Monthly Archive for February, 2010

Apple Inc. is getting serious with Multi-operator Strategy

Published on February 26, 2010 by Martin in Technology News and VoIP Freedom. 2 Comments
Internet Tethering: ON!

Internet Tethering: ON!

Taiwan, or better Taipei (known as the capital of the PC component makers around the world), is certainly not an Apple country. All our Apple needs are managed from Singapore; as whenever there is a new product, ordering it from Singapore takes less time to acquire than ordering the very same product (manufactured in Taiwanese factories) in Taiwan. However, slowly Apple products are getting more and more popular in Taiwan and iPhones can now be seen here occasionally.

A few days back, in one of our stories of Apple’s multi-operator strategy, we discussed why Apple need to adopt a multi-operator strategy in US. Similarly, here in Taiwan also after a long time, Apple finally signed contract with a second operator, Far EasTone, which is Taiwan’s third-largest mobile telecom operator.

I’m also using Far EasTone for a while now, because they offer a high quality 3G network and innovative products.  And not recently, after an Operator Setting Update, Internet tethering become available. YES! So, now it’s Chunghwa’s call to step in to the mainstream. Not to forget, Chungwa is the the national flagship operator.

With Far EasTone Unlimited 3G with Internet tethering and nationwide hotspot access now cost as little as USD 20 monthly only. Browsing the Internet, chatting and unlimited free VoIP calls are now very affordable.

Internet tethering will provide a boost as well for the iPad sales. Instead of buying the more expensive 3G plans, analysts recommend to go for the low cost Wi-Fi and use tethering to go online. Simply perfect!

This is another small, yet an important step towards the mobile Internet freedom.

Why the iPad needs third party background apps

Published on February 25, 2010 by Martin in Android, Technology News, VoIP Freedom and iPhone and iPod VoIP. 0 Comments

Ever since using the HTC Tattoo and Motorola Milestone to test our FriendCaller Android version it becomes more clear to me: iPhone and iPad lack of multitasking for third party apps like our VoIP apps is a killer. I love my iPhone and over time you just get used to these shortcomings, only when using a different device that can run app as a service in the background it become apparent again what we missing out. The Android phones manage incoming calls while running pass very elegant, no rude interruptions.

Is the nature of my job talking to people for hours a day through FriendCaller and I really like the top quality audio components Apple Inc. is using, FriendCaller apps have a real natural and warm voice quality, a big step from the early VoIP service with these harsh digital sounds. But using the iPhone, you never know when an incoming call will kill my free FriendCaller VoIP call. The only solution is to use a iPod touch. It has the same audio engine and yes, no incoming cell calls!

But now with free 3G calls through the iPhone it becomes even more urgent, now I can talk to my friends for free wherever I go, no search for WiFi hotspots anymore but the same time, as long as FriendCaller VoIP app can not run in the background you have a build in service interruption risk.

We learned to love our iPhone despite lack of background apps, a lot of love will be lost if the iPad will be launched without it! QZKZWM5C4VDK

How to take screenshots on an Android Phone

Published on February 23, 2010 by Martin in Android, Features and Tips and Tricks. 0 Comments
FriendCaller Android

Screenshot of FriendCaller from Android

Our FriendCaller Android version is soon to be released, very exciting since FriendCaller can run as a service in the background so the Android Phone can be reached at any time through free VoIP calls. So it’s time to prepare some marketing materials.

Yesterday I was trying to find out how to take a screenshot on Android, and finally, I miss my iPhone, first time since I have been using my HTC Tattoo. I found some on the Android Market and also Googled to find a few apps, but on both the screenshot apps seemed to be outdated and no more download links were available.

Tobias, our Android developer saved my day:

1) Load down the Android SDK, unpack the ZIP file and find in the tools folder the DDMS program. Click to install DDMS. NO need to install the complete SDK.

2) On your phone, go to settings > applications > Development and enable USB debugging

3) Connect the phone to your PC and start DDMS, select your phone and select in the DDMS menu “Screen capture”

That’s all: WYSIWYG! (What you see is what you get!)

