Gear Diary » VoIP

Vonage’s New Mobile App is Easy to Use, and It Saves You Money

Dan Cohen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:15:05 +0000

This is a sponsored post, all opinions here-in are mine.

As crazy as it sounds, there are still people in the world who use their iPhones and Android handsets to … make voice calls. I know, Crazy! Right? If you are one of them, and, especially, if you travel internationally, the cost of those calls can add up quickly. Vonage has been around for quite some time, but they've just released a new iPhone and Android calling application that is pretty impressive. I'm already using it for calls when I'm in a WiFi network; although the app works over 3G, over WiFi the calls are fantastic and they don't use any of my data plan. I had a chance to speak with the Vonage mobile app team yesterday, and as soon as the call was over I downloaded the app. I'm impressed. The app is easy to use, loads quickly, and the quality of the calls is excellent. Let's run down what stands out in this app, and then walk through the process of actually setting it up so you can see just how easy it is to use ... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Line2 Taking the iPad to New Heights

Dan Cohen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:15:33 +0000

I tried Line2 when it first came out and didn't continue after my trial period. Then Line2 came out with a fantastic iPad app and I tried it again. This time I immediately signed up for the upper lever service for a year. Ever since I have been using it to turn my iPad into a speaker phone. It works great and is one of those apps I use daily. I had a chance to stop by the Line2 table and meet one of their representatives. She asked if I wanted a trial and I explained that I was already a loyal customer. She then asked me what I do and when I told her she replied, "We need to talk Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Native Union MM 03i Bluetooth iPhone Accessory Review

Dan Cohen — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:00:09 +0000

Point 1: As much as I love my iPhone using it as a phone isn't all that comfortable. As a result, even when I'm not on the go, I will often use a headset, wired or Bluetooth, when using my iPhone for a call. In other words, if I use my iPhone a headset is a must. Point 2: iOS 5 .0 isn't giving me the battery life that I am used to and need. That may change with the next iOS update but for the time being it is an issue with which I need to deal. That means I need to charge my phone more often than ever. In other words, if Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

New Gear Daily Deal on Andrea SuperBeam Headphones

Dan Cohen — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:15:54 +0000

We reviewed the Andrea SuperBeam phones last week and were impressed. (You can read the review here.) The headphones have an MSRP of $149.95, but we found them discounted to just $117.96. That's a great price on headphones that make VOiP and voice recognition a pleasure. Buy it here. [affiliate link] Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Free Calls to the USA this Thanksgiving

Douglas Moran — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:15:14 +0000

This one is for all our friends across the Atlantic . . . I don't know what the traditions are in your family, but in mine, Thanksgiving weekend is the "Call all those relatives that you usually don't talk to" day. Not just Granny and Grandpa, but Cousin Bill and Uncle Harold and all the other folks that you don't see nearly often enough. Which, of course, runs up the old phone bill something 'oriole. Well, Localphone wants to help you out. Here's what they have to say:

For four days (from 5am GMT Thurs 24th to 5am GMT Mon 28th) we’re giving away completely free calls to the US, no strings attached.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Holiday Gift Guide: Subscription Services Your Loved One Will Love

Dan Cohen — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:15:19 +0000

From the Editorial Staff of Gear Diary: If you don't want to give your loved one something tangible this year, why not give them a subscription to a service that will enhance their life? Here are a few suggestions for subscriptions services we love and use on a regular basis ... Tripit: Judie loves it and uses it all the time. Judie turned Dan on to it, and he's now an evangelist for it as well. Tripit is a great way to monitor your travels, keep all in your information in one place, and, with a pro subscription, get real-time updates when your travel plans change. In fact, you may even know about a gate change before it's announced at the airport! We find the service invaluable and especially love the new Pro feature that constantly scans your email for reservations and trip updates so you don't even have to send the documents to the service. TripIt Pro is just $49 a year. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The ObiTalk Obi110 Review

Carly Z — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:00:24 +0000

Sarah and I didn't have a landline for a long time. If people needed to reach us, they could call our cell phones. However, when we switched cable providers this summer, we found it was one of those "it's cheaper to get the phone+WiFi+cable" bundle. Great, but we weren't about to give away the new phone number to anyone, since people knew to reach us on our cell phone numbers or my Google Voice number. But it was handy to have a dedicated handset...that's where the ObiTalk Obi110 comes in. First, the ObiTalk service does a great deal more than just Google Voice. A LOT more. But let's start with my primary use, and Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ooma Updates and Gets Even Better

Dan Cohen — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:15:12 +0000

One of the standout piece of consumer electronics I have discovered over the past few years is the Ooma phone system. The system brings an unusual business model to the business of phone service. Instead of charging a monthly fee Ooma sells the hardware that connects to your high-speed internet service and then lets you have your phone service for free. Sure they sell a number of useful accessories and there are some value-adding services to which you can subscribe (Ooma Premier is one of them and is totally worth the price) but you don't HAVE to do so to get the value out of an Ooma system. Here's our review of the Ooma Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

We Have a Winner in Our Vonage’s Time to Call Giveaway!

