iPod touch Call someone's cellphone? (Fring?)

[ArtOfWarfare]

Ok... Christmas is upon me so it's time to finally decide:

iPhone or iPod Touch?

Can someone tell me how well an iPod Touch running fring works as a replacement for a cell phone? I'm almost always in an area with free wi-fi so that's not an issue. Can I call anyone using fring (that includes other people running typical cellphones or on landlines?) Can they call me from their cell phone (as in, they dial a number, same as they would call anyone on a cellphone, and it calls me?) Can I get voicemail on it?

What are the limits? How much does it cost?

 

[ibridget]

Hi, I'm new here and this is my first reply, hope you don't mind me jumping in.
I have a 1st generation ipod touch and bought a small mic on the web called an italk microphone. I can use Fring with it, and yes it will let me make a phone call, but a short one. Also you can't hear the person if they pick up the phone, so really it's like leaving a short voice mail. Now of course you may be able to get a different type of mic that perhaps allows you to plug in headphones, and you could hear. I use this mainly for recording lectures. I also tried calling back my device when I copied down the number it called from, but got a "this user is out of their network area/range" type message.

Depends on what you are needing it for, but if you want to use it as a phone and don't mind the signup fees etc with AT&T then go for the iphone, at least you get a built in camera with it. That's really my only envy right now. I have a seperate little pay as you go cell phone so I never needed that with the ipod touch HTH?

Ok... Christmas is upon me so it's time to finally decide:

iPhone or iPod Touch?

Can someone tell me how well an iPod Touch running fring works as a replacement for a cell phone? I'm almost always in an area with free wi-fi so that's not an issue. Can I call anyone using fring (that includes other people running typical cellphones or on landlines?) Can they call me from their cell phone (as in, they dial a number, same as they would call anyone on a cellphone, and it calls me?) Can I get voicemail on it?

What are the limits? How much does it cost?

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I can use Fring with it, and yes it will let me make a phone call, but a short one. Also you can't hear the person if they pick up the phone, so really it's like leaving a short voice mail. Now of course you may be able to get a different type of mic that perhaps allows you to plug in headphones, and you could hear.

Wait, can you explain that better?

Why does the phone call have to be "a short one"?

And... I plan on getting Apple's headphones with built in mic and remote, so that means I'll be able to hear the person when they pick up, right?

I also tried calling back my device when I copied down the number it called from, but got a "this user is out of their network area/range" type message.

Does it have any options to make it automatically redirect calls to a landline or something?

Depends on what you are needing it for, but if you want to use it as a phone and don't mind the signup fees etc with AT&T then go for the iphone, at least you get a built in camera with it. That's really my only envy right now. I have a seperate little pay as you go cell phone so I never needed that with the ipod touch HTH?

The AT&T monthly fee seems way too high considering how little I use cell phones (I rarely talked more than 30 minutes a month on my old RAZR.) And I don't mind the lack of a camera... I'm not really a picture taking kind of person.

So... lets verify this... I can call people... for free... from the iPod Touch with fring. No strings attached. They don't have to be on a special network. They don't have to download a special program/hack. I just don't see how that's possible... SkypeOut cost something.

 

[The Samurai]

This article from the BBC may be of help to you OP.

 

[Mister9]

The quality is crappy from what I can tell. I am still awaiting my headset but I called a friend of mine using my regular headphones and it could barely make out what he was saying (granted he did have a cold). If you want a call back number you will have to sign up for a VOIP like skype- I'm looking into that right now but from what I hear Fring is the only app to support skype and maybe Nimbuzz. Also, none of the apps will work on an unsecured network.. assuming the ports would be restricted. Choose wisely young one. Sorry, I don't know where that came from.. I barely use my phone because I'm in a pretty rigid program and my college has a very wide VPN so it was a no brainer for me. I still keep a cheap phone for emergencies in the car tho like the previous poster mentioned.

 

[Muncher]

Wait, can you explain that better?

Why does the phone call have to be "a short one"?

And... I plan on getting Apple's headphones with built in mic and remote, so that means I'll be able to hear the person when they pick up, right?



Does it have any options to make it automatically redirect calls to a landline or something?



The AT&T monthly fee seems way too high considering how little I use cell phones (I rarely talked more than 30 minutes a month on my old RAZR.) And I don't mind the lack of a camera... I'm not really a picture taking kind of person.

So... lets verify this... I can call people... for free... from the iPod Touch with fring. No strings attached. They don't have to be on a special network. They don't have to download a special program/hack. I just don't see how that's possible... SkypeOut cost something.

No, you can't call for free. But the fee isn't large, depending on the service provider you pick. For VoipBuster, you get an hour free just to try it out. It does work, and quality is okay, but there's a delay of maybe 2 seconds both ways, so it's 4 seconds before you get a response (note: you can hear the person on the other side of the phone!). You don't have to get apple's ipod touch headphones; an iphone headphone/mic adapter works fine (search the forums for more info).

My advice to you: get a cheap cell phone with a cheap plan (maybe pay as you go) on a cheap network (AT&T is expensive), and get an iPod touch.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

My advice to you: get a cheap cell phone with a cheap plan (maybe pay as you go) on a cheap network (AT&T is expensive), and get an iPod touch.

...



Sounds like a great idea.

I think I'll get the iPod Touch, see how it works as a phone, if it doesn't, get a mega cheap one as a companion like you suggested.

 

[justan]

Heres some links that may help ya out-

call your touch and give it a number

call people from your touch

and just a little extra, free texting from your touch

I take no credit for these videos, just found them helpful.