Toktumi, Inc.

Last week at CES 2012, I met up with Line2 CEO Peter Sisson; he is a man who's done a lot of butting heads with big companies over what started off as a pretty simple proposition. Line2's basic concept was to create a second line (for business or personal calls) on your iPhone. Sisson's original idea was just to have "two lines on one phone," but making that possible for users has turned out to be quite a headache over the years. The issue, he says, isn't the technology at all. Line2 already has an iOS app out there that provides some pretty impressive services on both the iPhone and the iPad. We've looked at the service before, but it's only gotten better since it went live 18 months ago, now providing the ability to simply place a call (using an interface that's almost identical to the iPhone's regular phone app) over either VOIP or directly through Line2's telephone servers -- in other words, you tell Line2 who to call, and then they call your iPhone while simultaneously ringing the number. They can also answer and screen incoming calls, and all of your interactions are displayed in full conversation style. Especially on the iPad, the contacts and conversation menus look really impressive, and provide an excellent overall view of who you've talked to, about what, and when. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, that service has made plenty of trouble for Sisson to deal with. Besides the obvious issues with trying to run a phone line company through other people's phone lines, he's lately been dealing with Apple and its seemingly ever-changing subscription rules. Line2 currently operates under a subscription system: Because it obviously needs extra infrastructure to operate, users pay a per-month fee for the ability to make and use calls and communications. But though Apple recently enabled subscription charges through iTunes, it also requires a 30% cut of those charges, and for Sisson, that's not always doable. "We don't really have the margin" of profit to give Apple 30% and make money, says Sisson. "We tried initially to do it without them." At first, Sisson tried to operate Line2 without selling subscriptions through iTunes, but Apple's requirements meant that the app itself couldn't mention the subscriptions at all, so all it could show was a login page without any explanation. Users who downloaded it directly from the App Store without any Read More

Line2 HD may not be the first app to turn your iPad into a phone, but it is an easy-to-use addition that puts phone calls, texts, voicemail and e-mail on a single screen—and offers a stack of other features as well. Like Line2’s iPhone app the HD version lets you make or receive calls over a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. You get a new phone number (like Google Voice), which can also receive texts and has voicemail. A nice feature of the voicemail is that it can send an audio file to your email so you can listen over your computer, in case if you don’t have your iPad with you. You can also forward calls to another phone, such as your land line. Line2’s app also connects to your iPad contact list and features call waiting, caller ID, and conference calling for up to 20 people. Calls can be made using the iPad’s built-in microphone, so you can use it as a speakerphone for conference-room calls, or you can use a wired mic. If you have an iPad 2, you can also connect with a Bluetooth headset. Test calls over Wi-Fi sounded as good as a typical mobile phone call. The app is free, but that is just a come-on. To use the app you need to purchase an account, which is $10 a month or $100 a year, paid up front. That’s not necessarily a bad deal. Because you can make calls over Wi-Fi, you can make unlimited calls from overseas without paying international calling fees. If you use something like Skype when traveling, you’ll have to check if you spend more than $100 a year on it, in which case Line2 would be a comparative bargain. A premium service at $15 a month or $150 a year add features like call screening and caller-specific forwarding, among others. Read More

Line2, the popular mobile VoIP app for iOS and Android devices, has a compelling offer for Verizon users, allowing them to save up to $1,000 per year on their Verizon bill. Moreover, the company is betting on Verizon iPhone’s lack of simultaneous voice and data to entice consumers to use Line2. As you probably know, the problem with CDMA-based networks (like those operated by Verizon and Sprint) is that they don’t allow simultaneous voice and data. In real-life this could mean that your mobile data hungry apps won’t work while you’re on a call. E-mail, Twitter and other Internet-connected apps will return to their “normal state” when you’re done talking. With Line2, that talk could go through Verizon’s EV-DO network (for mobile data) or a WiFi hotspot, allowing your apps to keep “doing their thing.” That said, Line2 recommends that Verizon iPhone users port their main number to Line2 at no charge and sign up for the minimum Verizon calling plan – 450 Talk for $69.98 with unlimited data. The company goes on suggesting that by using Line2 as your primary number, you will save between $600-1000 a year compared to subscribing to Verizon’s unlimited plan. Sounds like a good deal to me. What do you think? Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run SymbianWatch.com which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis. Read More

