December 2005 Archives

Rich has some interesting thoughts on the two keynoters that highlight the Internet Telephony Conference & Expo show next month which includes Tom Ridge and Ron Insana - neither of which really need an introduction. Rich also reminds his blogging audience about the speech given by former FCC chairman Michael Powell at the last Internet Telephony Expo, which earned Michael some surprising rave reviews from the blogosphere and the mainstream media.

I saw Michael's speech and I concur with Rich's positive sentiments on Michael Powell's speech which even earned some heartfelt applause. I hope Tom Ridge and Ron Insana can live up to expectations set by Mr. Powell's excellent speech. Regardless, I will certainly enjoy being in warm & sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in January!

What's wrong with Vonage? Oh let me count the ways...

First, they've been promising the Viseon video phone for I about a year and it's still hard if not impossible to get. In fact, I checked my trusty email archives and found this email dated December 4, 2004 - "Vonage(R) Announces Partnership with Viseon to Develop Videophone Service". Ok, you announced the partnership in 2004 and it's almost 2006? C'mon already!

On September 30th of this year, I emailed a "certain" PR firm that invited me to check out the Viseon's videophone called the VisiFone. She wrote me saying, "We invite you to be one of the first editors to check out Viseon’s VisiFone, the first Digital Home Telephone for broadband. If you are interested, we will send you a set of two VisiFones. The trial VisiFone will come preloaded with a Vonage/Sipphone.com test account, a Quick start guide, and tech support for assistance." Sure, I said - send me the two VisiFone review units. I waited and I waited and yep, I'm still waiting. Nothing in the mail. Rich Tehrani also emailed her and also didn't hear back. If both Rich and I, two well-known VoIP journalists can't get our hands on the Viseon VisiFone, then who can?

A couple days earlier (August 29th) I also emailed someone directly at Vonage with the initial "B" and inquired about getting a VisiFone. No reply. What gives? Did one of TMC's competitors (who shall remain nameless) but who currently has thousands of Vonage stock options tell Vonage not to speak to me? Ok, maybe that was harsh, and I doubt that is the case since for the most part this competitor has taken the high road in competing with us. Maybe B's spam filter ate my email. Anyway, so that's my first gripe - they promoted a product you can't even get your hands on a full year in advance. That's shady marketing in opinion.

My second gripe is that if you get a Vonage softphone not only do you have to pay extra, but you have to get a separate phone number. Why? Why can't Vonage let you have one number and simulataneosly ring both your home ATA device and the softphone (if online)? I have enough numbers to deal with than to have to have two separate Vonage phone lines.

My third gripe is their WiFi phone which is yet another product that was announced but took forever to actually ship. Sure it looks good, but once again you must get a new line and cannot add it to your existing account. So you need to pay a minimum of $15/month just to have the WiFi phone. Yet another fee? Vonage is becoming more and more like a phone company every day. Why can't I just buy the WiFi phone, or another third-party Wi-Fi phone and install the softphone config info into the phone without paying another fee and having yet another phone number? Are you telling me if I want my Vonage home line using an ATA, a WiFi phone, a Viseon videophone, and the softphone, I need 4 separate numbers with separate account fees for each? Sheesh!

Now granted, Vonage has to be careful since someone could ask a friend who uses Vonage to sign-up for a WiFi phone and then ship the WiFi phone to the friend. Thus, you'd have two people sharing one Vonage account and Vonage only collects 1/2 the revenue. It could especially hurt Vonage if the original user is using the unlimited plan. But I say, if the customer is using one of Vonage's limited plans, i.e. set number of minutes free, then you pay-per-minute, then Vonage should let the Vonage customer have the WiFi phone for the cost of the hardware only. After all, friends or not, who is going to let a friend "rack up" minutes on a limited account where the friend doesn't have to foot the bill? And even if the friend does rack up minutes, Vonage collects it's share of revenue anyway.

And even if the two friends "share" a single unlimited account, they'd be sharing the same inbound phone number. Who wants to share their home phone number with a friend? What if the friend answers the line remotely via the WiFi phone you gave him? Oh wait, I forgot, Vonage assigns you a different phone number per device (ATA, WiFi phone, etc.) Vonage really needs to start thinking "out of the box" and stop modeling themselves as a carrier replacement.

It's crap like this that will drive users to switch to "pay as you go" pre-paid VoIP. In fact, while pondering my 2006 predictions (I've yet to make), one of the predictions I planned on making was "pay as you go" pre-paid VoIP and cellular taking really off in 2006. With more competition in the VoIP space, price is still the primary factor as much as industry pundits want to "push" enhanced services and enhanced features. Sure, people want advanced features, such as a WiFi or videophone but not if they have to pay for a full account. I really should go work on those predictions. So much to do, so little time...

Hat tip to Greg Galitzine, Editor of Internet Telephony Magazine who forwarded me an email with a video attachment titled "A Very Cisco Christmas". Greg got it from a friend who works at Cisco. For a little holiday fun, check out the video.

We all know Microsoft is positioning the Xbox 360 as the central hub combining games, home entertainment and lifestyle, but today Microsoft took it to a whole other level by offering their Xbox Live Diamond card "perks card" for all Xbox Live members. I just got the email at 6pm last night. Best of all, it's free to get one if you are an Xbox Live member. Won't be long now before Microsoft offers a credit card I suppose, especially considering their rival Sony already offers a SonyStyle credit card, and in fact I already own one. Used the Sony points to buy a Sony VAIO PC running Microsoft Windows MCE 2005.

Here's the info from Microsoft's site on the Xbox Live Diamond Card:

Calling all Xbox Live gamers! You're about to experience a whole new level in entertainment. Yes, we're talking about the launch of Xbox 360, but we're also talking about the brand new-and free-Xbox Live Diamond Card, an unprecedented merger of your entertainment activities, online and off. Never heard of it? Well, here's what you're in for:

• Your own card: Did you sign up for a digital gamer card on Xbox.com? Of course you did. Now, how about a real, live, flash-it-to-your-friends card personalized with your gamertag? Ask no more! The Xbox Live Diamond Card is here.
• That's not all: The card does much more. Xbox Live has partnered with your favorite stores, restaurants, and other retailers across the country for discounts and promotions exclusively for Xbox Live Diamond Card program members.*
• It gets even better: Xbox Live isn't going to sit still, either. We'll continue to bring you new partners and more opportunities to use your Diamond Card.
• The best part: The Xbox Live Diamond Card is free! It's our big thank you to our most loyal Xbox Live subscribers.

The Senate approved legislation yesterday that puts the U.S. one step closer to an all-digital television world. At the same time, the legislation creates a federal program that is designed to help all of us pay for new equipment so that our existing analog television sets can still work after Feb. 17, 2009, the “hard date” for transition.

Included in the legislation is a program that would give each household up to two coupons worth $40 each to pay for converter boxes to keep analog sets working after broadcasters surrender their analog licenses on Feb. 17, 2009. (Do I smell a black market for these coupons for households with more than two sets?)

Would imagine that all of those TV set manufacturers aren’t too happy with the latest development – the cheery sugar plum vision of all those existing sets heading to landfills and consumers buying brand new digital sets has been popped. On the other hand, can’t imagine too many of us who have plunked down serious cash for new flat-panel displays are disappointed with this development. (There would have been many very nice sets out on the curb for trash collectors the morning of Feb. 18, 2009 if not – a serious recycling problem.)

Interesting to see that the funds to pay for the converter boxes will come from the sale of broadcasters’ returned spectrum licenses. These are in high demand by companies looking to expand wireless and broadband services.

Also interesting to see how fair this program is to consumers and if $80 worth of coupons will be enough to cover both the costs – and inconvenience – of this digital transition. Consumer groups are onto this issue.

Let’s see what comes next …

Kapanga Softphone, a SIP-based softphone announced by Ecotronics Ventures is integrating Theora (Xiph Foundation's open source video codec) into its SIP-based video capabilities

The latest version of Kapanga Softphone now supports Xiph.org Foundation's Theora, the open source video codec based upon On2 Technologies' VP3 codec. Kapanga Softphone integrates voice, video and fax over IP into one software phone and they claim interoperability with several other softphones along with several codecs supported to ensure proper audio negotiation..

