VoIP News and Gadgets

VoiceWords 2.0 of the Future

2007-12-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

Jajah a voip service provider is all set to launch a new mode of internet advertising. When AdWord was launched very few would have guessed the level of penetration and success this simple idea could reach. To me, two main reasons for AdWord to succeed are, one context based advertisement, two non-interruption of service. Non-Interruption of service is a prime reason why more and more web service providers are willing to add AdWords to their website. It will not throw up a pop up, or open a splash screen, etc…

Advertising strategy opted by Jajah is also in same lines as AdWords. When a person make a VOIP call (or any call), there is a time gap between phone starts ringing and the person actually lifts the phone. In this time gap the caller generally hears a ringing back tone or may be a music opted by the called party. Jajah is planning to play an advertisement in this time gap. When the other party is ringing the calling person will hear an advertisement and once the called party picks up the phone he/she will hear the voice. In this way there will be no interruption of service, but the advertisement content will be delivered to the calling person based on the location he is calling from (context based).

Will VOIP based advertisement will be successful like AdWords???

The answer is not known yet, the significant difference I see that, AdWord is always available on the web page as long as the user navigates in the same page. The user can initially ignore the AdWord but later it might catch his attention. But in voice based advertisement its not the case. Once the advertisement is played, to play it again user might have to willingly request to play it again. Most of the users will not take the pain of pressing a button to hear the advertisement the caught his slightest attention.
Anyways, it’s another interesting application of Voice 2.0. Lets see how their ideas unfold into revenues in the future.

Link

Free meal might come to an end

2006-08-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

VoIP to divorce PC next year

Free webs calls will be divorced from the PC by early next year – a move that is essential if the technology is to go mainstream, according to US Robotics.

The problem with many Voice-over-IP systems at the moment is that free calls routed entirely on the Internet, without using dial-up or cellphone links, need a PC at either end to be switched on.

Jajah has just introduced a system in which only the caller needs to use a PC – you just enter your number and the number you are calling on a web page.

Link

RADVISION Releases New SIP Protocol Toolkit With Java APIs

2006-04-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

RADVISION, a leading provider of multimedia conferencing and communications platforms, today announced the release and immediate availability of a Java version of its award-winning session initiation protocol (SIP) toolkit for real-time communication applications, such as voice over IP (VoIP) and instant messaging (IM). The new toolkit significantly shortens development cycles thereby enabling even faster time-to-market for a variety of new and innovative services. more...

Link

Voice 2.0

2006-01-10T00:36:00.000-08:00

"We’re witnessing the beginnings of a titanic clash between the internet and the telecommunications industry. My hope is that clash will be the, albeit painful, evolution of Voice into a full blow internet application — the birth of Voice 2.0. Voice 2.0 is the next step from where we are today. In today’s world, VoIP "carriers" like Vonage, Packet8 and the cable offerings, are migrations of the legacy PSTN onto a VoIP foundation. Voice 2.0 — true VoIP — is the marriage of IP Telephony to the Web."

Read on…

Sony Enters VoIP Arena

2005-11-27T20:17:00.000-08:00

Sony has entered a VoIP arena, by introducing VVoIP (Voice & Video over IP)

Its new Sony IVE client, offers more than a just a video call like, video mailbox, multiparty call. There aren?t much information about the architecture of the solution or the advantages of IVEs client compared to Google Talk or Skype.

Link

Enough SIP / Skype Foolishness

2005-11-16T22:33:00.000-08:00

Enough SIP / Skype Foolishness: By StephenSmith

" SIP is Dead was a provocative headline after VON Canada, sparking a minor packet storm of blog commentary. The bits have been flowing ...

