nothing better than chatting with people, rather than using email or even chatting to other users through something like messenger, or similar online chat apps. Email is so impersonal and it's used, like texting people, to cop-out of having to give someone bad news. Not good. With this in mind, using VoIP tools is a far more personal way to keep in touch with friends, family and even business colleagues. Up until recently, we'd have used Skype, but there are alternatives.

Gizmo Project 4 is a preview version of the forthcoming major release. Gizmo Project somewhat lags behind Skype in terms of development and version 4 is the first to support video-based calling. It also ships with a revamped user-interface and is cross-platform, so you'll be able to talk to other Gizmo users, irrespective of platform. You can also subscribe and pay cheap rates to call standard landlines.

23 Oct 2007