Lifehacker’s 2007 Guide to Free Software and Webapps

Link: LH 2007 Guide. Free Software and Webapps recommended by Lifehacker’s Gina Trapani? Even if you think you’ve read the internet cover to cover and found all the good stuff, Review. This. List. Launchy VLC Netvibes Skype ted SyncBack Pidgin KeePass RTM … Let’s look at it this way: even if you truly find nothing new and useful for you, you can reassure yourself that you, indeed, have the cool stuff.

Cha-Fring!!! to the Tune of $12Million (& Fring on 8525/Mobile 5.0)

Updated news from Techcrunch reports:

VOIP start-up Fring has closed an estimated $12 million second round, led by US VC fund North Bridge Venture Partners. VenFin and previous investors Pitango, Veritas and Yossi Vardi also participated. If the investment estimate is accurate, it would be one of the larger rounds for a VOIP company.

Fring is a mobile application for Windows and Symbian phones that uses VOIP to make cheap/free mobile calls and instant message. Unlike Jajah, but like Truphone, Fring sends calls and chats over Wi-Fi internet access or your 3G or GPRS Internet data plan …

This writer will tell you, having the AT&T 8525 for more than a month before finding/adding Fring? (What’s the opposite of “priceless”?) It’s no wonder folks are handing over money.  Making VOIP calls or chatting over wifi or your (better be unlimited) cellular data plan, integration with voice/chat Skype, GoogleTalk, MSN … all I can say is when I wifi-Fring-Jott my soccer team to text their parents that the game has not rained out because rain cannot survive this heat, they’ll never know what hit ‘em.

Isn’t it Fringing wonderful.

Web Worker Daily Answers

So, you’ve seen my inquiry “How Available Should Attorneys Be“. I’ve now stumbled upon an answer (perhaps the answer) at Web Worker Daily, which provides:

…there can come a point where you have too many points of contact.When you have…

…a cell phone, land line, Skype number, and backup VOIP line for people to talk to you

…and a number of email addresses where people can leave you more detailed messages

…and several IM clients

…plus Twitter

…augmented by online project and team management sites

…and various videoconferencing platforms…

suddenly you’ve transitioned from accessible coworker to frustrating obstacle course.

If your customers and colleagues are spending several hours downloading clients, setting up accounts on various systems, and otherwise initiating specialized ways of reaching you, your technology has become more of a problem than a solution.

So far as I can tell, this is fairly universal advice (perhaps aimed at folks like me; confession — in addition to my “Contact Dan” page, my Skype availability is on my private family blog); so “Thanks” to the folks at Web Worker Daily.