* It all started with Niklas Zennstrom's report on exponential Skype growth at VON Canada, prompting Jeff Pulver to say Shift Happens and call Skype the iPod of Communications
* Martin Geddes writes that 'SIP is history as far as the future of voice is concerned' (shameless out-of-context quote) in an essay title The Telecom Earthquake
* Richard Stastny and Aswath Rao traded self-referential blog postings -- Requiem for SIP, no it's not a requiem, and clarification
* The backlash begins and Martin then writes a balancing viewpoint here about things that Skype doesn't address well
* Jeff then steps in and writes that SIP really isn't Dead, but that Skype is making huge impact and once current projects to bake it into silicon and 3G handsets are realized that there may be no turning back. He also posted a thoughtful piece by Timothy Jasionowski who says Skype benefits by having sole accountability to make protocols work wheras SIP is slowed by IETF and competing implementations.

I had a long chat with........"

Link

Will P2P Sip take Over Skype????

2005-11-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

?Will P2P Sip take Over Skype?????
Seems to be the hottest question on the VoIP forums. My answer, YES for SURE, bcoz of two simple reasons

One - P2P VoIP architecture had become a well proven solution
Two ? With Sykpe only Skype(eBay) is going to make money but with P2P Sip every one else in VoIP bandwagon can make money.

P2P SIP website

2005-11-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

One of the authors of the SOSIMPLE paper runs a website dedicated to Peer-to-Peer networking on the fundament of the SIP protocol:
Link

An Analysis of the Skype Peer-to-Peer Internet Telephone Protocol

2005-11-16T00:45:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting paper on skype peer to peer protocol.
This paper throws light on how skype traverses the NAT and firewall and also analysis some of the behaviors of its signaling protocol. Inspite of all the signaling messages from Skype is encrypted, this paper provides good insight on the skype’s operation.

PDF Document

Skype Journal: Five Reasons NOT to block Skype

2005-11-16T00:23:00.000-08:00

Michael Gouch a Security consult, talks about the general myths about Skype's security features and its vulnarability. He gives 5 reasons NOT to block Skype. His argument is on the lines that, Skype is equally vulnerable as SIP or H323 based VoIP clients.

Skype Journal: Five Reasons NOT to block Skype: "Five Reasons NOT to block Skype"

Google bets on Open Communications Protocols

2005-10-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

While Yahoo! and Microsoft link their proprietary networks for Instant Messaging (read press release), Google bets on Open Protocols to make information universally accessible.

And yesterday Google announced that Sean Egan has been hired by the company. Sean is the main developer of Gaim, the most popular IM client. According to Sean, he's to work "on making it as easy as possible for other clients to use Google Talk's voice features", so we can expect Gaim and other clients to be interoperable with Google Talk's voice features in the near future.

Currently, Google uses XMPP/Jabber specs, but they claim to be supporting open server-to-server federation, and work "to hear from other people in the communications industry about how best to build a federation model that is open, scalable". In fact, there are this month several tests with firms like EarthLink, Sipphone or PeopleCall.

Source

Nokia to support WiFi and VoIP in its E series of phones

2005-10-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Nokia to support WiFi and VoIP in its E series of phones. These phones are targeted mainly on Enterprise users.

“Nokia has introduced three phones that it plans to market to the business community. The company said Wednesday that its new "E" series would carry features that will appeal to corporate users and will be designed different than other Nokia phones.
The phones will support popular business e-mail services, including BlackBerry, GoodLink, Seven, and Visto Mobile. All E series devices will be built atop Nokia's Series 60 operating system for smartphones, and will be 3GSM compatible with support for alternative connectivity options.”
Link

VoIP Blog and Podcast | by Erik Lagerway: eBay is buying Skype

2005-09-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Reuters UK, has reported that eBay has bought Skype by way of a press announcement on Reuters.

I think this will help eBay with revenue and a click-to-call/buy service which should boost value in the portal's(?) offering. They will also be able to leverage Skype's millions of users. I still think that in the big picture this was a mistake and they will find they could have accomplished the same technical goals using open standards technology for much less money and would be able to play nice with everyone else. Sounds to me like this is another case of the more money than brains syndrome.

Next stop, Vonage's IPO and I think there will be at least one other VoIP company which will get snapped up in a mergers or acquisition before the end of the year.

