Vonage on Wednesday unveiled a new mobile app for the iPhone and Android smartphones that affords free calling and messaging along with cheap international calling rates. Vonage Mobile allows users to make free “high-definition” voice over IP calls among each other over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G data connections, and low-cost calls can also be placed through the app to any landline or cell phone globally. The New Jersey-based Telco says its international calling rates are 70% lower than rates from major carriers and 30% lower than Skype. ”Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” Vonage CEO Marc Lefar said in a statement. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.” Vonage’s full press release follows below.

Vonage Launches New Mobile App Providing Free Calling and Texting to Other App Users around the World

Savings of more than 70 percent on international calls to those without the app

HOLMDEL, N.J., February 8, 2012 – Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG) announced the launch of Vonage Mobile^®, the new iPhone^® and Android^™ app that lets users make free high-definition calls and send free texts to all users of the app, worldwide¹. The app works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G wireless data networks.

When calling those who have not yet downloaded the app, Vonage Mobile provides ultra low-cost international calling with per-minute rates that are on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype^™2. Users can instantly add calling credit directly from the app through iTunes^® or Android Market^™ in increments of $4.99 and $9.99.

Vonage Mobile uses the phone’s existing mobile number and contact list, eliminating the need for unique user names and duplicate identities for contacts. Users can instantly build a free global calling and texting network using the app’s multi-invite system from their existing contacts.

“Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” said Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.”

In addition, calls to any phone in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico from anywhere in the world will be free for a limited time³.

Users do NOT need to be a Vonage customer to use the app. However, as an added benefit to all app users, calls to Vonage home or business lines are also free. The Vonage Mobile app can be downloaded to any iPhone or Android device for free; and it also works on the iPad®, iPod Touch® and Android™ Tablets.

For more information on Vonage Mobile, please go to iTunes, Android Market or www.vonagemobile.com.

The most popular and successful multi-device communication platform is without question WhatsApp. More of a text messaging replacement than straight BlackBerry Messenger competitor, WhatsApp has been the number one service people rely on to communicate across iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone devices. We were sent a preview copy of the new version of WhatsApp for BlackBerry smartphones, our exclusive first look is after the break.To start, the entire app’s user interface has been refreshed, and it really looks strong. It’s clean, it’s sophisticated, and it’s one of the better interfaces on a BlackBerry product that we’ve seen. The app contains the same basic 5 tabs that you’re used to — chats, favorites, contacts, status, and settings — but it’s done in a way that feels natural and light. There’s a really intuitive context button on the right of the top tab bar, and it changes based on what tab you’re on. If you’re in the chats tab, the button changes to allow you to start a new chat, if you’re on the favorites tab, it changes to refresh favorites button, a search option on the contacts tab, add a status on the status tab, and add a friend on the settings tab.

I have noticed a couple little issues using this pre-release version on my BlackBerry 9900, though. The touch area for the tab buttons at the top of the interface are a tad small and I have tapped a contact’s name and started a chat instead of changing to the tab I aimed to switch to. Additionally, the rows that list your favorites or contacts are very narrow, and while that works fine for navigation with the trackpad, not the best possible spacing for touch selection.

All in all, the app gets a very welcome refresh, and the best multi-platform communication service gets even better. It should be available tomorrow directly from WhatsApp’s beta site, and in BlackBerry App World soon after.

 ”Our current UI for BlackBerry is something only an engineer could love. With this update, we’ve had a designer who has no knowledge of BlackBerry UI difficulties mock up new screens for every part of the app.  It has then been our engineering challenge to make those mockups reality across the wide range of BlackBerry devices available.  When we started, it looked very challenging to make these screens happen, said Michael Donohue, Senior BlackBerry Engineer of WhatsApp, This is truly a great UI for BlackBerry.”

“WhatsApp wants consumers to have the ability to message easily, intuitively to that degree we have overhauled the UI, making it simple, clean and easy to use. Our overall commitment to product quality and continued improvement to the BlackBerry is important to us, it is a great messaging device and we are fully committed to supporting the consumers who use it, said Jan Koum, CEO, WhatsApp.”

