Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Lion Edition

FaceTime

FaceTime is Apple’s video-chat program. It lets you make free video calls to other Macs, or to i-gadgets like iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. (This assumes of course, that you and your conversation partner both have high-speed Internet connections. You also both need Macs with Mac OS 10.6.6 or later, and cameras, either built-in or external. And you need an Apple ID; see the box below. If this is your first time, enter your Apple ID and password on the right side of the window, and click Sign In.)

To make a video call, open FaceTime. It starts out looking a little weird—the panel that displays the actual video (you, at first) is tall and skinny, as though you’re using—what else?—an iPhone.

Up to Speed: The Apple ID

Once you become a member of the Apple cult, the key that unlocks all Apple doors is your Apple ID. The same email address and password gets you into the iTunes Music Store, the Apple Store, the App Store, iChat, MobileMe or iCloud, and, yes, FaceTime.

In the unlikely event that you don’t yet have an Apple ID, you can get one by filling out the form at https://appleid.apple.com.

You can also create a new account right from within FaceTime. Choose FaceTime→Preferences, click Account, and then click Create New Account.

Place a FaceTime Call

Now you have to choose someone to call. Ironically, this setup step usually begins with a more old-fashioned communication—a phone call or a text message, for example. (“Want to FaceTime now?”)

Figure 16-4. Yes, iChat also offers video ...