Software to use computer as a phone

Mobile Computing. Use your computer as a phone for free. Daniel explains in this tutorial how to connect a Windows machine to a Bluetooth mobile to use the Windows PC as a phone for free.

Martin Brinkmann. Newsly: listen to news and podcasts on Android and iOS. Telegram update brings protected content in groups and channels. Remove unwanted objects in seconds with TouchRetouch for Android. Comments Ben said on April 30, at pm. Custodian said on April 30, at pm. Anonymous said on October 28, at pm. PAT said on May 1, at am. Anonymous said on July 31, at am.

To use your computer as a phone does the phone have to have an active service provider? Leave a Reply Cancel reply Comment Check the box to consent to your data being stored in line with the guidelines set out in our privacy policy We love comments and welcome thoughtful and civilized discussion.

Rudeness and personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please stay on-topic. Please note that your comment may not appear immediately after you post it. Spread the Word. Published in: December 31, pm Updated in: December 31, pm. Published in: December 25, am Updated in: December 25, am.

Published in: December 24, pm Updated in: December 24, pm. Published in: December 8, pm Updated in: December 8, pm. About gHacks Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in by Martin Brinkmann.

Plans include a phone number that any regular phone can call. You can also buy a phone number separately if you want to pay as you go for outgoing calls. An alternative to Skype is Gizmo5 from Gizmo5. Similar to Skype, calls to other Gizmo5 users are free and you can buy credits for making calls to landlines and cell phones.

It costs more for calls to countries outside the U. To receive calls, you have to purchase a call-in plan. Both Skype and Gizmo5 feature text messaging, voice mail, conference calling, and call forwarding. Another cool thing is that both services work on mobile devices. Gizmo5 works on Nokia tablets, BlackBerrys, and several other platforms. The simplest, but maybe worst, is a microphone and speakers. Most laptops have these built-in but watch out for feedback. The next step up is a headset with the mic built-in.

In fact, some may consider this ideal, although it is tethered to your computer. You can answer the call the old-fashioned way, by picking up the handset of your USB device or you can click the call alert on your screen.

If you have a desk phone running Lync Phone Edition or a USB audio device attached, lift the handset, press the speaker button, or click the green Accept icon. When you receive an incoming call on a phone, click Redirect , and then select an option from the menu.

If you choose to redirect a call to an instant message, a call rejection message is sent to the caller, and the Conversation window opens so that you can send the caller an instant message. Call controls are icons in your Conversation window that allow you to easily manage phone calls.

For example, you can put the caller on hold, transfer him or her to another user or phone, or mute a speaker or microphone. A new call control in Lync gives you the ability switch your audio device during a call. For example, you can switch between your headset or your USB device. In a Conversation window, click the Switch Audio Device icon, and then select another device from the list.

After you click the Transfer icon, click Another Person , and then select the contact or phone you want to transfer the call to. Click the Mute speaker icon to turn off the speaker on your USB phone. Click the arrow and use the slider to adjust the speaker volume.

Lync offers several options for automatically forwarding incoming calls. For example, you can forward calls to voice mail, one of your other phone numbers, or another person.

When calls are forwarded, your phone does not ring. Instead, calls are automatically forwarded to the specified destination. Forward calls to voice mail, another phone, or a contact. In the Forward calls to list, click a number, or click Voice Mail , or click New Number or Contact , and then enter the number or select a contact.

If you want to specify the time period before forwarding the call, in the Ring for this many seconds before redirecting box, use the arrows to increase or decrease the time interval. Otherwise, the call will be forwarded immediately. Note: The numbers available on the Simultaneously Ring menu are based on the numbers you published on the Phone Options tab.

Any new number you enter overwrites an existing number on the Simultaneously Ring menu. You can assign levels of access to your contacts to control their access to your presence status.

Different attributes are exposed for each privacy relationship, such as Block, Public, Company, Team, and Personal. For example, Mobile Phone is available at the Team level, but not at the Company level. After you publish your phone numbers, you must assign privacy relationships to those contacts who you want to see your phone numbers. If you want a contact to see your home and mobile phone numbers, assign the contact to the Friends and Family level. If you want them to see only your work and mobile numbers, assign them to the Colleagues level.

In the Options dialog box, click Phones , and then click the button for the number you want to add or edit. After you have entered the number, select the Include in my contact card check box, and then click OK.