VoIP Blog - VoIP News, Gadgets
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VoIP News, VoIP Opinions, my blog analyzes the VoIP industry and general technology. Gadgets are one of my favorite topics.- About Me and Picture Gallery - Got a News Tip? |
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VoIP News, VoIP Opinions, my blog analyzes the VoIP industry and general technology. Gadgets are one of my favorite topics.- About Me and Picture Gallery - Got a News Tip? |
A TMC team member recently received a complaint from someone claiming we dialed his number which is on the national Do-Not-Call (DNC) List. TMC has very strict guidelines regarding following DNC laws. Heck, our Customer Interaction Solutions Magazine has covered DNC laws and regulations more than any other magazine. So how ironic would it be if TMC was indeed at fault for violating the DNC laws?
I wasn't worried. I knew we weren't in violation since I was the one that helped implement our DNC policies and procedures. Heck, we even pay the FCC's "extortion" fee to rent the DNC list.
Anyway, when the TMC employee asked with whom he spoke with at TMC, he was very vague and replied, "I don't know who called me from your organization, but they called about something to do with 'WiFi'. I don't know what exactly it was about since I was sleepy at 9:30am."
He did give his number, but when asked for more information about the call he basically got irate and said, "I don't know who it was, but you're on my CallerID and I am reporting you for calling me and each time you call me I will have you fined the $10,000 fine imposed by the FCC's DNC law."
Ok, so now he's making threats with little to no information to go on. That's nice. I checked our CRM database and I saw no number listed that might be called by our sales team. Next, I had TMC's MIS guru (Benzy Fernando) check out the outbound call accounting logs and there was no such phone number listed as being dialed - ever. If it's not in our call accounting system, we didn't dial it. Therefore it was impossible for TMC's main number to show up in his CallerID display.
Or is it?
"Caller ID spoofing" has emerged over the past six months as a useful tool for identity thieves and other scam artists, according to fraud experts. Caller ID spoofing enables them to pose as banks or other trusted authorities and drain accounts. Caller ID spoofing is not prohibited by law, but that if this type of Caller-ID spoofing fraud increases then the FCC may be forced to tighten the rules.
From a Yahoo/Reuters Article where a guy designed his own "caller-ID spoofing device":
I received a press release from Viseon titled "New VisiFone with Multimedia Capabilities and New Revenue Sources for VoIP Carrier Partners" which discusses a VoIP phone with a large 10.4" color TFT/LCD screen including full motion video, and the ability for "content partners" to push personalized content and information such as news, weather, sports and stock quotes to these VoIP phones.
I couldn't help but flash back to Communications Solutions Expo or maybe it was CTI Expo where Pingtel was singing that same mantra with their Java-based xpressa phones. The media was enamored with the xpressa phone saying it could spark many revenue opportunities for service providers. Now if I recall, several years ago at this tradeshow, Pingtel demoed their phones with a Pizza Hut coupon "pushed out" to the phone's display showing the possibilities for selling ad space. So having content delivered to a phone is nothing new, but as many of us know, Pingtel's xpressa phone did not spark new revenue models for phones. In fact, Pingtel sold its hardware phone business to focus exclusively on software solutions (i.e. open-source SIP PBX). Part of the problem was these phones were just too damn expensive.
So the question is, was Pingtel just ahead of its time? Is the time now ripe for interesting revenue opportunities leveraging VoIP phones' LCD displays? I can't say I know for sure the answer to that but I do have my opinion on it. We have seen how strong competition in the broadband residential VoIP marketplace has brought prices way down. It has also forced the traditional carriers to offer unlimited plans and lower their rates. Soon, prices will reach a point where it just doesn't make sense to cut them any further or companies will put themselves out of business. So certainly any kind of other revenue opportunities besides cheap "dumb voice" that can add to the bottom line will give VoIP service providers a key advantage. So in my opinion, the answer to my hypothetical question if the time is right is "Yes, now is the time to offer content to VoIP phones" Now is the time to grab market share.
Of course, the service providers will need to offset part or all of the costs of the IP phone if anyone is going to use it. That's a risky proposition since no one wants to be stuck with thousands of fancy VoIP phones with large LCD displays and spend millions of dollars if the revenue generating possibilities don't pan out. Since the telecom bust, telecom companies play it much more "safe". In my opinion, the winners in this game will continue to be those that take high risk chances. The telecom market has changed drastically and those that try and stay with the "tried and true" methods of the past will be surpassed - plain and simple. Now is the time to get a jump before someone else does.
Here's the release to help put what I wrote in context:
Viseon, Inc. (OTCBB: VSNI), a global developer of broadband personal communications solutions for VoIP, today announced the multimedia version (MM) of its VisiFone Digital Home Telephone for VoIP. The VisiFone MM enables users to view personalized content and information automatically at any time they choose, on the large 10.4 inch color
TFT/LCD screen in full motion video.
The new VisiFone is the first fully digital home telephone for VoIP services. It provides new features unique to VoIP, including digital wideband audio in the handset and speakerphone as well as TV-quality two-way video calling and on-screen VoIP feature management control. The VisiFone MM also empowers consumers to view new personalized content and information such as news, weather, sports and stock quotes. Consumers will be able to instantly view a variety of content from partners, including broadcast and cable TV networks and prominent web portals.
With the VisiFone MM, consumers will be able to view "what they want, when they want it" and even instantly interact with the content provider or sponsor on their VisiFone by audio or video call. Consumers can customize the content to be displayed on the VisiFone at chosen intervals throughout the day. For example, have the VisiFone display the local traffic report and live traffic cam feeds on demand every morning prior to their morning commute.
To aggregate content and sponsors for the VisiFone, Viseon previously announced the formation of ViseonMedia (VMN, LLC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Viseon, Inc. ViseonMedia has entered into agreements with various sponsors and marketing partners to deliver selected programming to VisiFone users throughout the globe. ViseonMedia will work directly with the VoIP carriers to develop content and information services for access by their VisiFone MM equipped subscribers.
