Facebook Voice Chat | Let the Games Begin : Adworkz

Can we talk? Let me count the ways

Image from geekandpoke.typepad.com.

The world’s largest social networking site, Facebook, is adding a new dimension of communication: voice chat. Facebook started off as a social network where people could communicate with online messages or wall posts. Since then it has added several other methods of text communication, including the ability to respond to status messages and instant messaging.

Now people will actually be able to talk to each other through Facebook. Pretty soon avid Facebook users might never need to use a phone again. Just the other day a coworker of mine said she didn’t need a cell phone because she could always get in touch with people through Facebook, and that was before voice chat.

When can I use voice chat?

CNN reports that Facebook voice chat will become available in the next few weeks, and that the voice conversations will be high quality. The technology to make this possible comes from Vivox, a Boston-based company that provides voice service for virtual worlds such as Second Life and EVE Online.

Facebook users must simply download the plugin for the service (any avid Facebook user is probably used to this by now). CNN says Facebook voice chat can be used for one-on-one conversations as well as group discussions.

Use Facebook without using Facebook

If someone who doesn’t have a Facebook account wants to talk to someone or someones who do have Facebook accounts, Vivox makes that possible, too. And it’s free! There will be dial-in numbers that will allow anyone to call into an existing conversation. CNN reports:

Perhaps more importantly, according to Vivox co-founder Monty Sharma, the company is making its technology available to any third-party Facebook application developer, meaning that almost any app, from games to utilities, can have a voice component.

Rumor has it that the sound quality might be even better than phone quality.

Link between Facebook voice chat and gaming

As a person who loves Facebook because I actually prefer to communicate through text rather than vocally, I probably will not use Facebook voice chat. However, as a person whose domestic partner spends several hours every day talking into a headset so he can communicate with his gaming buddies while they fight World War II, I can see exactly which market will make Facebook voice chat explode in popularity: gamers.

Facebook has steadily become a breeding ground for more and more online game applications. I had to click the “block invitations like this” several times because I don’t want to be in anyone’s mafia or fight vampires and elves with them. However, I acknowledge the fact that online gaming is a hugely popular industry that only grows more popular and more addicting with the capability to communicate verbally with your teammates and opponents.

Stay ahead of the curve

Any game developers or wannabe game developers out there, if I were you I’d get on this right now. I think the market for Facebook game applications that are enhanced by this voice chat feature is going to be huge. The sooner you get your game out there, the sooner you can start reaping the benefits.

If you want to know what these gamer headsets I was talking about look like, check out this video.