We’ve been big fans of WhatsApp’s cross-platform messaging service ever since it first launched, and directly outside of Apple’s own iMessage or RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger service, WhatsApp is our favorite mobile solution. We’re apparently not the only ones who think so, as WhatsApp just told us that the company is now delivering more than 1 billion messages each day, a huge milestone. Here’s a quote from WhatsApp team:

The mobile messaging market is moving, choices around platforms and their pricing and how they provide an amazing customer experience are the hot topics at hand. As a leader in the messaging space and with our network now handling over one billion messages a day, we see that the power is with the consumer.

WhatsApp is positoned as more of an SMS replacement rather than a traditional instant messaging service, and with users currently sending nearly 700,000 messages each minute, the company sure seems well on its way to being just that. WhatsApp is currently available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Symbian devices.

BlackBerry users in Africa, the Middle East and Europe have been without service since 11:00 a.m. Monday, The Telegraph reports. A bug on Research In Motion’s server in Slough, England is to blame and it appears to have impaired all users, independent of carrier or device. RIM has not issued a statement on the matter. “There is an issue with BlackBerry services at present,” a T-Mobile UK representative said on Twitter. “RIM [is] investigating this at present.” Additionally, Batelco, a wireless carrier in Bahrain, issued a statement that confirmed the service was out in the entire country and explained the issue is being “dealt with by BlackBerry providers in Canada.”

Thanks Adam!

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We’ve already seen an 11-minute walk-through video comparing a new Windows 8 beta tablet to an iPad 2 running iOS 5, but there are plenty of features Microsoft is cooking up that didn’t make it into the beta release of the OS. In a new video, Microsoft highlights a handful of currently unavailable applications that make use of the oft-praised Metro user interface Windows 8 borrowed from the Windows Phone platform. In the video, Microsoft shows off several apps including Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging and Photos, which features seamless Facebook and Flickr integration. The People application also features Facebook integration, pulling Facebook friends and address book contacts into a single stream. Microsoft’s full demo video follows below.

Samsung is set to make a big splash with new products during the IFA trade show in Berlin, which kicks off later this week, and the phone maker recently announced a new group text application called ChatOn. The application allows Android, iOS, BlackBerry and bada users to create groups to quickly send and receive group text messages. The service will no doubt compete with BBM, Apple’s iMessage, Google’s Huddle, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and GroupMe, but Samsung is trying to distinguish itself from those other services by offering a more robust feature set. ChatOn lets users to see their most messaged friends, complete with “interaction ranks,” send animated text messages and share photos and videos in a shared group “trunk.” Read on for a full intro video and press release.

Mobile Messenger More than that, Samsung ChatON (chaeton)

Samsung Electronics, a global communications services for the coming September ‘ChatON’ (hereinafter chaeton) start the service. The world and provides services to more than 120 countries, up to 62 languages ​​that you’d support. This world of mobile phone users to communicate beyond borders and languages, is expected to be enabling.

Chaetoneun simply is not just talking to pass the mobile messenger. Trunk (Trunk), such as sharing content through the box and profile comments to share with your friends lives the concept of micro-community is a global SNS. In addition, allowing users to communicate more effectively with a wide variety of message types, and many more platforms and is designed to be in terminal.

From now on, Samsung’s ambitious, let’s look chaetone.

Generation and space to support a variety of platforms can communicate beyond!

Multi-platform support chaetoneun smartphones, as well as the general consumer with a mobile phone is a characteristic that can be used deulkkaji. ‘Chaeton’ Galaxy of the Samsung products and its own sea-based platform offers new features, starting with phone services, also for third-party’s main platform is expected to expand in stages. Mobile phone users worldwide smartphone, feature phone to break into the ‘chaeton’ will communicate through the mornings I’m not that far!

Micro-community-oriented mobile communication services

Chaetoneun various user groups to community-based micro-oriented. Contact with the balloon that displays the frequency of conversations with the number of ‘intimate position’ feature can be a simple social networking. In addition, the ‘word to your friends’ with the ability to determine a group of friends might like to comment briefly.

Support for multimedia content to communicate emotion.

