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Keku Calling Cards : Keku Android, iPhone, PC App Review

You must have heard about the stanacard, the famous calling card service. They have now renamed their calling card service as Keku. The name is funny though, but the new service looks quite interesting. Not only it works as a calling card, but its a complete voip service offering application for smartphones and tablets as well (iPhone and Android).

Keku patent technology is used by over 13 million people. The service is absolutely free to sign up. It is very easy to use and simple to manage. If you have iPhone or Android Mobile, then you can use the app to make free calls to other KeKu app users.

You can use KeKu from anywhere in the world. In about 41 countries, Keku have 'Local Numbers' which means you can make KeKu calls from any phone (SmartPhone, Normal Mobile or even landline). In the other countries, you will need to get the KeKu app to use the service.

KeKu Android iPhone App

I am in KeKu Listed Country ....
They will give you a Local Number for each of your international contacts. When you call a Local Number, keku will automatically connect you to your friend at our great rates. Your phone company will treat this just like a local call, so you don't have to worry about expensive bills. These Local Numbers are yours to keep so you can save them in your phone and call them anytime. Plus, your friend will see your phone number as their caller ID, so they'll know it's you.

I am not in KeKu Listed Countr ...
Use Keku app for iPhone, Android. They will sync with your contacts, so calling is as simple as choosing the person you want to call. View app in App Store and Google Play.

Bonus Credit with Keku

Know other people that would benefit from KeKu’s cheap and easy international calling? Tell them about KeKu and you could both receive up to $10 bonus credit FREE!

KeKu Features

- High quality international calling at great rates.
- No connection fees.
- One-minute rounding.
- No contract.
- And no expiry on credit

Just Check The Feature Comparison Below : 
KeKu Comparison

KeKu Calling Rates

Calls to India from USA at 1.89 cents per min

KeKu Unlimited Monthly Plan

- Get 30 days of unlimited calls to India (mobiles and landlines) for only $19.99. You can make these calls from 2 Registered Phones.
- Terms and Condition says : Maximum of 3000 Minutes

Good thing is that they have monthly plan for each country (the cost of plan vary depending on country). For Pakistan it is about $35 per month (still a very good option).

KeKu SmartPhone Apps

- iPhone
- Android
- Plus, if you are in one of 41 countries that have Local Numbers, then you can use the app without Internet access!

Keku Group Call : Voice Conference on iPhone and Android

Make cheap group calls to your friends and family overseas - with the swipe of a finger. This app works directly from your iPhone contact list. Just "swipe" the contacts you want to call into a group, view the rates, and press call. The app does all of the work of connecting everyone. No connecting lines or entering pin codes.

And KeKu Andoird app : Latest User Reviews...
- I have been using keku since it was called stanacard. And I have bought so many credits over the years... But now that I try enjoying the call other keku users for free keku has let me down... I even contacted them and still they wouldn't fix it...
- Recently IM facing call and Bluetooth disconnect problem with Android 4.0.4..after I update to this version, it shows some error and call drops... And more over in normal situations also call drops frequently... Now rate also is increased for unlimited calling... The voice quality is very poor...
- Average Rating 4/5
 

ooVoo does not work on my Mac : How do I fix this

Its good that you finally decided to get over with Skype and look at its alternatives. Since you are using a Mac computer, I am sure you must be using Facetime application on it. But thing is not many people use Facetime so you definitely need other video calling software. We have been telling people to try out ooVoo as its the best Skype Alternative. Infact it is better than Skype in many ways, specially the 12 way video conferencing is just awesome. ooVoo has its voip application for computer (PC), Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile and what not. It has application for almost all kinds of devices. The video calling feature works great on all these devices.

We suggested one our reader about ooVoo (as he was looking for something other than Skype) and he tried "ooVoo" on his mac, but turns out that he faced lots of problem installing and using it on his Mac. So, we thought to look into the problems and let you know the solutions for them. Please go through the post, just incase you want to install and use ooVoo on your Mac, then you won't have to face such issues.

ooVoo LLC Banner  

Download for ooVoo on Mac

The latest version of ooVoo is 3.1.0.7 and it requires Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6.x) or later.
ooVoo only works with Snow Leopard (OSX 10.6) and Lion (OSX 10.7)and Mountain Lion (OSX 10.8).  If you are on an earlier operating system you will have to upgrade to use ooVoo.

Send Video Message with ooVoo on Mac ....

Turns out that this feature is not present on ooVoo for Mac. The ability to send video message will be added in one of the future Mac releases.

Problems in loggin in ... every time is says "upgrade needed"...

Please try the following:
  1. Remove your current version of ooVoo
  2. Restart your Mac
  3. Download  and install the latest ooVoo application for Mac 
Also please note the following.

- If you recently signed up for ooVoo and you are trying to use your email address as your ID to sign in with, you cannot currently use your email address. Please let us know and we will give you a numeric ID to use to sign in.
- You cannot use special characters in your password - only letters and numbers (abc123). 
- If you are experiencing sign in problems on Lion and have had Chinese, Japanese or Korean selected as your default language, you will need to change the default to to English, restart your Mac and sign in.

