UPDATE UPDATE: Looks like Line2 is working again!!!
UPDATE: The app has been removed. Let’s hope it was removed until the current DOS attack is over but… as we said at the end of this post, we won’t be surprised if Apple just pulled it entirely.
There is an application that’s been getting a lot of play over the last day or two.
David Pogue of the New York Times reviewed it yesterday. Cali Lewis Is Tweeting on it about it. And Larry and I both took a look at it earlier today.
The application is Line 2 and it adds a second line to your iPhone. It…
…adds a second number to your iPhone that works over 3G, WiFi or Cellular networks using the same number… an industry first. Ideal if you have poor cell reception or just want to reduce your cell bill.
That means that you can have a second number that will ring on your iPhone when the application is open. It is great for outgoing calls over WiFi instead of using your cellular connection. I tried the application on my iPhone and discovered that it works incredibly well. Setup is rather simple and the call quality is impressive (especially when making Line2 to Line2 calls.) In fact the quality blows applications like Skype out of the water. (I must admit I’ve never gotten Skype to work properly on my iPhone or my iPod touch.) It is incredibly impressive with regard to the quality of the phone call that you can make.
While I don’t need a second line thanks to GoogleVoice I do like the opportunity to make good quality phone calls over WiFi when I’m at home. And it stacks up to the competition quite nicely…
After I had tried the application and made a test call to Larry using my iPhone and found that it had worked great he asked whether or not it would work on the iPod touch. I wasn’t sure so I downloaded it to my iPod touch, opened the application, plugged in a headset and made a call to Larry. Low and behold it placed a phone call and the quality was superb. We then experimented with the application a little bit further. I kept the application open on the iPod touch but closed and locked the device. When Larry called the iPod touch rang. I simply brought the device out of sleep mode and answered the call. I then close the application and Larry called a third time. This time the call was automatically rerouted to my iPhone. That means I can use the application on the touch and, if the application isn’t running, I will still get the phone call or the message thanks to it rerouting to the iPhone. Yes, there have been voice over IP applications for months now but this one works far better than any that I have tried.
But that’s not why I am most I’m most excited about this application… this is…
Since Apple has stated that all iPhone apps will run on the iPad, Line2 should run on the iPad too. That means the new device, which is not intended to be a phone, will work as well As the iPod touch. No, actually it will work better since the iPad has a built-in microphone and speaker. Sure, the iPad it’s not pocketable the way the iPhone is. No, it’s not a device I would want to use as a phone on a regular basis. But if I’m sitting in the living room checking RSS feeds on the iPad and I want to quickly make a phone call it’s nice to know that I can open up the application, dial the number I want to call and make the phone call without having to grab an additional device.
Line2 Is $.99 offers a free 30 day trial. After that it will cost you $15 a month. Is it worth the $15? I’m not sure yet but I do know this — the quality of the calls it is excellent, the application loads quickly, and it’s certainly is a positive addition to the App Store. I’ll be using my free trial for the full month and then I’ll decide whether or not I want to add this additional monthly but look to it. Since the 30 day trial is free it’s certainly worth a look.
Oh, and if you need another reason to drop the $.99 now… Apple being Apple, we predict this app won’t be long for the App Store. Get it now before Apple says… “hold on… we approved what???”
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