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Facebook adds VoIP calling to iOS service

Facebook adds VoIP calling to iOS serviceFacebook has updated its iOS app this week, adding free VoIP calling for users in the U.S. and Canada.

The social networking giant had been testing the feature through its Messenger iOS app since early January.

Accessing the free calling is simple enough. Tapping a friend’s name in the chat menu, and then heading to “info” will show off a new option to make a free call.

For the call to work, both users must have the latest version of Facebook.

The calls work via your existing data plan.

Google stock hits $800

Google stock hits $800On Tuesday, Google’s stock price hit $800 for the first time as confidence in the search and mobile giant is booming.

In 2007, Google stock hit $700 but then joined the rest of the market in a decline during turmoil years after the financial crisis hit. In April 2011, it was decided that Google co-founder Larry Page should take over the role of CEO from Eric Schmidt.

Since then, Google stock has risen around 35 percent, with most of the gains occurring in the past seven months.

Analysts see Google as one of the best position tech companies for the forseeable future. It’s Search service continues to dominate in its field, and over 600 million devices now run the Android operating system. It also owns other huge services, like YouTube, which is gaining more confidence from advertisers.

It is also overhauling its ad system to address concerns about the revenue that can generated for mobile ads.

Google Glass UI shown off in new video

Google Glass UI shown off in new videoGoogle has posted a video to show you how it feels to use its ambitious Glass prototype.

All the footage in the video is actually recorded through Glass. The video shows a variety of different scenarios, including sky diving, a rollercoaster ride, horse riding and more. You interact with Glass by simply instructing it to do something, like “record a video.”

It also shows sharing images that you’ve just taken with contacts, and requesting that it shows you certain types of pictures.

Another part shows how you can ask Glass to translate words for you, and get a response pretty quickly. Glass is still very much a work in progress, but it is headed in the right direction.

 

Apple releases iOS 6.1.2 to fix bugs

Apple releases iOS 6.1.2 to fix bugsApple has released iOS 6.1.2 for iPhones, iPads and iPod touch to fix a couple of bugs reported in iOS 6.1.

It had previously released iOS 6.1.1 just for iPhone 4S users to fix problems with 3G signal, after several carriers told their customers not to update to iOS 6.1 due to several reported issues.

Now Apple has pushed out iOS 6.1.2 for all compatible devices, fixing an issue with Microsoft Exchange servers that caused headaches for corporate network administrators, and also fixing another issue that reportedly caused battery drain.

What is more peculiar is what Apple has not fixed however; iOS 6.1.2 is still vulnerable to a flaw that lets a user easily bypass the lock screen and access some user data, so we guess that we have to wait for Apple to fix that now too.

iOS 6.1.2 is available OTA, or through iTunes, for all compatible devices now.

Microsoft begins migrating users away from Hotmail and towards Outlook

Microsoft begins migrating users away from Hotmail and towards OutlookEarlier this week, Microsoft announced that its new web-based email service Outlook had moved out of beta.

The service will replace Hotmail/Live, and the company has begun migrating users away from its existing services.

Preview versions of Outlook.com went up six months ago and it appears that Microsoft has done sufficient testing.

Microsoft will look to steal users back from Google’s Gmail, and Microsoft’s director of product management Dharmesh Mehta says the transition will make Outlook one of the largest free email services in the world. “It’s a pretty massive bet we’ve made that Outlook.com is a great choice,” Mehta added.

All Hotmail settings, contacts and messages will make the transition and you can continue to use your existing email addresses.

Get started at Outlook.com now.

Google planning on launching retail stores

Google planning on launching retail storesGoogle is in the process of launching retail stores in the U.S., following in the footsteps of rivals Apple and Microsoft.

The stores would showcase Google-branded hardware like the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 and potentially Chromebooks, as well.

Sources say there is no word on where or when the stores may launch, as the plans are not set in stone.

Apple has long used retail outlets to help sales of its iOS devices, giving would-be buyers a chance to test the devices before buying. Microsoft has begun expanding their retail presence recently thanks to the launch of the Surface and Windows Phone 8.

The sources also claim that Google would not promote Motorola at all in the stores, even though the company acquired Motorola Mobility in 2011. That move makes sense as any favoritism would be seen as an attack on its other Android partners, most notably Samsung.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg now owns more of his company

CEO Mark Zuckerberg now owns more of his companyAccording to a new SEC filing, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg now owns 29.3 percent of Facebook’s Class A shares, more than he owned when the company went public last year.

At IPO time, Zuck owned a 28.2 percent stake. At current market value, the CEO’s stake is worth $13.6 billion.

Thanks to stock and option-based compensation, the founder increased his stake over the last year.

Despite having far and away the most votes in the company, Zuckerberg only owns about 20 percent of the company thanks to different types of voting shares.

Facebook has a market value of $67 billion.

Skype Video Messaging now live for iOS, Android and Mac

Skype Video Messaging now live for iOS, Android and MacMicrosoft has launched their Skype Video Messages feature to iOS, Android and Mac.

The company has been working on the update since last year, and even accidentally leaked some features late in 2012.

Video Messages allows Skype users to send up to 3 minutes of video to each other, and can be used online or off.

You can use either the front or rear camera on your Android or iOS device, and the video will be delivered to the chat portion of Skype. For Macs, it is exactly the same except users will have the option to download the message.

When asked about availability for Windows 8, Microsoft says (via Verge): “We’re pleased that there’s interest for Video Messaging to come to Skype for Windows and Skype for Windows 8. It should be available by the end of April.”

The feature is part of Skype Premium. Non-premium members will get 20 free video messages before being asked to upgrade to the $5 per month Premium service.