If you have a FaceTime camera, you can use that to see your friends from around the world

Jul 15, 2014 23:19 GMT  ·  By
Your iDevice is a great tool to make it easier to video chat and share an experience together. FaceTime is one of the best apps, just because it is a native one and built into the OS. But there are some great apps that will do the same and more, depending on your needs. 
 
We are going to start with the big players in the video chat business and go from there to the most interesting newcomer. 
 
Hangouts is the Chat and Video messaging app by Google. It is free, but you need a Google+ account to use it. Most of the Gmail users already have one so it shouldn't be a problem. The interface design is similar to other Google apps and you are going to find it easy to use. Moreover, if you already have Chrome or other Google apps installed on your device, Hangouts is going to pick up the login username and password without asking you to enter it every time. 
 
If you are more of a Windows guy, then Skype must be your thing. This free app is Microsoft's property now and they do a good job updating it as often as possible. Obviously, when you tap the icon, you will be presented with an app that is very similar to its Windows Phone counterpart. 
 
Skype offers the usual free messaging, voice and video calls like you used to have on your computer. One of the best features is that you can find friends just by searching them by name. You don't need to know a username in order to connect. You also get low cost calls to landlines or mobile phones as long as you have "Skype Credit," available via in-app-purchase. 
 
The youngest candidate to the Video messaging app of your dreams must be Perch. It offers the same quality and features as FaceTime with a Twist. 
 
Perch is great for overseas office interaction or just casual family video chatting. The app is designed to be always-on and there's no need to plan a call beforehand. Basically, the app senses when you look at the camera and only then it activates sound. So it is just like a portal to somebody else's home or office. There is a catch: for security reasons, Perch requires you to use your verified work email address when creating or connecting to portals in your company network. 
 
Here's a funny video showing some of its features: