We all love Skype, right? Well in the spirit of democracy, free markets, and competition comes the first viable alternative, meet Gizmo. Gizmo is an open source internet phone for your desktop, just like Skype. You can call other Gizmo users for free, or use the CallOut service to call any phone anywhere for 1.8 cents a minute. You can also register for their CallIn service which gives you a number that anyone can call and it will ring your desktop, for only $5 a month. One feature it has that Skype was sorely lacking is the ability to record a call. Makes podcasting a breeze. I found this on Michael’s Minute, this is what he had to say:
“Net calling software Skype has exploded onto the scene. Its ease of use and robustness have quickly built an enormous user base and introduced many to the power of net calling. But Internet users should be wary of Skype because its strategy is a throwback to the ’80s built on proprietary standards that locks out all others. This week, a product called Gizmo is being unveiled – the first viable Skype alternative built on open source that pledges to connect to all.”
GizmoProject.com
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Related
- Skype Connects Macs, PCs
- Skype Announces Free International Calls with ‘Skype Days of Summer’ Offer
- Skype Releases New Toolbars For Office, Outlook Express, Thunderbird
- Skype offers phones for Web and conventional calls
It's a shame that Google has acquired Gizmo, with their windows priorities, Linux users will not have many other choices left.