Phone Application: Viber

I am always looking for ways to cheaply and easily keep in touch with family and friends both within Australia and overseas. Last year friends from the United Kingdom told me about Viber. Since installing it has become one of my favourite smartphone applications.

The application is free and is available for iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch and Android phones. Once you install the application on your phone it scans your address book and identifies contacts who also have Viber installed. Not only do you have free voice calls internationally and nationally but you can also send free text messages and photos. Viber is free to use but it will contribute to your data usage and if using 3G you will need to consider any roaming charges.

Advantages of Viber over Skype:

I am a keen user of Skype on my PC and laptop but for use on my Android phone I have found Viber superior although it does not offer video calls.

• To receive texts and calls you don't need to remember to open the application or to have it running in the background.     
• On my HTC Desire phone I have found it much better than Skype for voice calls. I have not been able to successfully receive or place voice calls using Skype on my phone, yet alone video calls. It keeps cutting out. I suspect that this may be a limitation of my handset.
• The other advantage is that you don't need a separate identifier and permission to contact friends. It identifies those with Viber loaded by their mobile number in your address book.

Viber is available free to download from iTunes and Google Play (previously known as Android Market).  Viber Support advises that they are currently developing Viber for Blackberry, Nokia and Windows Phone 7.