How to make free phone calls on an iPod touch

You love your slender, touchscreen-enabled iPod touch and rely upon it heavily for music, photos, videos, games and apps. And even though it's not an iPhone, you can use it to place free phone calls. Here's how.

Want to know how to make free international phone calls on your iPod touch?

Yep, it's possible - but you need a piece of hardware and software to pull it off.

Here's what you need.

1. If you don't have one already, pick up a 3.5mm jack headset for your iPod touch. About halfway down the earphone cord is a tiny microphone so the person you're calling can hear you. I used one that shipped with my Blackberry Curve and it worked just fine. You can buy one for as low as $2.16 by shopping here.

2. On your iPod touch, download the free Skype application for iPod touch/iPhone and sign up for a free account if you don't already have one. I used the same login and password as the Skype on my PC. If you have a Canadian iTunes account, however, then you probably know Skype isn't offered yet in the Great White North (for mobile phones), so try a free VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) app like iCall.

3. Now have your iPod touch or iPhone join a wireless network, such as in your own Wi-Fi hotspot at home. You can then place calls to another Skype/iCall user for free. You don't have to pay a cent if your friends or family have a free account. With Skype, you can also buy inexpensive "Skype Out" credits to call any landline or cell phone.

Easy, no? Indeed. But keep in mind if you have a first-generation iPod touch you'll need some sort of microphone add-on in order to place calls.

By Marc Saltzman