"The VisiFone MM and ViseonMedia's exclusive programming provides VoIP carriers with a compelling tool to attract new subscribers to the rich world of digital telephony," said John Harris, Viseon CEO and president.
"The VisiFone provides the best "telephony" ever experienced. Its multimedia features and two-way videophone capabilities will show consumers that VoIP is clearly better than plain old circuit switched telephone service."
The new VisiFone MM complements the initial 5.6 inch screen version of the VisiFone announced in January, which begins shipping to carriers in June. The VisiFone MM will be available to carriers later in 2005.
For further information, please see the company websites at www.viseon.com and www.viseonmedia.com, or visit Viseon's booth # 5287 at The 2005 National Show, April 3-5 in San Francisco, Moscone Center.
About Viseon, Inc.
Founded in 1993 with headquarters in Dallas, TX Viseon, Inc. (OTCBB:
VSNI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of patented personal broadband communications solutions. Viseon products have been sold under various brand names around the world including Philips, VTEL, and Gentner. Viseon's mission is to work with carriers to enhance the consumer telephone experience by positioning VoIP as a premium service versus Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), and ultimately replacing the analog telephone by bringing digital telephony quality to the broader public. The target market for Viseon's VisiFone is the 150 million global consumers which are projected to switch to VoIP in the next five years. Other markets for the VisiFone include corporations, universities, and government agencies. Viseon holds broadband communication related patents in the U.S. and 18 European and Asian countries and has additional patents pending. For more information on the Company, including investor presentation, please visit the Company's Website, http://www.viseon.com.
MPEG NATION emailed me about their new service that allows anyone to stream video via the web instantly. Ironically, I just talked about streaming video yesterday in my Microsoft Launches MSN Video Downloads blog and I mentioned a pseudo-competitor of theirs - Orb Networks. Anyway, MPEG NATION enables individuals and companies to inexpensively begin streaming video across a high-performance, reliable content delivery network without having to spend hours encoding and transcoding formats, negotiating rates, or worrying about ongoing storage and bandwidth costs. MPEG NATION claims to be the first-ever "one-price-fits-all solution" for placing video in blogs, auctions, personal and corporate websites.
Here's the release:
MPEG NATION Launches Powerful Broadband Streaming Video Service for the Masses
Stream your video world-wide to millions of people for less than $1 per month!
CHICAGO, March 30 -- MPEG NATION, a division of Digital Silo, Inc., a global provider of integrated content delivery and streaming media services, today announced a new, first ever, low-cost service to encode and stream consumer and commercial video content via its worldwide content delivery network, within minutes, via a simple upload.
MPEG NATION enables individuals and companies to inexpensively begin streaming video across a high-performance, reliable content delivery network without having to spend hours encoding and transcoding formats, negotiating rates, or worrying about ongoing storage and bandwidth costs. MPEG NATION is the first-ever "one-price-fits-all solution" for placing video in blogs, auctions, personal and corporate websites.
"We are working towards a world where television and video distribution are much more democratized and where a creative spark, a camera, and a computer are all it takes to put video content before the eyes of thousands of people. MPEG NATION is excited to announce the first affordable streaming video service for delivering streaming solutions to meet market demand for Microsoft(R) Windows Media(R), RealNetwork's RealPlayer and Apple's QuickTime video formats," said Scott Wolf, president and chief technology officer of Digital Silo's MPEG NATION division. "There are thousands of people who want to stream video from their websites, blogs, auctions, etc., but can't because of the complexity of encoding the video and the cost of having it hosted and streamed using current media solution providers."
With the launch of MPEG NATION, it is now possible to begin streaming video from a website, blog, or auction within minutes instead of days. MPEG NATION's simple 3-step online form allows for the selection of a number of customer options including password protection and logging. As soon as a video file is uploaded to MPEG NATION it is transcoded into the various Internet media formats for instant streaming Internet delivery. Once a file upload is complete an http link is provided to the customer which they can paste into an email, blog, auction or website. Clicking on the link instantly brings up their video.
"MPEG NATION is truly a disruptive technology in the streaming media space. Not only is the service easy to use, it removes an enormous cost and complexity barrier for anyone who wants to stream video on the web. In all cases MPEG NATION is hundreds and sometimes even thousands of times less expensive than existing video streaming providers," added Wolf.
"MPEG NATION was faster to market with a better product than anything I could find at the time. The compression and sample rates, the download formats, the conversion across Apple, PC and Linux -- make MPEG NATION perhaps the best choice for web-based video hosting," said Jon Baribeau, an early MPEG NATION customer who produced his own music video and began streaming it from his website just minutes after uploading it to MPEG NATION.
MPEG NATION video streaming services are available now at http://www.mpegnation.com . As an example, a one to sixty minute video uploaded to MPEG NATION, encoded into Microsoft(R) Window's Media(R) Format (150k, 300k & 700k), costs just $4.95 including unlimited streaming (viewing) bandwidth and storage for six months.
About MPEG NATION
MPEG NATION, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Digital Silo, Inc., a global provider of integrated content delivery services that enable consumers and businesses to broadcast their digital media and communications to worldwide audiences via the Internet. The Company provides complete solutions, including videotape-to-Internet video streaming, media asset management, integrated web hosting and consulting services, that seamlessly integrate with today's leading streaming media technologies. To ensure a worldwide reach, Digital Silo engineered its content delivery network for quality delivery in the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, call 800-609-9193, or visit http://www.mpegnation.com or http://www.digitalsilo.com
Today Telstra launched a global, MPLS-based VoIP solution that is available in 52 countries. No specific PBX or handset equipment is required to access this service.
Here's the release:
New York, NY - March 31, 2005 - Telstra Incorporated, a leading global provider of advanced communications services to multinational corporations, announced today the availability of T-VoIP, its global VoIP offering. T-VoIP provides multinational corporations with a quality solution to control, manage and reduce global telecommunications costs.
"T-VoIP is based on Telstra's global IP VPN platform that is backed by our service level agreements (SLAs), delivering highly reliable, integrated IP packetized voice service," said Dan Kerth, President and COO, Telstra Incorporated. "Companies can combine voice and data traffic to maximize their return on investment and through lower off-net rates, reduce the cost once associated with sending on-net and off-net voice traffic over a public switched network."
