Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Tom Keating
CTO
| VoIP & Gadgets blog - Latest news in VoIP & gadgets, wireless, mobile phones, reviews, & opinions

Wireless

wireless, WiFi, WiMAX, 3G, 4G, EVDO

Pope Gets into Texting (Yes, That's Right)

July 16, 2008

ACN IRIS 3000 Videophone & The State of the Videophone

July 15, 2008

I've come across the new ACN IRIS 3000 videophone a few times recently and thought I'd write about them. I'm a big fan of videophones even if there doesn't seem to be any true adoption of industry standards that lets one videophone talk/video to another. Not to mention I reported first how Vonage's OEM'ed videophone, VisiFone, from Viseon hit the scrap heap due to Viseon's implosion. I was hoping to see Vonage's VisiFone interoperate with Packet8's Videophone, which I reviewed back in 2004.

Tom writes 'iHate My iPhone Because its iDead'

July 12, 2008

Packet8 MobileTalk on iPhone Adds VoIP Calling

July 11, 2008


8x8, Inc. the provider of the Packet8 VoIP broadband service today announed it has added the Apple iPhone to the list of over 450 mobile handset devices now supported by the Packet8 MobileTalk international calling service. Launched back in November 2007, MobileTalk adds inexpensive calling to the iPhone 2.0 which launched today.

Unlike the truphone iPhone application I blogged earlier today, the Packet8 MobileTalk is web-based interface, so unlike truphone there is no dialer application to download. Instead, it uses a customized web-based dialer, accessible via a standard data plan or WiFi connection, to route calls to a unique local Packet8 access number and then on to the Packet8 digital VoIP network. Once the call has been initiated, the data connection is no longer engaged and the call is carried to completion over the cellular provider's network with only Packet8's low international calling rates applied.


Truphone on iPhone Apple Store enables VoIP

July 11, 2008

Apple Web service outages during iPhone launch

July 11, 2008

As the Apple iPhone ver 2 launches today, Apple had some outage issues with their website.

Late yesterday/last night, Apple users could not access their accounts. Additionally, the TUAW reported today (6:20am Friday) that The Apple Store US is down, though it's up now. The outage last night was a planned outage that was part of the Apple's transition to MobileMe. Essentially, their .Mac accounts' data was being moved to MobileMe, a $99/year service lets people view, update and sync e-mails, calendar appointments & contacts, as well as share files across iPhones, Macs and Windows PCs.

As iPhone mania continues to run rampant today, just take a breather. If you can't access Apple's iPhone web services to download new apps or the Exchange email integration isn't working, just put the iPhone down, go outside, scream at the top of your lungs, "Curses you Steve Jobs for not planning better!", then go back inside look at your precious new newfandangled iPhone and just be glad you own one.



The Dead Zone: AT&T's iPhone 3G Coverage Woes

July 10, 2008

Excited about buying Apple's new iPhone 3G, which goes on sale tomorrow?

Pumped about those blazing-fast 3G Internet speeds?

Hope you don't live in beautiful Bozeman, Montana; Burlington, Vermont; or Des Moines, Iowa...

Those are just a few places where your new iPhone will download Web pages just as slow as the old one did -- because AT&T hasn't set up its 3G network there yet.

And how about just getting decent phone service in Fairfield County, CT?

Take a look at how little blue there is (broadband coverage) in one of the most densely populated urban areas in the U.S. Need I say more?

Silicon Valley Insider has more (much more) on this woeful state, including the full AT&T coverage map, which paints a dreary picture ...

... But enjoy your new phone!

















Everything You Wanted to Know About Smart Cards ...

July 7, 2008

truphone summer credit giveaway

July 1, 2008

Andy Abramson tipped me off to a new summer promotion by Truphone which now gives you 4X the inititial credit in your new account. Andy told me, "With the summer holiday season upon us, Truphone is giving away more credit to new users - meaning more free minutes and free SMS messages. New customers signing up for Truphone from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14 will get $8 credit in their account (instead of $2). This is a great gift just in time for the 4th of July holiday weekend just days away.

Fringe on FOX

July 1, 2008


Speaking of fring (blogged earlier today), there is a cool new TV series called Fringe which comes out this Fall created by American Emmy Award-winning film and television producer, writer, actor, composer, and director J.J. Abrams. J.J. Abrams also wrote and produced for the popular TV show Lost, including the opening sequence in the first episode of Lost where the plane breaks apart in mid-air.

Apparently Abrams hates planes since in the opening sequence in Fringe involves a plane that lands "intact" but all of its occupants are dead and the inside of the plane is bloody, dark, and eerie.


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