Reviews

Wireless Backhaul Importance Grows

March 25, 2008

With increasing wireless mobile phone users along with more sophisticated wireless devices such as the Blackberry and iPhone chewing up bandwidth, the need for wireless backhaul technologies is increasing. I am reminded of my 2005 TMC Labs review of NMS AccessGate, a wireless backhaul platform. that aggregates T1/E1 communications onto a common backhaul between the cell site and the MSO. It also performes statistical multiplexing which suppresses idle frames and idle channels for 2G services, making the most of backhaul bandwidth.

Posted in Mobile Phones, Reviews, TMCnet, Triple Play, VoIP, Wireless

Microsoft Response Point SP1

March 24, 2008

Today, Microsoft released announced Microsoft Response Point Service Pack 1 (SP1), which adds SIP trunking support. Response Point Service Pack 1 (SP1), not to be confused with the recent release of Vista SP1, will be released this summer, available free via a simple download.
I spoke with Microsoft last week and they said they are partnering with several SIP-based ITSPs, which will enable Response Point administrators (or VARs) to easily add SIP trunks and move away from analog trunks. You simply use a VoIP account setup wizard in the Response Point Administrator, to connect with Internet telephony service providers (ITSPs) and add new VoIP phone numbers.

The other benefit is the ability to add local phone numbers.

Posted in Microsoft, Reviews, SIP, TMCnet, VoIP

Akros Silicon Launches First 802.3at PoE chipset

March 17, 2008

Akros Silicon is a startup started back in 2005 that is one of the most important VoIP players you've probably never heard of. Akros Silicon develops Power over Ethernet (PoE) chipsets used in VoIP telephones, IP cameras, wireless access points (WAPs), routers, switches, thin clients, LCD displays, Tilt and Zoom (PTZ) capability, new multi-radio 802.11n Wireless Access Points, WiMax Customer Premise Equipment, SOHO Ethernet Switches, Thin Clients and more. Akros Silicon's chipsets are used in popular PoE IP telephones. You probably have or will soon have Akros Silicon's chipset in one of your network devices!

Posted in Polycom, Reviews, TMCnet, Video Hardware & Software, VoIP, Wireless

Yahoo Messenger for Vista Adds VoIP

March 7, 2008

If you recall in my December Yahoo! Messenger for Vista post, this version which was pretty much completely rewritten didn't have VoIP yet -- unlike the XP version which does have VoIP capabilities. Well good news my friends! I learned via Josh Jacobson, Senior Product Manager, Yahoo! Messenger for Vista on his blog that PC-to-PC VoIP (free calling) is now available as well as PC-to-PSTN (Yahoo MessengerOut?) It also features "Phone In" number so you can receive calls.

Posted in Reviews, VoIP

PBXtra 4.0 Released

March 4, 2008

Fonality today announced the release of PBXtra 4.0. New features in PBXtra include FindMe with Boomerang Mobile Integration, a feature that uses presence detection to automatically find employees on their mobile devices, allowing them to answer the call or bounce it to another extension. Other new features include tighter integration with mobile phones and web browsers, and enhanced support of branch offices.

One really cool feature that is part of the Boomerang Mobile feature is that you can dial *1 to record the mobile phone call and have it automatically stored on the PBXtra server. Another cool feature that Chris Lyman CEO of Fonality gave me a sneak preview a few weeks ago was FONcall, a new PBXtra plug-in for the Firefox web browser.

Posted in Asterisk, Polycom, Reviews, VoIP

VoIP Pioneer Slams Sprint

January 25, 2008

One of the unsung pioneers in the VoIP industry is Rich Tehrani. Rich started Internet Telephony Magazine in 1997, the first magazine to exclusively cover VoIP. Before Internet Telephony, Rich also launched CTI Magazine in 1994, a magazine focused on Computer Telephony Integration - the precursor to voice over IP. TMC Labs, which Rich co-founded with myself, did the very first VoIP review of the VocalTec software in 1996 - the first VoIP client.

Due to Rich's years of experience in telecom/telephony pre-VoIP and now in VoIP, he has met tons of CEOs and entrepreneurs in the VoIP industry.

Posted in Reviews, TMCnet, VoIP

Sendio I.C.E. Box anti-spam appliance review

January 16, 2008

The Sendio I.C.E. (Intercept, Confirm or Eliminate) Box anti-spam appliance brings an assortment of weapons to do battle with the evil spammers of the world, including challenge-response (Sender Address Verification (SAV)), silverlisting, SPF, Domain Keys and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) with detailed SMTP protocol checks, and finally blacklisting by domain name or email address on a system-wide or per user basis. Sendio doesn't include spam filters, but don't get Tim Lee Thorpe, VP of Marketing started.

Posted in Linux, Microsoft, Reviews, TMCnet, Technology and Science

Sprint Novatel Wireless Ovation U727 Review

January 11, 2008

Using the Sprint Novatel Wireless Ovation U727 makes high speed wireless EVDO Internet access a breeze to use. The U727 is unlike most EVDO cards because it connects to your computer via USB and it has an integrated microSD slot for memory storage, though you'll have to provide your own microSD card. Rich sent me over his review unit to test and put through the paces.

First off, the U727 is compatible with Windows Vista, XP, 2000, as well as Mac and Linux. After installing the software on the CD, I connected it to my computer's USB port and it was ready to go.

Posted in Reviews, Wireless

Vodafone USB 7.2 Modem Stick

January 11, 2008

Vodafone UK just launched a USB modem for their high-speed mobile broadband data network. The Vodafone USB Modem Stick is Vodafone's smallest wireless high-speed modem supporting HSDPA and HSUPA. It reminds me of the Sprint Novatel Wireless Ovation U727 USB stick, which I plan on writing the review today. Stay tuned!

In any event, the Vodafone USB Modem Stick plugs directly into a laptop and supports both Windows (Vista and XP) and Mac OSX.

Posted in Reviews, Technology and Science, Wireless

Streaming TV with Skype

January 2, 2008

How would you like to use your Slingbox with Skype or is it Skype with Slingbox? Anyway... For a few months now I've been playing with using Skype along with a Slingbox, a popular gadget that lets you stream your home TV content, enabling remote viewing of live and pre�-recorded television over the Internet. I've been a huge advocate of streaming live TV across the Internet for years, so figured I'd post my tips on streaming TV utilizing Skype, Slingbox, and TV tuner cards.

Slingbox includes a software player for remote playback of your TV/video content, so you're probably wondering why anyone would want to use Skype instead.

Posted in Computer Hardware, Computer Software, Home Entertainment, Microsoft, Mobile Phones, Reviews, Skype, Video Hardware & Software, Wireless

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