Through the use of T-VOIP, companies are able to interconnect geographically dispersed PBXs over a "virtual private network", thus avoiding the high price of international toll calls between office locations. Companies with small branch offices up to very large sites can be supported with access speeds ranging from 128 Kbps through 155 Mbps. In a converged scenario, voice and data traffic share the same local access loop, reducing the number of access loops required to obtain services.
"T-VoIP has the ability to simplify a company's network and streamline costs associated with voice and data," said Ilissa Miller, Product Marketing Manager."A monthly rate for the on-net calling plan provides customers with virtually unlimited intra-company calls. In addition, off-net is provided at a flat rate per termination country, independent of the country of origin."
To help companies realize the benefits of converged voice and data provided by T-VoIP Telstra is offering companies a free analysis of their networking needs to determine if a global IP voice VPN is right for them and if they are among the majority of companies who can save up to 40% by combining global voice and data service using T-VoIP.
About Telstra Incorporated
Telstra Incorporated is the US subsidiary of the Australian-based telecommunications company, Telstra Corporation Limited. Telstra Corporation Limited (NYSE: TLS) is Australia's leading domestic and global full service telecommunications provider and the operator of one of the most diversely routed IP backbone networks in the Asia Pacific region. Telstra owns one of the most technologically advanced global networks, offering an extensive portfolio of state-of-the-art solutions to global customers including voice, mobile, broadband, IP, MPLS and managed services. Telstra provides innovative solutions to 200 of the world's top 500 companies in the Asia Pacific region and around the world. For further information visit: http://www.telstra-usa.com
A friend of mine, Evan, forwarded me a story link titled "1 Killed in Blast at S.C. Duct-Tape Plant" that by itself isn't all that interesting. However, Evan pondered an interesting point about this explosion in a duct-tape plant. That is, he pondered, "Hmmm. Mystery of the ages: if duct tape fixes everything, how do they fix duct tape?" 
Good one, Evan! It's not often I get a chuckle out of Evan's jokes (actually almost never), so congratulations Evan, finally one of your jokes made it to one of my blog entries!
Speaking of duct tape and its many uses, check out these photos...
A Really bad Boy Scout trying to win the Pine Derby Model Car Racing contest?
Duct Tape Purse. No more expensive tears in leather to worry about. Just patch it up!
Tired of your kids burying you in the sand? Try this instead...
While MSN Video Downloads - both paid and free content - is a cool idea, I still prefer to record shows I like on my Windows Media Center 2005 PC and then stream it using Orb Networks or just copy the media file to one of these portable media devices, such as the Creative Labs Zen Portable Media Center depicted below. But for those that don't have a MCE 2005 PC, downloading TV programs and paying for it (ala iTunes) might be a good solution for you.
If MSN Video Downloads starts offering "streaming" live TV programming, then that might be a killer app - especially if you're in a WiFi hotspot with no TV in sight and you want to watch the Duke Blue Devils and Mike Krzyzewski lose yet another NCAA game and not living up to the Cameron Crazies high expectations.Well, at least I would enjoy watching Duke lose over a streaming WiFi connection! Especially if it's another loss to UCONN in the NCAA tournament with the Blue Devils considered the heavy favorite!
It looks like the news about MSN Video Downloads being launched today has brought down the MSN Video Downloads website. I couldn't get to it. Yeah, Microsoft planned for the bandwidth utilization all right!.
Related From Engadget:
Microsoft launched MSN Video Downloads today, their new, um, video download service for Portable Media Centers and Windows Mobile-powered Smartphones and Pocket PCs that support Windows Media Player 10. The initial line up of programming isn’t exactly on the compelling tip-it's mostly clips from MSNBC, CNBC, Fox Sports, HGTV, the Food Network, iFilm, and few other channels...Read more from this post.
Time for some important CRM news. Talisma, a provider of multi-channel CRM solutions, today announced the acquisition of KnowledgeBase.net, a market-leading provider of hosted and on-site Knowledge Management (KM) software for Customer Support and Self-service. Talisma will incorporate KnowledgeBase.net's technology, intellectual property, and customer base into its operations, fueling its strategy of organic and acquisition-based growth. The acquisition is the culmination of over eighteen months of technology, product, and business collaboration between the two companies and has already resulted in several product and service offerings. The acquisition of KnowledgeBase.net will further enhance Talisma's award-winning suite of CRM solutions and strengthen Talisma's position in the fast growing Customer Interaction Management (CIM) segment of the CRM market.
Talisma's acquisition of KnowledgeBase.net advances its strategic growth path by leveraging Knowledge Management tools market opportunities, estimated to reach over $5 billion by 2008*, as well as the expected growth in multi-channel call centers in North America, which are projected to climb from 6,600 in 2003 to approximately 13,800 by 2008**. Both growth figures highlight the opportunity for the combined offerings of Talisma and KnowledgeBase.net.
"Since last year, Talisma's powerful Multi-channel CRM business expertise and KnowledgeBase.net's leadership in Knowledge Management have already produced a strong combined solution for customers around the world. We believe, as a result of this acquisition, Talisma will expand its market presence to become a significant solution provider for both Enterprise and SMB Customer Interaction Management solutions," said Robin Goad, Senior CRM Analyst at Datamonitor. "As the number of customer interactions continue to rise, companies worldwide are recognizing the value of optimized Multi-channel CRM solutions. As a result, they are turning to providers like Talisma for robust solutions that are easy to implement and result in a rapid return on their invesent."
"Talisma is committed to providing our customers with the best Multi-channel CRM solutions available," said Dan Vetras, President & CEO of Talisma. "KnowledgeBase.net, a market leader in Knowledge Management products and services, delivers the most comprehensive, out-of-the-box knowledgebase solution available. Our tremendous success in selling KnowledgeBase.net on an OEM basis has led us to our decision to acquire the company. Moving forward, this complete and seamless integration will continue to deliver the most comprehensive suite of Knowledge and Customer Interaction Management solutions available - now under one umbrella."
