Qik Archive

  • iPhone 4 vs. EVO 4G… fight!

    iPhone 4 vs. EVO 4G… fight!

    Posted on June 7, 2010 | No Comments
    If you put your ear up to the screen, you can hear these two beasts snarling at one another. Hit up the gallery for more shots, along with some iPhone 3G for good measure. Let's see how they stack up on the big stats, shall we?

    iPhone 4

    		 EVO 4G
    Screen 960 x 640, 3.5-inch 800 x 480, 4.3-inch
    Thickness 0.37-inch 0.47-inch
    Primary camera 5 megapixel 8 megapixel
    Secondary camera VGA 1.3 megapixel
    Video chat FaceTime Qik

    Not enough for you? We'll have a big comparison of all the "majors" for you shortly.

    Now, there's a lot left to learn about Apple's FaceTime video chat service. For instance, they called it "open," but they also only mentioned a zero-configuration iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 calling setup. Meanwhile Qik can make calls between EVO 4Gs, but also stream video live to the web (while the iPhone needs to record and then upload to get "social" using its official apps). No mention was made of the FaceTime call resolution, but given the fact that the front camera is merely VGA, it's probably streaming at the same 640 x 480 that Qik is constrained to in the free service. However, a premium version of Qik for $5 a month lets you go beyond that resolution, using the EVO's higher resolution cameras. Perhaps the largest distinction is the fact that the EVO can stream video calls over 3G or 4G, while the iPhone 4 is constrained to WiFi for the time being. Naturally, we expect other video calling apps (Skype, please?) to crop up on both platforms and give these initial offerings a run for their money.

    iPhone 4 vs. EVO 4G... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • QIK admits Evo 4G launch problems after 20x increase on server load

    QIK admits Evo 4G launch problems after 20x increase on server load

    Posted on June 7, 2010 | No Comments
    While record sales are generally a desireable thing, that one-time spike in demand can leave service providers scrambling to cope on launch day. Evo 4G owners are well aware of this after noticing one of the handset's flagship features -- Qik video calling -- was unavailable in the Android Market on Friday. After correcting the issue, Qik then had to pull the app after users experienced intermittent service failures resulting from what Qik calls "an unprecedented 20x" workload increase on its servers. The Qik team is scrambling to provision more capacity and expects to have things under control "shortly."

    QIK admits Evo 4G launch problems after 20x increase on server load originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Qik details its premium service tier, free until July 15 (video)

    Qik details its premium service tier, free until July 15 (video)

    Posted on June 4, 2010 | No Comments
    Qik details its premium service tier, free until July 15
    Remember how we said Qik was going to rock your world (and your credit card) with its premium-tier offerings for the Evo 4G? Well, as promised, June 4 is here and we now know exactly what you'll be getting for your extra $5 a month. The full table of goodies is after the break, but highlights include video conferencing at resolutions greater than 640 x 480, unlimited archiving of video, the ability to send video mail, and of course "priority support" should you have a problem handling the Qikening. The updated version of the app, demonstrated in a video below, is available today for the Evo 4G and users can get a taste of those sweet, exclusive features for free until July 15. After that, it's time to pay up or take the trip back to VGA Chatsville. Don't have an Evo? There's also a new version of Qik in the Market for lesser Android smartphones, but video chat is still not on offer.

    Continue reading Qik details its premium service tier, free until July 15 (video)

    Qik details its premium service tier, free until July 15 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not

    Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not

    Posted on May 29, 2010 | No Comments
    Qik has lived up to its name in clarifying some leaks indicating that future EVO 4G owners on Sprint will be charged $5 a month to make use of its video chat services. As it turns out, that subscription fee will be for a new range of "advanced premium features," which will be elucidated on June 4 alongside the EVO's retail launch. The core two-way video calling will come absolutely free, we're promised, and only those yearning for extra features will have to pay up. It seems clear from the wording of that statement that multi-party conversations will figure prominently in the premium set, though we're left guessing at what other ways Qik has for seducing us to part with our cash. Either way, good news if you wanted to keep things simple... and cheap.

    [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

    Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated)

    Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated)

    Posted on May 27, 2010 | No Comments
    Last we thought, that mandatory $10 "premium data add-on" for Sprint's EVO 4G would additionally include YouTube and Qik video chat, and well, we may have been only half right. The gang at Android Guys have what's alleged to be a scan from Sprint's training materials, and according to one image, Qik's gonna cost you another $4.99 monthly via PayPal (not through the carrier) to use. We've reached out to see if we can confirm, but if true, it's a bit of a bummer to see the premiums continuing to add up. At least Fring's Skype video is still free, and as you can see in the video after the break, it works pretty well.

