Skype

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Skype for Mac OS X and Linux

February 1, 2005

Skype launched versions of their software for the Mac and Linux.

Check out the Skype release:

Now Skype is available for Windows, Linux, Mac and even PocketPCs.

Still waiting on a high-powered PocketPC/cellphone hybrid that can handle Skype's processing requirements. I know a model is coming out that should support it, but the model name escapes me at the moment.

Posted in Skype

Skype & Vonage Interviews

January 28, 2005

Skype's Niklas Zennstrom

Vonage's Jeffrey Citron

Two recent interviews of two of the biggest and most important VoIP pioneers to share.

First, Skype's CEO Niklas Zennstrom:
Skype writes off the telephone - vnunet.com

Second, Rich Tehrani's interview of Vonage's Jeffrey Citron.

UPDATE! Vonage's Jeffrey Citron was interviewed for Newsweek. Here's the interview.

Posted in Skype, VoIP, Vonage

Skype Security Issue Part2

January 9, 2005

A couple days ago I quoted Andy's blog where he discussed a Skype security issue whereby callers in a Skype conference could hear an incoming caller leaving a voice message vis Skype new SAM (Skype Answering Machine) feature. Well, that set off a firestorm of controversy, including Unbound Spiral blog asking for Andy to reprint a retraction claiming it wasn't a security issue but rather a known bug. Semantics? Further he claimed some industry VoIP pundits - myself inclded - did not perform any fact checking before quoting Andy's blog.

Posted in Skype

Skype Security

January 7, 2005

Looks like Skype has some more security issues. Andy had an "eavesdropping" security issue when he tried calling another Skype user.

Essentially when he dialed this other Skype user, this user was already in a Skype conference call, so Andy started to leave a message. Apparently, the Skype conference participants could hear Andy! Not only that, but Andy could also hear the Skype participants that were conferencing. This is a scary thought to think that someone leaving a Skype voice message could eavesdrop on a ongoing Skype call.

Check out his blog entry here: SAM - Skype® Answering Machine --

Posted in Skype

Skype, Cable & Wireless deal

December 21, 2004

Skype has signed up some more call termination providers for their SkypeOut service - this time with Cable & Wireless and Luxembourg's B3G Telecom Technologies.

Skype already has deals in place with iBasis, Level3 and Teleglobe, who now provide global termination services for its SkypeOut service, which lets users make calls to PSTN landlines.

Posted in Skype

Skype over Satellite

December 14, 2004

Some avid mountain climbers decided to do a test drive using Skype over a satellite data connection (RBGAN satellite modem). Since they were charged per megabyte and not per minute they did some rough calculations to see if there were still any price savings using Skype over a data connection over satellite as opposed to a voice connection over satellite. But regardless if they save any money, to think of a mountain climber wearing a bluetooth headset communicating with a Skype client on a PDA or smartphone is just too cool for words!

Although according to this article they were using a laptop, so I assume they made Skype calls from the laptop when they were camped in a tent.

Posted in Skype

Skype API

November 9, 2004

Skype

Andy's blog brought to my attention that the Skype API is out (in beta) VoIP Watch: Skype API Now Out

Here's the news from Skype's website:
Skype, the Global Internet Telephony Company, today announced the beta of its Skype API (Application Program Interface) included in the latest version of Skype for Windows, enabling hardware devices and software applications to seamlessly integrate with Skype's award-winning Internet telephony software. Skype currently has more than 14.5 million users from every country in the world, and is adding approximately 100,000 new users per day.

"We offer the Skype API to expand quality voice and messaging communications around the globe," said Niklas Zennström, Skype CEO and co-founder. "With this API, Skype is now an open platform and we are keen to watch the world's innovative developer community integrate the Skype application to extend the potential of global communications."

Non-commercial developers worldwide may freely integrate the Skype API in compliance with the Skype software End User License Agreement (EULA).

Posted in Skype

Skype phone

October 15, 2004

IPMind

A representative of IPMind came across my VoIP blog entry "Skype Keynote", saw that I "wished" for "a phone product with Skype technology embedded that DOES NOT REQUIRE a PC to be on to work!" and he posted a comment stating that his company has a prototype of a standalone Skype hardware phone.

Details are a bit sketchy at this point, but here is what I know. They have 2 early prototypes enclosed in a telephone shell that can dial to/receive calls from Skype users. For dialing you simply scroll to the desired buddy in the buddy list on the LCD screen (4*20) and you are connected to the buddy.

Posted in Skype

CuPhone and Skype

October 14, 2004

CuPhone Personal Phone Gateway (PPG)

Andy reminded me of a company that creates a USB portable gateway device that actually won an Internet Telephony Editors' Choice Award in 2000. Well, now they support Skype and in an interesting way.

Basically, this device connects to your PC (via USB) as well as a PSTN wall socket. Then you enter in a pre-specified PSTN phone number, such as a cell phone number into the CuPhone Personal Phone Gateway (PPG).

Posted in Skype

Skype keynote

October 6, 2004

I just got out of the Internet Telephony Expo keynote featuring Niklas Zennstrom, CEO from Skype, a real rebel trying to establish a business plan for Skype while at the same time maintaining their loyal and rabid following of fans that is currently 12 million users and growing.

Here are some of the highlights:

- SkypeIn for inbound calling from a PSTN number to a Skype user will be launched next year - around July 2005. This will be a major milestone for Skype, since currently right now, Skype users can only reach other Skype users or make outbound PSTN calls. Once Skype offers inbound calling via a PSTN number assigned to the Skype user, then Skype will have all the major bases covered.

Posted in ITEXPO, Skype

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