Posts from — March 2010

If you’re like me, you may think that getting internet on your cell phone is the greatest thing since sliced bread – or at the very least, the greatest thing since the invention of Slurpees. But I may have just stumbled upon something that makes mobile internet even better; after testing out dozens of cell phone apps and useless services (not to mention malfunctioning software), I came across fring, a cell phone VOIP service that has can dramatically change the way you use your cell phone.

Fring is a cell phone application that allows you to communicate on all of your social networks directly from your cell phone. There are many applications that let you access twitter, facebook and the like. But what I love about fring is that it allows you to use Skype, Google Talk, Gchat, MSN Messenger, ICQ and AIM (among other services). What this means is that you can speak with people without using your cell phone minutes. Instead of making a direct-dial phone call, you can login to this cell phone VOIP service and use Skype to carry on a conversation, FOR FREE. You can also chat with people without having to sling text messages back and forth (which can detract from your monthly allotment).

Fring may not be as helpful to you if you make a lot of calls to people who aren’t using one of your social networking tools. But since I am a professional Skyper and a social Gchatter, I can stay in touch with people constantly without having to use up my precious minutes. Right now, I still connect to most of my contacts as they sit at their desks…but I suspect that as more and more people download fring’s free cell phone application, we’ll be able to stay in contact from anywhere, which will further reduce the amount of minutes I need to use…which will hopefully mean that I can downgrade my cell phone plan and save some money. I can even use video chat from fring!

Fring works on thousands of devices across multiple platforms including iPhone/iPod touch, Google Android, Windows Mobile, J2ME & Linux devices and operates on any 3G, GPRS, EDGE and Wifi mobile internet connections. It is easy to use and has a comprehensive support platform in case you encounter any problems (which I haven’t yet). Fring may be a relatively new company, but they are clearly pros at discovering he needs of the modern-day consumer.

Running a business isn’t easy. You have to work hard, be efficient and do many things yourself, to cut on costs – especially if you are a freelance or running a small business.

There are many internet sites that can help you run your business more smoothly. Here are some of the best financial management tools online.

#1

FreshBooks is a very popular site for online invoicing. Using this site, you can send and manage all of your invoices online, track expenses, re-bill clients and even manage your accounting issues through the site. The site is free to try, and it’s very successful among freelancers and small business managers.

#2

BillMyClients.com is a very good invoicing and billing service. Whether you’d like to do it yourself or have them do it for you, it’s an optimal billing solution.

The site’s most popular plan allows you to quickly and easily create and send an unlimited number of detailed invoices to your clients via e-mail for $11.99 per month. For an additional fee, they’ll send a hard copy to your client via the US Postal Service as well.

#3

Zoho Invoice is a very useful, low cost invoicing system. With this site, you can create, send and track invoices, deal with foreign currencies in quotes and invoices, use their invoice templates, and run reports on your activity.

A basic account, with 5 invoices per month, is absolutely free. The basic plan, which allows for 25 invoices per month, costs $8.

#4

Bill4Time is a time tracking software, designed to handle time and expense tracking and billing, project management, document filing and scheduling for firms who bill for their time.

The Bill4Time software helps you get more organized, be more productive, and bill more time. It has features like remote access, backups, security, and automated e-mail alerts.

#5

XE Currency Converter

This is a rather basic financial tool, but can really come in handy if you are working with foreign currency.

Exchange rates fluctuate a lot, so it’s a good idea to have a resource like this handy for a quick calculation before sending out a quote or bill a client. XE is free to use, which is also a great advantage.