Dan Cohen — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:15:38 +0000

We have a winner in our Vonage Time-to-Call iPad 2 Giveaway. And the iPad 2 goes to…

Audrey, aka audsweep!!

Audrey has been notified, and she has replied, so our prize is claimed! =) Our thanks to Vonage for the contest and to Time to Call for being a great way to make calls without using your cell minutes. Check out our review, here. There are also a bunch of other sites that are just now kicking off or who have kicked off their iPad giveaways; there are three sites with giveaways ending today, and there are three sites who kick off today. There are also a bunch of Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Last Call: Giveaway: Win an iPad 2 Thanks to Vonage and Time to Call

Dan Cohen — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:31:47 +0000

We are getting to the end of our Vonage Time to Call iPad 2 Giveaway. The contest ends tomorrow, Thursday the 18th, so there is still time to enter … But not much.

Want a chance to win an iPad 2? Jump over to the initial post, read the rules and enter. It’s that simple.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Giveaway: Win an iPad 2 Thanks to Vonage and Time to Call, but Time is Running Out!

Dan Cohen — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:15:44 +0000

We are half way through our Vonage Time to Call iPad 2 giveaway. The contest ends Thursday the 18th so there is still time to enter … But not much. Want a chance to win an iPad 2? Jump over to the initial post, read the rules and enter. It's that simple. Click here and you'll be on your way! Good luck to all! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Giveaway: Vonage’s Time to Call App Asks, “Is It Time for You to Win an iPad 2?”

Dan Cohen — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 05:01:56 +0000

UPDATE: The Contest is now closed. We will announce the winner shortly. We told you about Vonage's massive iPad 2 giveaway in a post entitled "Vonage Kicks off Massive 'Time to Call' Promotion by Giving Away 75 iPad 2s on 75 Sites!" We then reviewed the new Vonage Time to Call iOS app and... We were impressed. Now the time has come to… give one of those iPad 2s away!! So we want to know... Is it your time to win?? Yes, we are one of three sites that, starting today, is giving away an iPad 2. (One from each site.) This round starts right now (August Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: Vonage Time to Call App for iOS

Dan Cohen — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:01 +0000

I used Vonage as my main home phone service for a bit of time a number of years ago. I've since moved on to other solutions (Ooma), but I took note when the company released their new iOS app the other day. I know what you are thinking, "Another phone app for iOS? Who needs it?" Well think again, because I just made a call to Coach using my iPod touch and a headset, and here is what he had to say: "Sounds better than when my wife calls me on her iPhone and you are Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Vonage Kicks off Massive ‘Time to Call’ Promotion by Giving Away 75 iPad 2s on 75 Sites!

Judie Stanford — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:15:03 +0000

Vonage is introducing their Time To Call app for Apple iPhone and iPad mobile devices, which allows you to make affordable phone calls that can be charged to your iTunes account. As part of the roll-out, they are giving away a 32GB WiFi iPad 2 on participating blogs, and Gear Diary happens to be one of them! There will be three blogs per day giving away an iPad, and each blog will have their own rules to enter. Our giveaway starts on August 14th, but these are the sites starting off today ... http://geekdad.daddyforever.com/ http://www.geekzone.co.nz/ http://smallbiztrends.com/ Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

New Gear Daily Deal: OBi100 VoIP Telephone Adapter and Voice Service Bridge

Dan Cohen — Sat, 28 May 2011 17:15:43 +0000

I'm working on a review of an Obihai Voice Over iP system. The system lets you use Google Voice, OBiTALK or other VOiP services and replace your landline. The Amazon product page explains the unit this way:

From the Manufacturer: The OBi100 has one phone port. It supports Google Voice, SIP & OBiTALK VoIP services. Use the OBi100 when you do not need an analog line to a traditional telephone network or service. The OBi100 is perfect for customers who do not have a traditional telco phone service and want the savings and simplicity of using a VoIP service for all their calls. Product Description: The OBi100 has one phone port. It supports

