Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
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Satellite Radio

Sirius is Serious About Customer Service

March 9, 2011

Sirius is serious about providing superior customer service. One reason Sirius satellite users often pay for satellite radio is because they have no patience with commercials that you get with traditional radio. So having these same users wait 'on hold' listening to music-on-hold or audio promotions is not a good idea. Well, now Sirius customers and potential customers can now reach call center agents with one click - no phone menus, no waiting on hold, leveraging Fonolo's virtual queuing technology.

Do We Need a Digital Bill of Rights?

October 6, 2008

TechCrunch, much like the Digital Freedom Campaign, believes we need a Digital Bill of Rights to serve as "a consistent policy governing everything from Internet Protocol regulations to intellectual property on the Web."

The Digital Freedom Campaign focuses on the first three issues laid out in the TechCrunch piece -- "The Right to Use and Reuse Content," "The Right to Control Digital Property On Your Own Device" and "The Right to the Free Flow of Information."

The presidential election gives us a chance to turn the page and move forward, with support and guidance from policymakers, into a bright digital future.

Now let's see if anyone in Washington is listening.

Read more about it at TechCrunch.

And then cast your vote!













Microsoft develops Vi-Fi (Vehicle Wi-Fi). VoIP while driving baby!

August 27, 2008

A new technology developed by Microsoft in alliance with the University of Massachusetts (UMASS), and the University of Washington has resulted in a new technology called Vi-Fi (Vehicle Wi-Fi). Vi-Fi solves the problem of hopping from one Wi-Fi wireless access point (WAP) to another when signal strength diminishes. According to the article, the goal of Vi-Fi could be to power VoIP calls, Internet, and radio in cars of the future.

Ironically, Andy wrote a controversial blog this week about VoIPing while flying (using Aircell) -- well now you can VoIP while driving too! Of course, I've been using VoIP over EVDO for some time now while driving.

Logitech Squeezebox Duet

January 7, 2008

Improving upon their line of Squeezebox (& Transporter) music network devices, Logitech recently introduced the Squeezebox Duet.
The Squeezebox Duet sports a cool new remote controller with a full-color 2.4 inch LCD screen and a receiver that utilizes 802.11g WiFi. the Duet allows users to stream music from any computer to any room with an audio receiver, browse your music collection with full color album art, and even stream Internet radio stations. In addition to playing songs stored on your computer, you can also connect to online services such as Pandora and Rhapsody. Rich Tehrani came to me a couple of weeks ago looking for a device that streams Internet radio, and Pandora so he can work out and listen to music. At the time I couldn't think of anything, but the Squeezebox Duet sounds like it might fit the bill.

Pontiac G5 Internet Launch?

January 16, 2007

Looks like Pontiac is launching the 2007 Pontiac G5 on the Internet. I just saw a Google video ad on my blog stating that Pontiac is launching the G5 exclusively on the Internet. The images you see are snapshots I took of the Pontiac G5 video.






In the commerical they list off popular digital items, trying to market the Pontiac G5 as a "digital car". They list: digital watch, digital abacus, digital camera, digital phone, digital video, digital card, digital haircut (i.e.






Get Sirius with Car TV

December 1, 2006

XM Tees Off in Chicago

July 6, 2006

Nielsen wants to track everything you watch

June 16, 2006

Nielsen wants to expand upon their TV tracking into the Web realm and even your iPod to track what video content you watch. According to this MSNBC article, "Nielsen Media Research said Wednesday it plans to integrate TV with Internet ratings and to measure viewership for such portable devices as cell phones and iPods." It states that Nielsen is developing "meters" that track viewing on portable devices, and will by year's end have a 400-member iPod user panel in place.

While I applaud Nielsen for trying to expand their repertoire of user habits & tracking, which aids in reporting for content providers and gives advertisers an audited way of knowing readership, I am a bit skeptical over Nielsen tracking user's Web surfing habits or what videos they watch on their iPods. Isn't this known as "spyware"?

Bob Dylan as XM DJ?

December 14, 2005

Satellite Radio a Threat to Music Biz?

December 9, 2005

Funny how the music business can't get out of its own way when it comes to making music affordable and accessible to the millions of fans that keep record companies alive.�  First we waited and waited for CD prices to come down once the production volume increased and manufacturing kinks were worked out -- that never happened over the 20+ history of the CD.

Then, they worried and worried that these digital CDs would be copied endlessly (perfect clones every time!) so that rather than sell a million copies of an album, one fan would buy one CD and then a million copies would be made.� (See Sony's latest woes� and damage to its brand as only the latest example of� where this copy protection idea� has led.) � 

Next, when the Internet took off, Napster and other sites made it possible to download music for free while the record companies scratched their heads about how to fashion a business model that included the Internet.�  (Is this Nero fiddling while Rome burned?)

Now with satellite radio from companies like XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio still trying to gain traction, these same� labels (although now consolidated into a few conglomerates) are concerned that satellite radio receivers will enable listeners to record music off of the airwaves, further reducing the labels' sales and profits.� 

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