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Our Holiday Gift to YOU!

talkster — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:00:31 +0000

It’s that time of year again… the holiday season! Talkster loves to give the gift of gab to all our loyal customers, especially since we can save you money and help you to stay connected to friends and family all around the world.

In honor of the season we announced a new limited time promotional offer today. In partnership with Rebtel we are awarding callers $5 in free credits to place ultra low-cost long distance and international calls all around the world.

This is a limited offer for the first 10,000 people who sign up, so hurry over to www.Talkster.com to get in on the fun. Callers should use the promo code “TALKSTER” to get their $5 in free calling credit.

$5 goes a long way with these rock bottom calling rates! With $5 in free calling credits, you can talk for more than 2 hours to India, more than 4 hours to China and 5 hours to Mexico (time based on calling rates from the United States).

In addition, because we’ve partnered with Rebtel on this promotion, callers get access to 50 countries with the lowest calling rates in the industry, including new calling areas like Brazil, Japan, South Africa, and Pakistan.

We understand the holidays are the time of year when connecting with friends and family, especially those far away from home, is important to you all. We hope this special holiday offer gives you even more to celebrate.

Happiest Holidays from the whole team at Talkster!

USA Today Heralds Talkster as Free Service Worth Using

talkster — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:47:14 +0000

USA Today featured Talkster this week as a way consumers can save money using technology.

In the article, “Here are 7 great freebies you’ll actually use,” USA Today CyberSpeak columnist Kim Komando recommends Talkster as a “legitimate freebie you may want to use again and again.”

Other free services that Kim profiles in her article include Qipit, a mobile service that lets you take pictures with your camera phone which are then converted to PDFs that you can fax or email while on the go, and JiWire, a service for locating free Wi-Fi Hotspots.

It’s great to see technology being leveraged to make consumers lives easier without costing them an arm and a leg. To connect to all of the companies behind the money saving freebies listed in the USA Today article just click here: http://www.komando.com/columns/index.aspx?id=2229

Kim Komando thinks Talkster’s free calls are pretty cool

talkster — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:53:42 +0000

Cool enough to get us named as her Cool Site of the Day

FreeRinger, a free calling service built on the Talkster platform, was honored this week by none other than “America’s Digital Goddess,” Kim Komando herself!

Kim named FreeRinger her Cool Site of the Day. Thanks Kim, for the plug, and for sending all your readers and listeners our way to save money on their long distance and international calls.

Beyond what Kim detailed in her short review, Talkster has two other services that people looking to save a buck on international calls should know about. While FreeRinger is designed for people to place calls through their Web browser, these other Talkster built services can be used from any kind of phone.

Talkster’s Free World Dialing: The FreeRinger service is based on Talkster’s FreeWorldDialing service, which essentially turns your long distance and international phone calls into local calls. The neat thing about Free World Dialing is that you can use it from any type of phone to call any other phone (Landline, Mobile, VoIP phone, etc.). Click here to get started using Talkster’s Free World Dialing today: www.Talkster.com.

talki: The talki mobile app (currently available in Europe and Canada) delivers super cheap text and picture messaging and international calling anywhere in the world. With a built in credit and payment system, talki is not limited to the countries supported by Talkster’s Free World Dialing, giving you a highly affordable way to call or message with friends and family anywhere in the world. Visit www.talki.me to start using talki today.

Talkster launches talki and a new approach to mobile communications

James Wanless — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:10:21 +0000

By James Wanless
President & COO of Talkster

Today we are proud to announce that here at Talkster we have taken the next step in our quest to offer the best in ad-supported communications. Introducing talki, our new mobile application! Since the launch of Free World Dialing we have had hundreds of thousands of requests for new services, and many of have asked the same question: “When will you be able to help me cut the cost of international SMS?” Well, we listened and took that request one step farther and also included picture messaging. Sometimes you just want to say it with a picture when words can’t quite capture the essence of the moment!

Text messaging continues to grow in use, rather than be replaced by other methods of communication. We are aware that out in the market, there are various IM aggregation plays where you can get your desktop IM buddies onto your mobile phone. However, what we believe is needed — and what Talkster begins delivering today — is an evolution of SMS, the most successful mass market mobile communications tool ever.

People started to use SMS long ago not because it was convenient but because it was a lot cheaper than calling. Over time it has become accepted as the way people communicate and become part of the way people want to communicate. It hasn’t changed much with the exception of being able to string multiple messages together to make a single long message, but that’s really not revolutionary, at least not from a network perspective. MMS came along and I have it from reliable sources in the content provider arena that it’s use isn’t growing but in fact declining. Why? Because it doesn’t work? No. Sure, there are some interoperability problems, especially internationally, but the main reason is because it’s too expensive! IM too has become more prevalent on mobile devices but interoperability is an issue there too, as well as a reliance on the need to interconnect with the MSNs and Yahoo!s of the world. Also, it doesn’t interact with your SMS so it’s just another parallel communication channel.