Application keeps on crashing...and asks to send error report

Well this is something that should not happen. What we can suggest is to try removing the old version and install the latest app. You can also clean your system too see if it helps.
Otherwise you need to contact ooVoo Customer Support.

To Fix camera and audio issues

Please delete the file ooVoo.plist in order to solve the problem you are experiencing, following the
directions below:
- Quit from ooVoo select OOVOO/QUIT OOVOO from the grey bar at the top of the page.
- Open the Finder and click Command+Shift+G
- In the Go to the folder window that opens type: ~/library and press go.
- Locate and then open the Preferences folder
- Find the file called ooVoo.plist. Delete the file by dragging it to the trash
- Run ooVoo again (The create new ooVoo account window will be opened, please close it and login
with your existing account)

ooVoo Facebook and Mac ...

The answer is simple. Not yet there! (works only on windows and not Mac).

Some other Misc Questions

Q. I have set the default camera as manycam on my macbook. I have now learned that you cannot do that. It will not let me change back to my iSight camera. It says camera in use. Please fix this!
A. - Uninstall ManyCam and problem will get solved.
- Also make sure the camera is not being used by any other applications like photobooth and then check your oovoo settings

Please note that ultimate solution to many of your problems would be to try reinstalling the ooVoo software for Mac.

If you have any other problem with using Mac ooVoo application, then please let us know.
 

Trapcall : How does it actually work to reveal caller ID

Trapcall has made a big name in the industry. And why not, it is a one stop solution for unmasking the blocked calls and revealing caller ID. Ever wondered, how you can actually get to know who's calling even if the caller ID displayed shows "Private Number" or "Caller ID Blocked". If someone's bothering you by making those masked calls, Trapcall can help you.

That being said, people have always wondered about this service. As the service is not free, you must satisfy yourself (get answers to all your queries) before you jump on to buy the plans. Moreover its service is currently available only in USA and Canada. I am sure you must be having many questions in your mind about Trapcall like "How it works", "Will it work on my mobile", "Does it work on landline" etc etc...

We decided to dig deep into the common questions and have prepared a list of QnA about these. Yeah, and the part about its working is interesting. Lets find out!

TrapCall.com - Unmask Blocked Calls

Q. How does TrapCall works to unmask those blocked calls ?
A.  After signing up, TrapCall instructs new users to reprogram their cell phones to send all rejected, missed and unanswered calls to TrapCall's own number. When a blocked or restricted call shows up on a users cell phone, the user just presses the button on the phone that would normally send the call to voicemail. The call then loops through TrapCall's systems where it's unmasked, then sent back to the user's phone, with the caller's number displayed as the Caller ID. All the while the caller hears a normal ring tone, oblivious to the fact that you know exactly who they are.

But how can it get the caller ID. 
Well, it is based on the fact fact that toll-free numbers are not blocked, so it reroutes all calls through a TrapCall toll-free number. And why calls to toll-free numbers are not blocked, because those calls are paid for by the recipient.

So what TrapCall is doing is basically forwarding the call to their own network (Toll Free Number). As we said that calls to Toll Free are not blocked, so the caller id is revealed to them. They can then transfer the call to you with proper caller id. The whole process takes about 5 to 6 seconds !!

Q. Does it have any app ?
A. Yes you can use Trapcall on your iphone or trapcall for your android mobile. It even has an application for blackberry phones. That said, it can work on any phone without the need of any software. Its just that these apps being some additional features.

Q. Will TrapCall work on my mobile. I do not have those iPhone's and Android, its just a simple mobile.
A. Don't worry at all. Trapcall does not require any special software installation or download to be made, so it works on ALL phones and it works on most cell carriers. TrapCall even works with your landlines. TrapCall currently supports AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and MetroPCS in the US

Q. Is this some kind of SCAM ? Never heard of this kind of service before.
A. Trust us. It is not a Scam. Trapcall really works, infact they are very popular now with large base of satisfied customers.

Q. Can I record my incoming calls as well (for future use).
A. Yes, Trapcall has this feature of call recording as well. To enable call recording for your incoming calls please log in to your TrapCall account online and click the Phone Settings tab where you will see the Recording Settings link. On this Recordings Settings page you can enable or disable call recording.

Q. How to program my phone for this to work. Is this complex ?
A. The simple answer is No. All it requires is simple signup and just some codes to be pressed on your phone. Infact they have tutorials for that as well. It takes few seconds to program your phone. Even my grandmother can do it! Its basically simple call forwarding.

Q. How can I unprogram my phone (I no longer need this service).
A.  If you are an ATnT or a T-Mobile customer, just dial ##004# and then press send.
If you are a Verizon customer, dial *73 and then press send.
If you are a Sprint customer, dial *38 and then press send.

This resets your phone to its original settings. Additionally, you can find these instructions online in your account under the Need Help? link once you've logged in.

Please note that this alone does not cancel your account with TrapCall. If you wish to completely cancel your account with TrapCall, you must do so by logging in to the TrapCall website and visiting the Cancel Subscription page.

Q. What if I change my mobile number and still want to use Trapcall.
A. No issues, just change the number in the trapcall account. Simply log on with the old number and edit the number to change it to new one.

