Microsoft

Asterisk With Office Communications Server 2007

May 27, 2008

Asterisk integration with Office Communications Server 2007 is a popular topic in the unified communications community. You wouldn't think integrating an open source Linux-based solution (Asterisk) with Microsoft's proprietary OCS 2007 UC platform would be popular, but it is. In fact, I have my ear to both the Microsoft OCS 2007 community and the Asterisk community and the integration of these two worlds is something I hear all the time. Some within the Asterisk community poo-poo the thought of integrating with Microsoft OCS 2007.

Posted in Asterisk, Linux, Microsoft, Reviews, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

CinemaNow Brings Movie Downloads to Windows Media Center

May 23, 2008

CinemaNow
was one of the first to offer downloadable video content on-demand, but has been lost in the shuffle of competitors like Apple, Amazon, and Netflix for their digital movie, music, & TV downloads. And of course you have the big buzz surrounding Netflix's new Roku set-top box.

Well, today CinemaNow is announcing that its library of over 3,400 feature-length movies is now available through Windows Media Center. All you need is Windows Media Center, which comes included with Windows Vista and Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. These movies are available right now through a new Online Media channel in Windows Media Center that provides access to CinemaNow. Their library includes feature-length movies and even HD-quality movies.

The big benefit of Windows Media Center is that it gives you an easy way to browse CinemaNow’s library with the "10 foot" experience using your Windows Media Center remote control.

Posted in Apple, Home Entertainment, Microsoft, TMCnet

Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Rumors

May 15, 2008

I've heard from various sources about Office Communications Server 2007 R2 coming soon. I'm a member of the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 MVP team, so I'm privy to information that I cannot divulge at this moment due to NDA requirements. In fact, I hadn't planned on blogging this at all had I not come across a few posts online talking about OCS 2007 R2. Other sources outside the Microsoft MVP community were also asking me if I knew anything about R2.

There are several rumors milling about what features OCS 2007 R2 would contain, including this link on Network World.

Posted in Asterisk, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000

May 13, 2008

Microsoft launched a webcam called the Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 that "literally bends over backwards for you." Or at least, that's what Microsoft says.

Somehow picturing a webcam and bending over backwards sounds a wee bit pornographic is you ask me. That is until I found out what the fuss was all about. The LifeCam VX-5000 lets you "bend" its shape. The bendable attachment base that molds to virtually any surface so it can work on either a notebook or a desktop.

The LifeCam VX-5000 features a brightly colored ring around the front of the webcam in the colors Cool Blue, Lucky Green and Fire Red. The LifeCam VX-5000 also features MSN Photo Swap, a special feature that lets consumers share digital photos in midvideo conversation and see real-time reactions as both callers view the pictures.

Posted in Digital Cameras, Gadgets, Microsoft

SkyFire Review

May 8, 2008

Rich Tehrani has a great review on the SkyFire browser that gives Windows Mobile devices the Apple iPhone browsing experience. Well, not quite, but definitely much better than the built-in Windows Mobile browser. It supports easy zooming, Flash support, videos (including YouTube videos) and more. Rich was getting so frustrated with the crappy Windows Mobile browser that he even weighed the pros and cons of switching to the Apple iPhone from his Verizon HTC 6800 Windows Mobile.

But now Rich is giddier than a kid that just got a PS3 for Christmas, or that blogger who just got an iPhone and can't stop blogging about it.

Posted in Microsoft, Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, Reviews, TMCnet

Cisco and Microsoft in Clash of the UC Titans

April 24, 2008

According to a new study by analyst firm Infonetics Research, Cisco and Microsoft are locked in a "battle of the titans" for the unified communications (UC) market, with both vendors currently favored by buyers as Unified Messaging and Communicator suppliers. As almost an aside, the news release on the study says, "Avaya and Nortel also fare well as current UC suppliers." I'm sure Avaya and Nortel are thinking -- and to quote Rodney Dangerfield, "I get no respect."

According to Infonetics, "It's no secret that Microsoft is predicting the death of the PBX, to be replaced by a software-based communication approach like OCS 2007; but we didn't find many people convinced that this is yet the way to go. What we're seeing instead is companies keeping their IP PBXs, and layering unified communications applications on top. Microsoft is seeing early success by leveraging their leadership in e-mail messaging and desktop environments.

Posted in Avaya, Cisco, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

SPOT Watches R.I.P.

April 24, 2008

Posted in Accessories, Gadgets, Microsoft, TMCnet

Microsoft's Tellme Cool BlackBerry voice search

April 23, 2008

Posted in GPS, Gadgets, Microsoft, Mobile Phones, Wireless

Microsoft Response Point Announces SIP Trunking Service Providers

April 18, 2008

In March Microsoft announced Microsoft Response Point Service Pack 1 (SP1), which adds SIP trunking support. Today, Microsoft is announcing that they have selected NGT and Cbeyond as recommended service providers for Response Point to offer SIP trunks. NGT became the first certified, Microsoft recommended service provider offering SIP phone services that works seamlessly with Response Point.

Today, Microsoft announced that Cbeyond and New Global Telecom (NGT) will offer their VoIP (SIP trunking) services for the Response Point phone system. Small business customers will be able to take advantage of simple, fully integrated VoIP service from these providers on Microsoft Response Point Service Pack 1 (SP1) when it is released this summer.

I spoke with Microsoft and NGT and one of the questions I asked was if CallerID support would be supported on the Response Point phones transmitted via the SIP trunks.

Posted in Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, VoIP

Windows Mobile 6.1 Update

April 1, 2008

Microsoft has announced plans to rollout an updated version of its Windows Mobile platform called Windows Mobile 6.1. The new updates include enhancements to existing features as well as some new ones. Features include e-mail, Web-access, instant messaging, traffic updates, photo capabilities, music and the ability to edit documents. One nice feature is a new zoom capability that lets you view an entire Web page or picture and zoom in up on a portion of a page.

Posted in Microsoft, Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, TMCnet, VoIP, Wireless

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