Hewlett-Packard’s new SkyRoom has just taken video conferencing to the next level. HP SkyRoom is the first video conferencing solution that enables up to four users to hold live conversations and desktop collaboration at a near-HD resolution. Using the same data-transfer technologies NASA used on their Mars rovers, HP SkyRoom combines all your favorite features from Skype and other video conferencing apps. Not only does it provide seamless, high-quality video calls, but it also lets you share high-quality images, videos, and movies to other people in the conference, as well as other tools like screencasting and screen sharing. SkyRoom has support for 2D and 3D graphics, multidisplay, and full-motion video, even if one or more participants do not have a 3D-capable graphics card.

Unlike most video conferencing solutions, SkyRoom has a one-time cost of $149, but HP notebooks and desktops come with the software installed. Of course, for non-HP users, SkyRoom is far more expensive than Skype, which is free. Still, it’s nice to know that there’s a reliable alternative to Skype out there, especially if you have a business that holds frequent teleconferences.

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Back in the 1990s, we all thought that videophones were a groundbreaking technology that would soon be in every household. However, the videophone idea didn’t really take off, and the advent of VoIP pretty much killed it – unless the videophone enables you to use a popular VoIP service like Skype. Today, Asus launched a Skype-certified touchscreen videophone called the ASUS Videophone Touch AiGuru SV1T. This standalone device has a large 7-inch touchscreen that works with the built-in webcam, mic, speaker, and WiFi capabilities so that you can make unlimited video calls for free without having to use a computer.

Last year, Asus also announced a Skype-enabled videophone, but the Touch AiGuru SV1T is far superior than its predecessor. For one thing, its icon-based touchscreen interface is simple to use and takes away the complexity involved in making VoIP calls. Anyone, even the most technologically illiterate, can easily make Skype-to-Skype video and voice calls. You can even use it to participate in conference calls, making the Touch AiGuru SV1T and inexpensive video conferencing solution for small businesses. Aside from unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls, the Touch AiGuru Sv1T also lets you call mobile phones and landlines at really affordable rates. If you have a Skype number, you can also receive calls from any mobile phone or landline phone.

I can totally see Touch AiGuru SV1T units ending up under the Christmas trees of grandparents and parents whose children live far away. Available now at the Skype Shop for $264.

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VoIP has changed the way we communicate. By using the Internet as the medium by which voice and video travels, making long-distance and international calls can cost as much as pennies. If you’re calling a fellow VoIP user, the call may cost nothing at all. Today, there are a number of VoIP providers that offer “free calls” worldwide. And while some of these services do actually offer free calls, there are still some things you need to consider before sinking your teeth into their offer.

First, there’s the definition of “free”. While most companies offer free calls, these offers may have a catch or two. VoIP to VoIP calls are always for free because they use the Internet to send voice and video data in the same way email does. However, if you use VoIP to call a person’s mobile phone or landline, your call will have to go through regular telecom carriers. This is where you will start getting charged.

What makes one VoIP provider different from the other is the features and rates they offer. While most of them offer legitimate good service, there are some intrepid developers that try to rush ahead of the pack and charge basement rates for unlimited VoIP. Many of these offers are risky and might leave you with the short end of the stick.

Then, there’s the features. VoIP providers with completely free services definitely have a catch somewhere, so try to find out what this is. Do you have to pay a maintenance fee to stay a subscriber? Do they offer limited customer support? Do you need to invite two or three new subscribers to avail of certain cheap rates? Be wary of the offer and read the fine print so you can decide if the service is worth the catch or not.

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When Apple App Store rejected the Google Voice app several weeks ago, it seemed as if Apple was completely resistant to VoIP apps for the iPhone. However, San Francisco-based company Toktumi’s Line2 VoIP app was recently added to the App Store three months after it was submitted. Like Google Voice, Line 2 also lets users have two numbers: one that they can give to friends and family, and another that can be used for business, with features like a professional voicemail system and call filtering. However, Toktumi’s Line2 is also different from Google Voice in many ways. Whereas Google Voice was marketed to everyone and anyone who wanted VoIP on their iPhone, Toktumi is trying to reach small business owners and employees who’d like to use two numbers in the same phone. The Google Voice App was also to be provided for free, whereas Toktumi’s Line2 costs $14.95/month to use. And unlike the Google Voice App, Toktumi has no support for SMS.

