Chapter 6. Using Your Mobile Computer As a Telephone

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Why VoIP is important

• How you can VoIP enable your laptop

• Making a phone call

If you are traveling with your laptop that uses Intel Centrino mobile technology, and you are connected to the Internet at a hotspot, you can fairly easily use it as a telephone. As I'll explain later in this chapter, to do this, you'll need to be equipped with a microphone (unless there is one built in to your laptop) and a headset (unless you don't care about everyone around you hearing your conversationin which case, you can simply use your computer's speakers).

You can also use your laptop as a telephone when it is connected to the Internet through your wireless network at home.

A mobile computer is probably not as convenient for making or receiving phone calls as a normal cell phone. So what's the big deal?

TIP

One problem with using your mobile computer as a phone is that the computerand the related softwareneeds to be turned on for you to receive calls. However, an approach to getting around this, supported by some providers, is to have calls to your laptop forwarded to a cell phone or landline when your laptop is switched off.

Besides the fact that you don't have to lug multiple pieces of hardware around, by placing calls using your computer as your telephone, you can save a great deal of money on phone callsand have fun while you are at it.