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

An Open Letter to Apple After Microsoft’s Purchase of Skype

Dan Cohen — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:00:15 +0000

Dear Apple, There is big news in the tech sector these days and, one way or another, you are part of all of it. Not a surprise considering the amazing growth you have maintained and the way in which you are shaping the next era of computing. It looks pretty likely that the Nuance deal that has you in a strategic partnership with the voice recognition company is a done deal. Good move! As we wrote last June, Google was eating your bacon in the voice recognition arena and you needed to do something… And fast. Okay, so it took you a year and a full point jump in your version of iOS but Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Paltalk Releases Vumber App – Full Mobile VoIP App for Calls Thru Wi-Fi

Douglas Moran — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 22:15:47 +0000

When the iPhone 4 came out last year along with Facetime, one reviewer noted that this gave Apple a way to get their foot in the door of the phone carrier business instead of just the hardware business. After all, Facetime only works across the WiFi network, not the cell network, and so the calls are "free" (you still pay your monthly Internet connection charges, of course). Paltalk is taking that idea even farther, providing you a way to place calls over WiFi from your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad to anywhere in the world for a (pretty modest, honestly) fee of $9.95 a month. You still have to have a cell plan, but you Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

More Details on Skype’s Group Calling

Carly Z — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:30:27 +0000

Earlier today Dan brought us a quick post live from the CES floor, reporting on Skype's new group video calling (and their Qik acquisition!) Now we have some more details on Skype's new calling feature, straight from their press release. It certainly sounds like a great idea, and the prices look reasonable. Plus, if you're one of the 5 people who own a computer without a built in webcam, you can get a discount off an HD one to kick off your video calling frenzy! Do More Together Wherever You Are with Skype Group Video Calling Skype Launches New Premium Package 2011 International CES LAS VEGAS, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

GV Connect + Talkatone = iPad Phone

Dan Cohen — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:15:04 +0000

When the iPad was first released there were many who commented that one of the device's shortcomings, among many, was that it could not be used as a phone. That wasn't quite accurate. Sure the iPad isn't a device you would want to hold up to your ear but with apps like Skype or Ooma's iOS app the iPad makes for an excellent speakerphone. In fact, I use it on a regular basis in this way. Now, however, thanks to a new app and an update to an "old friend" the iPad can truly function as a phone. The first Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Headset Review: FREETALK Handsfree Headset

Dan Cohen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 23:00:24 +0000

I have a number of headsets that I use on a regular basis. Some are relatively inexpensive deals such as the buds Apple includes with each iPhone, and others are far more expensive units such as the Etymotic HF2s I have been using for about two years. When FREETALK reached out and offered a review unit of their new FREETALK Handsfree headset, I was intrigued. Their site describes the unit as "The only headset you'll ever need". That is a pretty bold statement to make, and I just had to see for myself if it was anywhere near the truth. I've been using the headset for a few weeks, and I am now Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ooma HD Voice Goes Live and Calls Never Sounded This Good

Dan Cohen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:30:17 +0000

I've written about Ooma and my fondness for the "buy it once and never pay for calls again" system numerous times. At CES last year I got to see the Ooma Telo system and, subsequently, I had the chance to review it. At CES they also previewed many of the new services they planned to roll out during the year. That rollout started in April, and then in June they released an iOS app for making Ooma calls on the go. Now another key feature previewed in January is available -- Ooma HD Voice. Ooma HD Voice is, quite frankly, the clearest connection you will ever hear over a Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ooma Rolls Out Cheap iPhone VOiP Plan

Dan Cohen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:30:49 +0000

Thanks to Ooma, my home phone system now costs me a grand total of $0.00 each month. I liked the original Ooma system quite a bit, and I LOVE the new Ooma Telo I reviewed early in the summer. One of the best new features of the Ooma system isn't exactly part of the Ooma system. A few months ago the company rolled out an iPhone app. What makes this app so special isn't that it runs in the background on iOS 4.0, although that DOES make it quite useful. No, what makes this iPhone app so special is that it uses THE EXACT SAME NUMBER as your home Ooma system. In other Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ooma Telo, Handsets and Advanced Services- Review

Dan Cohen — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:00:26 +0000

I love my Ooma. I know, I know; when you hear the name you think of Letterman- "Oprah-Uma, Uma-Oprah", but Ooma isn't a comedy bit. No, Ooma is a phone service that lets you buy hardware once and then get unlimited calls within the US and low cost calls internationally for the life of the unit. I've written about Ooma before, and while at CES in January, I previewed some of their upcoming services. Now I've had a chance to use the Ooma Telo and new features in my own home, so let's take a look. But be warned... there's a lot of ground to cover here. A little background before Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Fring + iPhone 3GS + Mirror??? = Two-Way Video Chat