You can also check the Trapcall review for more information about this service.

Do you have anymore questions ? Just shoot on to us. Otherwise, its time to try TrapCall.
 

Find out what to do with an old iPhone : If you brought yourself new iPhone (mobile)

Every morning I wake up, look at the gadget section of the newspaper and a new device (new mobile) is waiting to be unfolded. Yeah, it may not be that frequent but you have to agree that smartphone's are flooding the market. So many mobile companies, so many mobile operating system, so many different smartphones. One claiming about the better battery, one about the latest supercool camera, some boasting about the 5" screen, the list is endless.

And now we have just seen the launch of Samsung Galaxy III, Nokia Lumia 920 and now iPhone 5. Even if I plan to buy myself a new mobile (latest iPhone5), but question which keeps coming to my mind : What about my old mobile ? What will I do with my old iPhone! Well, I am sure many of you must also be confused with the same question. So we decided to prepare a list of suitable things which you can do with your old iPhone (be it iPhone 3G, iPhone 4 or the not so old iPhone 4S). Lets find out!


Top 10 Things to do with Old iPhone

We have just prepared the list of top 10 things which you can consider doing. There can be many more things (wild things like breaking it to find what's actually inside it) you can also do, which we won't recommend (but again its your iPhone, do what you want to do).

1. Give it to your Mom
You have been constantly updating your own mobile (a new gadget every few months). Think about your parents as well. Let your mom also upgrade her mobile. This will be the most wise thing to do, just give your old iPhone to your mom and enjoy the smile on her face. I am sure many of you would then have to train her to use this Gadget called iPhone. But trust me, she will learn very fast and she will love the experience of using iPhone.

2. Give it to your kids..
Aah.. Kids just love iPhone. Install a few application like Talking Tom, Angry Birds and they will stop complaining that you don't buy them gifts. iPhone is the best toy (in the history) to gift to your kids. Its shiny, its good looking, full of songs, games : what more your child can ask for.

3. Use it as iPod (or music system) at your home.
Minus the phone functioning of your iPhone, it works really well as iPod. Pump in some of the latest songs, connect your iPhone to the docking station and put it at your home for constant music. You will love this experience as well. Or use your old iPhone as a mini iPad (the choice is upto you) to play games on it.

4. Finally Jailbreak it and enjoy the stuff : Experiment
I am sure many (not all) people don't like to jail break their iPhone (specially if its a new one). But then you loose out some heavy free stuff that you can get with it. Since you have already brought a new iPhone, relax and jailbreak your old one. You can also do other engineering experiments with your old iPhone (which you will hesitate to do with your new iPhone).

5. Alarm Clock
Upgrade your alarm clock, get over with the old radio alarm. Just turn your old iPhone into an alarm clock. Hide it in a different spot in your bed each night for an added challenge.

6. Donate it!
Do some good to the society. You know you can actually donate your old iPhone to some charities. Obviously they won't give the phone itself to the people, but they will recycle it and sell it to make money. This money will then be used for charity.

A nonprofit group called Cell Phones for Soldiers will take your "gently used" phone and sell it to recycling company ReCellular. It will then use the proceeds to buy calling cards for soldiers.

Another one : The US Association for the University of Peace is collecting old and new iPhones (and other cell phones) for a partnership program with TechChange: The Institute for Technology and Social Change. They will be used to train aid workers, local journalists, educators, election monitors in simulation exercises of popular software for social change platforms such as Ushahidi and FrontlineSMS, Souktel, M-Pesa and more.

7. Sell your old iPhone and make money
You have spend lot of money getting this phone (contracts ain't free buddy). So its time for you to get atleast some returns on it. Join ebay and sell your old iphone for few hundred bucks. But it won't be easy to sell it off as large number of people choose this option, so just wait for the dust to settle and then sell it off.

A company called Gazelle, also makes an offer for your old phone based on its condition, your phone carrier and other information. A 32 gigabyte iPhone 4S on Verizon Wireless, for example, was recently going for $237 if it's in good condition and $90 if it's broken.

Glyde.com also offers to help you resell your old phone. A recent check showed the above 4S getting roughly $325 to $350 after fees are deducted - provided there is a buyer. A "speed sale" that guarantees to sell it in seven days will get the seller slightly less money.

8. Use it as a digital camera
You will have to agree that camera of iPhone ain't bad at all. Plus iPhone has a good memory (32 GB, depends on your model). So just use this as a digital camera and keeps adding snaps to its memory. Plus it has all social apps to share the snaps on the go !!

9. Recycle with Apple
Yup, Apple has its own recycle program. They will give you an Apple Gift card in exchange of your old Phone. They will first check the mobile and get its monetary value. A 32 GB iPhone 4S (not very old, good condition working mobile) will fetch anywhere between $250-$300. That's higher than any of the sites, the only problem is you need to spend the money at Apple only. Apple Gift card works only at Apple. It also accepts broken phones for recycling but you won't get any money for them.

10. Backup Device/Keep a second mobile
Your new iPhone have so many apps, so much data. Just consider the possibility that you may loose this device at work, coffee shop, traveling somewhere or in your car. So keeping your old iPhone as a backup device can prove to be really very useful in these cases.

