T-Mo's Bobsled hits rough ice, but fring's out with a winning group video play

T-Mobile's Bobsled, its free VoIP application that debuted on Facebook just a week-and-a-half ago hit a patch of rough ice earlier this week and has been taken offline and brought back to the shop, leaving early Facebook fans and users (including yours truly) adrift. The app made it easy to connect with friends on Facebook who also had downloaded Bobsled, or to leave voice messages for any friends on the site, whether they had the app or not. And the quality was awesome.

The company says the hiatus is temporary, and pointed at issues with users being confused over whether it was a Facebook-sponsored app or one from a third party.

T-Mobile said it voluntarily shut down the service and was working with Facebook to rectify the situation, which Facebook later confirmed to PCMag.com.

Bobsled friends on Facebook, obviously, were less-than-thrilled, but were surprisingly understanding, suggesting the app may develop a pretty loyal following pretty quickly.

And why shouldn't it? T-Mobile say it plans to roll out an upgraded iteration that includes video chat soon, and also has plans to allow users to connect with landlines and mobile phones and is planning on offering it on its own phone service.

As of Tuesday, T-Mobile's Bobsleders hadn't fixed the issue and posted on a Facebook page that there was "no ETA at the moment."

But, never fear. Want to play with a new app that's likely to make you just as happy?

Fring today rolled out its Group Video VoIP app that allows iPhone (and iPod Touch and iPad) users and Android device users to video chat with up to three friends at a time, a mobile social "telepresence" that is, it says, the first of its kind.

The app is free from the Android Market and from the App Store. You'll need the latest releases of either OS to make your (up to) four-way chats over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G connections. --Jim