So, what is talki? Talki is a service that you can use through a small piece of software that you install on your phone (currently for phones that run java — the largest segment of the global market — and Blackberry; Windows Mobile to come). Talki uses your phone number (not some IM alias) to identify you and can be used for many things:

Send text messages, of any length, from your phone to your friend’s phone if they are using talki. There are some valuable, practical features in there backed up by a world class messaging server. Unlike SMS which can get clogged up in the carrier networks for hours or in extreme cases days, talki offers guaranteed delivery with an easy visual view of whether your message is waiting to be delivered or has landed on your friends handset.
Send picture messages. On most phones you can take a picture in real time or attach a picture that you took previously. The protocol that we developed is highly efficient and can transport image files rapidly from point to point.
Make Free World Dialing calls. This part of the service continues to grow at a rapid pace. Using talki to make the calls is much more covenient. If you get a call from your friend, the application rings on your handset and connects you to your local Talkster number to complete the call. This is for friend to friend or friend to group calls.
Send SMS text messages. We realized that not all your friends will get talki straight away. If you want to send messages to any phone as a standard SMS, you can do that from within talki.
Wiki searches, literally putting Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopedia with 10 million entries, in your pocket! This is only the beginning. We can include the query or search of any open source of information. This can be pulled or pushed, in real time, based on a set of criteria.
Address book integration. talki integrates with your local address book so that you can conveniently add contacts to the application and invite friends who you would like to use the application.
Message backup. If you have ever lost your phone or it has just died, that list of text messages you had is probably lost. Not with talki. If you re-install the application on the same or a new phone, all your messages will be restored, along with your contacts as if you had never moved!

Depending on handset, the application runs in the background and is always on to accept messages and calls. It uses a very small amount of data and with the continuing decline of data costs, is very cost effective to use.

Well, that’s all great you might say, but what about the ad supported business model? This is where we have some very interesting annoucements coming along but I can share with you some details already. The talki messaging platfrom is built from the ground up to include the option for advertising. Not just banner ads on the top of the screen as you see on many mobile sites, but ads which are carried as part of the messaging protocol. Ads are generated with each message send (no, we are not reading your messages!) and can be placed in the messaging window in a very non intrusive but effective manner. For both the consumer and the advertiser, we have included several “call to action” links. Ads can contain images, in addition to web, SMS and click to call links. All of the ads are generated and tracked through the talki advertiser portal. The open standards used in the API enable us to connect to ad content aggregators to deliver content in addition to that generated on our own advertiser interface.

We also have created this as a white label opportunity. With very little effort the talki mobile client can be modified for look and language for service delivery in support of brands, service providers and aggregators. The whole platform and client components are a fast and easy way for service providers such as MVNOs to quickly enhance their offerings without having to rely on the underlying network provider’s infrastructure. From now on, service enhancements can be entirely sofware enabled! The talki service links into MVNOs existing messaging and works as an ehancement for which they can charge and offer high marging services and has the option to include ad support. We have seen some great mobile players such as Virgin step into the ad-supported arena and most recently seen mainstream operators such as T-Mobile break from the pack and offer ad-supported games. Let’s be clear here though, “ad-supported service” doesn’t mean “paid for entirely by advertising.” In some cases it can, but it will be used wisely as a means to maintain margin and stay price competitive while offering better end user services. It’s a win-win-win, or as they say here in Canada, a hat trick!

Check it out at www.talki.me and give it a try (except those of you still living in mobile internet walled gardens! We will get over the wall to help you soon, we promise).

Talkster featured in this month’s Oprah Magazine

talkster — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:08:48 +0000

Talkster is featured in the March issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.
The article is titled: 14 Solid-Gold Ways to Save…Without Giving Up Your Latte

Talkster.com lets you chat for free with people around the world for as long as you please. Enter your home or cell number and a friend’s number at the website. Talkster issues a set of local numbers you can call to connect.

read more | digg story

Talkster featured in trendwatching.com – March 2008 Briefing – FREE LOVE

talkster — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:06:34 +0000

Read about Talkster on trendwatching.com:

This month, we’ll be looking at FREE LOVE, which is all about the ongoing rise of ‘free stuff’, and the brands already making the most it. Not to mention the millions of consumers who are happily getting into a free-for-all mindset. Absorb and apply!

read more | digg story

Staying in touch with loved ones on Valentine’s Day

Maria Puccio — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:09:59 +0000

By Maria Puccio
Marketing Manager at Talkster

It’s Valentine’s Day, a time when everyone’s thoughts turn to love, relationships, flowers and in my case – chocolate!

But here at Talkster, since communications are what we do, and most of our time is spent assuring that people can communicate easily and seamlessly, Valentine’s Day makes us reflect on our users (I like to call them “talksters”) and how they keep up with loved ones who are far away.