What difference a service can make!

Published on February 19, 2010 by Martin in Android, Browser Based VoIP, Features, VoIP Freedom and iPhone and iPod VoIP. 0 Comments Tags: .

FriendCaller Android BetaAs a VoIP app developer we are appreciating Apple Inc.’s step toward mobile VoIP freedom. Gradually, Apple opened up to VoIP (and did we ever mentioned that we were in the iTunes App store one week before Skype?) and recently to VoIP over cellular data networks like 3G/UMTS/HSDPA. They introduced Push Notification and inApp purchase too which were very user friendly but there is still one element missing: to make iPhone a full featured mobile VoIP device. We are referring to Multitasking; i.e. allowing app to run as a service in the background.

Now we have a brand new version upcoming which makes FriendCaller as an always running program. Unfortunately, not on the iPhone yet but on the Android phones. And have you ever wondered what a difference this will make?

Now, one does not have to worry anymore about launching FriendCaller each time to make/receive a call. FriendCaller now can just run in the background and the user can be called any time instantly. He/She will be notified by a phone ring directly as it should be in a normal call scenario. At the moment on the iPhone a user gets an instant message prompting to open FriendCaller, but on Android our FriendCaller version now works like magic. A small feature utilized, but a huge step forward towards user friendliness.

Our Android beta version is coming soon, please contact us at info@c2call.com, or leave a comment below, if you would like to enjoy the true mobile VoIP freedom as an early Beta tester :)

QZKZWM5C4VDK

FriendCaller apps are back in the iTunes App Store

Published on February 19, 2010 by Martin in iPhone and iPod VoIP and iTunes App Store. 0 Comments

Thanks to the quick response from the iTunes Connect Support team: FriendCaller apps are back on iTunes and can be found by searching for FriendCaller.

QZKZWM5C4VDK

VoIP apps disappeared from iTunes App Store

Published on February 18, 2010 by Martin in VoIP Freedom, iPhone and iPod VoIP and iTunes App Store. 0 Comments
FriendCaller App missing from iTunes App Store

FriendCaller App missing from iTunes App Store

A bit of a shock for all of us today. All of our FriendCaller apps just suddenly disappeared from iTunes app store. A search for the word “FriendCaller” does not show any result. We got complaints from potential users who could not find the apps anymore.

What happened? We are not sure, the apps are still available in the store, and they were also climbing up steadily in popularity, but now it seems that this sudden disappearance will result in a bad aspect. So far we have received no response to our inquiry with Apple Inc.. Suspiciously, iCall (another app featuring VoIP over 3G) disappeared as well.

Right now the only way to find us is to search for C2Call and click on the result under developers http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/c2call-gmbh/id308292800

Friendcaller developer c2call

FriendCaller developer: C2Call

Or till the problem is figured out, please download our apps here:

FriendCaller Instant VoIP
http://itunes.apple.com/my/app/friendcaller-instant-voip/id308292797?mt=8

FriendCaller 3
http://itunes.apple.com/my/app/friendcaller-3-free-calls/id325034351?mt=8

FriendCaller 3 Pro
http://itunes.apple.com/my/app/friendcaller-3-pro/id320369555?mt=8

Talking about vanishing freedom of mobile VoIP, seems to be very fast!

Apple and AT&T together: A Problem for VoIP Service Providers perhaps?

Published on February 18, 2010 by Shabaz in Technology News, VoIP Freedom and iPhone and iPod VoIP. 0 Comments

iPhone and AT&TMost of the people in US who bought iPhone with an AT&T contract are found complaining all the time about the network coverage and unavailibility of the service due to network load and congestions. The carrier that was overlooked once as to be the major future success in wireless telecom industry on the launch of iPhone, is now seems to be a burden for those who wish to buy the new Apple iPad. Apple revealed its iPad in the last week of January with the usual AT&T contract proposal.

Despite so many complaints filed by subscribers against the AT&T, it is quite surprising why Apple still wishes to coninue the partnership with AT&T in the US till the end of this year, and maybe it will extend to next year too.

