Free texting & calls for mobile & web

 

I'll share my secrets.

Want to learn how to get free texting AND calls on your smartphone? 

Or if you aren't lucky enough to have a smartphone, what about free texting and calls on your computer?

I haven't paid for cell phone service for over a year... and I send over 2,000 texts a month, and make and receive calls when I so chose to make a call or answer the phone. Needless to say you can rest assured I have tried and tested most of the services and apps out there. 

 And out of ALL the different options I signed up for and tried, only THREE... yes 3... are worth your time. Here's my list. Enjoy. 

Maybe you can do me a favor and help support my efforts?

It's easy... just click on the super happy cyber girl below. She's got an Android app that you are going to want to download. 

or click here.

Free mobile calls and texting

#3 textPlus 

- free download available on Android and iPhone

- sign up for free to get your own (local) phone number

- call and text anyone for free (international calling rate)

- earn free minutes (for calls) by completing offers through TapJoy

- requires a 3G/4G/wifi connection

#2 Pinger or textfree

- free download available on Android, iPhone, and computers with an internet connection

- sign up for free and get free local phone number

- complete offers to get free calling minutes through TapJoy

- requires 3G/4G/wifi connection

The only thing that sets this free mobile call app apart from textPlus is the fact that you can text from the web through Pinger's text only app, textfree. Your Pinger number is also your textfree number. The design is also minimal compared to textPlus. And calls to Canada on Pinger are also free. As far as usability they are both about the same. Calls over a wireless connection can be patchy at times. Hey, it's free calls... you can't complain too much. 

#1 Google Voice

Okay, the mobile apps for Google Voice are not the best. For some reason they fail to notify you of texts and calls on occasion. BUT, as far as usability - this is the free calls app I use on a regular basis. 

- available on any phone or computer with an internet connection (mobile web or wifi)

- free texts and calls 

- sign up for free, download free Google Voice extension, and get your own local phone number for free

- requires a Google or Gmail account

I use Google Voice daily. Because I don't have a cell phone service provider, it is a way I can keep a permanent number that people can reach me at. Plus calls go straight to my voicemail. I'm not big on talking on the phone.

So there you have it. No need in going through all the trouble of downloading a bunch of apps and clogging up your phone's memory. If you do happen to find something better, an app I haven't listed please do share. (BTW I do not own an iPhone or iPad or iPod so I would be clueless as to the apps exclusive to iOS.)

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Wordpress Plug-in Must-Haves

(Sorry Blogger..)

Aside from Angelfire and Geocities, I started creating websites with Wordpress. Sure, fancy scripts and FTP is fun, but my agenda was different this time around.

Optimization is key,

Plug ins optimize your site correct?

Let's see what ones have stood up to my test.

Essential Wordpress Plug-ins

Insights - allows you to quickly search and insert information (links, images, videos, maps, news..) into your blog posts.

Akismet - Used by millions, Akismet is quite possibly the best way in the world to protect your blog from comment and trackback spam. It keeps your site protected from spam even while you sleep. 

Zemanta

nRelate Related Content - Easily display related content on your website.
Jetpack - site stats, customized comment forms, related content, & a ton more cool, must-have goodies

SEO

Top picks for streaming internet radio

The choices are endless. The playlist options are unfathomable. Millions of songs... for free. To listen to that is - no downloading here. As many of my fellow "Napster-generation" and Lime Wire lovers make the switch from download to digital on-demand, one question remains... what service should I use?

Top picks for streaming radio (online)

1. Slacker Radio
- great alternative to Pandora
- create your own station
- pick an artist, song, album, or genre... and base a radio station off your favorite selections
- syncs seemlessly with Facebook
- FREE version has ads, once every five or so songs

2. Pandora

- I first signed up for Pandora three years ago. The concept of internet radio was just emerging, but now years later Pandora has proven it can withstand the test of time.
- Limited number of skip tracks (three per hour?) makes choosing a station somewhat difficult
- Share track & station info easily on Facebook & Twitter
- Lists artist/track/album info along with portion of lyrics (paid version can view full lyrics!)
- FREE version has ads, every few songs
- Can slow down memory, making computer sluggish

3. Rdio
- Very impressive off the bat - the fail to make clear you have a limited amount of free music. If I had known I wouldn't of left on when I went to sleep.
- Listen to individual songs - create playlists - like your favorites and share with this social media friendly app.
- Clean layout on a very cool website.. worth trying.



