When the iPhone 4 was released, one of the features that received the warmest welcome was FaceTime, the app that makes it possible to hold video phone calls with your friends and family. At a special press event, Apple today announced that the video chat tools will be available for OS X.

The application is currently available as a beta and it can be used to hold voice and video chats with iPhone, iPad and Mac users over a wifi connection. With so many Macs features an integrated camera, the built in ability to conduct video conversations makes a lots of sense.

To help reduce screen clutter, whenever a video chat is under way, FaceTime is given centre stage on your desktop. The video chat window is all that is visible so there are no controls or other distractions getting in the way. If you are chatting with someone using an iPod touch or iPhone, the FaceTime window automatically adjusts to portrait or landscape mode according to whether the front or rear camera is being used.

The app has been well thought out from an ease of use point of view. If you want to chat with an iPhone user, simply click the relevant phone number in Address Book, or click an email address to chat with an iPod touch or Mac user.

Find out more by paying a visit to the FaceTime for Mac web site where you can also download a beta version of the app.