In addition to the chat room, you do not need to find each other, sharing content. Group-based content storage space of ‘trunk’ through to see at a glance because you can find. In the trunk of your photos and videos can also leave a brief moment.

1:01 chaetoneseoneun chat and group chat, group message (bulletin), and the dialog is available in a variety of ways. In addition, photos, videos, voice message, location, contacts, calendar, and supports a wide variety of multimedia content. Specifically, the background music, photos, handwritten cards and make it yourself with the ability to send animated messages can be an emotional communication.

Samsung Media Solution Director yihosu vice president, “chaetoneun Samsung’s service technology created a global mobile communications for the core services,” said “consumers want and social networking needs to meet the service to become a future sustainable performance upgrades to introduce new features,” he said.

AT&T will stop offering its 1,000 text message package on August 21st and will instead only offer customers a $20 individual unlimited option and a $30 family unlimited plan, Engadget reported on Wednesday. The carrier’s official statement, provided to BGR via email, is as follows:

Starting August 21, we’re streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer an unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month. The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don’t have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets.

Customers will still have the option to pay by individual messages at a rate of $0.20 per SMS and $0.30 per MMS, and AT&T has confirmed to BGR that subscribers who wish to ensure they to not incur a la carte messaging fees can call customer care and have messaging blocked on their account. This feature is free, and messaging can be enabled again at any time.

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After spending three days with iOS 5 on multiple devices now, I can confidently say that this is the mobile operating system to beat. It gives you just enough of what was missing, while still remaining solid (“closed” — a.k.a. fast, responsive, apps that don’t steal your data, etc). There have definitely been some slowdowns in daily usage due to the fact that the OS is in beta, and battery life has no doubt taken a hit, but this isn’t meant to be used on consumer devices. And even with those hiccups, it still out performs many Android handsets (though not the Galaxy S II, that battery is Teen Wolf). Hit the break for the rest of my thoughts after day three.

Notification Center continues to be something I’m not sure how we lived without (actually, I am sure… I cursed those pop-up notifications every time they came in), and iMessage is everything that BlackBerry Messenger is, but better. Why? You’ll be able to communicate with over 200 million people (and growing) as opposed to only 45 million using BlackBerry smartphones. It’s also a much cleaner interface, and it combines text messages, MMS and iMessages into one gorgeous app. Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that it can be used across multiple devices, allowing users to continue their conversations while moving from one to the next.

The little updates also really make me happy. Things like being able to drag and drop calendar appointments, being able to select and mark multiple messages as read, the new alternative routes in Google Maps, the alignment grid in the camera, and even the Reminders app, which delivers incredible geo-fence-based reminders while also syncing with all of my Exchange notes. This is the mobile operating system to beat, folks.

For earlier thoughts on iOS 5, be sure to check out day one and day two.

After two days of use with Apple’s brand new iOS 5 on both an iPhone 4 and iPad 2, I can confidently say that iOS 5 has not only added much-needed features and enhancements, but has pushed Apple’s mobile operating system even further out into the lead ahead of competitors. What’s incredible is that Apple’s first beta release of iOS 5 for developers already runs better than any production BlackBerry or Android OS phone, and in daily use, I haven’t had any major issues at all with the OS. Hit the break some more impressions following my thoughts after day one.

Using iMessages, Apple’s new messaging service, is so simple yet powerful — I’ve been able to talk to over 20 friends, all of whom have loaded up iOS 5, from both my iPhone and iPad seamlessly and effortlessly. Notifications are a major positive as well — I still can’t get over how much more productive I am without being interrupted every 25 seconds. The powerful ability to customize the lock screen however you like ensures that you get the right information you need, and fast.

Even iCloud has worked flawlessly, and it’s in beta, running on a non-final release of OS X Lion, connecting to first beta versions of iOS 5 — it’s ridiculous if you think about how wide the gap is between Apple and its competitors. Photo Stream is, for lack of a better word, magical. Having all of my photos and videos wirelessly, automatically, and effortlessly synced to all devices including computers is fantastic. I also love having my device backed up once a day to iCloud — I don’t have to remember to plug it in, wait for it to sync, and back it up. Additionally, it’s almost a surreal experience to download an app on your iPhone and see it instantly download to your iPad as well, or vice-versa. The same goes for music, iBooks, and more.

