1:00 PM -- Free mobile VOIP software provider fringland Ltd. today launched a new version of fring, after soft launching the service about a year ago. (See Fring Integrates Twitter and Fring Launches on Windows Mobile.)

The new version does more than mobile VOIP. It adds a file transfer feature, so fringsters can swap music, pictures, and video clips from mobile to mobile and from mobile to PC. The file sharing feature only works with MSN for now, but will work with other instant messaging services at a later date.

Roy Timor-Rousso, vice president of product marketing at fring, says the service, which is optimized for 3G networks, is currently adding 100,000 fringsters each month, but he wouldn't say what the total membership is. He also says fringsters interact with each other for four hours per day, on average.

That's a lot of fringing.

— Michelle Donegan, European Editor, Unstrung