Apple Thoughts - News & Reviews on all things Apple

"Just last week, we saw an early glimpse of Skype’s upcoming iPad app, but today, Fring appears to be one step ahead of the game. Fring’s free Video Calls + IM app got an update Monday that brings full iPad-optimized group video chat for up to four users, and it works with any platform where Fring has presence, and on both Wi-Fi and 3G connections."

Fring appears to be the first to bring group chat to the iPad, with its client managing four-way chats, while Skype is late to the party, and early information makes no mention of (free, like Fring) four-way chat capabilities. One huge advantage for Skype is that it supports desktop (and laptop) clients, while Fring is only for Smartphones and iOS devices. I haven't tried any video chatting using 3G, but I think that a four-way chat on any 3G network would be an especially frustrating experience.

"One of the flagship features of the iPhone 4 is its video conferencing capabilities, a la FaceTime. Two doctors, however, are putting Apple's claim that FaceTime is the next generation of telecommunication to the test."

Taking video conferencing out of the realm of static devices locked away in a room somewhere, a surgeon at the University of Arizona has used FaceTime to consult with a colleague in Los Angeles regarding a possible foot amputation. FaceTime could be "a game changing tool" for doctors, according to the Arizona surgeon, Dr. David Armstrong, who also stated that it's not the technology itself, but the form factor (portability) and the ubiquity (millions already sold) of the devices that will make a difference in how medicine is practiced around the world.