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Gizmo is yet another VoIP
software-based service that uses your broadband Internet
connection to make calls to other computers and phones. It
comes with a lot of ‘free’ stuff, including free calls to
landline (PSTN) and mobile phones to people in 60 countries.
To my liking, it arguably surpasses VoIPStunt in nearly all
aspects and is of good-enough caliber to compete with Skype.
Just like Skype, you have to download the Gizmo software and
install it, and register for a new account.
What’s Free in Gizmo
Gizmo offers a lot of free
things:
Gizmo surpasses Skype on giving
the possibility of calling landline phones for free over 43
countries, and both landline and mobile phones for free in
17 countries. The free destinations are listed here.
Also, voicemail, which is the
ability to send offline voice messages, is free with Gizmo,
whatever be the destination; while for Skype, it is €5 for 3
months (around $4 US) and €15 (around $12.50 US) for one
year. It however comes free with SkypeIn.
The Gizmo Prices
If you want to call people on
their landline or mobile phones over destinations that are
not free, you have to purchase credit for a service called
Call Out. This service allows you to call for €0.017 ($0.021
US), which is slightly lower than that of Skype’s SkypeOut
service - $0.01 US.
On the other hand, to receive calls from landline or mobile
phones, you have to pay for a service called Call In, $12
for three months, which is 2 dollars higher than its Skype
counterpart, SkypeIn.
Communication Technology Used
Gizmo uses SIP standard to
connect and route calls, while Skype uses its own
proprietary system, based on the P2P standard. Both have
their advantages and disadvantages: P2P is more robust,
while SIP interests companies more with its rich features.
Since SIP is getting better and more popular, Gizmo has put
many chances on its side by adopting SIP.
Quality is great with Gizmo, as it is with Skype. It all
depends on your bandwidth and hardware.
Other Considerations
Gizmo allows conference calls,
and surpasses Skype in that it imposes no limit on the
number of call participants. Skype only allows five
participants per call.
Gizmo is new on the market, and since its entry on the
market, it has not been growing as fast as Skype did. Skype
has gone past the hundred million subscriber line, which is
far ahead of all other services of its type.
Gizmo exists in only one language: English. On the other
hand, one of the great tastes of Skype is that you can meet
and talk with people that speak 26 different languages.
Skype forums are always full and rich.
The Gizmo user interface is rich and very attractive. Though
Skype’s interface is very attractive as well, I personally
feel Gizmo wins the look and feel battle over Skype.
Check out the main features available with Gizmo here.
How to Get Started With Gizmo?
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Download and install the
Gizmo software.
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Register online, and get a
user name.
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Invite your friends
worldwide and other people you want to communicate with
and ask them to install Gizmo and register.
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Ask them to enter their
landline and mobile phone numbers in their profile, and
do the same.
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Now you’re talking!
Will Gizmo
Stand Above Skype?
Gizmo seriously intends to take
Skype’s place on the throne. The Gizmo home page -
www.gizmoproject.com
carries a quote
which is very meaningful:
“My new prediction is that within 18 months people will
forget about Skype and will be using something open like
Gizmo.” |
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