Alternative video chat apps

[80anthea]

I'm hoping someone who is far more clued up than me on techy stuff maybe able to offer some suggestions.

The situation:
- I have a netbook with webcam and a Samsung Android smartphone with forward facing camera; my wifi is pretty decent speed and connection.

- My SO has no wifi in his house as he is very rural and so it would be too expensive. He does get pretty good Verizon mobile internet coverage and has unlimited data on his plan. He has a Droid 2 on Verizon so no forward facing camera.

In the past Google hangouts has been a pretty good way of us video chatting, he would be able to see me the whole time and he could turn his camera to face him so I could occasionally see him too. However the last few times it has been total crap, the new update just doesn't seem to connect on him phone and when we do get it connected it just kicks one of us out of the call.

We can call each other and have voice chats through viber or my network plan so voice calls are fine but it would be really awesome to have a more reliable video chat even if it were only once a week.

Skype for verizon doesn't seem to do video chats, we've looked. G+ is a real no go at the moment but they may fix it. He is updating his phone to the Droid 3 (he's obsessed with having a proper keyboard!) which will have a front facing camera.

So does anyone have any solutions as to which app may work the best. Are there any new ones that people recommend?

[lucybelle]

My favorite all time video app is Face Time.

Throw out the Samsungs and get iPhones? Facetime can be used on an ipod (it's how I use it), but you have to have wifi.

[80anthea]

My favorite all time video app is Face Time.

Throw out the Samsungs and get iPhones? Facetime can be used on an ipod (it's how I use it), but you have to have wifi.

Get him to sell his soul to Apple...... there's a bigger chance of me waking up tomorrow morning and finding a tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean!

I might suggest it to him as an option though (a real test of love!), thank you

[lucybelle]

I know! I was an apple hater for the longest. The my dad gave me an iPod and I've been hooked ever since. I use it mainly for Internet (posting from it now). It doesn't even come close to my Samsung tablet. I'd never get apple computer, but iPod or iPhone totally rocks.

[Elizabeth123]

I love my apple! Use pc at work and really prefer mac laptop. That being said...my so and I have used Facetime, Skype and now google hangout.
The best part of hangout is it stays connected longer and if its a brief disconnect it will restart by itself! FaceTime runs a close second and Skype is a clear third place IMHO