Calling the Social Scenesters

With the rise of social networks and blogs, social scenesters are looking for new ways to communicate with other people via their computers. I've seen many web sites that place badges on their side bars inviting people to "Skype" them or to "Jangl" them.

It's actually kinda cool, but why do it? Going back to my phone privacy post, I have to say calling badges are on the right track. With the rise of VoIP, using your PC to send and receive calls can be a lot safer than posting your real phone number online.

They're also a better way to screen calls. Just ask people to leave a message on your web site, and delete it if you want.

These are the most popular calling badges I've seen. Maybe you can enlighten me on a few new ones.

Jangl: Jangl gives you an ID number you hand out to to strangers, instead of a phone number. The idea is to direct folks to Jangl.com, where they enter an ID, which in turns provides them with phone number to call. The number rings your cell phone, and your number is never revealed. It also has badges you can place on your site.

Skype: Both users must have a Skype account to be able to call each other. The service is free, and works with PC and Mac. A mobile phone version is available, but only benefits those who can have an unlimited data plan.

SightSpeed: Send and receive calls on your PC to regular telephones and cellphones. PC Magazine says its video-mail quality is phenomenal.

Odeo: Currently a free service, Odeo has buttons you can place on your site, so others could record messages using their microphones. You can check these online at anytime. I use this on my personal blog, and love getting messages from friends or readers.

Those are my recommended social scenester badges. If you know of any others, let me know about your experience.