Viber: Video Messaging and Calling for Desktop and Mobile

Viber is a desktop and mobile application that brings you free video calling, texting, and messaging with other Viber users. Viber uses your desktop computer's internet connection or the cellular/Wi-Fi connection on your mobile device to give you free and instant access to your contacts. Recent updates have added the ability to share files with contacts as well. Viber is available for Windows and Mac computers, iOS, Android, Windows, Nokia, and Bada mobile devices, and with such versatility, it just might give Skype a run for its money.

The Viber Mobile Application

To use Viber on your desktop, you first need to have Viber installed on your mobile device. Download the app to your device, and launch it. Viber will ask to access your phone contacts in order to import them into the application. Next, give Viber your mobile phone number, and you'll receive an SMS message with a verification number to get started. Check your text messages for the access code, and enter it into Viber.

After you've successfully installed the application, you'll need to add details to your account so that other people can find you. You can add your name and a picture, or link your Facebook account to Viber to automatically import your profile information.

The Viber Layout

The Viber mobile application has a user-friendly layout that feels completely integrated with your phone's OS. Your contacts are separated into three lists: Viber, All and Favorites. You can invite friends to Viber by scrolling through the All tab and using the invitation link. In addition, Viber has a keypad for making free calls to new numbers and also features a separate message section to keep track of your text conversations.

Sending a Video Message With Viber Mobile

Viber lets you make free phone calls and send free text messages using your mobile device, but unlike Skype, you can't make video calls. The Viber video calling feature of the desktop application is still in beta release, so chances are Viber has plans to extend video calling to its mobile apps in the future. That being said, Viber does let you send free video messages to your friends.

To send a video message, choose a recipient from your list of Viber contacts. Then, hit the plus sign in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. This will open a dialogue box that includes options to "Take a Photo & Video" or access your "Photo & Video Gallery". Choose "Take a Photo & Video" to create a new video message for a friend.

Viber will launch the camera on your mobile device, and you can start recording! Video messages are limited to a minute and a half. This helps minimize your wait time as the video sends, and also keeps your data usage down.

Once you're done recording, you can playback the video and choose to trim the parts you don't like. Then, you can add a text description and send the video to your friend. The time it takes to send your video will depend on your internet connection or data plan. If you change your mind about sending your video message, you can always cancel it during the upload.

The Viber Desktop Application

You can download the Viber desktop application on Viber's website. When you launch the application, Viber will ask for your mobile phone number so that it can keep both versions of the app synched. We recommend using Viber on both your desktop and mobile device so you can use the same client for free calling no matter where you are.

Viber will send an activation code to your mobile device that you'll enter into the desktop app. Next, Viber will automatically import all of the contacts from your phone and let you know who's a Viber user. Choose from your list of contacts to start a new Viber conversation. Once you're in a call, you can toggle live video on and off, use video only, adjust volume, and enter fullscreen mode. In addition to these features, the Viber desktop application includes a keypad so that you can call and text mobile phone numbers for free from your computer.

Whether you're looking for an alternative to Skype, or just want to enjoy free video calling and texting, Viber is an exciting new application for mobile video.