"The KnowledgeBase.net team is extremely pleased to join Talisma and contribute our expertise and proprietary technology to develop a comprehensive and compelling Multi-channel CRM offering," said Alex Kazerani, CEO of KnowledgeBase.net, who will join the Talisma management team. "The consolidation of our companies extends our commient to offer relevant and functional customer support tools based on Knowledge Management. Our customers will now have the opportunity to broaden their scope by taking advantage of powerful Multi-channel CRM solutions."
*This figure is based on a combined estimation of the Knowledge Management and Collaborative Software market projections found in “Gartner’s Market Trends, Collaborative Software and KM Tools, Worldwide, 2003-08,” (September 2004).
** "Vertical Guides to Contact Centers in North America," Datamonitor (July 2004)
Today, Alpha Telecom launched "plug and play" VoIP gateways that let enterprises migrate to IP Telephony using their existing Centrex/Digital PBXs and speaker phones.
Enterprises wanting to take advantage of the communications cost savings of IP telephony without changing out their Centrex systems or Nortel or Lucent digital PBXs and expensive digital desktop phones now have a solution - a cost-effective, high-performance, plug-and-play VoIP gateway from Alpha Telecom, Inc. USA that saves most of the capital equipment cost and all of the ancillary retraining expense and time associated with a new network infrastructure. Already chosen by leading North American service providers, Alpha Telecom's broad range of next-generation, carrier-class managed customer-premises equipment (CPE) supports most PBX and managed IP-Centrex platforms.
Alpha Telecom's Arion series VoIP gateways migrate an enterprise's legacy telephones into the service provider's system, enabling the carrier to offer Centrex features over its IP backbone and to seamlessly provision, configure and manage VoIP service without user intervention; the service provider merely ships the Arion units to the customer for plug-and-play attachment to individual phones by the enterprise's IT department or by the users themselves.The IT department can also deploy an Alpha Telecom element management system (EMS) for provisioning, mass configuration, troubleshooting and mass upgrades.This EMS does not require individual user involvement, nor does it require them to load software on a PC.
"With our VoIP gateways, an enterprise can protect their capital investment by extending the life of their legacy system on a per-user or per-workgroup basis," said Alpha Telecom President Sid Sung."Of course, they could do a 'forklift' change to a brand new state-of-the-art PBX that's already VoIP capable, but that entails changing all their handsets - which can cost up to $600 each - reprogramming everything, and then training everyone on the new system because all the features are different."
An added benefit of the Arion series gateways is that organizations can enjoy the advantages of IP telephony with their existing digital speaker phones, where the quality is far superior to that of a dedicated VoIP speaker phone. Moreover, because the plug-and-play VoIP gateways reside at the customer site, they support portability.This allows an enterprise's IT department to avoid carrier service-order changes and gives it control to balance user requirements for high functionally with the benefits of streamlined management and reduced facilities costs.
Hotsip AB (www.hotsip.com), a leading SIP Application Server provider with off-the-shelf applications for large scale SIP enabled broadband and 3G/IMS networks, announced today that it has supplied its M2CE product to Tussa, a Norwegian Internet Service Provider, as a part of a residential IP Telephony solution.
"Hotsip has further strengthened its position in the Nordic market and we are excited to have our first commercial launch in Norway. I am convinced that we will see many smaller ISPs launching IP Telephony services during this year. We are very excited about the Tussa's commercial launch and the next projects to follow" says Kenneth Gustafsson, CEO of Hotsip.
With Hotsip's SIP-based platform, Tussa's subscribers gets a standard telephone number which they can use to make and receive calls to and from any fixed or mobile phone using an analogue telephone with analogue telephone adapter. The subscribers will not only benefit from complementary telephony services like call forward, call screening, call line identification, caller privacy etc, but also from some value added telephony services such as forking and intelligent routing of calls. Forking makes it possible for the user to route his calls to all his terminals at the same time. By using intelligent routing it is possible to route his calls differently depending on who he is calling and when. These value added services provides more advantages over traditional telephony and offer the user the possibility to control and personalise his communication.
"We are very satisfied with the performance and functionality of Hotsip's platform and impressed by the short time to market. We and Hotsip have succeeded to deploy a commercial IP Telephony service within 4 months from delivery" says Ivar Driveklepp, CEO of Tussa Telit.
Some news to share involving a test bed that included WiFi, VoIP, VoIP over WiFi, and "triple play"- all important technologies in the VoIP space. Azimuth W-Series was a key component in running performance tests on Wi-Fi handsets and Wi-Fi infrastructure during a what they termed a "first of a kind" interoperability demonstration performed last week at the UNH-IOL. This test is significant because the "triple play" technologies of voice, video and data have rarely, if ever, been combined in an open test and demonstration network simulating how they would actually be deployed in a large corporate LAN serving several offices on a distributed campus.
Here's the news:
Azimuth Systems Inc., innovators in scalable, automated wireless network test systems, today announced that in a "first of a kind" interoperability demonstration performed last week at the renowned UNH-IOL, the Azimuth W-Series was front and center in running performance tests on Wi-Fi handsets and Wi-Fi infrastructure. VoWi-Fi was featured as a highlight of the event, as some of the participating vendors demonstrated that the technology is not just a gimmick, but ready for prime time.
Until now, the "triple play" technologies of voice, video and data have rarely, if ever, been combined in an open test and demonstration network simulating how they would actually be deployed in a large corporate LAN serving several offices on a distributed campus.
"Enterprises are already deploying wireless VoIP, but testing the network readiness has been limited. There is a very strong need to analyze handset behavior, infrastructure capacity and the performance of the system as a whole," said Gerard Goubert, manager of the UNH-IOL wireless and VOX (Voice over Anything) consortiums."For those reasons, the Azimuth VoWi-Fi test suite significantly added to the value of the event."
The test marks the first time that three distinct UNH-IOL testing groups, the laboratory's bridging, wireless and VoX consortiums, were involved in a single event. In addition to running test events such as the triple play enterprise security and services group test, these groups perform industry testing year-round, saving companies money and time to market by providing one-on-one product testing, debugging and troubleshooting in a leading-edge test bed resulting in detailed, confidential reports. Azimuth is a test partner of the lab and has been working with UNH-IOL on joint development and automation of
test suites.
