Video Chatting on Facebook

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For those who wish there were yet another way to connect with friends on computer screens, a new start-up called SocialEyes now offers video chatting through Facebook. SocialEyes, which made its public debut Monday, was founded by Rob Glaser and Rob Williams, who know a thing or two about digital video from their days as executives at RealNetworks. Mr. Glaser started RealNetworks in 1995 and stepped down as its chief executive last year after a sometimes stormy tenure. He remains chairman. People log in to SocialEyes using Facebook Connect. They see their Facebook friends and can begin chats with several of them at once, individually or in a group. If someone isn't online, users can leave a video message. Users can leave the windows open so the friends can see and hear one another even when they're not chatting. They can mute or pause certain conversations if they don't want their friend to see or hear them, but it can be a little creepy, especially if someone forgets that a chat is still going on. Mr. Williams compares it to a physical office, where someone might walk by and start a conversation with a colleague, another might join in and then two might go into a private room to continue talking. Several services -- including Skype, Apple's FaceTime and Google's video chat in Gmail -- let people communicate via video. SocialEyes differs in that it offers a social element, Mr. Williams said. "Most of the value is building a community around my friends," he said. SocialEyes users can create chat groups, so a family planning a reunion could create a permanent group, or strangers with shared interests could find one another and video chat. In that way, SocialEyes brings to mind Chatroulette, the controversial service that randomly connects Webcam users who don't know one another.

For those who wish there were yet another way
to connect with friends on computer screens, a
new start-up called SocialEyes now offers video
chatting through Facebook.


SocialEyes, which made its public debut Monday,
was founded by Rob Glaser and Rob Williams,
who know a thing or two about digital video
from their days as executives at RealNetworks. Mr.
Glaser started RealNetworks in 1995 and stepped
down as its chief executive last year after a sometimes stormy tenure. He remains chairman. People log in to SocialEyes using Facebook
Connect. They see their Facebook friends and can
begin chats with several of them at once,
individually or in a group. If someone isn't online,
users can leave a video message. Users can leave the windows open so the friends
can see and hear one another even when they're
not chatting. They can mute or pause certain
conversations if they don't want their friend to
see or hear them, but it can be a little creepy,
especially if someone forgets that a chat is still going on. Mr. Williams compares it to a physical office,
where someone might walk by and start a
conversation with a colleague, another might join
in and then two might go into a private room to
continue talking. Several services -- including Skype, Apple's
FaceTime and Google's video chat in Gmail -- let
people communicate via video. SocialEyes differs
in that it offers a social element, Mr. Williams said.
"Most of the value is building a community around
my friends," he said. SocialEyes users can create chat groups, so a
family planning a reunion could create a
permanent group, or strangers with shared
interests could find one another and video chat. In that way, SocialEyes brings to mind
Chatroulette, the controversial service that
randomly connects Webcam users who don't
know one another.