iCall turns your iPod Touch or iPad into a phone for free — on Wi-Fi and 3G

Ok you know you want an iPad, you know you do. Every kid has hit delete on the PS3 or the laptop for his next big present and replaced it with an iPad. In fact folks all over the globe are readying their Ebay listings for their Touch and netbooks. I am even willing to punt my laptop. But the question remains, am I going to use this thing to make phone calls and what will that cost me? Well if you do it on Wi-Fi and you use iCall or Skype, nothing. The iPad will even let you use a Bluetooth headset so you don’t look like a complete idiot holding an iPad up to your face. And as of today, Apple is allowing iCall to allow VoIP via 3G as well. It is the first and only so far. So in other words with the 3G iPad and the $15 a month for 3G service from AT&T or $30 for unlimited, it can also be used for voice. Without a contract no less. Finally free voice with your data plan—cheaper that the GO phone at $30 a month for 200 minutes of voice. Cheaper than the unlimited all inclusive voice data $40 plans from MetroPCS. And if you call overseas iCall rates are dirt cheap.

Here’s how iCall charges:

If you want to just make calls in the US over Wi-Fi, iCall is completely free. My ten year old has an account, he is SOOO happy to make calls on his iPod Touch at will.

If you want unrestricted free local and long distance over 3G, it is also free, but like that internet connection from Comcast, you are going to have to pay someone something for the data connection.

OK, what’s the catch? Well the free plan is ad supported and has a five minute limit. Also, the phone number you will get for inbound calls is an extension of one of their numbers.

Now if you want to call internationally there is a per minute charge, but it is much cheaper than what your carrier will charge and even cheaper than what Skype charges.

If you need to make calls over five minutes, want your own real live phone number, and don’t ever want to be bothered by ads, get the premium $9.95 a month package. This puts you back up to the $40—the same as you can get from MetroPCS, but with the better AT&T coverage.

This is all something to think about as you rethink your computing needs. For me, the iPad has everything I want for my personal use. Instant on, very light, fantastic software for photos, videos, plain old letters, including a to-die-for calendar and eBook reader (did I mention it supports EPUB for freebies) and no more mouse- touchpad-stylus. Even my 85 year old mother could use it (“you mean you just touch what you want?”). Now if I could just get rid of Comcast, my life would be complete.