The Azimuth W-Series is the industry's first standardized test platform for system level testing of 802.11 wireless access points, clients and other devices. Designed from the ground up as an off-the-shelf, wireless LAN test platform, W-Series systems provide the ability to configure an entire WLAN network in a bench top chassis designed for complete Radio Frequency (RF) isolation and control. The flexibility and programmability of the W-Series allows for the thorough evaluation of wireless LAN equipment under varying mobility conditions and traffic patterns, as well as precise analysis of the results. The system offers an ideal environment to perform software design validation and to test advanced wireless functionality and performance including the latest IEEE standards.
About the
Established in 1988, the
About Azimuth:
Azimuth Systems, Inc. (www.azimuthsystems.com) is an innovator in wireless data communications test solutions. Azimuth's W-Series, the industry's first IEEE 802.11 test platform, sets the standard for wireless data test solutions by allowing system and semiconductor vendors to provide their customers with higher quality products in a shorter time-to-market.Based in
Yesterday I posted my review of the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard with Skype. Ironically, four days earlier I received an email tip about a very similar device called rapidBox from RapidVoIP, which retails for $49.99 and is ~$20 cheaper than the ActionTec device.
I have not tested the rapidBox, but like the ActionTec device, it supports Skype and can ring analog phones. In addition, according to its specs, unlike the ActionTec, it has an 3 RJ11 ports (ActionTec has 2 RJ11 ports), so you can actually have 2 persons on the same line talking to the caller. Of course you could just use a phone splitter.
My main complaint with the ActionTec device (see my review) was that the simulated dialtone interfered with my ability to use it with other third-party softphones other than Skype. Supposedly, the rapidBox DOES work with other VoIP softclients other than just Skype.
There is one other notable difference between the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard and rapidBox - the rapidBox does not have a ring voltage generator whereas the ActionTec device does. So although your analog phone connected to rapidBox will ring on an incoming PSTN call (simply passes the tip and ring voltage from the Central Office (CO) through), on an incoming Skype call, the rapidBox device rings instead - your phone does NOT ring. While this is fine if you are near the rapidBox device, if you are out in the yard with your analog cordless phone, you will have no idea that there is an incoming Skype call since the ringing rapidBox is too far away. My guess is that a ring voltage generator added too much to the cost of the unit. One final note, RapidVoIP has an affiliate program if your interested in reselling these units for commission.
Update: A few people pointed out to me that there is another model called the rapidBox-R-Type which does ring your phone line on both Skype and regular phone calls. Seems to me the RapidBox-R-Type is the obvious choice over the rapidBox. The only advantage of the rapidBox is it has 3 ports, two of which let you connect 2 phones to so that two people can speak simulatneously. I'm not sure if that includes both PSTN calls and Skype calls - the website doesn't say, but I would assume it does. In my opinion an RJ-11 splitter can just as easily be used on the rapidBox-R-Type to add an additional port. Maybe I'm missing the need for the rapidBox when the rapidBox-R-Type has the most important feature - the ability to send ring voltage to your analog phones. Comments?
Just the other day I received a Vonage newsletter in the mail. In the newsletter it discusses the new WiFi phone, how our troops are using Vonage to call home, a letter from the CEO, their 2005 advertising campaign, including TV commercials (woo woot woo woot woo) and last but certainly not least, it discusses Vonage's 911 service and how you must activate it. Made me wonder if the Texas lawsuit against Vonage caused Vonage to make a "special" newsletter just so they could mail it to all their customers explaining you must activate the 911 service. I'm sure a lawyer probably had a hand in telling Vonage it was a good idea to proactively notify their customers about 911 to help negate claims in the lawsuit that Vonage is "not doing enough to proactively warn its customers about the limitations in Vonage's 911 service", i.e. you must activate it. Well, I decided to include a photo of that page in the Vonage newsletter here, but since it's a bit blurry (USB camera), I'll past the newsletter text below as well.
Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kagoor Networks in a transaction valued at $67.5 million in cash, plus options and certain other incentives and equity compensation. This move is an additional step in Juniper Networks' strategy to bring secure and assured networking to customers worldwide through rich traffic processing. The combination of Juniper Networks' best-in-class secure and assured networking solutions and Kagoor's session border control (SBC) technology, delivers a powerful solution for network operators looking to cost-effectively deploy quality Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other rich media services. Session border control technology is also one of the key building blocks required for infranets.
Yesterday, I received this comment in my VoIP Blog: under my ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard w/ Skype review
Hey guys... I have just tried this new recording tool that works with all my VoIP softwares! It is really awesome! You are able to record your conversations, archive them, and send for free... You are able to send recorded greetings and messages, too. Try it out by downloading from this website www.hotrecorder.com. There is a free version that works really good. I've been looking for a tool like this for a while now, and this is the only one I've found, and it is amazing! Not sure who this guys are, but they rock!
I did check them out yesterday, but was too busy to blog about them. VoIP call recording is a very hot topic. I've seen many threads in the VoIP Forums about "call recording" in fact from people looking for software to record their VoIP conversations. Now I just read that United Virtualities, the developers of the HotRecorder software mentioned in the comments section of my blog, "officially" launched HotRecorder today. I guess it was "unofficially" launched in the comments section of my blog!
Essentially, the HotRecorder lets people record their phone conversations and then tag the file with a few keywords so that they can retrieve the conversation later by searching on those terms. I should point out that the software does not search on text within the conversation.
HotRecorder works with PC-initiated calls through Skype, AOL Instant Messenger, Net2Phone, Yahoo Messenger and probably others. The free version of the software is supported by advertisements that are targeted according to the consumer's location, gender or age or you can buy the software ad-free for $14.95.
The ads are shown on the application, which launches each time a person initiates a VoIP phone conversation. The software also supports something called "emotisounds". According to HotRecorder's website, "Emotisounds are sounds that express moods and emotions with humor. As a HotRecorder user, you will be able to use Emotisounds whenever you are having a voice communication over the Internet, RECORDED OR NOT. They include, kisses, claps, laughs, cries and many others."