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Feb 7, 2011 | Switching from Droid or another Android device like the Samsung Facinate to the iPhone — maybe the new Verizon iPhone? — and curious which are the best, most must-have apps you need to make yourself feel at home? Well read on for TiPb’s top 5 most recommended, most must-have apps to get your Android experience maximized on iPhone. Unlike Android, iPhone doesn’t (yet) have broad and deeply integrated voice features in iOS. While there’s some Voice Control commands for making calls and playing music, that’s about it. Enter Google Mobile which not only adds voice search but also bundles in Google Goggles functionality. From location and maps to contacts and the web to most anything you can say or point your iPhone 4 camera at, Google Mobile gets you answers and fast. [Free - iTunes link] Also check out: Yes Google Voice is finally available for the iPhone. MInd you, it’s still US only but if you want the app you probably have an account already. It’s not as deeply integrated as Android but it has all the features you know and love, including push notifications for new SMS text and voicemail messages, listen and/or read voicemail, Google Voice number displayed as Caller ID, access to your iPhone contacts, and it will run in the background under iOS 4 or later. [Free - iTunes link] Also check out: You can access your Gmail account via IMAP or with full push via ActiveSync right from Apple’s built-in Mail app and while you’ll get unified inbox and threaded messages you won’t get Stars and you won’t get labels. Likewise Gmail.com won’t give you the ability to access contacts or view attachments. Enter Mailroom, essential the Gmail.com webapp inside a native iPhone app wrapper that gives you most of the best of both worlds. (See our tip on using Mailroom for a better iPhone Gmail experience.) [$2.99 - iTunes link] Also check out: Google hasn’t yet made a version of their free Google Navigation app for iPhone but Waze provides a free crowd-sourced alternative. It’s full on voice, turn-by-turn directions that learns as you drive and will even let you munch tokens and reward you for your contributions. Yes, it’s navigation gone social. [Free - iTunes link] Also check out: Apple’s iTunes App Store is curated and Steve Jobs says that’s to protect you from porn. Read More

Having an iPhone is nice and all, but calling isn’t always free. Then there are those with other iOS devices, such as the iPad and the iPod Touch, both of those devices can be made into a phone if you’d like, thanks to some great VOIP apps that make free calling possible. Have a look at the currently-available Apps that allow you to make VOIP calls on your iOS device: 1) Viber – Free Phone Calls This a cool little App that’s popular right now. Viber doesn’t require you to create an account, doesn’t need you to create a username or hand over a credit card number. The only catch is that to call someone, they must also have Viber. It creates an identity with your current number and only uses your minutes if the other user doesn’t happen to have the App. Other highlights include the fact that it doesn’t have Ads and that you can call anyone in the world so long as they use the same software. 2) iCall This is one of our favorite Apps for VOIP calling. It’s functional, and allows for free VOIP calling in the US and Canada. You also get push notifications when you receive a call. We haven’t tried the international calls, but the developers claim it’s cheap. Users can choose to use the paid service, the difference being a 30 second ad at the start of a phone call. 3) Truphone TruPhone is another VOIP app. The App Store page says that users can pay $12.95 per month to make unlimited calls to 38 countries, and mobile phones in nine countries. You can also call other Truphone, Skype and Gtalk users for Free over wifi. 4) Line2 Line2 is another popular App for VOIP calling. This one also adds unlimited SMS. It’s free for the first 30 days, then costs $9.95 per month. It’s nice in that it adds a second number to your iPhone. This can be useful if you want to have a phone number dedicated to work, business, etc. It’s also cool that you can cancel with no penalties. They bill your card directly rather than your iTunes account. 5) Fring Fring is a sweet App for those wanting to do video chat over a wifi connection. What’s best about is that unlike FaceTime, it will allow you to chat with your Android friends as well. It’s one Read More

Few days ago, we talked about the latest version (3.0) of Line2 iPhone app, which brought carrier-grade SMS texting in addition to the existing VoIP functionalities. Today we’re please to say that SMS proved to be a smashing success among Line2 users, as they’ve sent over one million text messages in the first four days after the launch! As you may’ve heard before, Line2 costs just $9.95/month and includes unlimited US/Canada calling and texting. The application is especially cool if you own the iPod Touch or iPad, as it basically turns the two devices into full fledged phones — all you need is a WiFi network in order for Line2 to work. Alternatively, even the iPhone users can save on calls and texting, especially if they’re not on some expensive unlimited plan… And that’s about all we have for you at this point. If you have the iPod Touch, this is one of the apps you should definitely consider installing. AppStore link is below. Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run SymbianWatch.com which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis. Read More

