Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
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Facebook Phone? Who cares!

September 20, 2010

TechCrunch started a firestorm when they said Facebook was working on a "Facebook phone", resulting in denials by Facebook, and finally TechCrunch called Facebook and their PR outright liars. Everyone was in a tizzy that Facebook was purportedly building a phone based on Google's Android operating system. Even my boss, Rich Tehrani is excited about the potential.

I say "so what?" and "who cares?" Look, I like Facebook and I use it all the time, but there already exists Facebook apps for the iPhone, Android devices, and other mobile platforms. So why the need for Facebook to build their own Android-based mobile phone?

Dan Frommer over at Business Insider disagrees.



ooVoo vs. Skype in the SMB Space

September 10, 2010



I recently had a video interview with Phillipe Schwartz, CEO of ooVoo, to discuss how they stack up against Skype, ooVoo's technical architecture, their target market, and more. One difference off the bat is that ooVoo started with a SMB-focus, while Skype started with a consumer-focus and then Skype recently started targeting small to medium businesses,i.e. Skype for SIP now called Skype Connect. Phillipe claims ooVoo has an impressive 14 million users and 2-2.5 million downloads per month.

Plantronics M100 Review

August 17, 2010

The Plantronics M100 Bluetooth headset has arrived and here is my unboxing + review. The first feature you should be aware of is the dual mics on the M100. When the dual mics are combined with the built-in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Plantronics wind and background noise reduction technology, in theory you have the best damn sounding headset on the planet. But before I we determine that, first the unboxing video...

AudioCodes Adds Mobile VoIP Solutions for Blackberry and Android

August 5, 2010

Audiocodes today launched a mobile VoIP app for Blackberry and Android. They already supported the Apple iPhone.

Here's the full release:

AudioCodes VMAS Solution now covers all leading Smartphone OS, offering a comprehensive solution set for mobile, PC or Web

Lod, Israel - August 5, 2010 - AudioCodes (NasdaqGS: AUDC), a leading provider of Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies and Voice Network products, today announced an expansion of its VMAS family of Mobile VoIP Solutions with the addition of its new Blackberry and Android clients. AudioCodes Mobile VoIP Solutions enable Service Providers to offer new value added services thereby increasing revenues while allowing end users to make low cost calls at significantly improved voice quality. With today's announcement, VMAS now offers carriers a complete solution covering all leading mobile operating systems such as Symbian, Windows Mobile, Apple iOS, Blackberry OS and Android, as well as its existing solutions for the PC and Web.

The growing availability of high-speed mobile broadband, continual adoption of smartphones and emergence of flat rate mobile data pricing have bolstered the growth of mobile VoIP and made it an integral part of the future.  Frost & Sullivan has even recently claimed that "Mobile VoIP has become a credible threat to the traditional voice revenues." (Impact Of Mobile VoIP On Next Generation Cellular Networks, July 2010)  Going forward, Service Providers will need to differentiate themselves from mobile VoIP start-ups with innovative services and capabilities.







Vonage Mobile app for Facebook Launches

August 4, 2010


Today, Vonage launched Vonage Mobile application for Facebook: A new service which allows users to make free mobile calls to all of their Facebook friends who have the app as well. That's a bit of a stumbling block since your friends need the app installed to make VoIP calls. Although, you can IM them from within the free app regardless of whether they have the Vonage app installed. But once installed by both parties, it can be convenient to make free calls to any of your Facebook friends, especially since you can see when they are "online" (presence).

Google Voice Adds Faster dialing on Android and Blackberry devices

July 22, 2010

Cisco Cius HD Android Tablet

June 30, 2010


Cisco unveiled Cisco Cius, a business tablet running on the Android OS that offers "virtual desktop integration with anywhere, anytime access to the full range of Cisco collaboration and communication applications, including HD video." Now before you think iPad killer, you should know that Cisco is focusing this tablet on the business enterprise not the consumer market. It sports WiFi, 3G, and soon 4G when it becomes available. Nice! It also has a front-mounted 720p HD camera supporting 30fps.

I should add that many enterprises are using iPads as laptop replacements, so I wouldn't classify the iPad as strictly a consumer product.


Truphone Launches 3G and Multi-Task Calling for Apple iOS

June 23, 2010

Truphone announced a new update to their VoIP app to coincide with the iPhone 4 launch. Check it out:

Truphone's latest updates to the iPhone app are now live in iTunes with the iPod touch app soon to follow in the next 24 hours. The updates include placing/receiving calls over 3G, background calling that allows voice calls and data applications to run simultaneously and a new Truphone Instant Messenger.

**MEDIA ALERT**

TRUPHONE LAUNCHES 3G AND MULTI TASK CALLING FOR APPLE iOS 4

DATE: June 24, 2010

WHAT: Truphone, the global mobile operator, today announced the availability of its updated application for the iPhone and iPod touch iOS 4 in the Apple iTunes store.

What's new?

 *   3G Calling: The application now allows consumers to place and receive calls over 3G networks. This means that consumers have the option to make calls as part of their data package even when out of Wi-Fi range, using their mobile carrier's 3G network.

 *   Background calling: Thanks to Apple iOS 4's multi-tasking feature, Truphone now allows voice calls and data applications to run simultaneously.  For customers, this ensures they won't miss incoming calls when running a data application and can place a call while surfing the Internet or checking email.

 *   Truphone Instant Messenger: The new updated applications include Truphone Instant Messenger.

















fring Brings Video Calling to Android

May 27, 2010

Google Buys Global IP Sound

May 18, 2010

Google has an offer to buy Global IP Solutions, for $68.2 million. Global IP Solutions (GIPS) was the company that powered Skype's adaptive codec to handle packet loss, jitter, etc. until Skype decided to develop their own codec. Google Talk uses GIPS, so certainly Google will save on the licensing fees if they pick up GIPS.
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