I've discussed the FCC's ruling on "naked DSL" a couple of times recently. The FCC essentially has removed state restrictions forcing DSL providers to offer "naked" DSL and taken jurisdiction upon itself. Naked DSL basically is unbundling phone service from DSL broadband service. So with the FCC's recent ruling, if you want to get DSL you have to purchase phone service - even if you plan to use Vonage or another VoIP service provider over the DSL connection - no if's and's or but's about it!
On a related note, the cable companies are trying to be classified as an "information service" and not a "telecommunications service" so they are not bound by the telecom rules which require them to lease their cable lines to competitors so they can offer cable broadband. In fact, today the Supreme Court will hear the Federal Communications Commission's appeal of a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as to whether cable modems are a "telecommunications service" or an "information service."
In 2002, the FCC issued a "declaration" that cable modem service should be considered an information service, which gave the "big boys" of cable (Comcast, CableVision, Time Warner, etc.) carte' blanche power when it came to controlling their cable networks. The appeals court ruled later in 2003 that cable modems are akin to telecommunications providers, which meant that they would have to open their lines to rival Internet service providers. The FCC disagreed and claims they have more "expertise" in this area and have taken the case all the way to the Supreme Court.
Independent ISPs who brought this suit and consumer groups argue that the appeals court's interpretation would allow more choice, more competition, and hence lower prices in the broadband market, as has happened in the traditional dial-up ISP market. But in their appeal to the Supreme Court, the FCC says it is falls under their jurisdiction. Hey, at least the FCC has been consistent - granting monopoly power to the DSL providers by not enforcing the unbundling of DSL from phone service and now letting the cable companies own their networks lock-stock-and-barrell.
The FCC has been reversed by appeals courts on important issues several times. Part of the problem is that the Telecommunications Act and other statutes the FCC presides over are ambiguous and open to interpretation - which the courts say falls under their jurisdiction.
If the cable companies simply offered high-speed Internet access and cable TV, then I would agree with the cable companies that they are merely an "information service". But when the cable companies start offering voice, why should the FCC grant them special "favor" and not be governed by the same rules as other voice providers, in particular the traditional phone companies? After all, the phone companies are "forced" to lease their lines to competing voice providers
From a very basic standpoint, at the physical layer to the home, the cable companies are the same thing as phone companies - it's just a piece of copper. The only difference is one is twisted pair of copper and one is a single coax copper wire. Phone companies currently have to lease that copper to competitors and the cable companies don't. If the FCC wins its appeal, the FCC is essentially taking all the phone providers and tying one hand behind their backs while letting the cable companies use both hands and come out swinging to beat the hell out of the phone companies. Eventually, the cable companies will steal even more of the phone companies' market share and in 5-10 years we will be talking about "splitting up the Ma Cable Companies".
So you wanna be a journalist eh? Well, these days, just start a blog and you're good to go! Unless of course you're Apple and you don't classify bloggers as journalists. (See Apple suit against blogger) In any case, the good bloggers tend to be great writers and researchers - traits of any good journalist, but do they have the verbal interviewing skills of a no-nonsense, go-getter journalist hound? After all, many bloggers write more words using their keyboard daily than the number of daily words they speak!
Well, someone emailed me an interesting article last week explaining how Skype can be used as a low-cost tool for community media production. The interesting premise goes as follows:
I'm a big fan of the Charlie Rose
interview show on public television. Charlie Rose has a knack for drawing people
out, getting them to share their ideas and views in a way that illuminates. But
did you ever stop to think that the only people who appear on his show are
celebrities? And that 99 percent of the interesting people in this world are not
celebrities?
So who's going to interview all those people? Answer: the people will
interview the people. What tool will they use to do this? Skype. How will these
interviews be shared? Over the Internet, via public access television stations,
via podcasting and via various computer media.
Now here's a scary thought. This website: "www.RFID2VIN.com" proposes the use of RFID chips that would be left at the scene of "hit and run" accidents. According to their email to me, these unique identifiers would then act as a sort of "automotive DNA," providing the registration information for that particular vehicle.
I perused their website very quickly (could use a web designer IMO) and it appears this involves embedding RFIDs in the paint, bumpers, headlamps, etc. Then when you get into an accident, the RFIDs are dislodged and left at the scene which can be used to determine the car's position at the time of the accident to determine fault, as well as whose car it is in the event of a "hit and run".
I'm sure the ACLU will be all over this...
ADSL2+ fills the need for speed indeed! I've written about ADSL2+ in context of Triple Play a few times, including this Triple Play article. Well, I came across an excellent article discussing how ADSL2+ is changing the high-speed broadband in Australia.
Anyway, back on topic - go check out the ADSL2+ article it's pretty good and I truly hope the FCC's naked DSL ruling doesn't hinder ADSL2+ deployments in the U.S. Read my lips FCC, "Competition is good. Closed telecom networks is bad. It's bad! It's very bad."  |
| ActionTec with Skype Architecture |
So you're a Skyper but you hate being chained to a headset connected to your PC? Well, have no fear, ActionTec's Internet Phone Wizard with Skype to the rescue! Essentially, the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard is an ATA (analog telephony adaptor) that lets you connect your corded or better yet, cordless analog phone to the unit to make and receive Skype calls. It also features a Line port for connecting an analog line giving you dual-line (VoIP & PSTN) capability on the same phone. This is probably its best feature - you can use your favorite home cordless phone to receive or make both Skype and PSTN phone calls. The Internet Phone Wizard will send ring voltage to your phone on an incoming Skype or PSTN call. I tested both and it performed without a hitch.
