Phones let you reach out and show someone

July 25, 2007— -- Ever want a friend's opinion before buying an outfit, but the buddy whose advice you cherish is not with you in the store? Wish you could share your kid's Little League game as it's happening with grandparents who live far away?

Now, you can call them on your cellphone and show them live, streaming video of what you are seeing — while continuing to carry on a conversation. These and other scenarios make up the pitch for a first-of-its-kind service launched this week by AT&T called Video Share.

The service mostly worked as promised in my New York City tests with two compatible Samsung phones. But while the potential is there, the initial service is costly, the quality of the experience is far from perfect, and you and the person you are talking to must have access to AT&T's fastest, so-called 3G, or third-generation, network. That ruled out testing in and around my New Jersey neighborhood. AT&T says 3G service is available in nearly 160 markets nationwide.

Here's a closer look:

•What you'll need. Video Share works with one of four handsets, including the pair I tested with a colleague, the $150 Samsung 717 and $100 Samsung 727. The other compatible phones are the Samsung Sync and the LG CU500, each $50. (All prices are with a two-year contract and mail-in rebate; further discounts are available online.) AT&T says more phones that take advantage of Video Share are coming. You and the person you are sharing video with both must be using one of these phones during a call.

•Starting the video. You make a phone call as usual. If you are in a 3G environment, a Video Share prompt will automatically appear on the phone. A tiny 3G status indicator lets you know you're in 3G territory. If not, you'll see an "E" representing the slower AT&T Edge data network; Video Share will not be an option. AT&T's 3G network is based on the geeky-sounding UMTS/HSDPA standards, which permit simultaneous transmission of voice and video.

Only, sometimes the Video Share option was not offered even when I was supposedly in a 3G coverage area. Turning the device off and on again provided a quick fix, like it sometimes does when rebooting a computer. The Video Share option was presented the next time I was on a call.