Reviews

eBay Global Strategy with Paypal and Skype

May 5, 2006

Yesterday eBay detailed what was talked about at their annual financial analyst conference in San Jose. A lot of what was detailed is stuff we already know. Skype passed 100 million users, Paypal is integrated with eBay, blah blah blah. They talk about the synergies between the three (eBay, Paypal, Skype), but to me Skype is still the odd man out right now. I still can't go to eBay, look up an auction listing and see the seller's Skype status to initiate a call to the seller.

Sure, eBay is in the early stages of this.

Posted in Reviews, Skype

Skype 2.5 launches

May 3, 2006

Today Skype released Skype 2.5 beta. This new version will also preview a new product called Skypecasts – live, moderated conversations (e.g. a town hall or live broadcast) allowing groups of up to 100 people from anywhere in the world to talk to one another for free. Skypecasts enable people to discuss shared interests such as cars, reality TV, sports, etc.

Posted in Reviews, Skype

Microsoft Speech Server 2007 preview

April 5, 2006

Microsoft announced today that beginning in May, beta testers will have the opportunity to preview and provide feedback on Microsoft Speech Server 2007. Speech Server is Microsoft's IVR platform and provides the tools, run-time environment and services needed for developing speech-enabled telephony applications.

Some highlights from today's Speech Server 2007 announcement include:
New development options with added support for VoiceXML and a new Speech Server API Native support for VoIP as well as SIP and RTP to enable better integration with existing telephony infrastructures Increased performance monitoring tools to track how callers are using the system Membership in the VoiceXML Forum The full text of the release, along with quotes from industry companies and organizations, can be read here:

Posted in Microsoft, Reviews

RTX's web-enabled PORTALphone cordless VoIP phone available

March 21, 2006

RTX America, today announced U.S. general availability of PORTALphone, a hybrid, web-enabled cordless phone allowing consumers to view customized web content on a color display. It's a pretty cool phone and would love to review it, but alas I still have an RTX DualPhone I haven't tested. Soon though...

Posted in Reviews, VoIP

Microsoft BetaPlace outage and Exchange ActiveSync MSFP problem

March 14, 2006

I was just on Microsoft BetaPlace downloading the Microsoft Device Emulator 1.0 Community Preview to test Windows Mobile 5.0 with Exchange ActiveSync and the download timed-out at 98%. 2% remaining? Such a tease... I then tried accessing http://beta.microsoft.com from and it too timed-out.

Posted in Microsoft, Mobile Phones, Reviews, Wireless

Cisco Unified Communications Changes Everything?

March 5, 2006

Cisco at 12am March 6th will launch their new Unified Communications System (www.cisco.com/go/unified) aimed at streamlining business processes, and helping to drive productivity. Unified Communications (UC) will feature new presence, desktop tools, mobile integration and network intelligence to improve business agility and customer interaction, but just as importantly as I will indicate later, Cisco is fully embracing the SIP standard on their desktop phones. I interviewed Cisco last week and they told me that I was the first journalist or analyst to have a "first look" at this major announcement.

Cisco IP phone & the new IP Communicator softclient

Perhaps I misread the tone of the Cisco representatives during my call, but they initially seemed to downplay the significance of Cisco's embracing of SIP in favor of focusing on the entire Unified Communications platform. But in my opinion, Cisco embracing SIP is just as big news as their Unified Communications system, but more on that later.

Essentially, Cisco Systems, unveiled the Cisco Unified Communications system, which is a new suite of voice, data and video products and applications specifically designed to help organizations of all sizes to communicate more effectively.

Posted in Avaya, Linux, Reviews, VoIP

Worldwide IP PBX Revenue Up 23%, TDM Systems Down 15% in 2005

February 27, 2006

Just wanted to share some recent IP-PBX vs. traditional TDM PBX market share numbers from Infonetics that came out today. Infonetics tracked Cisco and determined they were the market leader with 42% unit market share in 2005. I wonder if Infonetics also tracks Asterisk?

Posted in Asterisk, Avaya, Polycom, Reviews, ShoreTel, VoIP

Click: Now That's Total Control

February 10, 2006

You gotta love the premise of the Sony Pictures movie Click that opens in June -- that life can be controlled by a remote control, just like TV.Â Adam Sandler (he can be very funny) operates that colorful and surprising simply laid out "Life Menu" remote (so few buttons! two in a row, four rows), pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding as necessary to improve the quality of his life. Those close to him also apparently benefit too as evidenced by the âbaseball catchâ clip that aired during the Grammy Awards.

Iâd rate this a âmust watchâ video or PPV choice, meaning donât know if itâd be worth the multiple prices of admission at the local movie theater â not to mention the cost of the essential âKing Kongâ-size combo food snack.Â (Doesnât popcorn just taste better at the movie theater?)

Posted in Reviews, Technology and Science

Microsoft IE 7 Beta for Those Who Dare

January 31, 2006

For those of you who fear no beta and love to be the first one to get your hands on anything new, Microsoft is making a beta preview of its upcoming web browser, IE 7, available to developers and enthusiasts at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/ie7/default.mspx.

(You may call this product by its full name, Internet Explorer 7, too.)

IE 7 offers dynamic security protection and makes everyday tasks easier with improved platform and manageability (at least according to Microsoft). I'm sure they have listened and learned from all of those error reports they receive daily.

Posted in Computer Software, Reviews

Chit-chat with Mark Spencer

January 25, 2006

I met with Digium's founder, Mark Spencer yesterday to discuss what was happening with Asterisk. Mark told me that they are working very hard on Jingle support, an open set of extensions to the IETF's Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) for use in VoIP, video, and other peer-to-peer multimedia
sessions. This will enable federation with Google Talk and other Jingle supporters. Mark said that Jingle support will be coming very soon.

Posted in Asterisk, Reviews

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