Popular Telephony, a telecommunications middleware company, has announced Peerio444 — a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) consumer application. Currently in beta testing on a limited basis and expected to be generally available via free download in the coming weeks, Peerio444 turns a personal computer into a fully functioning telephone that allows users to make unlimited, free calls via the Internet to other computers, as well as computer-to-phone calls. The technology is currently compatible with Windows and Linux operating systems, with plans to add Mac compatibility later this year.