BuddyTalk

Even though this program lacks many of the features we like to see in a Net phone, its attractive, easy-to-use interface somewhat compensates for its omissions. Creating a BuddyTalk account is a more convoluted process than we’d like. You must first surrender your e-mail address to obtain a device ID, fill out a form on the developer’s site, then wait for another e-mail to get your user ID and password. BuddyTalk’s slick interface looks just like a real-world cell phone and displays prominent tabs for switching between PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone modes. You can easily adjust the volume of the incoming calls, but you can’t configure your microphone from directly within the program. The application logs all call records and lets you easily add a contact to your address book with only a few clicks. Unfortunately, BuddyTalk doesn’t have most of the basic features found in some competitors, omitting voice mail, an IM client, and conference calls. In our tests, call quality was medicore; we could hear everything just fine, but incoming callers weren’t exactly crystal clear. On the plus side, calling other BuddyTalk members is free, and the rates for dialing telephones within the United States are a reasonable four cents per minute. All told, this program best suits those who are new to Internet telephony and don’t demand a large feature set.