VoipStunt - a great alternative to Skype

I am quite satisfied with Skype and use Skypeout to makes calls internationally all the time.

One day, I suddenly found that my wife had installed a new software called VoipStunt. She told me that it was a better alternative to Skype. Better in the sense that it was free to make calls to land lines in Malaysia and several other countries. Check out the rates here.

Like Skype, you can also chat with friends who have the software installed.

It also has a feature called "Phone-to-Phone" which enables you to make VoipStunt calls with your regular phone. We only pay 50p to make calls to Malaysia.

Try it out and tell me what you think.

Security hole in Yahoo Messenger fixed

The latest version of Yahoo! Messenger (Version 8.1.0.401 ) fixes a vulnerability with the Webcam ActiveX control, commonly referred to as a buffer overflow. It was released on 8 of this month.

Yahoo! messenger has been one of my favourite instant messaging program as most of my friends are on it. I like the new improved features which includes voice capabilities and the fact that it is now integrated with MSN, so that I can also invite my friends who have only a Hotmail account.

Just to warn you, one thing I didn't like about the Yahoo! Messenger was that it adds some stuff without telling us. When you install the program, choose the custom install and choose the stuff you want to remove (or add). In my case, I deselected all.

Spanking new ICQ

When I was younger, much younger than today, (Hey that sounds like the lyrics of a Beatles song but not sure which) I used to spend hours on ICQ chatting with people I never met from all over the World. At that time it was THE instant messaging service.

Anyway, I was going through Download.com - my favourite download site and noticed that ICQ is the 3rd most popular software downloaded on the site. the latest version ICQ 6

The new ICQ 6 has a totally new look and loads of features. It has an extra-quick IM - you can send messages to contacts without even opening a message window. It also allows easy access to unread messages by using a simple navigation systembetween incoming messages. The history miner allows you to easily search old messages, files and calls. ICQ also makes it quicker and easier to send files. And it looks like they are already have plans to bring in more features including games and video hosting.

The question is whether they can ever take on Skype.

Gmail chat

Most universities in Malaysia don't allow online chatting in their computer labs and in the Library. The most popular instant messenger services - Yahoo, MSN and Skype, have been blocked.

However, students (like always) have found out a way to beat the system - Gmail or Google Mail.

Computer administers have overlooked the fact that Gmail users are automatically part of the Google Talk network and can chat from directly within Gmail without using a separate program.

I hope University network administrator are reading this. Oops!