Dan Cohen — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:00:15 +0000

Yes it is a bit buggy, but Fring's iPhone app does let you make video calls over 3G, and that's something you just can't do with FaceTime. No, the quality isn't nearly as good, but it DOES WORK! How do I know? Because Larry and I just video chatted, and there isn't a stitch of WiFi where he is at the beach. After making a video call iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over 3G we decided to see what would happen if he installed Fring on the 3GS. He did... and it worked. There was just one problem... because the 3GS only has one camera there was no way to see Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ooma Releases Ooma Mobile for iPhone- Neat Idea… but It Will Cost You

Dan Cohen — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:00:07 +0000

Ooma, the company that makes the stand alone VOiP phone system that lets you buy the hardware once and then make and receive free calls for the life of the unit, has finally released the iPhone app we first told you about in January. The app lets you "put Ooma in your pocket and take it on the go!" As the company explains--

Ooma Mobile allows you to make phone calls over Wi-Fi using your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. Since these calls go over Wi-Fi instead of the cellular network, you can transform devices like your iPod touch and iPad into a fully functioning phone and make phone calls anywhere you have Wi-Fi access

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Gear Deal- Samsung 55″ 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV

Dan Cohen — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:05:54 +0000

When Judie, Kevin, Larry and I were at CES in January one of the "big things" was the oncoming rush of 3D televisions. Well the first ones have been rolling out and Samsung has gotten with the program. Their new 55" 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV is today's Gear Deal. Samsung UN55C7000 provides 55" of 1080p High Definition TV. It features 4 HDMI inputs and has built-in Internet TV for watching YouTube, Flickr, Amazon Video on Demand, FaceBook. It features an ultra-slim design with ConnectShare movie so you can connect a USB flash drive or digital camera and view movies or photos right on it. It even has Skype-built-in. And if all this weren't enough Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Gear Deal- ooma Telo VoIP Home Phone Service

Dan Cohen — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:59:50 +0000

I love my ooma VoIP Phone system. Sure it is just the first generation unit but it works great and since purchasing it last year I haven't had to pay a penny for phone service. ooma's current system, the Telo is even better. It looks better. It sounds better. (Trust me, I spent a good bit of time at the ooma booth during CES and it was awesome!) And the Telo is getting a host of new functionality over the last weeks including an upcoming iPhone app. Sure, some of the advanced features require you to be an ooma Premium subscriber but even then the service is cheap cheap cheap. The Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

With Line2 Update The iPad Really Is A Phone

Dan Cohen — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:00:20 +0000

We are spending a few days up in the mountains. It is beautiful. It is peaceful. It is a great place to get some work done. Only problem is... The cell reception here is terrible and our landline costs a fortune. Luckily I still have my subscription to the Line2 VoIP app and it works great. Seriously the call quality is fantastic, and it is what I am using constantly up here. Better still, if your iDevice is jailbroken, then you can leave the app running and receive calls on it.

Well an update just hit my iPad and iPhone, and it brings a nice surprise with it... The Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Jailbreak Your iPad, and Suddenly VOiP Apps Make Sense

Dan Cohen — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:15:54 +0000

Jailbreak At Your Own Risk. We Are NOT Recommending It. We just did it ourselves and are telling you about it.

A jailbreak that works on the current iPhone and iPad was released this morning. Larry gave Judie & me the heads-up that he was jailbreaking his iPhone; it took four seconds. I jumped in and jailbroke my iPad 3G. Judie is about to do her iPad, too. (The things we do for you on this site ... ;-) ) We quickly got to work employing Categories to reduce the number of Springboard pages. Larry did some other mods, but I was most interested in one thing... running apps in the Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ooma Begins Rollout Of New Services

Dan Cohen — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:00:13 +0000

At CES I had a chance to spend some time with some of the executives from Ooma. Ooma

...lets you make free U.S. calls over the Internet with outstanding voice quality. No PC or headset required, just use your existing phone. The award-winning Ooma system offers 911 service, free U.S. calls, voicemail, caller-ID, call-waiting and low cost international rates.

You buy the device once and then you pay nothing except applicable taxes and fees for the life of the unit. I bought an original Ooma last year after reading Wayne's post on it. It was on sale for $187 at the time and I jumped on it. I got it. I unboxed it. I liked Continue reading on Gear Diary ...