"Since our launch this year, many Kapanga users have used our SIP client to extend their open source PBX deployments", said Martin Cadirola, President and VP of Business Development for Ecotronics. "We believe we can help speed up the development of open source PBX video functionality by providing a Theora-capable VoIP-based software phone", he added Kapanga also features other open source audio codecs, like Global IP Sound's iLBC and Xiph Foundation's Speex.

Kapanga Softphone is free for personal or academic use, with fax and recording features at an additional cost. Check out their website. I haven't tried the softphone client myself, but Martin Cadirola invited me to get together at Internet Telephony Conference & Expo in Ft. Lauderdale in January to discuss Kapanga. Should be another stellar show and personally, I can't wait to get to Florida, this has been a very cold December!

Interesting news from Mozilla regarding their Firefox browser and trying to build some buzz by having using a grassroots campaign of having users create video flicks. This contest calls upon professional, student and aspiring filmmakers to join the growing community of Firefox contributors to create innovative, broadcast-quality 30-second commercials for Firefox. Might be time to try out Muvee, the easy-to-use video editing software that even works with Windows Media Center so you can use your TV remote control to edit videos from the comfort of your couch.

Here's the news:

Mozilla Corp. today announced the opening of the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest, which calls for submissions of 30-second ads for Firefox from professional, student, and aspiring filmmakers. Building upon the adoption of the award-winning Web browser, Firefox 1.5, by over 10 million Web users worldwide in less than one month since its release, the Ad Contest continues Mozilla's tradition of empowering its community of users to spread the word about Firefox. Tens of thousands of volunteer supporters congregate regularly at Mozilla's community marketing Web site, SpreadFirefox.com, to coordinate global grassroots marketing initiatives for Firefox.

Earlier this month, Mozilla unveiled the first phase of the Firefox Flicks campaign: a Testimonials Web site where Firefox users can record video testimonials and tell others why Firefox provides a better Web experience. To date, several dozen testimonials from over 20 different countries have been published to the Web site, with many more recorded each day. Testimonials may be viewed at www.firefoxflicks.com.

Launched today, the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest calls upon professional, student and aspiring filmmakers to join the growing community of Firefox contributors to create innovative, broadcast-quality 30-second commercials for Firefox. The ads will be judged by a star-studded panel of luminaries drawn from the film, television and advertising industries, with great prizes up for grabs. The winning ads will also be considered for inclusion in global marketing campaigns for Firefox.

The panel of judges -- Firefox fans from across the creative industry -- includes:

Jim Denault, cinematographer (Six Feet Under, Carnivalé, Maria Full of Grace);
McG, director/producer (Charlie's Angels, The OC, Supernatural)
Scott Goodson, CEO of Strawberry Frog ad agency (Old Navy, IKEA, MTV)
Freddy Rodriguez, actor (Six Feet Under)
Geo Santini, director (Partners)
Ben Younger, director/writer (Prime, Boiler Room)
Warren Zide, producer (American Pie, Final Destination)

Full details on the Firefox Flicks campaign and the Ad Contest are available at www.firefoxflicks.com.

Judging by the long lines at the Apple store last night, plenty of folks still expect to give and/or receive an iPod Nano or Video this holiday season. If you've already got one (or the other), there are oodles of devices to enhance the iPod experience.

Just checked out another one from Nyko Technologies; it's called the iTop. The company calls this clever little device is a "button relocator" and that's exactly what it does. It relocates the iPod controls from the famous wheel to the top of the device for easy access -- particularly when jogging or exercising (or even if you have to make a fast "tune up"); the controls can be accessed without exposing the screen or removing the iPod from a pocket or carrying case.

Compactly designed, it makes "iPod white" and is powered by the iPod -- no batteries are required.

List price: $29.99; street price closer to $20.