Finally, the new accessibility options Apple has included in iOS 5 are nothing short of incredible. You can enable the LED flash to blink during alerts, and you can even create your own custom vibration patterns for specific contacts by tapping out patterns on the display.

I’ll report back tomorrow with any other findings and feedback.

I’ve been using iOS 5 on my primary iPhone 4 since it was made available to developers yesterday around 5:00 p.m. This is the most solid iOS beta Apple has ever released, so far. What’s even more impressive is that Apple seems to have fixed every single gripe I’ve had with the platform. Little things that drove me insane that were available on other mobile operating systems — like setting a default calendar notification time so you can quickly go into the calendar app, jot down the meeting, location, and time, and bounce out — have now been added to iOS. Hit the break for my thoughts after spending some time with iOS 5.

Notifications, which were probably the biggest issue in people had with iOS, work amazingly well now. Yes, they took a page out of the Android book with the drop down notification “drawer”, though in typical Apple fashion, it looks and works better. I love that there’s a stock ticker and weather in there, and I love that I can customize what I want to appear in Notification Center. I can choose the type of alert, how many messages to show, in what order, sorted how I want, and whether to show it on the lock screen or not for privacy. That’s invaluable to an iOS user. The one thing I’d like to see, however, is the ability to push the notification off the screen like webOS. For instance, you’re in an app, you see a message at the top, and want to get rid of it. Instead of waiting for it to go away after a few seconds, ideally, I’d love to be able to swipe it off to the side and continue my task. Notifications from all apps work, by the way — they don’t have to be updated because Apple controls those APIs.

iMessage. While I haven’t spent much time in it, I have talked with a few friends, and it’s pretty ingenious how Apple just extended their SMS / MMS app into a full-fledged messaging service. When you start a new message and type in your buddy’s contact information, Apple will quickly check if they’re on iOS 5 and automatically switch from green (SMS) to blue (iMessage), and you’re off and running. Once you talk to someone on iMessage, future conversations started will show a blue chat icon next to their name as they will be iMessages — brilliant.

Other favorites so far are the ability to finally customize alert tones for email, calendar reminders, and more; email flagging; widgets in the Notification Center; wireless iCloud backups and of course, the ability to use the phone while it’s syncing. I’ll report back tomorrow with more.

The brood over at PreCentral have managed to acquire a leaked copy of HP’s webOS 3.0 beta 1 software development kit (SDK). Why is this a good thing? Because contained within said SDK rests a TouchPad, webOS 3.0 emulator, of course. While emulators only provide 50% of the TouchPad story — the other half being hardware — it is useful to get a high-level overview of what user interface will look like. If you want to whet your appetite for this summers TouchPad release, hit the jump. There’s an eighteen minute video overview awaiting your scrutiny. Be sure to click through the read link as well for a host of screen grabs.

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Android enthusiast blog Android Central has revealed that the rumored Samsung Replenish will soon launch from Sprint. Details on the Replenish are still slim, but the above screen shot mentions it is a “green” device powered by Android. The blog claims that the phone will be announced on April 15th and land in Sprint stores by May 5th. It’s possible that this device could replace, or is, the Samsung Rant 3, which we’ve heard is a 3G touchscreen messaging device with an eco-friendly solar rechargeable battery door. If the Replenish is indeed set to launch next Friday, we’re a bit surprised that it hasn’t yet been announced — carriers and manufacturers typically like to blow out that “eco-friendly” fluff as much as possible.

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As tech writers we get to play with a ton of phones, but nothing really takes us back to our high school days like playing with a Sidekick — and we just had a chance to sit down with the first one powered by Android. Built by Samsung, the Sidekick 4G features Android 2.2 (Froyo) and, despite our initial fears that it would be a lackluster device compared to the high-end beauties recently announced, we were pretty pleased with what the Sidekick 4G offers. It includes a horizontal-slider form factor, a throwback QWERTY keyboard with rounded keys, and more power under the hood than any Sidekick before it.  Hit the jump for our hands-on with the Sidekick 4G, and some initial impressions.

