Facebook is trying to hold back the challenge from Google who began beta-testing its own social video chat feature, Google+ Hangouts, last week.

No need to download Skype

The Facebook-Skype calls are one to one only, while Hangouts supports up to 10 people, However the Facebook video chat is interesting, because you don't need to download a Skype client—all you do is log in to your account and start a video chat with anyone on your friends list. It's unclear whether or not you can call an actual Skype user, even though the underlying technology is Skype.

Although they say that there's no client you have to install, like Skype, there actually is a plugin setup process that's, well, essentially like downloading and installing a client, albeit a browser plugin client. The videos pop up in a separate window you can move around your desktop, and you can select the active microphone in the video window without having to restart the call.

Already ahead

Although it is only one to one calls, Facebook has two big advantages. Firstly and most importantly a lot of your friends are already on the service. Facebook has 750 million users. Google+ isn't even open to the public yet and you can only get an account via an invitation. Secondly, Facebook claims the feature is so easy to use, even the least technical people on Facebook should be able to figure it out fast, And it is, it's as easy as using the chat feature to which it is integrated. Push one button and you're off.

Over the next few months it will be interesting to see how this will pan out and also to see how much impact Google+ has on Facebook when it is officially released to the public.