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| ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard Front |
Although the ActionTec USB device is advertised as working with Skype only, I did try it out with other VoIP softclients. Since it's simply a USB audio device, in theory it should work just fine, right? Well, yes and no. I was able to configure my Xten softclient to use the ActionTec as my audio device and also set it as my default microphone. Next, I was able to dial from the Xten softclient to a PSTN number and talk using the phone connected to the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard. The problem was that the ActionTec provides simulated "Skype" dialtone, essentially waiting for you to dial a Skype user or make a SkypeOut phone call. So while I was in my Xten call, I could hear the ActionTec simulated dialtone (continuous tone). I was able to get it to stop simply by pressing one of the touchtones (to make it think I was going to dial a Skype number), however after a few seconds it thinks you misdialed and starts to play a series of tones indicating a dialing error. I think the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard should offer a touchtone override mechanism (i.e. press # followed by *) that lets you use the phone as an audio device with microphone capability, so you can use it with any application, not just Skype.
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| ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard Rear |
The main gripe many will have against the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard is that it requires a connection to your PC via the USB port to work - and thus your PC must be on in order to make/receive Skype calls. It would be nice to have a standalone device with Skype software embedded so you don't have to leave your PC on all the time to make/receive Skype calls. On the other hand, if you didn't have this device and your PC was off, you wouldn't be able to make/receive Skype calls either. So I think we should judge this product based on what typical Skypers can and can't do already without the ActionTec product. I should point out that although you can't make Skype calls with the PC off, you can still make PSTN calls. In fact, if the USB cable becomes disconnected or even if your PC is off, you can still make/receive PSTN calls. There is a relay switch in the unit to make the analog line pass through.
Skype is working on "standalone" boxes with Skype software embedded so you don't have to have your PC on, but we shouldn't judge the ActionTec product based on some future product we would like to see. The ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard is available today and it does what it advertised to do - let you make/receive Skype calls while not being chained to a PC headset by letting you use your favorite analog phone. If you are an avid Skyper and would like to be able to make & receive Skype calls using your home cordless phone, and still make & receive calls on that same phone, then this may be the perfect product for you. Heck, with SkypeIn combined with SkypeOut, not only can you cancel your landline to save money, if you have a ton of Skype contacts, you can even cancel your Vonage line, CallVantage line, or any other VoIP service provider. Pricewise, Skype probably has them all beat!
I was just telling my coworker this morning how my iPod FM transmitter apparently stopped working. I can barely hear the music while dialed to 87.7FM. There was a strong station on 87.9FM, but I tried getting it to work over a 32 mile trip and it was 99% static with barely audible music in the background. I actually only used this iPod FM transmitter once, and was going to write a review on it, but I must have forgotten, so it sat in my winter hibernating Viper for the past 8 months.
While cleaning the car I realized I had forgotten about this little gadget, so I took it to work with me in my 3000GT. Unfortunately, as previously stated, the iPod FM transmitter barely worked. It made me wonder if perhaps my 3000GT's radio antenna (located in back of the car) is too far from the iPod FM transmitter? When the FM transmitter was working in the Viper, I wonder if it worked because the Viper has its antenna built into the window, so it was literally only 2 feet away from the iPod FM transmitter plugged into the cigarette lighter. If indeed the 3000GT's FM/AM antenna is too far from the FM transmitter, then that is one WEAK transmitter! Must be those damn FCC rascals limiting the power output...
I'm not naming this particular iPod FM Transmitter by name (yet) since I want to do some more tests first - like re-test it in the Viper when I get home.
Ironically, after discussing my iPod FM transmitter woes, I received an email just a few hours later that states:
Ericsson and Siemens Communications have successfully completed interoperability tests between Siemens push-to-talk handsets and Ericsson infrastructure (IMS system including push-to-talk server). This major step will significantly expand the customer base for operators planning to offer standards-based push-to-talk and will give consumers a simple and seamless push-to-talk experience. In addition, it shows the two global mobile communications suppliers' commitments to open standards.
Now we just need Nextel to get on board the interoperability train and then we can have a three-fold increase in the number of "push-to-talkers" that can not only interoperate & communicate, but this will probably result in a three-fold increase in how much these "push-to-talkers" irritate the hell out of me! See my Voiceglo's Nextel-like push to talk VoIP feature blog entry for details on why Push-to-Talkers irritate me.
Scientists have apparently found a "backup" to our DNA. According to the journal Nature, one plant was able to revert to genetic code that doesn't contain a genetic mutation that its parents had, (using a previously unknown "backup" copy method), and it reverted to the genetic code of its grandparents. The authors of the paper theorize that the backup may reside in molecule RNA somewhere and that stress may trigger the genetic reversion. If this turns out to be true in humans as well, not only will we have to rewrite the genetic textbooks, but this could lead to cure of diseases caused by genetic malformities.
According to the article, the finding challenges textbook rules of inheritance, which state that children simply receive combinations of the genes carried by their parents. The principle was famously established by Austrian monk Gregor Mendel in his nineteenth-century studies on pea plants.
The study, published this week in Nature, shows that not all genes are so well behaved. It suggests that plants, and perhaps other organisms including humans, might possess a back-up mechanism that can bypass unhealthy sequences from their parents and revert to the healthier genetic code possessed by their grandparents or great-grandparents.
Pretty amazing that even "nature" keeps backups.
Check out the full article.
Skype, the Global Internet Telephony Company, today launched Skype for Windows version 1.2 (v 1.2) with enhanced user benefits including a centralized Contacts list, which allows users access to their list of contacts from multiple devices from wherever they connect to Skype, and a new 'Getting Started Wizard,' which makes finding friends, importing contacts and making test calls even easier.
Skype is the leading VOIP-category product worldwide, with more than 31 million registered users growing by more than 160,000 new users per day. More than 6 billion minutes of Skype calls have been made by users around the world who have enjoyed the instantly downloadable, easy-to-use software.
"The latest Skype software for Windows builds on previous versions and takes Skype portability, ubiquity and quality to a new standard for modern communications,"; said Niklas Zennstrom, Skype CEO and co-founder. "We are grateful for the user input that helped shape this latest version, and applaud the Skype development team for the excellence."
Skype for Windows v 1.2 delivers several benefits requested by Skype users, including remote access to contacts from any Internet-connected PC or other Skype client in the world. In earlier versions of Skype, the contacts lists was stored locally; the new central contacts list expands user options and allow one to Skype with their existing contacts from multiple locations and platforms. The latest version also allows users to instantly import contacts from other desktop services and applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, MSN Messenger and Opera.
