planet as compared to Google Earth and Wikimapia. As compared to Google Earth which can zoom up to 200m Bhuvan will provide zoom level of up to 10m. Just like the Google Earth version Bhuvan too will have Pro and Corp version which will come with a price tag for the high resolution images while its base version will remain completely free.

Coming from Indian satellites Bhuvan will concentrate primarily on the Indian subcontinent providing multi-layer information. Along side Bhuvan, ISRO is also readying another portal called “Bhu Sampada” and both services will go live in March ‘09

iPhone bug fix - long live the dot!

Hi to all you new iPhone fringsters out there (all half a million of you!)

As promised last week, we have just released a new version (1.0.1.5) that addresses the annoying “dot in the Email” bug.

To download the fixed version, simply go to the App store just as before and download fring as normal.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you for all your feedback and comments. The fring family is growing and it’s great to see all of your responses. So thank you!

Have fun!

fring team

New fring version 3.36 (Symbian) just arrived

Hi guys

Big excitement here at fring - we’ve just released fring’s latest version 3.36, with some v cool new upgrades (available for all Symbian 9 devices)

Having upgraded the GUI (the way it looks to you and me) fring is now better looking (as if that were possible) and more user friendly with an upgraded menu structure, and all of your favorite online communities and cool new fring Add-ons available in one easy place, making it simpler than ever to find what you need.

And the new version now supports FAXL 3 Add-on development language 1st (if you’re a developer you’ll be excited – if not this will sound like a foreign lingo!) so that any Add-ons developed can now go live.

We’ve also fixed a few bugs you’ve reported to us, to make fringing even more fun!

Get it now here, or from your phone (close your current version of fring, point your phone browser to www.fring.com and click Download to be taken through the simple process)

Let us know what you think and have a great day!

fring team

Update: There seems to be a few bugs in the latest Ver 3.36.15 and our technicians are working around the clock to find them and squish them. Please report any bugs you may find in the forum so we can find them quickly�

fring and mobilkom austria A1 announce world first

Hi guys,

We don’t usually use the blog for fring’s industry news, but this story (and another world first for fring) is just too cool to keep to ourselves or for the hard core industry portals and blogs and we wanted to share it with you too!

fring and leading mobile network operator mobilkom austria today announced the joint launch of a special version of fring’s award winning mobile internet communication (MVoIP) and community service.

This is the first time a leading mobile network operator has integrated an open mobile VoIP communication and mobile internet community into their business, and represents a sea change in traditional mobile carriers and companies such as fring working together. It also provides a glimpse into the future of what fring believes in: a world of truly open mobile communications & community, with loads of choice for you guys, the mobile users. Well done mobilkom austria for sharing this vision!

So, today’s announcement provides a clear statement and answer to all of the media and industry speculation, cynicism and questions regarding the relationship between mobile VoIP and traditional operators. It demonstrates the willingness and ability of MNO’s to embrace mobile internet communication, build it into their future eco systems and provide a new level of rich and compelling mobile internet experience to its users. Read the full press release here.

Finally, we want to say a big hi and welcome to all of the new mobilkom austria A1 fringsters. It’s great to have you join the worldwide fring family.

fring for the iPhone & its official!

We’ve been listening really closely to your input, suggestions & insights on the pre-release version and together with some supportive recommendations like “please code faster !!!” we are happy to release fring for iPhone on the App Store (Supporting the iPhone and the new iPod touch devices).

We’ve added many new features to this version including ‘history tab’, ‘privacy settings’, ‘easy dialing from the main buddy list’ and many bug fixes.

This is a brand new, straight from the oven fring version (V1.0.1.4) The pre-release version is no longer available.

Have a great day

p.s We highly appreciate your feedback and insights, so as always, keep them coming!

The fring team

fring now on Sony Ericsson G900

You asked (more than once), and we listened (even if it took us some time to deliver ), but finally we’ve added all you Sony Ericsson G900 owners to the fring community.

This full featured version lets you interact with all your fring and IM buddies with free calls, live chat, file transfer and much more…

So get fringing and let us know how you go!

New Linux Version of fring Nokia

There’s a new version of fring for Linux (v.1.2.1.63)

Change Log:

• Added History Tab
• Integrated Dial-pad (screenshot below)
• Several minor bugs resolved

With the integration of the Dial-pad now making VoIP calls will be easier and even though we have taken care of some minor bugs I’m sure more will pop-up, which we will work to clear out.

So go try out the new Linux version here and as always do communicate your experience.

fring for Nokia N78 & (even b4 its launch) for the N96 !!!

We’ve been working hard with Nokia, and are pleased to announce that fring is now available for both the Nokia N78 & the N96. These super sexy, super cool top of the range Nokia phones provide a fringing fantastic experience. And we know fringsters are gonna love it.

If you own the N78, then go install fring and lets us know what you think! As for those on the lookout for the N96, when you have one in your palms do not hesitate to have a go with fring because its already supported.

Lots more news soon. Ya’ll Sony Ericsson fringsters stay tuned!

FOF: Friends of Fring!!!

With your ongoing support, fring has developed into an award-winning, global leader in mobile internet communications, and we’ve done so by listening to guys like you telling us what you think, what works and what doesn’t. Our cool services and features have been developed around your feedback and we recognize just how valuable your input has become. So, we’ve decided to take it a step further, by inviting you to join “friends of fring”, a small, exclusive group of fringsters which we will share information and development news with, take inputs and insights from, and provide hot new fring products, features and versions for you to play with before general release.

All we ask is that you continue to tell us what you think occasionally! Please note, there will be no obligation on your part to do so, but we will ask you to agree to keep confidential some of the developments we share with you.

As a FoF (aka friend of fring), you’ll receive a fringing welcome pack with some fun fring goodies , and access to a special password protected friends of fring web site where we’ll share the exclusive friends of fring info. We’ll also be hosting friends of fring social events every so often (lot’s of free drinks and other stuff…), so we can say thanks, get to know each other in person, share the cool new stuff in the product pipeline and hear your thoughts and ideas for future development.

Please note friends of fring is totally free of charge to be a part of. Application is open to any fring user, but to make it manageable and to keep it exclusive, the final selection will be limited to only a few users per country. So if you are interested in joining please apply now.

To apply, please send an email to friends@fring.com with your:

• <!-[if !supportLists]-><!-[endif]->name
• <!-[if !supportLists]-><!-[endif]->fring nick
• <!-[if !supportLists]-><!-[endif]->fring ID (your mobile no. with its international dial code)
• <!-[if !supportLists]-><!-[endif]->and a few short lines explaining why you’d like to join.

  Applications are open until Fri 12^th Sept and we’ll get back to you by Tues Sept 30^th.

  Hope to hear from you and make friends soon!