We’ve had lots of people write us to say that Talkster has helped them stay in touch with a long-distance loved one – be it a boyfriend, girlfriend, parent or sibling – by giving them the opportunity to call more often and feel closer to that person. We are always pleased to get those comments and notes because it shows us that people are using Talkster and liking it.

Patrick wrote to tell us that after having lived in Berlin for a over a year, he made lots of friends there, and now uses Talkster all the time to stay in touch now that he’s back in Australia.

But one of my favorite notes is from Catherine, who writes:

“I found this on Facebook, and honestly thought this was too good to be true… that there had to be some catch.

I looked into it as much as possible, read up on some reviews, and realized this might just be legit.

So someone extremely special to me lives in London, while I’m in the US. I haven’t heard his voice in over 3 months, and can’t see him for another 5. I prayed that this would work, because it would truly be a dream.

So I dialed, got the number to call….the phone is ringing…and he answers. My heart skipped a beat. We were able to talk for multiple hours.

I love this service, and thank you so much. You offer a truly amazing service that has given me the best Christmas present I could ever ask for. I got to hear the voice of the one I love again, thanks to Talkster.”

Since so many talksters are in long distance relationships, I was curious to know more about long distance relationships and communication. I did a bit of research to see what the experts say.

According to relationship expert Dr. Laura Berman, in her article, “Long-distance love: How to make it fly”, communication is essential.

Dr. Berman outlines how one of the problems long distance relationships face is not knowing where the person on the other end is, not being able to reach them and then worrying about what they’re up to. Dr. Berman’s solution to this is to always agree on a time when you are going to call each other.

“When your partner is miles away, it is easy to jump to conclusions when he doesn’t answer his phone….Even after you find out the truth (he was taking a nap and didn’t hear his phone), the stress and anxiety you created during those incommunicado hours have already taken their toll,” Berman says. “To avoid this problem in the future, agree on a time when you and your partner will call each other, no matter what comes up. Pick a time that is convenient for both of you, whether it is first thing in the morning or on your respective lunch breaks. Keep your phone date at all times, and if you must break it, be sure your partner knows ahead of time.”

Another problem Dr. Berman addresses that can arise in long distance relationships is loneliness. Dr. Berman’s solution is to “stay connected”. One way to do this is to find “a free online telephone service that lets you call land lines and cell phones all over the world”, Berman says.

And if you’re not in a relationship, Valentine’s Day is a great time to get in touch with friends or family and remind them that they’re important to you too. May from Toronto is planning a big Talkster conference call, where she can speak to family members in Vancouver, Hong Kong and mainland China all at once. Now that’s pretty sweet!

Wherever you are, and whomever you’re calling, Talkster wishes you a Happy Valentine’s Day! Stay in touch!

Happy Chinese New Year!

James Wanless — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:11:35 +0000

Celebrate the Year of the Rat with Free Calls from Talkster

By James Wanless
COO of Talkster

2008: The Year of the Rat

A Rat year is traditionally known as a time of hard work, activity and renewal. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2008 will be a great year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start.

This seems fitting as Talkster has just announced the launch of free world dialing to or from anywhere in Mainland China! Now families can stay connected for the New Year for free by using the Talkster service, which is now available in Mandarin at www.talkster.cn.

With one-fifth of the world’s population residing in China, the addition of this country seemed a perfect fit for Talkster’s mission: to make telephony free—period. There is no catch here.

While other companies are offering special reduced rates as part of a limited time promotion, they won’t be offering free calls to China after the New Year’s Lantern Festival like Talkster will be. And, of course, there are talk time limits and hidden charges with those other services.

Talkster wants to make international, long distance and group phone calls free for all residents of China, as well as their friends and family in other countries around the world, year-round, with no restrictions on how long you can talk.

If you can’t make your New Year’s reunion dinner this Thursday, why not try free conference calling from Talkster to connect the entire family for the cost of a local call?

Don’t want to miss Shou Sui? Talk with your family members for free the night after your New Year celebration to reminisce about the events of the passing year and welcome the year that has arrived, without having to worry about expensive long distance calling or your calling card minutes running out.

Make sure your 吉祥話 (Jíxiánghùa) are heard loud, clear and inexpensively! Use Talkster to visit with family and friends spread across the globe for years to come.

May your New Year be prosperous and full of luck,

James Wanless

In China, the Rat is considered a courageous and enterprising animal example. People born in a Rat year are said to be realistic, perceptive, charming, ambitious, logical and creative. To learn more about the Chinese animal zodiac and find out what animal your birth year corresponds to, visit http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/Rat.html.