If you are a frequent traveler then it is again a very useful option. Getting a local sim on your old mobile will help you save a lot on roaming charges (which prove too much in certain cases). Once an iPhone is off contact, the most common approach is to unlock the device and purchase a new SIM card that works with another carrier.
 

Watch T20 Cricket World Cup Online : Live Stream for Free

World Cup T20 is on and all the cricket Fans are enjoying the matches. It is one of the most watched tournament in many countries (specially India). Though many people are able to watch the matches live on their TV (at home, sports bar, friends house etc), however still a lot of people are not able to watch these matches (because the channel does not broadcast in their country or it is very costly).

So this leaves them with the option to track the score of matches at some sites like (cricinfo) ? Well the answer is No. You can stream the matches live on your computer and watch these online for free. Today we will look at some options (some website) where you can watch these matches online, i.e Live Streaming of T20 World Cup Matches.

EspnStar.com


Yeah, everything is legal and the ESPN itself is doing live streaming of these matches. The good news is that it is offering free live streaming of all World Cup T20 matches from 18th September to 7th October.
All you need is flash enabled browser and you can watch the match online (for free) at following link.
The picture quality is not that great, however it mostly depend on your internet connection speed (it kinda works ok for me).

ExtraCover.net


Turns out that espnstar is not the only service which is offering the live streaming of the world cup matches. You have another option in name of extracover. The websites is full of ads, but still you can watch the match live for free. The website also has a chat feature, where people (online on the website) can chat with each other and discuss about the match.

CricTime.co 


Again a similar site like extracover. You will see the current ongoing matches and a list of servers where you can watch the match live. Just click any of the server and another window will open up. You may see some message like "not supported for your browser", but that will go away within few seconds. Just wait!
The picture quality turned out to be pretty good and better than above two options (quite surprising for me)!


Some other website offering free live streaming of T20 matches 

1. Cricpk.com : The website is full of Ads, not recommended to watch the matches. But still if the above options does not work for you then you can try.
2. Webcric.com : They say that they also show the match online, but it did not worked for me.
 

SMSLISTO Review : Offering Cheap Call Rates and Free Download

Remember the old betamax services like Jumblo, ActionVoip etc, these were the cheapest voip services (about two years back) and were very popular. Lot of people used these services to make cheap international calls. It seems that these have lost its charm.

However some of these services still hold good, so we decided to review one such service named "SmsListo". SMSListo offers some very cheap international calls, but don't go by its name its not restricted to SMS only. It also offers very cheap international calls as it mentions on its website :

Download our FREE SMS tool and start saving immediately on your text messages. And there's even more: Besides ultracheap Text Messages, you can also use the application to make free phone calls to lots of popular destinations!

Info on SMSListo Call Rates

- Calls to India at 3.5 cents per min
- Calls to Pakistan at 10 cents per min
- Calls to Bangladesh at 6 cents per min
- Calls to Mexico at 6 cents per min
- Calls to Philippines at 13 cents per min

smslisto

How does SmsListo Work

- Download the voip application for computer and start using it now to make cheap international calls.
- If you don't want to install our SMSLISTO software, you can set up a SMSLISTO call directly, SMSLISTO offers an in-browser solution for calling.
- Use it on your smartphone. Download the mobile voip application on your iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Android phone or Symbian phone.
- Use a cheap local access number instead of the expensive international number you‘re trying to reach. 

SMSLISTO SIP Settings

  • SIP port : 5060 
  • Registrar : sip.smslisto.com 
  • Proxy server : sip.smslisto.com 
  • Outbound proxy server : leave empty 
  • Account name : your SMSLISTO username 
  • Password : your SMSLISTO password 
  • Display name/number : your SMSLISTO username or voipnumber 
  • Stunserver (option) : stun.smslisto.com

Conclusion : Whether to use it or not

Smslisto calling rates are not cheap as was the case with service like Rynga, Actionvoip etc. So it ain't worth using SmsListo (considering the call rates). Try looking for some another voip service if you were planning to go with SmsListo.
 

Ultra Mobile : Test them and try Free International Calls

Yeah, everyone's talking about Ultra Mobile. Well atleast that's what their tag line says about. Ultra Mobile is a new telecom service (mobile operator) that is planned to be launched very soon in USA. Well their is something definitely unique about them, which is what they are promoting.

With UltraMobile, you bring your own sim to them, they will pop their sim to it and it becomes Ultra. Actually what's more interesting about them is their calling plans. These are somewhat very competitive and many people will get attracted to them. Ultra Mobile also claims that they will offer a very good service and the calling rates will be very competitive (better than many calling cards and voip services).

Currently they are in beta phase and are testing their service. Under this they are giving free international calls. We will be talking more about it in latter part of this post.


Ultra Mobile Calling Plans

- Talk and Text Plan for $29 per month
- Talk, Text and and unlimited data (which included $5 international talktime) for just $39
- Talk & Text, Unlimited Data with 1GB at 4G Speeds. $20 Int’l Credit : all this for just $49

With $49 plan, you’ll get 1000 minutes of calling to India, China, Mexico, Europe landlines, and many other destinations. Calling to the rest of the world is priced better than calling cards.