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Jul 1, 2010 | We’ve been keeping our eye out as more iOS 4 app updates keep hitting the App Store filled with multitasking, state saving, Retina Display-ing goodness. Hit the jump to see some of the latest we’ve found! One of the best IM clients on iPhone gets better with: We spoke with iHound back at Macworld and now their already solid location tracking service has been beefed up: If your device supports multi-tasking, then it checks in with the iHound server every 10 minutes, and the following new features become available for you in your Security Dashboard at www.ihoundsoftware.com: PowerSave Tracking: Your device determines its location, transmits to the server, then shuts down until the next check-in. Full On Tracking: Your device’s GPS will run continually as iHound transmits to the server every 30 seconds. Siren: Plays a siren alarm on your device. It will not quit until you shut it off from the web site. No Google Voice app on iPhone? No problem, Line2 offers many of the same services, some extras for business, and now background support so you can use it like a real phone replacement. (Requires Line2 service). They had us at the purple brush-metal icon. If it’s beyond 2 + 3 = apple, it’s beyond me but smart mathamagicians like Leanna tell me numbers are good and PCalc has consistently been one of the best. Now it’s better. And sharper. That’s what we’ve found so far, but if you find any you think deserve a post-up let us know in the comments or send us a tip! Read More

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Jun 9, 2010 | Peter Sisson, founder and CEO of Toktumi talks Line2, their premium, business-optimized calling solution for the iPhone and iPad (with optimized iPad UI coming soon). While many forms of communications have leapt forward in the digital age, our telcos have been content to keep telephony in the relative dark ages. Line2 is one of several services hoping to pull them kicking and screaming forward, with both cell and VoIP based solutions. Currently you can conference call over VoIP — which is really nice on an iPad — with full call waiting and real SMS functionality. With iOS 4 VoIP will work in the background meaning apps like Line2 could just be first-class telephone solutions (and strangely carriers don’t seem to be as afraid of this as they used to be). Line2 competes with free-as-in-Google voice by offering a more user-centric app, with lots of features and a focus on customer care. They’re US/Canada only at the moment but will be expanding into the top 7 international iPhone markets soon and especially for business users, they think their offer will be compelling. (Enough that Peter suggests a MiFi rather than device data plan might just be the way to go forward…) Check out the video interview after the break! Read More

March 27, 2010 by James       Related posts: Article by James My name is James Farlow, I'm 23 years of age, attending university in computers engineering and apart of that I enjoy blogging here and now for a few sites. The phone that I currently use is a custom modded white iPhone 4 but am really looking forward to iPhone 5. Read More

by Line2 is a mobile app from Toktumi that’s a refreshing option for iPhone users who need to maintain a separate personal and a business phone number. It’s also useful — and potentially revolutionary — for iPhone owners who want to cut down on their monthly voice minutes by allowing them to place calls over Wi-Fi as well as over 3G Voice Over IP (VOIP). As opposed to the Google Voice approach, which routes a single number to multiple phones and requires you to determine whether any particular incoming call is business or personal, Line2 easily separates your personal and business contacts into separate tabs and allows incoming calls to easily sort themselves based on context. The interface of the app is intuitive and easy to use — in fact, it’s visually identical to the iPhone’s own phone interface (which is an impressive feat considering App Store rules that typically frown on precisely that). A sophisticated web interface management tool also allows you to set up highly granular rules for incoming calls — imagine being able to send all business calls direct to voicemail after 7 p.m. or on the weekends, for example. Besides visual voicemail management and call-routing tools, the web control panel can be used to transfer calls, set up call forwarding rules, trigger auto-attendants, and more — think Google Voice on steroids. Line2 also supports easy conference calling for up to 20 participants, and all calls including conference calls can be placed over regular voice, Wi-Fi, or 3G VOIP — once again potentially saving you voice minutes, and giving you alternative options in low AT&T voice service areas. Unlike other iPhone apps that support VOIP calling, incoming voice calls won’t kill your in progress VOIP connection; you can simply choose to send the voice call to voicemail and continue your VOIP call or conference. Line2 is available in the App Store now for $0.99, which includes a 30-day free trial of the full service. If you like what you see after 30 days, you can continue the service for $14.95 a month, which includes unlimited U.S. and Canada calling and conference calling. For small businesses, Line2 could be an attractive and web-savvy alternative to traditional PBX infrastructure, and the app’s appeal extends into the consumer market for anyone who wants to maintain two separate and easily manageable numbers or take advantage of sophisticated call routing and management. We Read More