A new rootkit installs the P2P BitTorrent client and downloads movies to your hard drive. One of the initial movies downloaded via this new virus included Mr. Bean, which tops my "All-time Worst Movie ever Created" list. I hate Mr. Bean - with a passion. To this day I have not forgotten that my former roommate Harris Sugarman suggested to me and Vic Batsu that we see this movie. "It's funny," Harris promised, "It earned over $100 million in the U.K." What were the British thinking when they said "Mr. Bean Set for Global Domination" and that Mr. Bean would even top British comic Benny Hill? Benny Hill was a funny British comedian - Mr. Bean sadly is not. Maybe it's a cultural difference between America and the U.K. because when Vic, Harris, and I left the theater there was this eery silence as both Vic and I stared Harris down - as if to say "What the f- were you thinking?" Needless to say none of us enjoyed the movie.

Seriously, I'd rather hear nails on a chalkboard, I'd rather see the Red Sox defeat my beloved New York Yankees, I'd rather watch Barney the Dinosaur than have to see one of Mr. Bean's movies ever again! I lost 90 minutes of my lifetime watching this horrendous movie that I will never get back again. Thanks again Harris.

Why? Why? Why would you waste precious Internet bandwidth surreptitiously transmitting Mr. Bean to someone else's hard drive? Why not at least put something worth watching, like Batman Begins or Lord of the Rings on their hard disk? Seriously. Wasting 4GB of hard disk space to store DVD quality Mr. Bean is just adding insult to injury after you've already infected their PC with a rootkit. Cruel... Very cruel...

Want to pimp your iPod? Want some Faux Crocodile or Metallic Snakeskin to protect your precious iPod? Well check this out.

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), inventors of the DLO HomeDock for iPod and other exciting MP3 accessories, today announced that they are shipping over 20 new styles of their popular Relaxed Leather Cases for iPod and iPod nano and their fling Fashion Cases for iPod nano. The Relaxed Leather designer cases come in suede and distressed leather styles and feature touches like designer stitching and rivets, while the nano fling Fashion Cases for nano offer styles such as “Faux Crocodile” and “Metallic Snakeskin”. All cases are shipping now and are reasonably priced from $29.99 to $34.99.

DLO has designed a blend of what they call “distinctively unique” Relaxed Leather Cases and “designer chic” nano fling Fashion Cases that protect and add a signature style to the video iPod and iPod nano. The new Relaxed Leather Cases come in 10 different styles and are made from high-quality genuine leather. Each case has a specific design on its flip-up cover that sets it apart. Styles range from Suede to Antique Leather and Distressed Leather. Design features include contrast stitching, brass rivets and supple, worn leather textures. The Relaxed Leather Cases also have a handy inside pocket to store ID, credit card or cash and a leather covered belt clip for an easy fit on the hip.

The fling Fashion Cases for iPod nano come in 11 new signature designs. The DLO nano flings were designed for fashion-conscious nano owners who want to add style and personality to their black or white iPod nano. The nano flings offer unique touches like a cosmetic mirror inside the padded cover, an elastic loop on back for storage, and a stylish wristlet strap. DLO nano flings range in stlye from the “Crocodile Leather” to “Metallic Pink”.

“We wanted to make unrivaled, unique feeling cases for any iPod or iPod nano owner, no matter their style,” said Brian Baucom, Director of Marketing for DLO. “Whether you are a hipster or a debutante, there’s a new designer case from DLO for you and your iPod.”

Pricing and Availability
The DLO nano flings and Relaxed Leather designer cases are available at iPod retailers nationwide and online at www.dlo.com. Metallic Silver and Pink fling cases for iPod nano are available exclusively at Apple Stores nationwide for $29.99. Metallic Snakeskin Dangerous Pink, Metallic Copper Distressed Foil and Synthetic Snake Faux Python are available December 26 exclusively at Target Stores nationwide for $29.99.

Navizon Transforms Cell Phones, Wi-Fi Devices into a GPS device and leverages P2P for locating your buddies. What I'd really like for this technology to do is use my idea of P2P GPScasting to transmit your GPS coordinates to others in your GPS network (opt-in) for more accurate traffic monitoring. I also wrote about GPScasting here in my GPScasting/roadcasting entry.