Ultra Mobile Features

  • Nationwide 4G
  • International Direct Dial
  • Free 411
  • 3 Way Calling
  • Caller ID

Free International Calls with Ultra Mobile

Currently Ultra Mobile is testing its service, under which you can make calls to many countries for free. Lets see how :
- Dial (626) 200-4136 ( 626 is a Southern California area code)
- When prompted, dial 011 + the country code and the number you want to call.
- Ultra Mobile will connect you for free. No strings attached. You are helping us test the service.

Terms and Conditions with Free Test Calls

- India, Cuba, Somalia, Nigeria – Mobile, Egypt – Mobile, and Philippines – Manila are all blocked already. You cannot make calls to these countries. You can try for rest of the countries.
- Quality to certain destinations might be poor, as it is in test phase right now.

With the launch of this service, things will get better with UltraMobile. Lets wait and watch to see how the actual thing comes up! Stay tuned for updates on UltraMobile.
 

Tribair Voip Review | Another Skype Alternative with Cheap Rates

Voip industry has grown pretty big. Earlier it was just limited to calling cards and a few people used to make PC to Phone Calls (Voice and Video). Things have changed so much now and almost all smartphone users are using one or other voip application. These apps are now extensively used for making voice calls, video calls, or sending text sms. And why not, voip services are damn cheap and will help you save a lot of money as compared to your telecom provider.

The good thing about these mobile voip services, is that the calls between them (like Skype to Skype) are always free (voice, video or text) and you just have to pay for services like making calls to normal mobile (not using the same voip service). Now a lot of people have been using Skype for quite long, but does it mean that it is the cheapest and the best. Whatever be the answer to that question but it does make sense to check out other options as well. Today we will look at another such voip provider (mobile voip provider) named Tribair Voip!

Tribair Voip

- Cancel your Skype Subscription and Get Refund
- Skype Free One Months Calls

What is Tribair Voip ?

Tribair is a free mobile application available on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad devices. Once installed, you can start making calls directly from your contact list. Calls are routed over a WiFi or 3G network and can save your precious airtime minutes. You can even remove your SIM card and still use the service, which makes it a perfect solution if you travel and want to stay away from huge roaming bill charges.

How does does Tribair Voip work ?

- For Apple mobile devices, download Tribair from the Apple App store, and install it on your device.
- For Google Android phones, download Tribair from the Google Android Market, and install it on your Android device.
- You need to have internet on your mobile. Be it wifi or 3G, it all works. 

Does Tribair offer any free test calls ?

Make a few test calls for free and then buy some credits and make incredibly affordable calls to landline and mobile phones worldwide.

What are Tribair Calling Rates ?

- App is free to download.
- Calls are free to other Tribair users
- No connection fees, no hidden charges.
- Calls to mobiles (non tribair users) is paid.

Tribair International Calling Rates

- India : 3 cents per min
- Pakistan : 2 cents per min
- Bangladesh : 5 cents per min
- USA : 1 cent per min
- Mexico : 2 cents per min

When does Tribair Credit Expire ?

Your Tribair credits will expire 6 months after purchase. If you make a new purchase prior to the expiration date of the unused credits, the expiration date for all credits will be extended for another 6 months.

Anything else which can be done with Tribair

You can also chat, sent pictures and videos to other Tribair member always for free. It is a good alternative for SMS and MMS.

Tribair voip is just like any another mobile voip provider. No new feature which would attract new customers. The calling rates are also same like others (some even offer cheaper). However still, if you are fed up with your old voip provider, then Tribair can be a good alternative.
 

Secret Skype Emoticons 2012 | Hidden Skype Icons Codes

Expressing yourself with emoticons (or popularly known as smileys) is quite common while chatting and instant messaging. You can see lots of different emoticons in your chat window which you can use to express yourself. But are you aware that many of these chatting software's actually have many of these secret emoticons.

These secret emoticons are not directly visible in the instant messenger app (like Skype) however if you are aware of the codes for them, you can use them anytime. Today we decided to post about some of these secret codes for these hidden and secret Skype emoticons.

Please note that it is not only Skype which have a huge list of emoticons, but Whatsapp is another major instant messaging app which has some great emoticons

Use the below hidden codes for Skype Icons and use them to express your emotions while chatting on Skype. Please note that these are not in the Skype menu, so need to type these codes in the chat window. Good thing is that these codes not only works for Skype on your PC but will work for all the Skype applications (be it Android, iPhone, iPad or Blackberry).



