The Gizmo Project 2.0 is a Skype-like instant messenger that can act as a fully-featured Internet telephone by enabling you to perform PC to PC calls.

As for Skype it allows pre-paid calling out to traditional phone numbers, and integrates also call forwarding, recording and conference calls.

Gizmo Project 2.0, like Skype, also allows you to get a standard phone number (for now in the UK or US) that you can give out to your contacts. And when that number is called you can actually receive and answer back via your computer.

Available now for Windows, Mac and Linux, Gizmo Project is completely free to download and use.

Here's how it works:

Gizmo Project's features. Click on the above image to enlarge it

Gizmo Project 2.0 is an IM that uses your internet connection (broadband or dial-up) to make calls to other computers.

With inexpensive add-ons like Call In and Call Out, you can talk to any telephone - mobile or landline - on the planet. Let's check out all the features of this communication tool:

Gizmo to Gizmo calls:

Any call to a Gizmo Project user is free. No matter when, no matter where, no matter how long. There is no monthly service charge.

The only calls you have to pay for are calls to offline phones, i.e. mobile phones and landlines. But with Gizmo Call Out credits these calls are very convenient.

And if you'd like to receive calls from offline phones, you can attach a standard telephone number (i.e. 1-415-555-1212) to your Gizmo Project account: this feature is called Gizmo Call In.

Calling landlines and mobile phones: Gizmo Call Out

With Call Out, you can call any landline or mobile phone at 1.0 cent per minute. Enter any number into Gizmo Project and dial away. You only pay for the call you make. There are no monthly fees, no connection fees, and all billing is per minute.

Receiving calls from mobile phones and landlines: Gizmo Call In

If you want to receive calls from mobile phones and landlines, with Gizmo Call you can have a phone number in over 50 cities in the US and UK for USD 3 per month. Your Call In number goes with you wherever you may roam. So the people who call you are charged as if they are calling you at home.

Area775 - Free U.S. based telephone number

An Area775 number allows you to receive calls from regular landlines and mobiles, but it also has the following extra features:

• Free U.S. based telephone number assigned to your computer and any phone


• Dual Ring - Incoming calls simultaneously ring computer and regular phone


• Call Screening - Listen to callers leave messages in real time (press 1 to take the call)


• Transfer Calls - You can transfer any call to any phone by pressing 2


• Voicemail (email and phone)


• SMS notification

For a small monthly fee you can:

• Choose from a list of 775 numbers as well as other area codes


• Answer calls to your regular phone (cell or landline) free


• Get a fax number


• Toll Free access for voicemail

Please note that to answer a call on your secondary phone with the free account will incur a fee of $2.00 per call answered. To receive unlimited call answering you should sign up for Gizmo's basic or premium services.

Gizmo Project's client for Windows

Additional features

Gizmo provides a great list of add-ons that you can install anytime for free. Here are the coolest ones:

1. Customize Voicemail Messages

   Record your own outgoing voicemail messages. (So when people call you, and you don't answer, they will hear your voice, instead of a generic message)

2. Asterisk PBX Support
   Starting with Gizmo Project 2.0 for Mac and Windows you can now log into your office PBX (like the popular Asterisk PBX software) and the Gizmo Project network at the same time. This lets you be universally reachable and seamlessly receive calls from your office while anywhere in the world.
3. Connect with Google Talk

   Gizmo Project users can now IM Google Talk users using Gizmo Project. And soon you will be able to call other Google Talk users too.

4. SIP Number

   Your Gizmo Project account has two important identifiers. The first is your Gizmo name. The second is the SIP number, which is automatically assigned to your account. With this number, VoIP networks can reach your Gizmo account free.

5. Conference Calling

   Make free conference calls with landlines and mobile phones.

6. Calling Other VoIP Networks

   Gizmo Project can call over many VoIP networks around the world for free. It is to say that, as each network uses different numbering plans, it is not always as simple as dialing a normal telephone number. Check out the list of VoIP networks and other peered networks with instructions on how to dial their members.

7. Call Recording

   After a call has connected, you can press the rec button, and Gizmo will begin recording the call. The file is a .wav file and should be playable from any media player like Quicktime or Windows Media Player.

Check out the complete list of Gizmo's additional features.

Requirements

Gizmo is a cross-platform IM and comes in three different versions, each for the most popular operative systems: Windows 2000 or XP, Mac OS 10.3.9 +, and Linux.

Price

Gizmo Project is completely free. You only have to pay if you want to call from your PC to a landline or mobile phone, at the fares above specified. If you create an account with Gizmo Project you will automatically receive 25 cents in Call Out credits. Accounts can be created through Gizmo's client once you install it on your computer.

Support

Read Gizmo's help page for the most popular knowledgebase questions.

Pay a visit to Gizmo's forum for bug reports and requests.

Try out

Gizmo Project 2.0comes with three versione, each for the most popular operative systems: download the Windows, Mac and Linux versions.