Pros
- Flash-based and Web-based telephony, no application to download and install.
- Provides API and source code for users to build their own applications.
- Geared for enterprise solutions as well as retail users.
- Has a widget for use directly in Facebook.
- Good voice quality with standard codecs like G.711, G.729 and Speex.
Cons
- The number of mobile phones on which is works is relatively limited.
- Has lesser features compared to other services like Skype.
- User base still few.
Review
Like other Voice over IP services, TringMe's audience includes retail users who want to make free or cheap phone calls through their computers or mobile phones. Thus, calls between TringMe users are completely free, and these can be placed either through a computer with Internet connection or over mobile phones and handsets that are connected through Wi-Fi and 3G.
But an important part of TringMe, and that which causes it to stand out from other VoIP services, is the dynamism is provides in VoIP development. This will interest particular enterprises that want to tailor their own VoIP applications and deploy these in their offices and working environments. TringMe provides a complete API (Application Programming Interface, which is like a toolset with the necessary elements required to develop applications) for developers. It also provides free source code and samples for building the applications. For more information on TringMe's development options, check out voicephp.com and code.voicephp.com.
TringMe doesn't offer an application like this itself, but rather loads one Flash-based widget onto your computer or mobile phone. This makes it usable on any connected machine.
The cost of the calls are interesting – they are cheaper than Skype's. For instance, calls to India are around 5 times cheaper than with Skype, and calls to UK half as much.
The number of mobile phones and handsets on which TringMe works is quite limited, but this will apparently will no longer be a problem soon. I raised this issue with Bruce Timm from TringMe, and he said, "Flash becoming popular, TringMe’s mobile app will be available to more phones than any other applications. Blackberry recently accounted full flash support, Nokia/Samsung already has it. On other hand, iPhone may not get Flash and we are creating a dedicated application for IPhone."
On the business side, TringMe does offer something worthwhile. Firstly, any business can have their own VoIP application developed as mentioned above. Then, there is the VoIP-based toll-free service, which is much cheaper than traditional toll-free.
