The Call 24 - 1/10/2005
From Michael Robertson, CEO and founder,
SIPphone.com
Announcing the beta of PhoneGaim for Microsoft Windows!
A friend works at Oracle where they have a Jabber instant messaging system which is spreading like wildfire through their employees. Instant messaging is finally cracking into big companies. But many of the employees have contacts on MSN and AOL so they end up running multiple messaging clients. I told my Oracle friend to try PhoneGaim - a meta IM client. It allows you to reach all your IM contacts on whatever network they're on - all from one program. Today we're making available a beta version of PhoneGaim for Microsoft Windows which also allows voice calling.
PhoneGaim is based on the award winning GAIM. Ok, GAIM hasn't won any awards, but it should have because it's a terrific instant messaging program and we've tried to improve upon it by adding free voice calls between users. To call any other PhoneGaim user, just click the green phone icon.
One of the great features of PhoneGaim is that it supports SIP based calling so you're not restricted to just calling other computers. You can call actual phones as well. While using the computer to call can be handy, sometimes an actual phone is simpler. PhoneGaim can call directly to any of the broadband phones that are listed on SIPhardware.com. I like the Call-in-One the best since it plugs into my existing landline in my house making it possible for the whole cordless phone system in my house to send and receive SIP calls along with regular calls. Incoming calls could be from a net caller or traditional caller, but I answer and talk just the same. To make a call, I dial # first and then I can dial a SIP number. PhoneGaim is increasingly possible with businesses because they can call remote offices on an actual phone, not just a computer.
Of course, not everyone has a SIP phone or PhoneGaim. In this case, you can use SIP Minutes to make calls to non-net phones. SIP Minutes work like a calling card and is linked to your PhoneGaim account. Anytime you dial a "regular" telephone number, that call is billed to SIP Minutes. The nice thing about SIP Minutes it's very low cost calling and there's no monthly fees or hidden costs. Use 'em if you need 'em.
If you're interested in a great meta-instant messenger program which will help you keep in contact with your IM friends on AOL, Jabber, MSN, ICQ and Yahoo, PLUS make net calls, try PhoneGaim. It's absolutely free and you can download it here.
Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Michael Robertson
CEO and Founder
SIPphone.com
