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Free & Nearly Free Phone Calls & Texting From Your Mac

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Computer to Computer “VOIP”

Skype, of course. Free calls worldwide to fellow Skypers. SIP/Gizmo – same free calls to fellow Gizmo users. Both offer phone numbers to dial in locally worldwide. Gizmo is offering 40 minutes to landlines, cells, etc for signing up another Gizmo user.

GizmoCall: Free phone calls worldwide – if you can close all your sales & deals in 3 minutes, it’s a great deal! 🙂 “Call length limited to up to 3 min/call, 10 min/day to most landlines & select mobile phones around the world. Additional restrictions apply.”

ADCalls. Install their dialer (unclear if it’s an app or a browser add-on) – then see ads before you make free calls in the US & Canada. Free worldwide calls with other AdCall users.

Yak4Ever: “Register your number and 10 overseas numbers you call regularly. Dial our access number. Enter the extension number you choose for each friend during registration. Enjoy your unlimited call! Make Unlimited Calls from The USA.” From the UK. From Ireland.

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Mobile VOIP

EQO – leverages VOIP for international calling. Free int’l calls & free SMS to fellow EQO members – also free IM to anyone. Rates are for landline or SMS.

TalkPlus – Int’l VOIP on Mobile, Int’l phone number that rings the mobile, & add second line to cell – try for 10 minutes free.

TruPhone – VOIP over WiFi. UK & US for now – free calls to fellow TruPhoners + a $2 call to test it out. Only works on select Nokia phones.

Mobivox – another Mobile VOIP – free Skype & Mobivox community calls.

Voice on Phone

Free WakeUp call from TelePixie (also get weather & stocks) – there is listening to advertising involved.

Web to Phone

Jajah and Talkety offer the same basic service. Enter your number and calling party Select dial on website. Their phone will start ringing – then pick up your phone when it also rings. Rates seem comparable – up on website so you can check. Talkety offers free first 30-minutes. Jajah is free between Jajah users. Both offer additional Business plans.

Set up a group on Jyngle. Send text message – Jyngle will convert to speech and call group, leaving voice mail if no answer. Jyngle can also send SMS. You can also call from phone to Jyngle – leave message and Jyngle will forward voicemail to your group.

Talkster – it combines what Jajah & Talkety are doing with also being able to conatct your IM buddies. Frankly, their explanation makes it probably seem more complicated than it is

Voice to Email

Jott works on a couple levels. You can leave a email message to yourself by calling Jott (it converts voice to text), you can leave a voice message for a pre-set group that arrives at their email or leave a voice message that gets sent as an SMS.

Also try GotVoice, voicemails emailed to you, or access them online – plus broadcast a new voice message out to everybody instantly. Free versions includes advertising.

Email on Phone

Spinvox – the “big” player in this arena. Voicemails as text, speak to convert to text to blog, record memo to email & deliver message to group. Free trial – scary mascot.

Send the emails you want to read to your phone (Standard text messaging rates apply) at TeleFlip.

TapGad – Check Email via Text (free from Tapgad, not so much from your cell carrier).

Or Berggi, yet another service available only in the US, Spain & Turkey 🙂 – first 12 months are free.

“Free WiFi” Nationwide

Fon – buy a La Fonera router from them for $39. Everyone on the “Fon” networks shares a portion of their bandwidth (securely) so now as you travel around, you hop onto the WiFi shared bandwith in the “Fon” community at no additional charge.

IM

Of course, IM has always been free to computer to computer … or you’ve been ripped off but instead of having to launch an app, you can IM most anyone on any network, with Meebo or Snimmer. Plugoo offers a web button – visitors who activate it will launch their IM to talk to your IM. KoolIM offers links to everyone plus ICQ – anyone left on ICQ?

eBuddy does everyone except Google. The new Yahoo Webmessenger does MS Live and Yahoo.

Peekamo lets you switch to talking on the phone without giving out your number. They just know you as your Peekamo ID.

SMS/Text Stuff

Send free SMS’ to any phone (they might have to pay): GizmoSMS, TxtDrop (they also have a widget),

Joopz – two way SMS – Joopz Basic is free (10 messages).

Texticate – send free text messages (up to 500) in your group/community/customers.

Wattpad – read novels & short stories on your cell.

Zemble – free blast text to community/group.

Voicemail

BrainCast – record messages to yourself, of course, you could do it on most newer phones but it’s free.

YouMail – specific greeting messages for specific numbers, listen to voicemail online and more. Basic service free.

VideoPhone to Web/Blog

Springdoo – dying to get your videophone footage on the web, Springdoo will help you do it for free.

This is by no means a complete list, it would take a staff of dozens just to keep up with what’s going on in this slice of the Web 2.0 pie – these are either the major players in the sub-sub category or they offer something interesting you might want to check out. Enjoy!

(Some repeated from our online business apps list)

29 May 2007 Apple Mac, Computing, Internet 2 Comments

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