(Credit:
Innodial, Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)
If you've used phone cards before, you know how annoying it is trying to reach the person on the other side.
First, you have to dial a local number, then in most cases you have to type in a PIN, and then type in the phone number of the person you want to reach. During the whole process, if you mistype a digit, chances are you'll have to repeat the whole thing from the beginning.
That's so much work, but for most of us, the savings are worth it--especially if you want to keep in touch with loved ones in another country.
Well, soon enough, you won't have to fumble through the numbers anymore.
Innodial, a calling card provider, just announced an iPhone application of the same name. The app allows you to dial a long-distance number directly from the iPhone or assign it to a local number for convenient dialing.
I tried the app out on my iPhone 3G and loved it. The app's dialing interface resembles that of the iPhone itself. You can create a new phone book or use the contact list of the iPhone.
When you want to call a long-distance number, you just have to dial the number itself, including the country code. The app then calls a local number by itself, applies the PIN, and connects you to that long-distance number.
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(Credit:
MagicJack)
Remember MagicJack, the VoIP phone gizmo that plugs into a USB port and provides unlimited local and long-distance calling? Normally it runs $40 plus shipping (and/or sales tax), but 1 Sale a Day has it for $29.99 (plus $5.99 for ground shipping) -- but only through midnight today. Granted, the savings here aren't huge, but why not save a sawbuck if you can?
I should point out that many commenters have encountered problems with MagicJack's customer service (or lack thereof). The company lists no address or phone number on its site, and even its message board is down (though just temporarily, according to the site). Clearly they're experiencing major growing pains (understandable given the nature of the product), but that's no excuse for shoddy support. So I'm posting this deal with a "buyer beware" caveat.
That said, I think the MagicJack is best used as a second phone line anyway. At the very least you should test it out for a couple weeks before making it your primary line. Mine has never given me a lick of trouble; it continues to work like a charm.
A Linksys phone adapter is included free when you sign up for ViaTalk
(Credit: Linksys)If you've been thinking about saving money on phone service by switching to voice over IP, allow ViaTalk to entice you: Sign up now for the standard $199-per-year rate, which includes unlimited local and long-distance calling, and you'll get a second year free.
In case you're unfamiliar with them, VoIP services leverage your broadband Internet connection to let you make and receive phone calls. The experience is virtually identical to using a landline, and in most cases you can keep your existing number.
ViaTalk provides a boatload of calling features as part of their "vt_unlimited" plan, everything from voice mail and caller ID to call recording and scheduled wake-up calls. You also get a free phone adapter, which plugs into your router or broadband modem.
Last summer I reviewed ViaTalk for PC Magazine, and dinged them pretty heavily for poor customer service. But things have improved considerably since then, and I haven't needed customer service even once in over 7 months. (Full disclosure: I'm a ViaTalk customer, but otherwise have no affiliation with the company.)
Bottom line: ViaTalk was already a deal at $199 per year, but $199 for two years? Well, that's twice as good. Of course, if you really want to talk cheap (and don't need all the fancy features), look no further than the MagicJack, which offers a full year of service for just $40 (and $20/year after that).
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
One of the best choices for online telephony for Mac just got better. The latest Skype update pushes the program to version 2.7.257 adding support for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and higher-resolution video for face-to-face video calls. The new default resolution is 640x480 pixels at 25 frames per second. You are only limited by your Webcam, so get out there and upgrade so that your friends and family can have a bigger, crisper view of your smiling mug on their desktop.
The chat client-like interface makes it easy to browse and call contacts.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Skype has always been one of my favorite applications for its familiar chat-like interface, and the capability to talk with users worldwide for free (provided they're also using Skype). For a little extra money, you can sign-up with Skype and make calls to anyone in the world (including land-lines) at a fraction of the price of regular long distance. Got a friend in another country? Skype might be just the solution you need.
What do you think? Have you made any video calls on your Mac? Do you chat with friends in other countries using Skype? Let us know in the comments!
The "dial-around" phone service, Jajah, just launched a new service that lets you access it without going near a PC.
Dial-around services usually work by asking you what number you want to call. Then the service will make two calls, one to that number and one to your phone. The services then connect the two phones via their own VOIP networks. Calling rates on dial-around services are low since traditional telephone networks are only used to make two local phone calls.
Jajah assigns local numbers to overseas phones.
Jajah's latest trick is that it can assign a local Jajah Direct number (local to you) to anyone you regularly call. For example, if your phone is in the 415 area code and your mother is in Spain, you can tell Jajah what her number is and it will give you a 415 number for her. You program that number into your cell, and use it to dial her. You'll be charged by your mobile phone company for a local call (probably nothing), and 3.4 cents a minute by Jajah. Which is a great rate. However, rates vary. If your mom in Spain is on a mobile phone, the call is 21.8 cents a minute. Some other countries aren't a bargain to call no matter what kind of phone the other person is on. So check the rates for calls you want to make before you sign up.
You can also get new Jajah Direct numbers for your contacts without using a browser. Jajah has access numbers in 19 cities worldwide (more coming) that you can call to get a local-to-you number assigned for anyone in the world.
There are other dial-around services and many other ways to make low-cost or free phone calls. But this is a good weapon in the arsenal against overpriced long distance.
(Credit:
MagicJack)
Need a second phone line? How about a dedicated business line for your home-based enterprise? A cheap way to make calls while traveling the world? Look no further than the MagicJack, quite possibly the coolest gizmo of 2007.
All you do is plug the little guy into a USB port. It automatically installs its own software: a nifty little dialer/address-book app. (During the initial setup, you get to choose your own local number for inbound calls.) Now just plug any corded or cordless handset into the MagicJack's standard RJ-11 jack and presto, you've got a dial tone. And voice mail. And three-way calling, caller ID, etc. You can also use a headset if you're traveling and don't want to schlep that bulky old Princess phone.
The MagicJack costs $40, which includes a year's worth of unlimited local and long-distance calls. (Free international calls to other MagicJack users, too.) After that, you'll pay just $20 per year. I've tried this thing, and let me tell you: It rocks. It's way easier to use than Skype, way cheaper than Vonage, and way cool to boot.
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