In any event, Cyril Houri, founder and CEO of Mexens Technology, announced the hard launch of Navizon, "the world's first software based, peer produced, wireless positioning network." Navizon is a software system which can be loaded onto a mobile device to provide its users with geographical positioning information plus many more advanced customized features. Navizon's innovation arises from the fact that its map is both created, and constantly enhanced, by the users themselves.

Navizon's software is currently compatible with Windows mobile devices and cell phones using the Symbian operating system, and is free for non-commercial use. Navizon members are allowed access to a massive storage and retrieval repository containing highly accurate positioning data which is contributed from members around the world.

Since its inception only three months ago, the Navizon network has grown to over 5,000 users. "The soft launch of Navizon has been successfully tested, and now we are very excited to grow the community even more," said Houri. "Navizon utilizes Wi-Fi and cellular signals to help you find your way around most cities and to provide you with pertinent information about your location. What makes Navizon unique is that the network will continue to expand as the community expands. This shared information is at the very center of what makes Navizon a powerful tool."

Navizon creates a true peer-to-peer network similar in theory to Kazaa, except that Navizon is 100% legal. Navizon has the added appeal of being the first positioning system with content that is not dependent upon a specific carrier.

In addition to providing an accurate positioning system, Navizon includes other features such as the Buddy Tracker, which allows members within a group to share their location with other group members on an opt-in basis.

Navizon also includes a Local Search feature that lets users find businesses located near their current position. "Navizon's network enhances its users' daily experiences, whether it's finding the best coffee house in their neighborhood or facilitating their meeting friends and family. True to the spirit of peer-produced technology, Navizon's value lies in its community and the information shared within," said Houri.

Remember when advertising supported free network television? Yes, we watched (or avoided the ads), but we got the programming for free. Now, it's bad enough that we have to pay cable or satellite companies a monthly fee for what used to be free TV and then we have to add on additional monthly fees for premium programming. At least we're used to that model.

Video games have been another story. They cost a goodly sum to buy, but we don't have to put up with ads once we start playing. Hold on. Wait a minute -- didn't I just read about video game publisher THQ forging a deal with a company called Massive that would enable advertisements to be transmitted into games on PCs and consoles that are connected to the Internet? Apparently "Juiced," THQ's street racing game, will be one of the first to show ads.

Looks like this goes way beyond inserting "Drink Coke" on a billboard or getting an advertising impression into the games in some other less intrusive way. Perhaps we will now see "commercial breaks" during video games -- stopping the action so players can get more snacks or send a couple of IMs and text messages while they wait for the next level or race.

Guess football and baseball games will now have regular breaks between downs and innings so advertisers can plug their goods -- just like in real life. I thought video games games gave us a chance to "escape" reality, but reality keeps chasing after us. After all, with traditional network TV advertising continuing to erode, advertisers have got to find the "eyeballs" someplace.

The ink isn't even dry from Google's 5% $1 billion stake in AOL and yet some are claiming Bill Gates is still wiping his tears from losing the battle for AOL to Microsoft's arch nemesis, namely Google. America Online parent Time Warner and Eric Schmidt's Google announced some intriguing integrations between these two Internet giants late yesterday leaving Microsoft in the lurch.

Rich Tehrani and I were commenting yesterday how AOL's portal generates generates about 10% ($420 million) of Google's overall Adsense/Adwords pay-per-click dollars. This is amazing to me since I never visit AOL.com since I dumped the AOL client browser and its dial-up Internet access so long ago. Yeah, I admit it, I used to have AOL as my Internet provider, though I still don't get why millions still pay a premium for AOL's dial-up service. Anyway, this relationship with AOL gives Google one of the Internet's largest content producers. Google will continue to provide search technology for AOL but they've also "tied in" some other interesting things as part of the deal.