    Update: We're now privy to the official May 26th edition of the Evo 4G launch guide and can confirm the $4.99 fee. While Sprint hasn't said anything publicly, it's looking like that fee will stick saving a last minute call from the governor.

    [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

    Continue reading Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated)

    Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 21:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G put through its bandwidth-sucking paces

    Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G put through its bandwidth-sucking paces

    Posted on May 12, 2010 | No Comments
    So, since you're stuck paying $10 extra per month for "premium data services" (not that bad of a 4G tax, if you ask us), what wonders await you on the HTC EVO 4G, fueled by Sprint's next-gen network? Well, if these best-case-scenario tests we just did are any indication: everything you ever dreamed of. Of course, Sprint's WiMAX might end up stumbling up the steps of reality, but there's no denying that this is 21st century technology that's worthy of some of the excitement that's been lavished upon it. We just saw demos of Qik video conferencing, YouTube HQ (output brilliantly over HDMI), simultaneous data and voice usage, and even a straight-up speed test (4Mbps down, 1Mbps up, the latter of which is a hard cap). The phone performed brilliantly in each scenario, but of course that's to be expected when you have a 4G tower in the building. Check out the videos of all this breathless action after the break. Added bonus? All four (totaling about 100MB) were uploaded with our laptop tethered over WiFi to an HTC EVO 4G. Don't be jealous. Okay, be just a little bit jealous.

    Continue reading Sprint's HTC EVO 4G put through its bandwidth-sucking paces

    Sprint's HTC EVO 4G put through its bandwidth-sucking paces originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • TwitCasting lets you stream live video and tweet simultaneously from your iPhone

    TwitCasting lets you stream live video and tweet simultaneously from your iPhone

    Posted on March 5, 2010 | No Comments
    Late last year, Ustream and qik launched iPhone applications that let you stream videos from the iPhone to the web and allow others to watch them as they're being recorded. And now there is an iPhone app called TwitCasting Live (iTunes link), which offers the same basic functionality, but is - as the name suggests - much deeper integrated into Twitter. The free app is essentially a live streaming app and Twitter client rolled into one. TwitCasting Live splits the iPhone screen in half, allowing you to view your Twitter timeline, update your status, access the web etc. on the bottom half, while recording (broadcasting) video on the top.

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  • Qik to come preloaded on the Samsung Omnia II

    Qik to come preloaded on the Samsung Omnia II

    Posted on November 25, 2009 | No Comments
    We like to keep an eye on the adoption of mobile video broadcasting applications around these parts. It’s a mighty competitive space, with Qik, Kyte, Flixwagon, UStream and a number of others all taking a stab at what is essentially the same idea. While the idea as a whole has yet to really take off [...]

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  • Qik gets rebuilt for Droid, 480p streaming is upon us

    Qik gets rebuilt for Droid, 480p streaming is upon us

    Posted on November 10, 2009 | No Comments

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    Qik had already been available on Android, but when you bring a monster like the Droid into the mix, it warrants a rewrite -- and that's what the company has put together this week. Qik's new Droid-specific build brings a wealth of new features into play, chiefly Android 2.0 support and an impressive 720 x 480 streaming video resolution, perfect for the Droid's expansive display and 5 megapixel (albeit questionably usable) camera. The version also includes an improved version of what Qik calls the "Speed Sharing Ribbon," an area at the bottom of the display that allows users to drop frequent contacts for sharing recorded videos. There's no word on when the new version hits Droids around the nation, but it's already in an invite-only beta stage, so hopefully it'll be available soon enough. Follow the break for a quick video of that wild 480p support in action -- you ready for the data onslaught, Verizon?

    Continue reading Qik gets rebuilt for Droid, 480p streaming is upon us

    Qik gets rebuilt for Droid, 480p streaming is upon us originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Qik finally makes it to the App Store, live streaming not included

    Qik finally makes it to the App Store, live streaming not included

    Posted on August 13, 2009 | No Comments
    I want live streaming video recording apps on the iPhone. You want live streaming video recording apps on the iPhone. Everyone wants live streaming video recording apps on the iPhone - except for Apple. Though such applications have been available through unofficial means for over a year now, Apple remains mum on the matter. There [...]

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