Video chat hits Facebook with the Rounds app. (It was inevitable, right?)

The first time I used video chat, I remember it felt like I was stepping into the future. I recall marveling at seeing someone’s face in real-time on my computer and of course, waving furiously, which is a requisite for the first 10 seconds of any video call.

Now, the options for video calling are plentiful, meaning lots of you are already Skyping or ooVoo-ing experts. But for those just wanting to dip their toes into the waters or who don’t want to sign up for yet another service, you may want to check out a new Facebook app for video chatting called Rounds.

Rounds is different from Skype and other options in
that all the video chatting is done within Facebook itself. As long as
you and the person you are chatting with have webcams (and the app
installed, of course), you can chat, play multi-user games together, even
watch those viral YouTube videos together.

Great for when your kids want
to talk to their cousins across the country, or if the love of your life is across the country on a business trip this Valentine’s Day.

Since most laptops nowadays come with webcams,
there’s no additional hardware necessary or complicated software to
install. Once you install the app (one click), you’re ready to start
video chatting away. But as with any social media usage when it comes to
kids, make sure you’re monitoring who they’re chatting with if they’re going to be using it. Because
Rounds advocates a social experience (e.g. you can browse friends’
profiles and photos) it’s better to make the “Rounds” with them to make
sure they’re only chatting with who they’re supposed to be. -Jeana

Download the Rounds video chat app from Rounds.com.