For one, Google Talk will work with AOL's popular instant-messaging program (AIM), as long as users sign up for a free AIM screen name. While Microsoft and Yahoo! recently inked an interoperability deal, some are stating that Microsoft loses out on interoperability with AOL's AIM users.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I buy that. Google has always promoted open standards and interoperability as part of their "do no evil" mantra. I would be surprised if Google decided now after all their talk about "standards" and "openness" and opening up their APIs to intentionally block Microsoft's MSN Messenger from communicating with Google Talk or AIM. Of course, right now they don't communicate because they haven't standardized on a single method to support interoperability. You have SIP, SIMPLE, XMPP, etc. The standards are there, we just need for the IM vendors to agree to standardize on a standard. Besides, if Trillian & GAIM can today work with AOL's AIM, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC all in one software client, then it shouldn't be hard to interoperate, right? - assuming the IM providers don't intentionally block their competitors of course.

I wonder where all this IM/VoIP interoperability leaves proprietary IM/VoIP clients such as Skype? Eventually, IM and VoIP software clients WILL interoperate if they use industry standards such as SIMPLE. Skype is architected such that it uses proprietary methods in order to traverse/penetrate firewalls, encrypt the voice, etc. and it uses decentralized supernodes instead of a centralized SIP registrar controlled by the IM vendors. The IM vendors want that control so they can easily push out ads to the clients, amongst other reasons. It would be a huge overhaul to redesign Skype to support industry standards and perhaps at some loss in flexibility and features. It certainly wouldn't be the same Skype we know today, that is for sure.

In any event, in addition to integrating with AOL's AIM client, Google and AOL also agreed to integrate AOL's video clips in AOL's new video service, in exchange for AOL getting "credits" to promote its Web sites and content through Google's search engine's keyword ads (Adsense sponsored links). This is definitely the "Trojan Horse" of this entire deal. Google (Google Video) and AOL are very high on video content and embedding video advertising, so this deal could be one way of promoting and leveraging each other's video content. While this is definitely a win-win for Google who pulled $1 billion from their "petty cash fund" to get a 5% stake in AOL and some interesting symbiotic partnership "perks", I don't see this necessarily as a loss for Microsoft. If anything, perhaps Microsoft will now be the torchbearer for IM interoperability standards for fear of being left out in the cold? Let us hope...

Yesterday, Rich, Greg Galitzine and I discussed some of our prognostications for the industry, which Rich planned on publishing in the January 2006 issue of Internet Telephony Magazine. Now it appears Rich posted a sneak peek of his 2006 VoIP predictions in his VoIP blog you should go check out.

I too have been thinking about my own VoIP predictions for 2006. Last year I made my 2005 VoIP Predictions and I hoped to have some time before the New Year to critique my 2005 predictions and also make my 2006 predictions. I still hope to do so, but I've been extremely busy of late and I'm working on a really interesting SMB VoIP product that is coming to market soon. So I can't guarantee I'll have time to do my 2006 VoIP predictions, but I'll do my best. Oh lest I forget, I just want to thank all my blog readers for their support, their comments, and visiting my site on a regular basis -- and I'd like to wish you all a very...

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays & a Happy New Year!

According to a Park Associates report, U.S. consumers lead the world in consumption of television-related products; Asian consumers lead in computer products. Some other interesting insights as well, including the fact that Taiwan and South Korea lead the world in the adoption of consumer technologies, according to Global Digital Living (GDL), a new international study from Parks Associates.

GDL surveyed over 10,000 households in 13 countries and ranked nations according to their proclivity to adopt and use MP3 players, video-on-demand (VOD), home networks, computers, online services, and similar advanced technologies. The United States proved the most receptive to TV-related technologies (such as DVRs and digital cable) but fell behind Taiwan and Korea in the adoption of computer-related technologies. Europe countries generally placed behind North America and developed Asian countries like Japan in the adoption of all categories surveyed.

"Each nation has particular strengths and weaknesses in terms of technology adoption," said John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. "Canada, for instance, is a very impressive market for home networking while Japan is the undisputed champion for mobile phones, with over one-half of all Japanese households using mobile phone features like e-mail or photo messaging every month. Of course long commute times in Japan encourage the use of mobile phone entertainment features."

The results of the Global Digital Living(TM) survey were released to coincide with the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where Parks Associates will be on-hand to discuss the results (South Hall, booth 25539).