FriendCaller Blog

I operate from Taiwan but nowadays I am in Germany for a couple of official tasks. Anyhow, few days back when I arrived here, I was facing the same problem like always; how to avoid the high car rental charges with the GPS navigational system. Normally it costs around € 9.99 per day, but a better idea is to buy a €99 navigation system and use it in any car for life, thus avoiding the additional charges a day when you rent a car.

But, if you have an iPhone, then all you need is a good GPS navigation app with maps. The idea sounds good, and I thought for a moment that instead of buying the €99 navigation system, why not just browse the iTunes app store for a decent app, maybe it will cost less. I was surprised to see that branded apps like Navigon, TomTom, or CoPilot costs in a range of €64 to €89. Add a couple of more euros and you can buy a nice car mount with a charger for your iPhone. This ends up with exactly the same price as that of a good standalone navigation system.

Now, the concept of mobile convergence is usually driven by cost reduction, once a multi-function device cost less than multi single-purpose gadgets, the convergence happens. But not anymore. The iPhone has done it again: TomTom is the No. 5 Top Grossing app in the US iTunes app store, and Navigon being the No. 1 in Germany.  The iPhone voids the concept of mobile convergence, because the consumer is paying a premium for convergence himself.

It will be interesting to see how this applies to the new Apple iPad. Maybe Apple allow its iPad more dynamic technology convergence than the iPhone, and we will be able to get it with pre-installed apps that make a good use of the feautures of the device itself. And yes, by the end of the week, I bought a GPS gadget and am happy with it.

Good news for our German speaking users.
Our Homepage Friendcaller.com, which is the only browser-based VoIP provider, is now available in German too and can be found at FriendCaller.de. All pages and features including the iPhone app, web phone and our price lists are now in German also.
For cheap calls and free browser based VoIP calls FriendCaller is just the optimum solution.

I have been surprised various times that in how many ways the  CallMe-links can be used. They not only help me in everyday life, but also when I am at work and I want to talk quickly with my business partner or client. And the best part is that the other party does not need to install any software to receive my calls.
This has saved me a lot of time. Besides the above example, there are infinite ways in which CallMe-links can simplify your life. My children have bookmarked my CallMe link on their Internet browser, and wherever I am, they simply click the bookmark and I can talk with them at no cost. Usually when my younger son hear about release of a new trading card of his favorite cartoon characters, he calls me straight away so that on my way back from office, I would simply buy him the present.
No doubt, using the CallMe-Links is very easy and you can always save money, because its free!

The Swedish blog slashhat reports that Steve Jobs answered to the question that whether if the new iPad Wifi versions will support iPhone Internet tethering with one word:

“No!” (with signed: sent from my iPhone).

What do we learn from this?

1. Our dreams about the freedom of mobile Internet  just experienced a setback after a few encouraging signs like multi operator strategy and the opening of Internet for free by “secondary” iPhone providers like FarEasTone.
2. Even Steve Jobs  find it cumbersome to change his iPhone signature

Source: Slashat