4. MOD
- Similar to Rdio but seems to allow users unlimited unlimited free music to listen to.

5. Spotify
- Most options for radio preferences/playlists but you must download the program onto your computer - can overload older computers without sufficient memory capabilities
- Ads are played every couple songs, quite repetitive
- Cool apps such as Tune Wiki
- Lots of songs, options, and features. Try pro version for 30 days free.

Free radio. Free music. 
But what does it really cost?

In the news...

The Internet Radio Royalty System Is Broken

Pandora’s income potential could soon be set loose. New U.S. legislation proposes to change how music royalty payments are made for online radio companies. Such costs lock up about half of Pandora’s revenue. Read more as we explains just how much value could be released by reducing them.

The Internet Radio Fairness Act, a rare bipartisan proposal in Congress, seeks to revise digital laws enacted almost 15 years ago when the medium was less developed and understood. Judges instead would be directed to impose royalty rates for online services using the same standard historically applied to other forms of radio. U.S. satellite radio monopoly Sirius XM, for example, pays a proportion of revenue that’s more than 80 percent lower than Pandora’s.

Missing websites = missing dollars... spent elsewhere

Register your domain name
 - if you can find the website to do your business with....

One of the most popular and widely used ways to register your domain name is through Go Daddy. But, with their website down for only a day you wouldn't think it would be too big of a deal. Check out this article. Go Daddy back online

Applying internet know-how to new smartphone technology

We are undoubtedly in an digital revolution where the internet reigns supreme. 

We are connected in some form or fashion for most of the day and into the wee hours of the night. So it was no surprise the mobile phone version of the internet aka the smartphone became our new best friend.



The smartphone platforms are very similar to that of our computer's operating system, I'm sure many will agree with me there. Did you take to your new internet phone like your newborn child? Don't deny it.

But with this new growing fad comes problems as well. Broken phones, lost passwords (aka stolen phones), microSD memory card malfunctions, the list goes on and on and on.

New, uncharted territory

Yes, the world of the smartphone is as vast and unknown as the internet once was ten years ago. Try searching for something related to your high tech gadget. The process can become downright exhausting. But one day it won't be so bad. Until technology advances yet again... and who knows what's next in store for us in technological terms.

Consider this an introduction of sorts - as I would like to share some of my smartphone tips and tricks with people who need help - and simply can't find it.

Stay tuned for new stuff in this category - soon to come.

Jobs Post USA: Blogger Jobs Available - Apply Today

Jobs Post: Blogger Jobs Available - Apply Today: --> Do you want to work from home? Do you enjoy writing? If your answer is YES to these questions, then there are jobs waiting for you - APPLY NOW!

Free Tumblr Themes - Best Free Tumblr Theme Sites!

Looking for FREE Tumblr themes? 

[updated 11/19/12]

Customize your Tumblr page and make it unique... 

The sites listed below are not all affiliated with Tumblr, but I have used themes from them all.

ENJOY!

This will be an ongoing list - I find myself constantly hunting down my favorites so why not just list them all here and share the resources as well?

These are some of my favorite free Tumblr theme sites - some of theme are paid themes, just make sure you look before you get your hopes set on a theme.

Feel free to comment and share your own tumblr theme sites or favorite tumblr themes in the comments and I will add up here to my list :)

Oh yeah, and check out my main tumblr page: http://shiestykitty.tumblr.com

Free Tumblr themes available at:

Official Tumblr themes (free!)


Image hosted for free at CtrlV.in

Themes by James


Image hosted for free at CtrlV.in


The Wicked Eternity Themes


Image hosted for free at CtrlV.in 

Themes by Rachell


Image hosted for free at CtrlV.in

MORE TO COME!

Keep checking back for more great FREE TUMBLR THEMES!