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Covad Nationwide Ethernet Service Launches on Tax Day

March 15, 2010

Covad Communications, which has been testing their Ethernet service, announced today the launch date for nationwide Ethernet services - namely April 15th (aka Tax Day, "Pay the Man Day", etc). I almost went with Covad's solution when TMC moved to our new headquarters, but decided to go with Optimum Lightpath instead ($2500/month for bundled 45Mbps data + voice). In any event, according to Patrick Bennett, President and CEO of Covad, "What will differentiate this product in the market are the integrated QoS and CoS options that give our partners immense flexibility in optimizing network performance based on their application requirements."

Covad designed these services to run business-class, real-time applications like Voice over IP, video, gaming, VPNs and video conferencing through multiple traffic-handling options via Quality of Service (QoS) and Class of Service (CoS), and are backed by Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

"Ethernet is an important component of Covad's overall portfolio strategy.

Posted in Internet, TMCnet, VoIP

Amazon Should Collect Taxes? Over my Dead Gadget-Loving Body!

December 28, 2009

The NY Times must be smoking the weed again. They have an article posted the day after Christmas arguing that Amazon should charge customers state taxes to help fill the state's tax coffers.

The NY Times writes, "Competitors aren't the only ones hurt by Amazon's stance on sales taxes: it also means the loss of considerable revenue to states and localities that badly need it." So because the states "badly need it", the NY Times argues Amazon should give up some of their capital wealth and spread it around to all 50 states? Last I checked, we still live in a capitalist republic not a socialist state. Let me explain the Constitution to ya NY Times, so you understand why charging intrastate taxes is unconstitutional.

First, let me cite Article IV of the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States and formed the core basis for the adoption of the final Constitution.

The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union, the free inhabitants of each of these States, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States; and the people of each State shall free ingress and regress to and from any other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any State, to any other State, of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any State, on the property of the United States, or either of them.

In order words, it was critical that states not pass legislation which punished other states via taxes or levies, which could be used to try and gain an unfair competitive advantage.

Further, the final Constitution in Article I Section 10 (Powers prohibited of States) states:

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.

Therefore, the Constitution specifically prohibits interstate taxes and this forms the core heart of American federalism.

Posted in Internet, News, TMCnet

fring and Skype Video calls on your Mobile Phone

November 25, 2009

Just a week after fring released an Android version, fring has now announced video calls over your mobile phone's Internet connection. It supports both fring video calls and Skype video calls.Pretty cool to have a videoconference call using your cell phone.

Currently fring video is only supported on Nokia touch (such as X6, N97 mini,N97, 5800), N95, N95 8G and N82 devices. I'm told by a fring representative that iPhone support is coming - though with the iPhone's rear camera mount, it will be kind of tough to have a 2-way video conversation.

Posted in Android, Gadgets, Internet, Mobile Phones, SIP, Skype, Video Conferencing, VoIP, Wireless

What Do You Do When Your Network Goes Down?

October 2, 2009

Cisco has the answer for what you and your coworkers can do when your network goes down. Pretty damn hilarious!

Via Cisco UC500 blog

Posted in Cisco, Internet, Personal and Humor, TMCnet

Livestream Livepack Bonds Six 3G/EVDO modems for Ludicrous Wireless Internet Speed!

September 24, 2009

Livestream today is launching the world's first solution for wireless live streaming at HD quality by bonding six load-balanced 3G/EVDO modems over three carriers. Called Livepack, this unique solution enables you to have a roaming live video studio anywhere you can get 3G/EVDO connectivity. Livestream says it can stream HD video at far lower costs than traditional solutions such as broadcast trucks.   Of course, bonding six 3G/EVDO modems together has some other fringe benefits - like ludicrous wireless Internet speed! Wonder if you can tether the Livepack to your laptop and get super high-speed Internet access while on the road?

Posted in Gadgets, Internet, Sports/Outdoor Technology, TMCnet, Technology and Science, Unified Communications, Video Conferencing, Video Hardware & Software, VoIP, Wireless

Major Blackberry Outage

September 22, 2009

One of our sales rep's has a Blackberry and his email stopped working. Our MIS team looked at the email settings and they were fine. After contacting technical support, they told us that there is a BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) outage in all of North America. Yikes!

It's enough to make a Verizon Blackberry user want to switch to AT&T. Ok, maybe not...

Posted in Internet, News, TMCnet, Wireless

Skype Tops the IM Charts Surpassing Windows Live Messenger

September 18, 2009

According to the Skype blog, new data released by the exo.performance.network shows that Skype has eclipsed Windows Live Messenger as the #1 IM application. Skype just squeaked by with 17% vs. 16.7% for Windows Live Messenger.

Nicely done Skype! I just hope the end is not near.

Posted in Internet, Microsoft, News, Skype, TMCnet, VoIP, p2p

Google Gods are Killing Me - PageRank 6 drops to PageRank 3

August 5, 2009

The Google Gods are really starting to piss tick me off. For years the VoIP & Gadgets blog has had a PageRank of 6 (PR6) and sometimes as high as PR7. As of July of last year the PageRank dropped to PR3 and then went back up to PR4 for quite some time. This week it's back at PR3.

Posted in Google, Internet, TMCnet

D2 Technologies Showcases its mCUE Converged Communications Client with Embedded VoIP for Android at OESF Japan

July 28, 2009

Some interesting news from D2 Technologies about them showcasing their mCUE™ converged communications client with embedded VoIP for Android at OESF Japan. I should point out that D2's mCUE mobile convergence software solution combines a communications user interface with the company's vPort MP VoIP software platform and is targeted towards OEMs and service providers to help deliver integrated Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) and Unified Communications (UC) functionality.

At OESF they will demo how mCUE can enable VoIP, video chat and other IP communications capabilities in stationary Android-based embedded equipment and consumer electronics devices. With mCUE, these devices can offer premium multi-service unified communications capabilities and deliver simultaneous interoperability with any communication service provider, Instant Messaging (IM) community or social networking platform. All popular communication modes are converged to a single communications user interface (UI), including circuit switched voice (PSTN or cellular), VoIP, Instant Messaging (IM), SMS and video chat.

Full release after the jump...

Posted in Android, Google, Internet, Linux, Mobile Phones, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP, Wireless

Next-gen iPod touch Features Mic, Video, and VoIP?

July 21, 2009

Wired
is reporting rumors about Apple preparing a new version of the iPod touch that includes a camera and microphone, which when combined with Skype for the iPod touch would negate the need for a home phone line. VoIP on an iPod touch? That's just heresy! Essentially, the iPod touch becomes an iPhone without the need for an AT&T contract.

The article then points out you can add a portable Verizon MiFi 3G wireless access point, which shares your 3G connection using WiFi to finally bring the iPhone experience to Verizon's 3G network.

Posted in Apple, Gadgets, Home Entertainment, Internet, SIP, TMCnet, VoIP, Wireless

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