The TalkPlus Java application was designed to allow you to view the presence of your Skype buddies, initiate a Skype call or even receive a Skype call. It even has SIP support with the ability to support other IM/VoIP clients such as Google Talk, AIM, MSN Messenger, etc.
It was cool technology, but perhaps a bit ahead of its time. One of the biggest features espoused by Jeff Black was "throwaway numbers". As I wrote previously, you can ditch a number if need be. Doctors or lawyers that are calling patients/clients can use their personal mobile phone and yet have their office CallerID number appear to the client/patient instead of their personal mobile number. In essence, this is a form of "CallerID spoofing", often a popular tactic used by hackers utilizing the Asterisk platform.
Does the fall of Jangl and if Om is correct, the fall of TalkPlus spell trouble for VoIP/Voice 2.0 applications? Maybe we're not ready for VoIP applications. Maybe we just want cheap minutes. Maybe "it's the cheap voice, stupid!" after all. Hmph... VoIP just got boring.
