Barablu is a social networking tool that lets you talk to your friends on your mobile phone for free. Among other features this IM client lets you manage contacts, auto-roam between GPS and Wi-Fi, transfer files and conduct group chats. Keep reading to learn more about this feature-rich freeware.
Introduction
Barablu is a feature-rich yet free application for Symbian, Java and Windows Mobile platforms that allows you to talk to other Barablu users on your mobile phone free of cost. You can also send text SMS free of cost using this application. However, if you want to call or send text SMS on a mobile phone or fixed line which does not have Barablu, you will have to pay a small fee. Another great feature of this app is that you can synchronize and import your contacts on Yahoo Messenger, AIM, Google talk, Skype, Windows Live Messenger and ICQ with Barablu contacts. It is basically a great social networking tool that can be used on a mobile phone as well as your personal computer. Barablue is definitely a strong example of how you can use your mobile phone to interact with your friends whenever and wherever you want by using the Internet.
Installation and Working of Barablu
As I have told you before this is a totally free application and can be downloaded from the following link:
http://www.barablu.com/pages/home-1.aspx
You have the option to download this application on your mobile phone or your PC or on both. If you are choosing to download it on your mobile phone you will be asked to provide your mobile number and almost immediately an SMS will be sent on to that number containing the set-up file. When you open this SMS, Barablu will be automatically installed on your mobile phone.
The only requirement for installation is that you must have at least 1 MB of free space and your mobile phone should have 3G, GPRS connection or a data plan from your network provider that allows you to surf the Internet.How Barablu works is very simple and the calls you make are forwarded over the Internet and then bypass your mobile operator’s network so that wherever you call you don't get charged for it. I followed these simple instructions and believe me it was a piece of cake to install and use this application.
Main Features of Barablu
This application has everything you can expect from a decent IM client or a social networking tool, it does not matter where you are, you can call your friends anytime by using your mobile phone. The only condition is that you must have Barablu installed on your phone and a data plan that allows you to surf the internet. This means that you can make free national or international call from your mobile from anywhere in the world. You can also synchronize your phone book contacts with Barablu and add new contacts or import contacts from other IM clients or your personal computer.
It does not matter whether your friend is using any other IM client either as long as they are added in your Barablu contact list you will know whenever they are available online, if that friend is calling you from his personal computer then also you will be notified. Having Barablu installed on your mobile phone also makes free roaming a very likely possibility if you have GPRS or a data plan that allows you to surf the Internet. While also having the option to switch between Wi-Fi, GPRS or your network provider’s data plan for free roaming.
If you want to call a mobile phone or a fixed line that does not have Barablu, you will have to pay a very nominal fee that will be deducted from your Barablu account. For example, if you call a mobile phone in United States from Canada you will be charged only ₤0.01 per minute. You can take advantage of group chat with as many as 49 friends at the same time using this application, while also performing video-conferencing calling using this application. Barablu also provides you the facility to have your own online telephone number. You can also call forward messages and have voicemails left on your PC. If you decide to send any files like pictures or songs from your mobile phone to your PC or vice versa, then it can be done very easily using Barablu.
My final conclusion is that by using this software you have nothing to lose and whatever you do, at the end you come out a winner.
Final Verdict
Barablu is a feature rich and the very user-friendly messaging client and there is so much that you can do with it.
While making Barablu to Barablu calls you won't feel that you are using a web based applications becauase the voice quality over the calls is clear.
This application is going to be an even bigger hit in the future when Internet connections on mobile phones is more commonplace and everyone will be able to use this application to make free calls.
This makes me wonder, what will become of all these network providers?