Emoticon Code Notes
drop pants and moon!(mooning)Mooning emoticon, perfect...
middle finger, how rude!(finger)Middle finger emoticon, a very rude emoticon to express yourself.
swearing(swear)Swearing smiley, his words are just too rude to show!
Rock on!(rock)Rocking smiley, making a hand gesture and enjoying his music.
Cigarette(smoking)Smoking emoticon, this hidden smiley is one bad dude!
drunk smiley(drunk)Drunk emoticon, this Skype smiley's had a bit too much to drink
Party time!(poolparty)Pool party emoticon, this guy just can't wait to jump in!
Toivo from Skype(toivo)A guy and his dog, not sure what this emoticon is about, but Toivo was a Skype engineer.
smiley in mask(bandit)Masked bandit emoticon, quite unique. Good for when some stealth is required.
angry(headbang)Angry smiley banging his head against a wall, we've all felt this way sometime.
FUBAR smiley(fubar)FUBAR emoticon, for times when things just won't work.
tmi!(tmi)Too Much Information (TMI) emoticon, good for when you've heard more than enough!
bug(bug)Bug emoticon, a black
squirrel(heidy)Squirrel emoticon, a cute little critter and his nut. Heidi is a Skype staff member.
MySpace emoticon(myspace)MySpace emoticon, new in Skype 3.6 to commemorate the Skype-MySpace partnership!

Courtesy : sherv.net (for these emoticons)

How to use these Hidden Skype Emoticons

1. You can see the code in the above table. For example (bug)
2. Just copy or type these into the chat window.
3. Hit enter.

To ensure that the smiley is correctly displayed at other party end, you need to make sure that your friend is using the latest version of Skype otherwise these may not appear properly.

If you compare these Skype emoticons with other client like Yahoo etc, then these are slightly more advanced and adult (rude, smoking etc). These are quite animated and look nice as these are 25x25 pixels.

Skype emoticons (bandit) (drunk) (finger) (headbang) (banghead) (mooning) (rock) (smoking) (smoke) (ci) (toivo) work with Skype 2.5 and 3.0!

Smileys (bug) (fubar) (poolparty) (swear) (tmi) work only with Skype 3.0 and up!


If you would like to update us about anymore new Skype Emoticons then please post a comment.
Happy Chatting!
 

What's new in iPhone5 | Features, Price and Launch in India

The curtain over iPhone5 has been removed! The much awaited gadget will soon be seen in hands of many people. It has received mixed reviews with some people really liking and praising the its new look, new features and some just criticizing that it's just another smartphone with nothing revolutionary in it.

Apple has tried many new things with this iPhone like bigger screen, making it thinner, adding a better processor, but does that make it the best phone in the market. I am personally not very much satisfied with the new device, may be the reason is Apple itself. I mean with Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad and every time something new and unique, Apple just raised our expectations too much. I guess we were just over expecting from Apple (did you checked our iPhone Features Wishlist) ?

Another reason I believe for Apple not coming with something revolutionary is competition. Android, Windows Mobile have nothing new in them (not sure if anything is pipe lined for future). So may be Apple is still keeping the good cards with themselves and will reveal them only when they see any threat from competition.

I guess Apple has made quite a large base of loyal customers over period of time and there is no doubt that iPhone5 will be sold heavily (it is certainly a damn good device).

So if you are planning to buy iPhone 5, just check what's new in it and then decide.

iPhone 5 Feature Hands On


iPhone 5 : New Features

  • Larger 4-inch screen : This makes the iPhone look better than its previous versions.
  • Better Resolution : 1136x640 pixels : This effectively means that you will have a better viewing experience while watching videos, playing games etc.
  • The new iPhone 5 also sports 4G LTE connectivity : More fast browsing. 
  • A6 chip is twice as fast as previous versions : Its a quad core chip.
  • iPhone 5 has an improved battery life. 
  • New iSight camera : 8 Mp Camera
  • Lighter than previous versions : 112g weight
  • It has new iOS 6 with features like Map instructions : turn-by-turn navigation
"It is the thinnest and lightest iPhone we've ever made," said Apple marketing vice president Philip Schiller who presented the new model.


Features which I like most


Maps : With the new processor which is incredibly fast, the satellite experience of maps is just amazing. You can actually see the 3D image of a fly over, houses etc.

Full Screen Video/Movie Experience : With such great retina display and now so high resolution, you can watch HD movies and enjoy the experience. Its just amazing!

Small Connector : Connect it any side. This is damn good feature and very useful.

Panoramic Shot : Its just awesome, no words for this. The image looks just amazing.

Facetime Call : Right over the cellular network. Make the call from anywhere you are!

 

iPhone 5 Release Date

Well, the release date of iPhone 5 is 21st September (not in India).

iPhone 5 : Release Date in India

Apple seems to be not bother about the huge Indian market. I don't understand the reason.
Well it is no surprise that the release dates for iPhone 5 in India are not yet out. So if you want to buy iPhone5 in India, you will have to wait a bit longer (or may be ask any of your friend in US to get this gadget for you)!

iPhone 5 : Expected Price in India

Price of iPhone5 in India is again is mystery! Well, I am guessing that it will be around 45-50K INR when released in India. (Lets see if they come up with some contract plans and give this device under 15K).

Finally, just check the video below about the iPhone 5 Features and decide yourself, whether you really want this device or not.

 

iPhone Features Wishlist : What do you want in an iPhone

Launch of iPhone 5 is just around the corner. Apple's iPhone is the leader is smartphone and the technology as well. It is the most sold smartphone (in last five years). The range of iPhone mobile (iPhone 1G, iPhone 2G, iPhone 3, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S) is not as wide as what Samsung is offering, still it tops the list on user liking, the reason is simple iPhone Features.

iPhone 5 will soon get unveiled in a day, that is 12th Sep and its feature list will get disclosed. However it may not be having all the feature which user wants in his iPhone. We have captured below a list of feature (what we call a feature wishlist for iPhone) which we would like to be in iPhone. It will be nice to know which of these feature actually make it out to iPhone 5!

