iPod Touch + Skype = Free Mobile Calls
Chalk this up to a little next generation (i.e., teens) or the international community who travel often, but it seems everyone under 20 and those abroad from Australia/UK/New Zealand/etc. are dropping their iPhones in favor of iPod Touches. Now with Skype and a good wi-fi connection, there’s no cost calling plans. How’s that for innovating your office, kids’ utility fees or travel abroad access…?
Now there is a potential cost – with free Skype, you can only call Skype callers. So you have to IM someone via Skype or similar, then ring them.
However with Skype offering $2.95/month unlimited packages to landlines and mobile numbers, one could literally reduce their cell phone/data package from $50-100/month to $3.
Of course, via Apple, an iPod Touch will set you back: $229 (8mb), $299 (16mb), $399 (32mb). But consider it a long term investment and you get the Apps…including streaming Pandora from any location with wi-fi.
On an interesting and innovative level, this also put you as the iPod Touch+Skype user in more control of your communications: users can call your Skype # and then leave a message, or you could forward it to another line, if needed.
Not ideal for emergencies, but as one parent recently told me: “kids don’t have emergencies.” Think of the older teen (or traveling business person, or vacationing guy or gal) traveling abroad. Do you rent the expensive phone while there, eat roaming from Verizon on your international phone or simply set more control for when you’ll need the phone?
A few links for more information:
- The Skype walkthru [Houston Chronicle]
- An early precursor to Skype [Lifehacker]
- Hacks for SkypeIn [VOIP & Gadgets]