How to Video Chat With Tango on iOS Device

The Tango Voice & Video Calls app lets you make free voice and video calls, over your phone's data connection or over Wi-Fi, to other users of the app. It isn't a phone-calling app like Skype--you can call only people who also have Tango installed on their computer or mobile device--but it works with a ton of devices, and it's simple to use.

Step 1: Install Tango

Tango is a free app forand iOS devices. Open your device's native app store and search for Tango, or visit the appropriate Web-based store to download and install Tango Voice & Video Calls for or Tango Video Calls for iOS.

Tango works with most  iOS devices--even those with only a rear-facing video camera or no video camera at all.

Supported iOS devices include the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch (third and fourth generations), iPad, and iPad 2. Tango requires iOS 4.0 or later.

Step 2: Set up Tango

 Once you've installed Tango on your ios device, tap the app to open it. The app will prompt you to create a Tango account using your phone's mobile number. Creating an account is quick and easy: Just confirm your mobile number, and enter your first name and your email address.

Tango will automatically sync your phone contacts (including any Facebook or Google contacts saved to your phone book). However, you cannot call any of your contacts through Tango unless they have Tango as well. You can invite your contacts to install Tango by clicking the orange plus next to their name. To see only contacts who already have Tango installed, tap your phone's Menu key, press Groups, and choose Tango contacts.

Tango has four tabs: Contacts, Call Log, Invite, and Settings. Contacts and Call Log are self-explanatory. The Invite tab lets you invite friends via email or text message. The Settings tab allows you to see and edit your account information, as well as to view "Tips," or basic help info.

iOS: Once you've installed Tango on your iOS device, tap the app to open it. Tango will ask to use your address book to import contacts. Next, it will prompt you to create a Tango account using your phone number, name, and email address. If you're using an iPod or an iPad, leave this blank--your email address will be your "phone number."

Tango has four tabs: Contacts, Call Log, Invite, and Settings. Contacts and Call Log are self-explanatory. The Invite tab lets you invite friends via email or text message. The Settings tab allows you to see and edit your account information, as well as to view "Tips," or basic help info.

iOS: Once you've installed Tango on your iOS device, tap the app to open it. Tango will ask to use your address book to import contacts. Next, it will prompt you to create a Tango account using your phone number, name, and email address. If you're using an iPod or an iPad, leave this blank--your email address will be your "phone number."

All Tango calls are voice calls at first. To initiate video, simply tap the Video icon to turn on your device's video camera. You do not need a forward-facing video camera to use video chat--if you do not have a forward-facing video camera, your video stream will come from your gadget's regular, back-facing camera. If you do have a forward-facing video camera, a small icon in the top corner of the video chat will let you switch between the forward-facing and back-facing cameras.

Time to Tango

Tango is a great app for making free video and voice calls to other smartphone users. The ability to make video calls even if you don't have a forward-facing video camera is especially nice.

You cannot use Tango to make domestic or international calls to real phone numbers, but if someone you want to talk to has a Tango account and happens to be in another country, the call is still free. Tango also offers a Windows application, so you can call family and friends even if they don't have a smartphone.