We are pretty sure many of the wishlist features will not make it to iPhone5, but we just hope these comes into iPhone6, or iPhone7!
iPhone Features Wishlist

iPhone Features Wishlist

  • Please increase the screen size : 3.5 inch is too old guys, 4.3 inch is sort of industry standard now. All high end mobiles are launched with this minimum size.
  • Higher Battery Life : I don't want to charge my iPhone daily! Please work on your power consumption. I want to charge it once a week ! Sunday to Sunday :)
  • Cordless Charging : I guess this technology is already out in the market. Apple, please get this into iPhone as well. 
  • Replaceable Batter : The iPhone doesn't have a replaceable battery. This sucks!
  • Projection Technology : Let me take the screen out and project it out on the wall. Intext Mobiles (India) have already launched such phones.
  • NFC : "Near field communication" is a short-range wireless technology that lets your smartphone do lots of cool things, from beaming content to other devices nearby to using your phone as a mobile wallet. This is expected in iPhone 5.
  • 4G - LTE : Expected in iPhone 5.
  • Camera : Nokia has better Camera Lens (and megapixels as well)...Please come out with some amazing camera.
  • Inbuilt Google Voice Integration : Just accept it, Google Voice is widely used voip service so please do some integration and give native google voice solution. 
  • Dual Core CPU : Better Processor : iPad 2 has certainly one good processor, so why not iPhone5.
  • Wireless iTunes Synchronization : I just hate to open iTunes on my laptop and then connect my phone to it. I rather prefer Oplayer for movies. But having wireless sync with iTunes will be really good feature.
  • FM/AM : I know this does not sound nice, but yeah I like radio.
  • Please give some good accessories with iPhone. I don't like your earphone. Please change this to some headphone or in ear (earphones).
  • External SD Card Slot : Why..why does it not have extendible memory.
  • Biometric Security : One of very nice to have feature. Fingerprint scan or Retina Scan... what say ?
  • Metallic Body or Some Shinny Body : Are we not bored of that old look...please upgrade!!
Do you want to add more ?
Just post in the comment section and we will include it here.
 

IndiaMinutes Review : Wholesale Calling Rates to India, is it ?

So many calling cards, so many different voip services, so many voip applications, so much competition. Well this is all for good. With such competition around, the international calling rates have come to such low prices. Making calls to India from USA used to cost around 5-10 cents (just two three years back).. and now almost all the services are offering it to 1-2 cents per min (5 times lower), and some are even giving away for free. Today we will look at another cheap option for making calls to India : IndiaMinutes!

Though IndiaMinutes claim it to be a wholesale provider, but I guess prices ain't wholesale. IndiaMinutes calling rates are though low as compared to telecom providers, but these are almost same as to what other voip providers are offering. So lets see whether you should go for IndiaMinutes or not.

Also don't go by its name, Indiaminutes can be used to call just any country in the world (and not just India). I guess their customer base is mostly people calling India and that's the reason for this name.

India Minutes Review

IndiaMinutes - Calling Rates

  • Calls to India Mobiles : 1.5 cents per min
  • Calls to India Landline : 1.7 cents per min
  • Calls to Bangladesh : 4.5 cents per min
  • Calls to Pakistan : 4.7 cents per min
  • Calls to Saudi Arabia : 7.9 cents per min
  • You pay for what you call. 
  • No additional taxes are added to your calls. The call rates are all inclusive of taxes. 
  • No connection fees
  • No monthly charges, no maintenance fees.

How does IndiaMinute Work 

  • First you need to sign up for the service and purchase some credit.
  • Register (add) a phone number from which you will be making calls.
  • You need to dial a local access number from any registered phone. You can also make calls to toll free (1800 --) number.
  • Dial the international number and your call will get connected to your destination. 
  • No pin requires, complete pinless dialing. 

Why should you choose India Minutes

  • Cheap calling rates to about 200 countries
  • Pinless Dialing
  • No hidden costs
  • Speed Dial options- add the numbers you call most often on a speed dial
  • Register Multiple Phones
  • Customer Service in 11 languages
  • Your first call to India is free.
  • Rates include all taxes and fees
  • No expiration
  • Auto recharge (optional)
  • View call records and purchases
  • Good call quality

Anything Else about IndiaMinutes


Yes one more thing, its about IndiaMinutes Referral Bonus promotion. Every time someone enters your promo code at sign-up they will get $5.00 free and your account will also be credited $5.00. This is quite interesting as the person signing also has a benefit when signing up with a referral link.

Why not to go for India Minutes

  • There is nothing special about IndiaMinutes. Almost all the voip providers are offering the same rates.
  • Calling method is just dial around. No smartphone app, no PC application..
  • Its just like a calling card with lower rates....that's it!
  • If you are satisfied with your old voip provider, no need to make a switch to this one.
 

