Apple first introduced theFaceTime video conferencing featureas part of this summer’siPhone 4release . Last month , the company exsert FaceTime to thefourth - genesis iPod mite . All order , Jobs say , Apple has shipped 19 million FaceTime - compatible devices .

Still , one of the central complaints about the video - conferencing features on Apple mobile machine has been that exploiter have n’t been able to connect with friends and family who have n’t upgraded to the new iPhone and iPod touching simulation . extend FaceTime to the screen background figures to remediate that situation .

FaceTime for Mac is a new app — in a surprise to some , altogether separate from iChat . The software lets you key favorite contacts , provides quick access to recently - called ace , and of path integrates with your OS X Address Book .

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You select a exploiter name to lead up a call , and you’re able to call Mac to Mac , Mac to iPhone 4 , or Mac to iPod skin senses . As with iChat , FaceTime call can be carry full - screen . If the person on the other end of the call is using an iOS gadget and switches its orientation course , the FaceTime figure on your Mac ’s screen automatically splay , too .

You ’ll experience calls through FaceTime on the Mac , even if the program is n’t running . you could deform off that feature in Preferences if you do n’t want to get FaceTime calls , though .

The FaceTime for Mac genus Beta isavailable as a download from Apple . It involve Mac OS X 10.6 . You ’ll ask an Apple ID and an Es - chain armor reference to get started with the program .

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Updated at 11:45 a.m. PT to include organization requirements and more info about FaceTime for the Mac .

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