November 2006 Archives

Microsoft has announced it has completed development work on the new Windows Vista operating system and confirmed that it will be available to consumers January 30, 2007.

(Nice New Year's present, we hope.)

The new operating system, which company officials are calling the most secure and reliable operating system yet, includes a variety of new features and new technologies to enhance performance and quality.

(With hopefully not too many patches to fix the boo-boos ...)

In gadget-land, as in all of retailing, Black Friday is one heck of a day -- it's the day after Thanksgiving that signals the "official" start of the holiday shopping season.

(Although retailers like Wal-mart are already pushing the envelope with sale prices that used to be reserved for that special time only ...)

Black Friday is also the day that retailers love to fill their stores early -- why else would there be 5:00 AM specials on that day for early birds (and those that haven't gone to sleep yet)?

For those of us who can't wait for the nice four-color printed flyers ("circulars") to show up in our mail box or paper and instead want a sneak peek at those ads, a number of web sites, like Black Friday 2006, have sprung up.

And after looking at those ads, let me tell you, some of those prices are "In-saaaane" like our boy Crazy Eddy used to say.

(Thanks to the Crazy Eddy Insane Tribute Page! for the photo at top.)

The music for the day? How about Steely Dan's "Black Friday?"

Oh and if you're looking for some Black Friday deals on Amazon, check this out!

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Friday-After-Thanksgiving-Sale/

 

Not too surprising to see that NTP, the same company that got a bunch of millions from Research in Motion (RIM), the company behind the oh-so-popular Blackberry, is now going after Palm in the same manner.

The Blackberry story was hot earlier this year, and I'm sure the NTP/Palm face-off will be hot this tiime.

Wonder if Palm has learned anything from the earlier suit?

And now I have wonder about whether my Treo 650 will still be able to do what it's supposed to do?

It's always something ...

FierceVoIP has released a list of their Top 15 VoIP Companies of 2006, which FierceVoIP Editor Dan Rosenbaum calls the Fierce 15.

Dan writes: "I have a particular belief that the companies that will succeed most brilliantly are the ones that succeed in building an ecosystem around themselves, and that brilliant applications are at the forefront of today's VoIP industry…Some of these companies you've heard of. Some, I bet, you haven't. But you should. These are the best of breed for 2006."

It's an interesting list, which includes Empirix, SunRocket, Jajah, Iotum, Digium, GrandCentral, and several other notable players in the VoIP space. Some in the list I agree with, some I don't. It's a pretty short list, so I'm sure narrowing it down to just 15 was tough and as a result some good VoIP players will inevitably be left out in the cold.

Skype 3.0 beta was just released. If you recall, I reported back in October at ITEXPO that Skype 3.0 beta would launch in November and that the biggest new features in Skype 3.0 beta are its plugin support and the click-to-dial feature. Of course, the Skype v2.6 beta already had "click to call" added, so really the plugin support is the main new feature. Of course, as I also reported, it really isn't like Firefox plugins, it's simply a new tab that lets you pick the most popular Skype applications and it will initiate the installation process. I'll reiterate what I wrote back in October:

At first I thought, "Wow! Cool. Skype is following the Firefox plugin model, which enables end users to add their own cool little features." Plugins are one reason why Firefox is so popular - due to the developer community it helped to spawn and develop.

But with further investigation I learned that the plugins feature is simply a tab within the Skype 3.0 application that will list several popular Skype third-party add-ons. Then you can simply select the ones you want and it will be a 1-click installation using a standard MSI, .exe or whatever other installer works on your operating system. I suppose bringing the best plugins into a tab within Skype is a good idea. It will expose casual Skypers to some of the best third-party Skype applications.

In other words, Skype 3.0 beta? Ho hum, nothing to see here... Move along...

Dialogic tomorrow will make their first significant announcement since their sale from Intel to Eicon.

According to Dialogic, they will announce the availability of the industry's first multimedia platform for AdvancedTCA.  The platform will be used to deliver applications such as voice and video mail, color ringback tones, unified messaging, and audio conferencing over IP and PSTN interfaces in wireline and wireless environments using standard protocols for session and media control.

Linksys has partnered with Yahoo! to offer a new dual-mode cordless phone called the Linksys Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice (CIT310). Linksys sent me a review unit to check out and put through the paces. Similar to the Linksys CIT200 Skype phone I reviewed, the Linksys Yahoo Messenger CIT310 gives you low-cost PSTN Outbound calling using VoIP and FREE voice calling to your Yahoo Messenger buddies. Similarly the CIT200 also offered low-cost VoIP calling but using Skype's SkypeOut service and free Skype-to-Skype calling. Both models also support inbound calling as well. Both Linksys models also allow you to control your presence information (Away, Busy, Online, etc.) from the phone itself, as well as view the presence information for your "buddies" and instantly click-to-dial any of your buddies that you highlight. Unlike the Linksys CIT200 Skype phone however, the CIT310's base station not only supports USB connectivity to the PC, but also an analog (FXO) port for connecting to your home landline - hence, the "Dual-Mode" moniker in the full product name. The analog port allows you to place and receive phone calls using your traditional landline/PSTN in addition to making calls utilizing the Yahoo Messenger with Voice service. A more apt comparison might be with the newer Linksys CIT300 dual-mode cordless phone which supports Skype and a PSTN connection.

