Software : Gmail free calls in North America to run though 2012

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Gmail free calls in North America to run though 2012 Posted: Gmail users in the United States and Canada can continue to make use of free voice calls throughout the whole of next year. Google has been offering free domestic VoIP calls to users of its email client since April 2010 and has now extended the offer for another 12 months. In a brief post on the official Google blog, group project manager Vincent Paquet said the company hoped the offer would continue to keep familiar and friends in touch during the festive season. Festive treat He said: "As the holiday season approaches, we're happy to announce that we've extended free domestic calls within the US and Canada for 2012." "This is our way of helping you connect with friends and family across the country. And you can still call the rest of the world from Gmail at our insanely low rates. While Google's offer is a generous one, it is surely aimed at keeping at bay the likes of Skype, which has been offering free VoIP and video calls through Facebook. The VoIP client is now also a Microsoft property, which means its likely to be integrated into Windows LIVE services, another Gmail rival.

Kinectimals and SkyDrive land on App Store Posted: Microsoft has launched a version of the Kinectimals Xbox game and the SkyDrive online storage solution on the Apple App Store. The arrival of the £1.99 Tamagotchi-like title, which launched alongside the Kinect platform in 2010, continues Microsoft's recent spate of launches on its rival's application portal. Last week the company surprised the tech world by launching the My Xbox Live companion app, while productivity apps OneNote and Lync arrived yesterday. Tuesday saw Microsoft add Kinectimals, the premise of which is to take care of your own cub, and the free SkyDrive app which allows you to share and access your documents, videos and photos on the go. Windows Phone dilemma The rapid roll-out of Microsoft's properties is somewhat surprising with the company desperately attempting to push the merits of its own Windows Phone platform. However, it's difficult to ignore the reach of Apple's all-conquering application platform and turn a blind eye to the available riches. The Microsoft Office suite of apps could be next in line, according to recent reports.

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