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If you’re still paying a phone bill, you’re missing out on one of our favorite ways to save money--so check out the latest ways to make free VoIP calls from your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
Email and instant messaging have been free (or nearly so) for as long as they have existed. But sometimes text on a screen isn’t the best way to get your point across. Thankfully, you can put those pixels to better use with a number of services that offer free voice--and even video--calls for those times when you want to see and hear the people on the other end of the wires. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP for short), is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of transmitting your call over traditional phone lines, VoIP calls traverse the internet, making use of the data tubes that you already have--on your iDevice, both 3G and Wi-Fi work. With a decent connection to the internet, you can make calls that rival traditional telephone calls—without a land line and without spending an extra dime. You can use your Mac’s built-in mic and speakers, or if you plan on spending a lot of time on the virtual phone, invest in a decent USB headset for better call quality. On iPhones and iPads, the mic and speakers are obviously built in too, but with an iPod touch, you’ll need a pair of headphones with an inline mic.
An oldie--but a goodie.
The old-timer in the bunch, Skype offers free VoIP calls between Skype users. All it takes is a quick download to your Mac or iDevice, then registering for a Skype account. From then on, all someone needs is your Skype username to be able to connect with you via text, voice, or even video chat. Skype-to-Skype services are free, but the company offers a variety of paid add-ons, like a real phone number anyone can use to dial you up on Skype and very cheap worldwide calls to landline and cell phones.
iCall displays an ad when your call begins, but when its service is free, we can't complain.
If you’re looking for free VoIP calling from your iPhone, iCall is the way to go. The app version of iCall closely mimics your iPhone’s native Phone app, and it taps into Contacts already on your phone. There’s no monthly fee to make or receive calls, but iCall does come with a few caveats--namely, it displays ads when you make a call. And while you can receive calls on your Mac using a desktop client, you’ll get a shared number--callers will have to enter your iCall extension, rather than dialing direct. Free calls are also limited to five minutes, but paid plans remove these limitations.
Add your contacts across different networks on the desktop client.
Like Skype, VoxOx lets you make free voice calls between VoxOx users. But this new service, currently in beta, aims to become the hub of all your electronic communications. From the desktop client, you can add contacts on Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Google Talk, and many other services, giving you a simple way to keep up with everything and everyone, all at the same time. Calls (made by dialing a free number from any phone) aren’t free, but plans start at $2.45/month for unlimited calls to U.S. and Canadian numbers. The service was still in invite-only beta at press time, but the ability to consolidate all your contacts looks rad.
Now all your Gmail contacts are just a click or tap away.
Google Voice started out as a universal number that would ring all your phones, but the service has recently branched out into offering voice and video calls, right in the Gmail web interface you’re already familiar with. (There’s also a separate Google Voice web interface with more bells and whistles.) You can make free calls to any U.S. phone number, and your own Google Voice number lets you take incoming calls on any of your phones free of charge. And you can even pick the area code for your Google Voice number and search for digits that will be easy to remember. Nice!
You’re in the airport or local coffee shop, and you fire up your MacBook or iPhone. Your search for Wi-Fi yields, “Free Public Wi-Fi.” You jump on and realize you still don’t have internet access. What’s going on? Well, you’ve just been scammed by Windows XP.
Free Public Wi-Fi! But yeah, remember that if it looks too good to be true, it is.
A bug in early versions of Windows XP causes the OS to create an ad-hoc network of the last Wi-Fi network it was connected to. So as Windows XP use dies out, so should the “Free Public Wi-Fi” network…but that won’t stop the nefarious free Wi-Fi networks manned by sniffers. Sniffers hang out in public areas using seemingly free Wi-Fi hotspots to steal vital information and/or install Trojan horses. This is especially scary if you have File Sharing turned on.
A good rule of thumb is to check with someone at the place of business. Get the official Wi-Fi network name and ignore that too-good-to-be-true Wi-Fi network.
Don't believe Christa. She's totally lying.
You’ve probably seen the ads or spammy comments on Facebook. Even the MacLife Facebook page has had issues with these con artists. They promise a free iPad or iPhone for taking part in some weird survey, entering a contest or by installing a Facebook app. No one has ever gotten a free iPad or iPhone from these jokers. So do your civic duty and report these ads and comments as spam to Facebook.
We’ve all heard the FreeCreditReport.com band. They’ve entered the national consciousness with their catchy songs about the importance of keeping an eye on your credit rating. It’s like hanging out with your long-haired college friends in that band that practiced in your dorm singing songs about not being able to afford a sandwich. It’s cute, it’s funny, and it’s not exactly on the up and up.
Free Public Wi-Fi! But yeah, remember that if it looks too good to be true, it is.
Oh sure, you’ll get a credit report. But chances are, you’ll end up being signed up for their monthly credit-monitoring service. When you choose to get your “free” credit report from the site, the right-hand column displays some important information:
“When you order your free score here, you will begin your 7-day trial membership in Triple Advantage® Credit Monitoring. If you don’t cancel your membership within the 7-day trial period*, you will be billed $14.95 for each month that you continue your membership. You may cancel your trial membership any time within the trial period without charge.”
That’s right—now you have to opt out of a monthly service. Like the gym, music clubs, and the Norwegian cheese of the month club, you get lured by the promise of something great for free, and you end up with a monthly charge that they’re hoping you forget about.
Instead, head on over to the FTC’s official site, which helps consumers get their free annual credit report: annualcreditreport.com. It’s official, it’s really free, and you won’t be on the phone two months later trying to cancel a subscription.
dnstevenson
November 16, 2010 at 10:21am
Speaking of free credit reports - we review iPhone apps that help you manage your credit. Check the reviews of both free apps and paid apps at www.creditreportappreviews.com
redfalcon5
November 12, 2010 at 9:06pm
I am currently using 'netTALK'. There are no adds and you don't have to coerce friends to sign up. It works just like a phone. It works off of Wi-Fi with my iPod Touch.
wfurlong
November 10, 2010 at 1:09pm
this has been one of the most informative articles you've ever posted....because i'm super cheap! Thanks!
Rebelord
November 10, 2010 at 10:56am
Now here's an interesting dilemma. uTorrent merged with BitTorrent, and both apps look surprisingly the same for the Mac OS. And since they're merged, what's the difference really between the 2 applications. It would be nice if you did an article comparing the 2 Torrent clients, and seeing what the differences are, if any.