As far as the other countries are concerned, during the Monday’s quarterly earnings conference call, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook explained that Apple would inevitably adopt a multi-carrier strategy in all the countries where the company believes a multi-carrier system would happen anyhow. But, for US, everyone wonders why a single carrier strategy is embraced?

“We think iPhone customers are having a great experience from the research we’ve done,” Cook answered when was questioned with the very same.

On the other hand the situtaion is quite different to the satisfaction displayed by Cook. VoIP app developers and service providers are facing huge problems satisfying customers with AT&T plans. Subscribers say that even with a full signal bar and the 3G icon displayed on their iPhones, they are unable to connect via VoIP apps. Not to forget that very recently Apple lifted up the restriction of VoIP calls over 3G network, and most of the iPhone users have tried to use the VoIP apps to cut down the huge network call rates from their service providers.

Burdening a single carrier in a country with more than 7 million iPhone users might be good for the corporate culture, but maybe Apple needs to consider the problems VoIP developers and service providers are facing in comforting their valued app users. In short, users should have a freedom of choosing the carrier they are comfortable with.

Want FREE credit? See our new Video Contest

Published on February 15, 2010 by socialmedia in Contest and iPhone and iPod VoIP. 0 Comments

FriendCaller Video ContestOur Community is growing bigger and bigger and therefore we want to  start a little movie contest to make you more happy.

All you have to do is to make a short video clip showing how you feel using FriendCaller on your iPhone or iPod Touch. It does not matter how you record it (with a digital camera, or with a webcam, cellphone … ), we just want to see how you feel about it. You can also make a video of yourself using the FriendCaller WebPhone.

The movie should howsoever follow one small guideline: A playtime from 2 minutes to 3 minutes would be perfect but please not longer then 3 minutes.

When you are done, please send the video or the link ( e.g. youtube, myspace ) to video@c2call.com

We are now checking all incoming mails and will rate all the movies with the help of an honourable Judge, thus chosing the best three video producers. These top three will get the follwoning prizes:
1. 30$ FREE Credit for your FriendCaller account (i.e. upto 18 Hours of FREE Calling Credit to your favorite landline/mobile)
2. 20$ FREE Credit for your FriendCaller account (i.e. upto 12 Hours of FREE Calling Credit to your favorite landline/mobile)
3. 15$ FREE Credit for your FriendCaller account (i.e. upto 8 Hours of FREE Calling Credit to your favorite landline/mobile)

So that´s it! No more limitations or conditions. You have a free hand to create the clip/movie and win one of these three wonderful prices.
We will be glad to see what you have got for us :)

~ Best of Luck from the FriendCaller Team

P.S. All clips will be hosted on our Youtube page. We don’t want to disappoint anyone, so whatever you make, it will be honoured!

Image: Salvatore Vuono

Is the Freedom of iPhone VoIP over 3G vanishing fast?

Published on February 13, 2010 by Martin in Features, Travel with iPhone and iPod touch, VoIP Freedom, iPhone and iPod VoIP and iTunes App Store. 1 Comment

3G VoIP FreedomSadly, our FriendCaller iPhone apps allowing free calls with everybody on the Internet and low cost to phone numbers are no longer available in Hungary, Poland and Greece. Is the freedom of mobile communication vanishing already that fast? Apple Inc. informed us about this limitation through the iTunes approval process. Let us hope the sanction will be limited to these countries.

Three countries are back to the VoIP dark ages, while others start talking.

Image: Michal Marcol


Happy Valentines Day from FriendCaller with 25% FREE Calling Credit

Published on February 12, 2010 by admin in Promos. 2 Comments

FriendCaller Valentines Day Coupon Voucher

On this Valentine Day say more to your loved ones with our 25% FREE credit. Just use the Valentine’s Day Promo Code: PROMO25 and get FREE 25% Calling credit on your next purchase. This coupon is valid on all credit top-ups till 28th February 2010. Coupons are limited and can be claimed on first-come-first-served basis.