Cheap calls – doing the math

James Wanless — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:05:38 +0000

By James Wanless
COO of Talkster

An interesting post this week from our friend Luca Filigheddu comparing Talkster to a number of other (VoIP) services prompted me to put on my blogging hat. The services Luca compared were categorized as VoIP services but to a user of these services it’s not VoIP that makes it as interesting, rather it’s the cheap price.

Luca wrote a very good subjective piece that leads into a broader discussion about the cost of a call and the attempts to make it ever cheaper.

I have often heard it said that quality counts and at a certain point, trying to shave off a cent here and there on the cost of the call substantially reduces the quality. If you can’t shave the cost then how does a business create margin? If they give away calls between their users (calls that costs one of these businesses money) how do they in the long term make any money? We can all wait for the Skype/eBay acquisition fairy to come and visit us one night, but let’s face it, that’s not likely to happen.

In our experience (even long before starting Talkster) there’s nothing like free to acquire customers. Don’t get me wrong; you still have to give an acceptable level of quality, but free definitely “sells.” But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if something is free if its quality is sketchy.

Also, adding value (e.g. convenience, new features) to the call allows a voice service to differentiate its “free” service over the next company’s “more free” offer. Talkster has some things up our sleeve in this regard as well, but I am going to save that for another day.

I’ve written it many times here and discussed at length in interviews and at industry speaking opportunities – - Someone has to pay for free calls. Talkster believes that when we balance the issues of credit control (especially outside North America) with the minimal margins that cheap calls generate, our ad-supported model is the way forward for consumers. Advertisers pay for calls on the Talkster service. Because they pay for the call, we can ensure we are delivering the quality people expect when they place calls.

JaJah made an announcement about an ad-supported beta offering well after we launched our service at the CTIA show, and it certainly seems to be a bandwagon that a number of other companies are jumping on.

Advertising seems like an easy play but recognize that beyond the technical issues there are some fundamentals that need consideration. For example, advertising becomes annoying if it’s not relevant. Do I really want to listen to a commercial for discount car insurance for seniors if I am a 20 year old university student with nothing but a public transit pass? The answer is no.

If it’s targeted and relevant an ad becomes an offer. When an ad is regarded as an offer by the consumer on the receiving end, they no longer view it as obnoxious and are more likely to engage with it.

Equally, the advertisers need to reach the right audience in order to increase brand awareness, inquiries and ultimately sales of their products or services. Beyond targeting, to maximize the effectiveness of a campaign there can be “calls to action” within the advertising channel that allow callers to interact with an ad and bring immediacy to an offer.

At Talkster, our team has individuals with more than 30 years (yes, some of us – not me — are that old) of direct marketing experience and know how to make this work. Being able to effectively communicate the offer and deliver the mechanism to close the sale is at the core of what we have developed for advertisers.

For now we are satisfied to be recognized in the same pool as a number of VoIP players. But in the near future, we will be viewed in another light as we build on our Ad Supported Communications Platform and extend our reputation as more than just another cheap or free phone call.

Bringing families together for the Holidays

James Wanless — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:44:12 +0000

It’s that time of year again where if you (like me and many others I know) have family spread around the globe you figure out how you can possibly get everyone together in one place at one time or else you spend the whole holiday season driving and flying from place to place to see them all. For the record, when I have grandchildren, I expect everyone to travel to me!

Joking aside, it’s tough to get one’s entire family in one place to catch-up on all that happens while we are apart. It doesn’t matter which time of the year it is, the family news gets passed from one person to another in a series of one-on-one conversations as the phone is passed around from person to person. This year will be different though. The Talkster family is very proud to play a part in connecting families this holiday season with our “Talkster Free World Dialing” service we launched this past October. With Talkster’s Free World Dialing friends and families can set up group calls with up to five other people from around the world.

It’s really easy to use and best of all the calls are free! All you do is go to the Talkster site from your PC or mobile phone, enter the names and numbers of the people that you want in the group call and each of them is assigned a local number to call to join the conversation.

When we built Talkster’s Free World Dialing we knew it had to be easy to use, even for people who don’t have a computer. This means when it’s time to make our family group conference call, I don’t have to rely on my old Uncle to remember what time the family call is going to start. All I do is dial the local number, record a short message telling my family to all to get on the line so we can chat and Talkster does the rest. Each of my family members gets a call from Talkster where they hear my short recorded message. They hang up the phone and dial in to their local Talkster number. Once they have connected, we are joined together. We all listen to a 10-second targeted audio ad that fully subsidizes the cost of our call, and then we can talk as long as we want.

It doesn’t matter if all of my family members don’t all call into our group call at exactly the same moment. They can join at any time the call is in progress. We can talk for as long as we like and people can come and go as they please.

This year there’s less traveling needed yet my family and yours can still share their news and good wishes together. I know nothing is as nice as being there, sitting around the table together with loved ones; but Talkster is a good alternative to keep families connected when you can’t all be in the same place at the same time.

Happy Holidays to you and yours from all of us in the Talkster family.