Apple has just gone a notch higher with its FaceTime for Mac version. Gone are the days when video calling was restricted only to iPhones and iPod Touch, you can now make and receive calls right on your Mac!

FaceTime for Mac allows you to chat with anyone on their iPhones, their iPod Touch or even on another Mac using Wi-Fi. The tiny camera on your Mac opens doors for an exciting and enjoyable calling experience. Once your call is in progress, the controls and window frame fade away to allow you distraction-free conversation.

Using the picture-in-view, you can see how you look to the caller on the other end.

When you call someone on their iPhone or iPod Touch, you can see everything at their end without a hitch. FaceTime for Mac easily adjusts the picture and view according to whether person you are calling uses the front or rear camera or rotates portrait to landscape.

Setting up FaceTime on your Mac is easy. Once you have downloaded FaceTime for Mac beta, just enter your MobileMe or Apple ID or sign up for one if you don’t already have it. Once signed in you’re ready to go. You e-mail address acts as your service locator and that’s how your friends and family will find you.

Since most of the video calls will be made to other iDevices, there is no need for tweaking resolution settings either.

You can pull all your contacts from your Address Book instead of adding them all from scratch. Double click on the number you want to call or to reach someone on their iPod Touch or Mac, use their e-mail address. You can even set favorites to distinguish between iPhones and Desktop FaceTime setups.
Once the receiver accepts the call, your call begins.

Another great feature is whenever someone is trying to reach you, your Mac will give you ringing signals -– just like a telephone! And that too even when FaceTime isn’t running. So you don’t have to worry about making yourself available all the time. In case you don’t want to receive calls, just turn off FaceTime in the Preferences.

To get this application, just visit http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/ and download the beta version. You will need a Mac OS X v10.6.4 Snow Leopard or later to be able to run and use this application. Happy Calling!