FriendCaller Blog

C2Call, Werl announced today a ground breaking innovation that allows VoIP calls through any system with LCD monitor. A little know feature is the build in LCD back panel protection sensor that is part of the VESA. The sensor automatically shuts down the Super Video Graphics Array before it can hit the Extended Wide Quarter Video Graphics Array.

We now managed to read out this sensor form any common LCD monitor and use the monitor as microphone. When talking the LCD panel starts swinging, unseen to eye, an effect called retina display. Currently in beta it will become soon an industrial standard. We filed this morning with the USPTO our patent title Super Flat Microphone, USPTO Nr, 88looflirpa66. You can try this out right here!!!

The brand new FriendCaller website is finally ready for you. Phew!

After weeks of writing, coding and designing, we are proud to present you with our new website: FriendCaller.com

So, what has changed? – Pretty much everything, we would say!

The essence is the new start page, where you can check out our introductory video and can also download your favorite version directly from the right hand side panel. All just from our home page.

Also, in a small section under news,  you can read the latest news from our blogs, the moment they got published. Also, there are new sections about from where and how you get instant support and what other famous blogs and magazines are writing about us.

If you are looking for detailed information about our products, you can easily select the individual FriendCaller versions over the products overview page. For example, for “iPhone” – You can check out the awesome features, which languages this app is available in, and which version suites you the best. You will also be able to share it with your friends quickly via facebook Like, tweet it, or via other social networks of your choice.

Since, we are naturally social; we are now presenting a brand new social section. Here you can get an overview of our social activities on facebook, twitter, YouTube and of course on our multinational blogs.

Another surprise are the new exclusive CallMe-Link features of texting and chatting. You can share this link via Facebook, Twitter, Email, or just anywhere you like, and your friends (not necessarily a FriendCaller user) can instantly chat or text you by clicking on this link. Like always, this unique service is free for all FriendCaller users.

Also there is a new and improved Help section. In addition to the FAQ and a video tour of our widely used versions, there is now a “Get Started” section, which will help you to start using FriendCaller in a matter of a mere few seconds. Since, we care about our customers more than ever; therefore the Help section will be continuously updated.

Furthermore, in the Technology section, you can read how FriendCaller really works and get a better overview of the exciting topic of VoIP and SIP. Also don’t forget to check out the features of our various products, where we convince you that FriendCaller is really the best VoIP solution available on the market. In short, we are definitely the Swiss Army knife of VoIP providers.

And yes, finally the new WebPhone is also there. Log in quickly and see what’s new. If you do not have a FriendCaller account yet, simple click on Register and within seconds you’re one of the nearly 3 million happy FriendCaller customers.

So what are you waiting for? – Start now!

Max sent me the exciting post on Mashable that Android App will run on the BlackBerry tablet. There was no such news in my email inbox from BlackBerry but we developers getting used to learn about important development through the press. Opening the developer blog, no word either.

The long rumored Android support would be really good news, so I decided to log into the developer portal. This was 9 hours ago and I’m still not logged in, it simply does not accept the login, for a whole long working day the “Could not transmit message”. Reading the desperate comments of other developers trying to upload their apps and not getting in does not make it a better.

There is a long way to go for BlackBerry, I feel double “blacked” out and no low hanging “berry” in sight…. While BlackBerry promised to improve it has been an exhausting experience compare with iPhone and Android and today was not a good day for BlackBerry developers either.

Sometime is still amazing how things (not) work. Using the new browsers you get used to it by just typing “CNN” and let the browser worry about taking you to www.cnn.com or looking for Giga OM’s article about us you just type Gigaom FriendCaller, done!
So yesterday I just typed Amazon Android Appstore and expected to get there, it did not happen: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome all take you to a developer page or press coverage. Even trying variations, app store, Appstore for Android. Nothing.

Today I tried again and Heureka! Amazon.com: Appstore for Android showed up, at last. Still not as first search result, but around second to fifth. Taking a closer look it becomes clear why: The link is using www.amazon.com/mobile-apps/ instead of www.amazon.com/appstore/. I assume this choice is related to Apple’s legal case against Amazon’s use of the word “Appstore”. So it took the mighty search engines a day or two longer to index the store despite the great press coverage.

How FriendCaller is doing on Amazon’s Appstore for Android? Searching in communication for “VoIP” we are No. 1.  So far we have seen no particular increase in downloads. Let’s see, right now it is still fairly complicated to download and install Android apps from Amazon and this limited to the US only.

The past few weeks we have seen the new Google Chrome 10 browser update, Internet Explorer 9 was launched and joined by Mozilla Firefox 4. And there is still Opera, recently updated to version 11 and Safari making it version 5. It is time to update your browser and here it is why:

All new browsers allow you to work with your favorite sites more effectively. Your “lifeline-sites” like Facebook, FriendCaller and Gmail can be attached to your browser or even the windows task list and auto start when your system is starting up.

Firefox, Chrome and Opera
Right mouse click on the open tab and use the “Pin tab” command. Next time the browser starts you are all ready to go and logged in. Unfortunately these tabs are not really permanent, when browsing to another site without opening a new tab the pinned tab gets automatically replaced, no warning is provided.

Internet Explorer:
Right clicking a tab would have been too easy and the Microsoft instruction to drag the tab to the Windows task bar simply did not work for me. Instead of clicking the tab right to the address bar, click the small icon left to the address bar and drag it to the Windows task bar, not the tab. Or maybe Microsoft calls the icon “tab”, you never know. Done! Later, I did manage to drag the tab in icon view to the task bar. Click right to the open tab to open a new tab and the icon view “Your most popular sites” opens up. In case your site is there, you can drag its icon to the task bar. Now it would be smart providing an auto start option through a (right) mouse click. But Microsoft wants you to do this manually as well. Get over, just do it: Click on Start, All Programs, scroll down to actually see Startup in the list, click on Startup, open it (wait, no double click, you need right mouse click here), then drag the small icon in the folder. And yes, you can autostart any other browser through the Windows Startup folder as well.

Safari:
Apple is ignoring the recent browser development altogether and sticks to the Top Site concept. This provides a tile view where you can arrange and pre-view your favorite sites as thumbs in the grid. For me, the thumbs are too small even in their largest size and there is no fast switch between the top sites, the preview grid becomes detour.

Update your browser now. These pinning features are great for our browser based VoIP service FriendCaller. It is now generally easier to start all your essential websites and to keep them open through the day. We believe that browser based software is most convenient and secure, any security update or new feature becomes available automatically with next browser reload, no installing, rebooting required. Browser based services like Gmail or the FriendCaller WebPhone leading the way to new Internet user experience without bulky Operating Systems.

I can not wait, right now I need to go, my MAC urges me to restart for MAC OS X 10.6.7 update installing a good 300 MB.