VoIP Calling On Facebook Messenger Distributed To U.S. Users

Facebook Messenger users in the United States have begun receiving VoIP calling for their Messenger app which is a new way to make free calls.

The feature has been tested in Canada and has now begun to be distributed to U.S. users. The calling service in Canada was accompanied with an app update which saw users given help and support for voice messaging.

The calls are only free if you are using Wi-Fi. However, the Facebook Messenger voice calling will also use regular cellular data if there is no Wi-Fi present.

For the VoIP calling function to work, users need to open the app, and if the feature has been given to you, tap the “i” button on the top right of open messages to see a “Free Call” icon.

The bonus of Facebook Messenger to make voice calls other than the obvious fact of it being free is that it can be accessed any time an internet connection is found.

With this instalment, Facebook look to be asserting themselves more and more into the realm of mobile communications.


Facebook last month allowed users to use the Android Messenger app by just signing up with a phone number. This was followed by a “Poke” app that deleted messages after a certain amount of time.

VoIP calling is currently only available to iOS users.

Can you access the VoIP calling on the Messenger app? What do you think about this update?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Facebook Asks For Participants For Poke Survey

Facebook are placing ads on user’s homepage of the social media site to find participants who are willing to take part in a survey concerning their new Poke app.

The giants of social media want to know how you feel about ‘poking’, and whether you use it at all. The Poke app was launched a few weeks ago and by using Ethn.io, an internet recruiting tool, subjects are being found.

Clicking on the ad that says, “Facebook is seeking paid participants for phone research” leads participants to a questionnaire that first and foremost asks whether they are using the application or not.

“We’re conducting phone interviews about the poke app and would like to talk with you if you use the app. This is not spam . . .”

“If you’d be willing to talk with us over Skype/GoTomeeting for 45 min and have a webcam, answer a few questions and we’ll contact you if you are selected. Only those who we contact will receive the incentive.”

Users who have been chosen to take part are then eligible to receive a $75 gift card from Amazon once they have completed the face-to-face interview.



The Poke app for iPhone allows users to send photos, videos, or messages to friends which last for a specific amount of time. The app adds a different perspective to Facebook as it gives people the chance to temporarily add content whereas content posted in general feels very permanent.

To celebrate the launch of the Poke app, Facebook changed the sign in front of their HQ at Menlo Park from a Like sign to that of a Poke sign.

With useful feedback from those participating, Facebook will be able to develop improved strategies and techniques to get more people involved.

The release of the Poke app coincides with a rise in Facebook’s stock. Stock prices have gone up to $30 which has been steadily rising since it hit an all time low of $17.55 in August.

What do you think of the Poke app? Will you be taking part in the survey?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

LinkedIn Reaches 200 Million Member Mark

On Wednesday, LinkedIn announced that it now has over 200 Million Registered Users.

In the blog post reporting the milestone, Senior VP of Products and User Experience Deep Nishar says that the business networking site has “representation in more than 200 countries and territories” and that they are serving their “members in 19 languages around the world”.

LinkedIn has also created an infographic breaking down their 200 million members into interesting and easily-digested statistics.

For example, the five countries with the most members on LinkedIn are as follows:

1. United States Of America, 74 million
2. India, 18 million
3. Brazil, 11 million
4. United Kingdom, 11 million
5. Canada, 7 million

Richard Branson is still the most followed person on LinkedIn with over 1,230,000 followers, having surpassed the 1 million mark in late November. Barack Obama (617,000), Deepak Chopra MD (373,000), Anthony Robbins (258,000) and Jeff Weiner (240,000) make up the rest of the top five.

The infographic also shows the top five most represented industries on LinkedIn:

1. IT and IT Services, 4 million
2. Finance, 2.03 million
3. Higher education, 1.95 million
4. Computer Software, 1.65 million
5. Telecommunications, 1.59 million.

LinkedIn’s membership continues to grow, with 172,800 new registrations every second. However, LinkedIn does not say whether these 200 million members are frequently active on the site, making it difficult to compare with Facebook’s 1 billion monthly active members.

How often are you on LinkedIn?

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