The Sidekick 4G is powered by a 1Ghz Cortex A8 Samsung Hummingbird processor, so unlike previous models that had a feature phone feel, the Sidekick 4G has enough kick to keep up with T-Mobile’s high-end smartphones. It felt well built and its display hinge felt very sturdy when we popped it open to reveal the keyboard. Moving around the custom user interface was fluid and fun, but we think tweens and teens will probably enjoy the colorful UI a bit more than we did. The Sidekick 4G has a 3-megapixel camera but sadly, it lacks a flash. For those up on video-chatting, however, there’s also a front-facing camera.

Overall, the Sidekick 4G felt light in the hand and well built, but it also reminds us a bit more of a feature phone than a smartphone. That’s OK, though, given that it has the power of a smartphone with the features users expect from a Sidekick: Easy and quick messaging with a great keyboard and a fun user interface.

Yobongo, if you haven’t heard, is a new iPhone app that meshes location-aware messaging with a chatroom-like environment, and it’s kind of amazing. By using a custom algorhytm and different variables including your location, people you have chatted with previously, or even people you know, Yobongo connects you with up to around 10 people in a single “room” and well, from there it’s one big conversation. I’ve been using Yobongo for around a week, and while the beta test didn’t use our location to work (there was most likely no one nearby since the service hasn’t launched yet), it’s a pretty incredible experience. For starters, the UI is beautiful, well thought out and extremely polished, and it’s minimalistic enough without being bare. Using the app is very straight forward — you just open it and you’re instantly placed into a room using the aforementioned data points. Messaging is very fast, almost real-time, and that’s something co-founder Caleb Eston aimed to achieve; Yobongo’s big vision is that it’s a communication system that leverages location in such a way that hasn’t been done before, we don’t believe. The iPhone app launches for free in early March in the App Store, though you can sign up now to be put on the wait list on Yobongo’s website. Hit the break for a video of the app in action.

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Piggybacking on an offering available to Sprint customers for some time, AT&T will launch an unlimited “Mobile to Any Mobile” calling plan beginning tomorrow. Details on the plan, for the time being, are scarce. What we do know is that users will be required to have the $20, unlimited text-messaging plan ($30 for family plans) to be eligible for the program. No word on whether there will be an added fee for the any mobile-to-mobile privilege, or if it will now be a part of the unlimited messaging plan. Seems like a pretty good deal if it’s included free of charge… thoughts?

UPDATE: Unlimited, any mobile to mobile calling is included free with the unlimited text messaging plan. The full press release just crossed the wire and is waiting for you after the break.

AT&T Introduces Unlimited Calling to Any Mobile Number

New Feature Offers AT&T Wireless Customers Unlimited Calling to Any Mobile Number

Go ahead and dial up those digits–no matter which wireless network you’re calling. AT&T* today announced customers can enjoy unlimited mobile calling to any mobile number in America. Unlimited Mobile to Any Mobile is available to AT&T customers with an unlimited messaging plan and a qualifying voice plan**.

Beginning Thursday, Mobile to Any Mobile will be available to new and existing AT&T customers with a qualifying voice plan who subscribe to unlimited messaging plans. Existing customers with an unlimited messaging plan can activate Mobile to Any Mobile by visiting www.att.com/anymobile. The URL will be available beginning Thursday.

“Mobile to Any Mobile is an exciting offer that will keep our customers connected to the people they want to talk to, when they want to talk to them, without the hassle of watching minutes,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re giving customers more options and even better value. And when you include Rollover Minutes, a benefit available exclusively from AT&T that lets customers keep their unused minutes for all domestic calls, including to landline numbers, it’s clear that AT&T offers the most flexibility in the industry.”

Unlimited messaging is available for $20 per month on an individual plan and $30 per month for a FamilyTalk Plan, which allows for up to five lines.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit http://www.att.com/.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**Mobile to Any Mobile Calling – Available only with select Nation and FamilyTalk plans. Direct calls to & direct calls received from US mobile numbers only. Rollover Minutes: Unused Anytime Mins expire after the 12th billing period. Night & Weekend & Mobile to Mobile mins do not roll over.

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