Free SMS from your Windows desktop and Google homepage

Free SMS from your Windows desktop and Google homepage
By Mauricio Freitas, in Windows,

I have just received a press release of an interesting service providing SMS from your desktop in the form of Windows Vista Gadget, Google Homepage Gadget, Yahoo Widget andd even Apple Widget. I am talking about the CallWave SMS product.



I have it now installed in my Windows Vista Sidebar. What it does is allows you to send unlimited SMS to the U.S. and Canada, and during this test phase up to five SMS to other countries, per day.

The press release says you can receive replies, but I couldn't find anywhere in the account to configure this:

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For mobile phone users who also use the web each day, the CallWave Free Text Messaging gadget (also known as a widget) delivers invaluable ease and efficiency – making the PC a natural companion to the mobile phone. It allows users to send text messages to virtually anyone, anywhere, right from their desktop – whether their handset is nearby or not. During the beta, subscribers can send unlimited text messages from the United States and Canada.

The Google Desktop enables consumers to create their own personal homepage on Google. Gadgets can be added from the “add stuff” link. The CallWave Free Text Messaging gadget can be found in the “Communication” section or by simply typing in “CallWave” in the search field. With the gadget running on the Google Desktop, users can view a list of contacts and select who to text.

Replies to the message can be routed to either the subscriber’s handset or email, depending on their personal settings. Subscribers will eventually be given access to their messages stored in a permanent, searchable archive, accessible from a personal web page.

To get the Google Desktop Gadget, go to www.callwave.com/widgets or Google http://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open&num=24&url= http://www.callwave.com/widgets/googletextmessage.aspx


Anyway, the press release is all about the Google Desktop, but if you go to the linked widgets page you will find the other gadgets. There is also a Google Homepage gadget, and you can find it directly on your Google Personalised page instead of using these links.

CallWave also has a gadget you can embed in your website or blog.

An alternative is the Free Gizmo SMS website... It promises to send free SMS around the world, unlimited... But none of the test SMS I sent to my mobile phone ever arrived. So I will stick with the CallWave service for now.