Link

Anyuser ImPhone USB thumb drive/VoIP phone

2005-09-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

Anyuser ImPhone USB thumb drive/VoIP phone - Engadget - www.engadget.com
"Much like with the Ezmax EZMP-4200P, the concept behind the Anyuser ImPhone USB memory stick is to keep you covered whilst on the go and in need of a way to make a VoIP call from some unknown quantity computer. Instead of needing to install Skype, the flash drive has integrated voice over IP circuits and software, so you can just plug it in and get immediate access to a software phone on the go. It would also cover you if the machine you get stuck with doesn’t have a line in, or can be convenient if it’s a desktop with line-in not easily accessible. Of course, it’s also useful as a regular ol’ file storage medium. These’ll be out in Japan in August for about $36USD, which we’re assuming is for the 64MB version (128 and 512MB versions also available)."

Skype Goes Mobile in Germany

2005-09-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

Skype Goes Mobile in Germany
Skype has partnered with German mobile carrier E-Plus, the first step in a strategy to extend its VoIP service beyond the desktop.

Beginning in October, Skype's software will be bundled with E-Plus' flat-rate data-subscription plan. Initially, it will be available on Motorola handsets, but other handset vendors are expected to be added.
Link

Enterprise VOIP Is on Fire

2005-09-03T14:07:00.000-07:00

Enterprise VOIP Is on Fire
Enterprises around the world are going IP with their PBXs in a big, big way, according to a new Infonetics Research Inc. report (see Infonetics Reports on IP PBXs).

Pure IP-based and hybrid PBX systems accounted for more than half of new system sales in the second quarter and are expected to make up 92 percent of new PBX sales by 2008. That's a whopping $8.34 billion slice of the market. TDM-based PBX systems sales, meanwhile, will bring in only $760 million in sales by 2008, Infonetics says.
Link

X-Pro TAPI Integrates VoIP with Outlook

2005-09-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

X-Pro TAPI Integrates VoIP with Outlook
"Global IP Telecommunications, a development partner of softphone manufacturer Xten Networks Inc., introduced the X-Pro TAPI, a TAPI (Telephony API)-compliant software telephone which can be integrated with Microsoft Outlook.

'In contrast to other solutions, X-Pro TAPI supports real TAPI, which enables you to link professional Customer Relationship Management software with VoIP,' says Sal Luzzi, CEO of Global IP Telecommunications, Inc.

The neat thing about this VoIP softphone is that it can be integrated to Microsoft's Outlook. With the X-Pro TAPI add-in in place, MS Outlook users are able to click to call any member on the user's Outlook contact list. This feature also enables incoming calls to be referenced against the user's contact list. The add-in provides the user with a caller ID feature which actually links the number back to the user's Outlook contact profile."
Link

Google's Free WiFi?

2005-08-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

"Rumor is that Google is planning to offer free nationwide WiFi. According to Om's B2Day, San Francisco's mayor Gavin Newsom will hold a press conference today detailing his plans for a citywide WiFi network."
San Francisco To Announce Free WiFi Initiatives

Feds fund VoIP tapping research

2005-08-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

Feds fund VoIP tapping research | Tech News on ZDNet: "Wang discovered he could embed a unique, undetectable signature in Skype packets and then identify that signature when they reached their destination. The technique works in much the same way as a radioactive marker that a patient swallows, permitting doctors to monitor its progress through the digestive system.

'It's based on the flow itself,' Wang said. 'I embed a watermark into the flow itself, the timing of the packets. By adjusting the timing of select packets slightly, it's transparent. There's no overhead in the bandwidth, and it's very subtle. It's mingled with the background noise.'"

Software helps you stop being a jerk

2005-08-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

"Software helps you stop being a jerk"
MIT scientists come up with technology that measures vocal signals to see if you're being annoying on the phone.

Welcome

2005-07-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

Started up the blog to post happeneing in the VoIP arena that I come accross every day!