Google launched their free video calling service by allowing users to install a browser plugin for Gmail to enable voice and video chat. From there it took ages for them to release an official video chat app for their flagship Android OS which till date is available only for newer Android versions. Blame the highly fragmented Android ecosystem. That said expecting a video chat app from Google for iOS devices will be over enthusiasm at this point of time. Take a deep breadth and check out this free cross-platform app available now.
VTok is a free cross-platform third-party Google video chat application that lets users initiate video and voice calls with online friends. No new account sign-up is required. Just login with your Google mail credentials and start chatting over Wi-Fi and 3G. Vtok available for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad) and Android OS (phones with front facing cam like Google Nexus S, Nexus One) can be installed to video call between mobile devices or from a mobile device to desktop running Mac or Windows. As Vtok requires front facing cam for initiating video calls it will only work on iPhone4, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 4G and iPad 2. Make sure on desktop you have installed Google Video chat plugin to enable and accept video and voice calls.
Vtok to work you must have Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and above. And on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, iOS 4.0 and above is required. With Vtok you can not only video and voice call but also send IM or text chat. The app also allows switching between cameras while in video calls. Vtok make use of the same Google backend servers to interoperate with Google Video and Voice Chat™ services. Hence free, safe and secure.