The latest version enhancements make downloading and using Skype even simpler for new users. The 'Getting Started Wizard' appears as soon as the client launches and acts as a one-click launch pad to Skype's frequently-used functions, such as importing contacts, searching Skype's global user directory, editing personal profiles to make it easier for friends and family to locate users, configuring privacy settings, making test calls and accessing online help. Skype has simultaneously launched a new 'Help' section on the company website to increase the ability of users to easily find information online and access email-based support.
Additional new benefits in Skype for Windows v1.2 include multiple file transfer, updated sounds, more customizable settings to personalize the Skype experience, and the superior voice quality Skype users have come to expect. Skype continues to provide chat, conference calling for up to 5 participants, cross-platform communications, and rich presence and personalization features.
From Skype's ChangeLog:
This guy made a VoIP over EVDO phone call in his car using Vonage. Good stuff! I love this quote: "I got some really strange looks as I held this old fashion POTs line to my ear while parked in a parking lot. People walking by probably thought I was on the strangest cell phone ever."
For his tests, he used the following to make Vonage calls:
- Compaq Presario
- LinkSys RT31P2 VOIP router (included with VOIP server)
- Crossover Ethernet cable (need this if not using a router)
- Old fashion dialtone phone
- Radio Shack power Inverter, power for the router in the car
- EVDO Antenna (External Booster Antenna)
- EVDO TurboCharged PC 5220
He also writes, "It will be interesting to see how cell phone companies handle this technology - especially as cell phones come standard with EVDO. Why? When placing VOIP calls over EVDO, the cell phone companies do not charge you against your plan or
minutes - so it is a way to make unlimited voice calls. I don't think they will like that too much."
Good point... Although, I bet the carriers would be ecstatic if you paid $30-$50 per month for cellphone voice service and another $70-$80 for a EVDO data plan.
Check out the VoIP over EVDO article.
I'm really not sure what to make of this... iVoice has filed for a patent for a personal air bag! (you wear it) Apparently, it detects a sudden change in elevation and angle and then deploys the airbag. Just what 90 year old women weighing 98lbs need - an air bag that saves them the embarassment of saying "I've fallen and I can't get up!" - assuming of course the fast-deploying airbag doesn't propel them into low orbit! LOL!
Wish I had a picture or video of this air bag device to share. Guess the release will have to do.
iVoice, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: IVOC), a leader in speech-recognition technology, announced today it has filed a patent for a new personal air bag device to limit injuries from falls.
The device is self-contained and is worn by a pedestrian. It has one or more air bags that inflate to protect the user from injuries upon falling. It is adapted to deploy the air bag(s) upon change in a condition, such as a change in elevation or angle.
The user could be an ambulatory or non-ambulatory elderly person, a person in a wheelchair or other confinement, a person working on a ladder, hoist, scaffold or other hazardous altitude, or a fireman or a motorcycle rider. The device is worn by the user and has at least one sensor that will detect a characteristic change, such as a severe angle change of greater than 45 degrees or negative altitude change triggered by a decrease in gravity pull. When the sensor is triggered, compressed air rapidly fills the air bags before the user hits the ground and reduces or prevents injury. The device can have an on/off switch so that it is inactive when the user is not in harm's way.
An optional feature is an alarm that wirelessly signals a fall to a receiving facility for possible response. This alarm may trigger a phone call, a GPS locating effort and transmission of assistance to police or a nursemaid, relative, ambulance or other assistance.
iVoice CEO Jerry Mahoney said, "This is the 13th patent we've filed. This personal air bag device is of special interest to the elderly and to people in high risk-of-fall situations, such as firemen, construction workers and others working on ladders. The invention is also beneficial in the prevention or reduction of injuries to roller skaters, ice skaters, bicyclists and motor scooter and motorcycle operators. Intellectual property is important to a company optimizing opportunities to provide shareholder value. We are seeking to license the various technologies that we own the rights to. This latest invention further broadens our portfolio."
As a huge GPS fan, I just had to share this bit of news... I have a portable GPS system already - Destinator1 running on a very old PocketPC whose irreplaceable internal battery is on its last legs (holds about a 2 minute charge). Really annoying when the battery dies and I have to restore from CF backup to get the GPS software re-installed. Usually happens when I don't start my car for a couple of days to charge the iPaq via the cigarette lighter.
There are hacks to take apart the older iPaqs to replace the battery, but I can't be bothered. It may just be time for me to either buy a new PocketPC or buy one of these "specialized" PDAs which already have built-in GPS software & hardware. Anyway, check out this new GPS PDA product...
New Palm Sized GPS Navigation System from Mio
Is an Affordable Aftermarket Solution for Automobile Owners without Costly GPS Systems
~ New Device Doubles as an MP3 Player and Tour Guide with Millions of Points of Interests ~
FREMONT, Calif. (March 21, 2005) - Mio Technology Ltd., a leading worldwide vender of GPS Pocket PC's, today introduced the Mio136 GPS navigation system to North America as part of a worldwide launch. The new device is a straightforward, easy-to-use GPS navigation system combined with an extensive street atlas of the North American continent and Hawaii in a sleek silver palm-sized chassis. Incurring no setup fees or monthly charges and reasonably priced, the Mio136 is a perfect aftermarket option for automobile owners without today's expensive built-in GPS systems, yet is ideal for those who are on-the-go or on foot as well.
A downloadable 300dpi high-resolution photo of the Mio136 is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.seeyouinprint.com/mio/mio136.jpg.
Straight out of the box and no installation, the Mio136 GPS navigation system is easy to use and is a practical solution for today's owners of automobiles without a built-in GPS navigation system. The unit is "instant on" powered by an Intel 300Mhz CPU and provides both visual and verbal directions to the user's destination with over a million points of interest (POI) using an extra sensitive GPS receiver and maps stored on the included 256 MB SD/MMC storage card. Simply selecting the user's preprogrammed