The Linksys CIT310 features the wireless DECT standard, so it supports multiple handsets and has a range of 300 meters outdoor and 50 meters indoor. Standby time is 100 hours and talk time is 10 hours. The base station measures 3.9” x 4.7” x 2.9” W x H x D (99 x 119 x 74 mm) and weighs 7.69 oz (.218 kg). More importantly, the handset measure.8” x 5.5” x 1.08” W x H x D (46 x 140 x 27 mm) and weighs 3.39 oz (.096 kg).

Currently, the Linksys CIT310 only works with Windows  - sorry Mac and Linux fans. Installing the Linksys Yahoo Messenger CIT310 was pretty straightforward. Insert the CD, follow the wizard, and then plug in the USB connector, which adds the device as a standard USB Audio Device.

The Linksys software runs in the background and is accessible via the System Tray, but there isn't much you can configure, although you can add Contacts from the utility. The software's main purpose really is to provide the integration with the base station and the Yahoo Messenger! with Voice software client. In any case, I then connected an analog line to the PSTN port on the back of the CIT310 so I could test regular landline calls. It's worth nothing that the CIT310 supports CallerID and can use CallerID number detection for distinctive ringtones by adding contacts to your address book.

If you already have a Yahoo Messenger account, you can simply sign-in and immediately make buddy-to-buddy calls or sign into Yahoo's Voice Messenger page and purchase minutes for PSTN calls. In fact, after the wizard install you simply follow some web links to purchase minutes or add a PhoneIn number. Initial customers purchasing the Linksys Dual-Mode Cordless Phone receive 100 free minutes to make Yahoo! Phone Out calls to any traditional or mobile phone. International rates are 1-2 cents per minute.

Flexity has put a whole new spin (and look!) on one of the essential "back office" elements of personal computing -- the lowly surge protector.

(Is there anything more utilitarian than that?)

Yes, believe it or not, that dull black or white (or even gray) strip of metal, some outlets and an electrical cable with plug has undergone a dramatic transformation.

(Dare I say almost of Cinderella proportions?)

Take a look at the award-winning PowerSquid surge protector in the photo (the Surge 3000-Calamari edition); have you ever seen anything like it? (Except maybe in the water ...)

The Surge 3000-Calamari Edition’s graceful cephalopod (that's fancy for "squid") design and stylish blue-on-white highlights really make this squid-like (especially once you feel those "legs"). Obvioiusly it looks cool with Apple Mac products, but even my Dell looks a bit spiffier with this thing.

(Am sure it would do the same for you.)

Oh, and don't think this is all design and no guts; it comes fully loaded with a feature set that includes:

• 3240 Joule rating
• Six flexible outlets
• Two glowing neon tentacles
• Audible alarm
• Tripwire Fail-Safe Circuit
• Flat profile fit 360° rotating swivel plug
• 8 foot cord
• $500,000 limited connected equipment warranty

MSRP: $79.95

www.powersquid.net

Camrivox has announced that it has added support for Google Talk to its range of Flexor IP telephony adapters and IP phones. The Flexor line of products allow users to register a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) account and a Google Talk account simultaneously on the same VoIP device. The Flexor line also supports analog FXO/FXS ports, so it can also make/receive landline/PSTN calls. Interesting that you can do SIP, Google Talk, and PSTN in/out all from one ATA (analog telephony adaptor).  Indeed, it looks like the Flexor 151 and 201 are both nice  converged ATAs -- all from a company I just learned about today. They also carry IP phones, such as the Flexor 500, but I didn't see any photos of the Flexor 500 on their website.

"We believe that Camrivox is the first company to add this capability, and our Flexor range is therefore the first devices that enables Google Talk to be used without a PC," said David Moorhouse, VP of Marketing at Camrivox.

The Google Talk capability is supported by Camrivox's complete range of VoIP products including the Flexor 500 IP phone, and the Flexor 201 and Flexor 151 VoIP telephony adapters.

We blogged about it last week and now it's true.

Users of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Live video game service soon will be able to download TV shows like South Park and CSI as well as movies like V for Vendetta via deals inked with half a dozen Hollywood studios. (Thanks CEA SmartBrief.)

Some 1,000 hours of programming will be available by the end of year for a price that will be "competitive" with iTunes and other similar services, according to Microsoft amid a flurry of coverage.

This is exciting for gamers and even more exciting for movie/video fans; this planned service skips the PC to get the programming and then get it onto a viewing device (like a TV, for instance).

Is the Xbox 360 going to last a long time as the center of the home entertainment experience?  

Globe Dialer is a proprietary software application that you download directly onto your mobile phone. Their software allows you to make convenient, low-cost, 'one-click' international calls, which no doubt uses VoIP termination. Of course, as I have reported, Jajah offers something similar, and they even offer free worldwide dialing, though there is a catch. Talkplus also offers a mobile app to download, but its primary purpose isn't inexpensive mobile dialing, though that is one of its benefits.

