Just received an interesting release about a softphone client that is so full of BS, I just had to laugh. See if you can guess whose release it is.

Let's play Jeopardy!
<excerpts from the release>
- "breakthrough 'soft phone'"
- first device of its kind to market, <company's> soft phone will allow road warriors to make and receive phone calls using the Internet at any wireless hot sphttp://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/Mar/1122285.htmot location, for example, in airports, aboard planes, at coffee shops etc.
- The <company> "soft phone" is more than just a phone: it is a networking device with a phone-like user interface featuring a microphone, numeric keypad and displays. However, the <company> soft phone also offers more PDA-like features such as direct dialing with address books and the capacity to store contact lists.

(technically Jeopardy is not multiple choice, but just go with me here)

Is the answer:
A) Skype
B) Xten
C) SJLabs
D) FWD
E) some new company I never heard of.

If you answered E), congratulations!

A,B,C,and D all have "PDA-like features such as direct dialing with address books and the capacity to store contact lists." So I don't undertand why E) claims that this is a major breakthrough.

Actually, the release doesn't claim they were first to have these features, but when it followed the statements "breakthrough 'soft phone'" and "first device of its kind to market <company's> soft phone will allow road warriors to make and receive phone calls using the Internet at any wireless hot spot location" I couldn't help but think they were also claiming to be first to have a built-in address book, and the first to work in hotspots.

I also have to wonder if this company, namely Nicer Canada Corporation saw the news release from yesterday where Broadreach and Skype teamed up to offer free VoIP at Wi-Fi hot spots. So you're a day late Nicer Canada Corporation! Skype already made the claim to make/receive phone calls at hotspots. It wouldn't be the first time a competitor saw a competitor's news release hit the news wires and the next day issues a release of their own.

If I may sidetrack for a moment - the interesting part about the Broadreach/Skype release is that Broadreach doesn't charge Skype users for access to the Internet connection to make VoIP calls. Their hotspots will automatically detect the Skype application, authenticate the software and allow the packets through free of charge. I assume you still have to pay for regular web surfing, else you could simply install Skype and get free hotspot web access. Too bad they are U.K.-based and not U.S.

The other BS statement is "breakthrough 'softphone client'. Guess they never heard of all the other great softphone clients making waves in the VoIP industry. <sigh> Sometimes marketing folk can get really carried away with
the "fluff" in their news releases. It really taxes my brain filtering through
the fluff and getting the real "meat".

But then again, maybe it works. After all, I did give them press by blogging it.

I feel so used.

Perhaps I'm being a tad too harsh - if so post a comment. Read the full release in context for yourself.

Nicer Canada Corp, developer of the Glopex Broadband Internet phone, will showcase the preview version of a breakthrough "soft phone" at CeBIT, the world's largest electronics and technology show in Hannover, Germany, March 10-16, 2005.

The first device of its kind to market, Nicer's soft phone will allow road warriors to make and receive phone calls using the Internet at any wireless hot spot location, for example, in airports, aboard planes, at coffee shops etc. The Glopex "soft phone" is more than just a phone: it is a networking device with a phone-like user interface - featuring a microphone, numeric keypad and displays. However, the Glopex soft phone also offers more PDA-like features such as direct dialing with address books and the capacity to store contact lists.
Nicer's soft phone employs state-of-the-art firewall bypass capability without breaching security, enabling users to make and receive calls with absolute security on any network without having to reconfigure any firewall setting.

This preview release of Nicer's Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) soft phone follows extensive beta testing and field trials with select corporate customers.

Vancouver-based Nicer - which is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange as "NC" - will make the soft phone available to our Glopex Broadband VoIP phone customers once field testing is completed.

About Nicer
-----------
Nicer Canada Corporation is a Canadian company providing comprehensive IT and VoIP solutions, wireless technologies, and computer network infrastructure for any business, from small-medium enterprises to multinational corporations.
For further information please visit: http://www.nicertech.com/