Viber Problems : Find solutions to all your Viber Issues

Viber is a multi platform voip application which people have been successfully using to place free calls and communicate with their friends and family. If does not matter if you from India, Pakistan, Nigeria or any other part of world, as long as you are connected to internet you can use Viber. As it allows call to other viber users for free, so you can talk to your friends and family for free (who are also using viber).

The best part about this application being, the contact list is based on mobile number only. So it does not require to add any special contacts. It will show an icon (address book contacts) to distinguish the contacts who are using Viber. Viber already have an application for iPhone, Android, Blackberry mobiles. We have also posted a tutorial about how can you use viber app on your computer.


Though people have been using Viber for quite long now, but few people have been facing difficulties as well. I mean with so many different versions like Android 2.2, 2.3, 3.0 ..., iOS, Blackberry OS : you can expect some issues. So we have compiled a list of question and solutions to these problems.

Q. The person who's receiving the call can not hear me. I am using Viber on iPhone 4 with iOS 5.1..
A. It could be possible that either your's or your friends internet firewall is blocking viber.
First make sure that you are connected to internet properly and your firewall is not blocking Viber.
If it still does not work : try uninstalling and reinstalling Viber when you are connected to different network.
It it still does not work : please make sure the following ports are enabled on your routers or firewalls: TCP: (5242 + 4244), UDP: (5243 + 9785)

Q. I am from UAE and viber does not seem to work on my network.
A. The authorities in the UAE have decided to block Viber in the whole country, and that is why you are experiencing this issue.

Q. I am using two smartphone (one mobile and other tablet). I installed Viber on my mobile and using the same number I registered on my tablet as well. Seems that the viber on my mobile got deactivated. What can I do now.
A. Currently, one number can be assigned with only one device simultaneously. When you try registering to Viber with the same number on a second device, the first device immediately deactivates, and its data (message history, Recents, etc.) is deleted. What you can do, however, is register your second device with a different number: your home number, an old cellphone number, family's or friends.

Q. What is this push notification for Viber in my iPhone. How does this feature help me out.
A. Push notification (for iPhone) allows Viber to notify you of any calls (incoming, missed, etc.) even when Viber is off or in the background. It will also notify you of friends that just joined Viber. When setting Viber up in your iPhone, and you get a message requesting push notifications, tap on ‘OK’ to enable the feature. Please note that Viber will not work if this feature is disabled.

Hope these will help you. If you have any other problem with Viber, then please share with us. We will try to answer your query/find solution to your problem.
 

Rebtel iPad Application for Free Calling from iPad


If you have got yourself an iPad and thinking why haven't I purchased Galaxy Tab with calling feature, then trust me stop regretting as you have made an absolutely great decision. And the decision is more valid now with the launch of Rebtel application for iPad. I too have an iPad and it has already replaced my laptop, infact it has in some sense replaced my phone as well. I am now using iPad for all my local, national and international calling.

With the launch of Rebtel app for iPad, you can now easily place phone calls from your iPad (just like as you do with your mobile phone). The best part is that these calls are really cheap and  affordable (even lower than what your telecom provider charges you on your mobile).

I am sure you must have used Facetime and Skype on your iPad. Well Rebtel is a similar service (it being second largest voip service), just it has some additional features and it way cheaper than skype.
So today we will be looking at Rebtel iPad Application which can turn your iPad into a phone.

Download Rebtel iPad App

- Register with Rebtel to create a free account
- Search the "Rebtel App" on your iPad Apple store
- Download and install the application
- Login to your account

If you are already a rebtel customer, then you can directly install and login to your account. Otherwise first you will have to register with them and then login to the app.

Rebtel iPad Application Features

  • Rates as Number One application in 13 App stores.
  • This is not just a copy of their iPhone app: featuring optimized navigation for both portrait and landscape view, higher resolution graphics and a new design,. It gives a completely new experience on your iPad. You'll never need another iPad phone app.
  • Free Rebtel to Rebtel Calls : You can make free calls to any friend who is also using Rebtel either on his smartphone (android, iPhone, Blackberry or windows mobile) or his tablet or on is computer. Use internet to place the calls. 
  • Low Cost International Calls : Rebtel calling rates are way cheaper than many other voip services and calling cards. Its the best application to place international calls to countries like India. Calls to India at just 1.5 cents per minute
  • Low Cost SMS : Super cheap international text messages. Send sms to over 200 countries.
  • First Free Call : Just download the application and you will be awarded with free 5 minutes.
  • No managing of contacts (or adding contacts to the app) : The app will automatically check your address book and will show you which of your friends are using Rebtel application (call them for free). 

Something Extra for our readers

  • Well there is always something extra for our blog readers. 
  • Sign up with Rebtel using this special link.
  • Get Free $10 credit on purchase of $10 credit. So you will get $20 credit when you purchased just $10. That's double your money.
  • Please note its a limited time offer, avail this before its too late.

Should you go for it ?

I mean so many people just can't be talking crap. Search internet, use Google, ask your friends and you will know. Rebtel is way better than your normal calling card : you get a cheap, reliable voip service which you can use to call your friends and family back home!
 
 
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