Globe Dialer has no "catch" and it's sole function is inexpensive international calls. The software can be downloaded onto many different phones and if your phone isn't supported, you can still benefit from their low rates by using any of their local or toll-free Direct Dial-In Numbers to call over 220 countries worldwide. Obviously, with the dial-in numbers you can also use their service from a landline phone.

Broadcom today announced that the Broadcom Wi-Fi phone now supports Skype software. Similar to other Pc-less Skype phones, you will be able to scroll through your contacts, see presence info, make free Skype-to-Skype calls, as well as SkypeIn and SkypeOut support if you paid for these optional services. The beauty of this WiFi Skype phone is of course you don't have to be tethered to your PC, nor does this Skype phone have to communicate with a base station connected (via USB) to a PC running Skype.

The handset features include a high-resolution color display, speakerphone and Buffalo’s AOSS easy configuration protocol. The Buffalo Wi-Fi phone will be Skype Certified and available for the Japanese market in November 2006. The handset comes with everything built-in to connect to Skype via any personal, business or free public Wi-Fi access point that does not require browser authentication. Why don't they build in a simple browser so you can authenticate on hotspots that require web-based authentication? Ok, so it adds a few cents/dollars to the cost, so what? Ok, maybe licensing an operating system that can run a mini-browser is more expensive than I realize, but seriously... How bout embedded Linux? That I assume is practically free. And flash memory is pretty cheap these days too, so they should be able to fit a browser application plus the underlying OS to support it.

In any event, Broadcom’s Wi-Fi phone reference design consists of the BCM1161 mobile VoIP processor and BCM4318E AirForce One 54g chip. The BCM1161 integrates an ARM9 CPU, an analog voice codec with a direct microphone and high-output speaker interface, a 2 megapixel camera interface, a 262k color LCD display interface, a polyphonic ringer and USB interface into a single-chip solution. Broadcom claims that the BCM4318E is Broadcom’s smallest and most cost-effective 54g client solution, integrating a high-performance 2.4 GHz radio, IEEE 802.11a/b/g baseband processor, medium access controller (MAC) and other components onto a single chip.

Since Broadcom typically creates chip reference designs and then manufacturers take the chip reference designs and build the final end-user product, it's unclear from this news if Broadcom is creating the final end-user Skype phone product. I emailed my contacts at Broadcom for clarification and I asked for a photo. I will update this post when I find out more.

Update:

Tom: Since Broadcom typically creates chip reference designs and then manufacturers take the chip reference designs and build the final end-user product, it's unclear from this news if Broadcom is creating the final end-user Skype phone product
Broadcom: Broadcom worked with Skype to port its software onto the reference design. The OEM then builds the end product with the Skype-ready reference design.

Tom: It's available in Japan, what about U.S.?
Broadcom: Buffalo has not provided US availability yet.

As for a photo, the Broadcom rep said that a photo wasn't made available yet. No Photo? A poor way to announce news in my humble opinion.

The gadgets sooth sayers (also known as industry analysts) are predicting slower growth in holiday electronics sales, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.

(Can you believe that?)

The sayers note that consumer electronics sales will continue to grow, but not at the pace of previous years.  

(Well, the NYSE and "the market" like slow growth.)

The reason: Price drops and the maturing of some gadgets.

Still, the Consumer Electronics Association predicts consumers will spend approximately $200 each on "electronics gifts."

What's going to be under your tree (or other appropriate holiday symbol)?

 

Back in the analog camera days (when they were just "cameras"), there was nothing like a Nikon -- and in today's digital imaging (aka digital camera) days, there is still nothing like a Nikon.

Not surprised then to catch a bit of the fever and buzz about the new, upcoming Nikon D40, which is supposedly smaller and lighter than the couple-of-year-old D50 and D70.

For those camera buffs who want to take a close-up peak what the D40 might look like, please click here.

And if you bring one back from Japan, please send us an image.

Om Malik has added a new blog to his portfolio called IPNetworked. According to Om, "IPNetworked is a blog that will exclusively track the telecom carriers, cable companies, Internet service providers, Web hosting services, and the data centers. Speed changes, legislative matters, price cuts, and IPTV – it will cover a wide gamut of topics."

Russell Shaw will be one of the writers on this new blog. Congrats Russell on the new writing diggs after leaving VON Magazine. Om is certainly one of the leading bloggers in Web 2.0, VoIP, and general Internet news, so Russell will be in good company working for Om.

Russell also writes for the IP Telephony blog for ZDNet, the BBHub BlackBerry blog for Weblogs, Inc., and a blog about enterprise hardware for AllBusiness.com. He also writes a non-technical political blog.

Russell Shaw will also be joining TMC's list of esteemed bloggers very shortly & focused on telecom regulations. It wouldn't only cover telecom, but also the broader communications sphere as relates to technology regulations. Scope would include most of what the FCC concerns itself with. It's destination will be http://blog.tmcnet.com/regulations/ but it isn't live yet. Boy, Russell is becoming one of the most prolific and best mercenary bloggers around!

We'll be glad to have Russell on our team very shortly. It should go live in a few days.