ooVoo: 12-Way Video Calling Comes to Facebook and the iPad

                                                                                                                     (Image Credit: ooVoo)

Skype and FaceTime might be the household names when it comes to video calling these days, but ooVoo doesn't want that to be the case for much longer.

The video chat service announced today that it's bringing its 12-way video calling feature - yes, you can see and speak to 11 other people on your computer at the same time - to Facebook. It has also improved its iPad experience and other apps for the iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows.

While ooVoo has offered the 12-way video chat functionality on its Mac and PC apps, it's bringing the service to Facebook so you no longer have to be an ooVoo member to jump on a big video conference call. In the Facebook app, you will be able to invite other Facebook friends and see them on ooVoo's Web portal. No need to download the software.

Similarly, you will now be able to log in to ooVoo with your Facebook, Twitter or email address. You will also be able to initiate a chat with any of your Facebook friends from ooVoo's other apps as well.

And there's even more. ooVoo is also bringing the experience to the iPad. The new iPad app will allow for the 12-way calls, and four-way simultaneously HD video. Lastly, the company is refreshing all its other apps - iPhone, PC and Android - with cleaner interfaces and that Facebook tie in.

It's a big release for the company, and the CEO of ooVoo, Yuval Baharav, is hoping the multiplatform approach continues to push it ahead of the competition.  "This is our largest release ever and includes an upgrade of all our products, including a four-way iPad app, new Web app, and the ability to log in and find friends with your Facebook ID.  With these upgrades, ooVoo allows you to chat with anyone, any time on virtually any platform," Baharav told ABC News.

All of ooVoo's services are free, but are ad-supported. Skype offers multiparty conference calling up to 10 users, but requires a monthly fee of $9.99 for the feature. The updated ooVoo apps will be out later today in all the respective app stores.