The magic of technology - All Comments

re: The magic of technology

colleen0443 — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:30:38 GMT

I have 2 daughters living on Thursday Island and my telephone cntract allows me to make 1 hour of free calls at a chosen time each day. You can make a 20 minute call 3 times not a straight 1 hour but I ring my girls by video in this time and it is great to see them as we chat.

re: The magic of technology

AusMounty — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:57:58 GMT

Well I have tried the Video Call functionality from my Motorola RAZRV3xx (Telstra Next-G) and it does work to a fashion however if you expect to see full streaming video I would wait until the technology moreover the compression techniques are more compliant between phone manufacturers.

As with any computer we have to wait until software has been created to view certain file formats so we have to wait until those times.

I say this from the perspective that I am a network specialist as well!

Regards,

AusMounty

re: The magic of technology

roemer hanischErnst — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:04:27 GMT

hi there some very interesting points made here, im only hrs away from finishing my traineeship as a communications technician (yes with telstra). i spent many weeks in sa and my wife and i live in wa with our kids so we used video calling quite often whilst i was away and every now and again i will call my parents using this function also so they can see the kids as they live in sa.

cdma was out dated technology and yes next g hasn't quite got the same coverage but hang in there guys....the coverage is coming as i am led to believe and it is growing as the towers and programming are put in place. many new and exciting inovations ahead for communications in australia in the future.

video calling is awesome try it if you have the coverage, if you are worried about the costs limit your use to once a week?

hope this helps take care best wishes

re: The magic of technology

colleen0443 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:55:30 GMT

I live in a community of 400 people in Victoria and often have video calls with my daughters who live on Thursday Island.

I think it is more the luck of the draw if you are able to access it and which network you are with.

Telstra is my server and even though I have big whinges about them I do think there service is superior to many of the fly by night ones.

Colleen

re: The magic of technology

Hannah — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:14:08 GMT

Video calling only works on a 3G phone where there is 3G coverage, which is only really in capital cities. I live in Townsville, North Queensland, with a population of over 150,000, yet there is no 3G! So I doubt it would be available in remote WA.

You can tell you are in a 3G area because your phone gets a little symbol (that says 3G haha) next to the signal bar.

Also some 3G phones do not have video calling, it depends on the phone. Some phones will have a video calling button to press, or it will be in the menu function somewhere (mine is in organiser for some reason? under video call.)

Good luck! If I were you I'd go for video chat online, as its more accessable (all you need is a webcam and the internet! many applications will let you do it, ie. msn messenger)

Hope that was of help!?

re: The magic of technology

sitch — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:02:18 GMT

I don't think it would be a good idea for people to see the faces I pull or the way I bang my head on the desk in sheer frustration or boredom when they ring me.

This always reminds me of the episode of the Jetsons where Judy has masks to answer the phone.

re: The magic of technology

jenni.perera — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:39:32 GMT

i had my first video call from my brother and my nephews on the 26th july. it was great, as they live in QLD and im in MELB we dont see them very much. i'll use it more often now.

re: The magic of technology

kym.saron — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:30:03 GMT

I just my new phone a couple of days ago. I should never be able to lost again and I have worked out how to do video calling. My mates and I are going to have a hoot with these new things.

re: The magic of technology

Topaz — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:03:06 GMT

Goodness me... I've just been reading all your comments on 3G and the Magic of Technology. I had no idea that a mobile could be used for video calls. Is my phone 3G? Well I had to ask my teenage kids. After much muttering under their breaths (I think I heard something like...old woman & useless) they told me it was. WOW I thought, so I can use the video call function. Curious that I am, I went searching and searching and more searching. I had no idea about any of it. Next step.. look up the instructions :( Bad move. Why aren't the instructions written in plain english??? I tried, I really did, to comprehend what they were trying to say. Made no sense to me and because I have some pride I wasn't game to ask the teenager in the house. My decision .... Stick to what I know and just use the phone for texting (yes I have mastered this art) and phone calls. I guess video calling will just have to wait for my techologically challenged brain to catch up one day.

Take care and happy video calling (if you dare)

Tracey

re: The magic of technology

CockingAnne — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:32:21 GMT

I use the 3G phone and have now had two phones with this.

Being out in the middle of Qld I had now choice other than telstra, which doesn't worry me as I've not had much problems with them.

I've not used the vidoe part of the phone. There is areas where it doesn't work and even on the property I am on we have this problem. I'm sure we will all learn in time more about the features that are coming out on phones in time to come

My coverage here with 3G isn't much different than CDMA.

Enjoy Life

Take Care

Anne

re: The magic of technology

Jacquie57 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:25:07 GMT

Hi! There is so much technology now, that it is hard to keep up with, but I know that any 3G phone you can do it on...

Apparently it doesn't cost much, but like all things use it too much and you will have to pay heaps...

I think with those sort of things after learning about them you tend to rely on them...the more you know the more you pay...

Good luck with it..

Hugs Jacquie

re: The magic of technology

Mysay2 — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:53:25 GMT

Hmmmm, for modern technology. Yeah, it'd be great if it was available nationwide, but like everything else offered, it doesn't cover those areas which are remote, rural or isolated.

I live just outside a large rural town (just over 30kms) and I am in a "dead zone", in other words, no coverage on a mobile network - and yes, I'm with Telstra. Yep, lotsa u-beaut new and wonderful gadgets are on offer to the populace, but it seems to me it's really only for the people who live in the cities, not the country.

And yes, I have broadband - and my local area network has an output of 100Mbps - and I pay for the privilege of 256Mbps download. I have to have a landline phone, obviously, for which I pay about $100 per month - not including broadband. Yep, technology sure has been there for me, you can tell I'm getting my money's worth!!

Bring on competition - please!

re: The magic of technology

charity1980 — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:24:02 GMT

My partner is a Truck driver in WA & is away alot also. He updated to the 3G network but we have never had to use video calling even though its available, if we like to see each he uses wireless internet on the laptop. Unfortunately even though phone companies bring out these mobiles with better coverage, it still doesn't cover alot of Australia & alot of the mines in WA are still without & using satellite phones still. I honestly don't use video calling as it cost more to use than a voice call & I don't know anyone yet who uses video calling either.

re: The magic of technology

4Lynny — Fri, 30 May 2008 04:30:37 GMT

CDMA needed upadating, but as to using mobile in that region of australia, i have a friend who works out that way and he has to book a satelite phone to communicate as their 3g phone does not have signal out there, as for expense of video call - i wouldnt know.

re: The magic of technology

RidgewayRebecca — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:47:20 GMT

CDMA wasn't a 'fad' - it was just outdated technology that has been replaced with a much better network. I don't think video calls will ever disappear..

Firstly, which network are you on, where do you live, and what type of handset do you both own?

Here's a link for some more info: http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/services/video_calling.html

It's charged at 55c/30sec, plus call connection