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Facebook Messenger is now available as a desktop app for Windows or Mac

Zoom may be grabbing all the headlines lately (for better or worse), but it’s hardly the only option for making video calls over the internet. Microsoft has Skype. Google has Hangouts. And Facebook has Messenger — which is now available as a desktop app. You can now download Facebook Messenger from the Microsoft Store or […]

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Now you can use Google Home to make free phone calls (US and Canada)

Amazon recently added voice calling features to its Alexa-enabled line of smart speaker and… other things. Now it’s Google’s turn, but the company is taking a slightly different approach. While Amazon’s Alexa Calling & Messaging features are for device-to-device calls, the Google Home smart speaker now lets you call a phone number using your voice. And […]

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Calling & Messaging coming soon to all Amazon Echo devices (and the Alexa app)

Like the idea of using an Amazon Echo to make calls to friends and family members, but don’t want to spend $230 to put a touchscreen and camera in your house? The new Alexa calling & messaging feature unveiled with the Amazon Echo Show today is also coming soon to other Echo devices, as well […]

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Got a Skype phone number? You rates might be going up (updated)

Skype offers customers an optional Skype Number which links your account to a phone number. When people call that number, your Skype app will ring. And there’s an optional feature that allows your Skype number to show in caller ID when you’re calling a phone number from Skype. Now it looks like a price hike […]

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FreedomPop adds tablets to its free data, voice, text network

FreedomPop offers free limited wireless data, voice, and text to smartphone users. Now the company’s branching out into tablets. You can pick up an iPad mini or Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 from FreedomPop and use the tablet to make phone calls, surf the web, or send text messages for free using FreedomPop’s voice over […]

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Skype 4.0 for Android gets a Windows Phone-inspired makeover

Skype for Android is getting a makeover, with version 4.0 of the communications app making Skype for Android look a little more like Skype for Windows Phone (and Windows 8, for that matter). That’s not necessarily a bad thing, even if you prefer the aesthetics of Android to those of Windows — the Skype app for […]

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Skype abandons peer to peer technology (update: abandons *some* P2P tech)

Skype has been using peer to peer technology to route voice and video calls over the internet for nearly a decade. The P2P network helped keep the company’s bandwidth bills down while allowing millions of people to make free or cheap calls to friends, family, and colleagues across the world. But after Microsoft acquired Skype […]

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Republic Wireless launches unlimited calling, text, data for $19/month (sort of)

Republic Wireless has launched a new mobile service for US customers that offers unlimited voice, text, and data for just $19 per month. But here’s the catch — the service relies on Voice Over IP technology for phone calls and text message, so really you’re only paying for a 3G data plan. Here’s how it […]

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Skype for iPhone, iPad gets anti-shake video update

Skype has pushed out a new version of its voice, video, and text chat app for iOS. Now anyone with a supported iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad can use a Bluetooth headset to make calls from the Skype app — but the most impressive new feature is image stabilization. Now when you’re shooting video through […]