Check out Line2.Com to try out Toktumi for yourself. The first 200 US-based users to sign up with the promo code 743623718 can access 3 months of unlimited US/Canada calling and cheap international calls. You can download the iPhone app here.

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Wideband telephony is not only the latest technology to hit the VoIP industry – it may be the technology that will result in the rebooting of VoIP. In this article, we’re going to talk about what wideband telephony is, its service offerings, and what it will mean for you or your company.

What is wideband telephony?

Wideband telephony, or HD Voice or HD VoIP, makes use of high quality voice codecs to deliver superior audio quality to any VoIP call. A voice codec, for those of you who aren’t familiar with it, converts analog voice signals into digitally encoded versions. Wideband telephony is going to be far superior than traditional calls. If the average cellular call captures the sound spectrum between 300 – 3,300Hz (3.3 kHz), wideband telephony can capture as much as 7,000Hz (7 kHz). This means that you get exposed to wider ranges of sound, increased call clarity, and a crisp calling experience.

What does it mean for me?

The benefits of wideband telephony will depend on who you are. For the average user, wideband telephony might not be very useful at the moment. In order to experience a wideband call, both participants have to be using wideband phones and wideband codecs, and the average consumer has yet to be using wideband telephony. In the future, especially as cellular networks move to 4G, wideband telephony will definitely infiltrate the consumer market.

In the business sector, however, wideband telephony is slowly gaining popularity. If your business is a call center or one with a high volume call environment, you’ll benefit immediately from wideband telephony. With the clarity and precision provided by this new technology, agents will have an easier time deciphering and recognizing conversations, which increases their ability to process the information.

How to use wideband telephony

First, you’ll need a voice carrier like bandwidth.com. You also have to make sure that your VoIP gateway or IP phone system supports the G.722 codec; otherwise, it cannot handle a Wideband call. You’ll also need desktop IP phones with support for Wideband codecs. Be careful of lower priced wideband telephony as they have inferior quality transducers that cannot keep up with true Wideband calling.

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Video calls over the Internet is the next best thing to being with your friends and loved ones who live far away from you. Logitech is known for being the first to develop superb webcams just for this purpose and recently, they’ve simplified video calling by adding an intuitive VOIP software that comes with the hardware. Vid is a VoIP service that comes free with every Logitech webcam purchase. As soon as you plug in your new Logitech webcam into the USB port, Vid will automatically get installed onto your machine. No need to create screen names, download third-party applications, or go through other complicated set-up procedures. You can start using Vid by finding family and friends through their e-mail address. Your friend will then respond to your e-mail request to participate in a video call over Vid, and you’re both connected and ready to talk!

Even if you don’t have a Logitech webcam, you can still use Vid for free if a friend or family member invites you to chat. If you get invited to a Vid chat but don’t have a Logitech webcam, you can use Vid for free for 30 days. After the 30-day period, you can use Vid for free when you purchase a Logitech webcam.

Vid is compatible with PCs and Macs, as well as stand-alone and embedded webcams. For more information on the service, visit www.logitech.com/vid

In this day and age, hardly anyone ever uses landline phones anymore. On the other hand, people don’t want to use up their cellphone credit just chatting with friends. Using your computer to make calls over VoIP is simple and easy, no matter what your OS is. Check out some of these VoIP applications for Linux that works great for personal or small businesses.

Skype for Linux

Skype is usually the first service that comes into mind when it comes to VoIP or video chatting online. Skype for Linux is equipped with all the features you’ll find in its other OS versions, like screen sharing, quick add, group chats with up to 150 participants, and conference calls. You can also use Skype to call mobile phones and landline numbers for a very small fee.

Asterisk

Asterisk is an open-source VoIP engine with a tool kit often used by small business owners who want to keep communications costs down. Its features include call waiting, call transfer, caller ID, and text-to-speech recognition among others.

Ekiga

Ekiga is another open-source VoIP and video conferencing application especially designed for GNOME. Its features include an advanced contact book, call hold, forwarding, and transferring, configurable sound events, and others. It can also handle several network interfaces at once and integrates well with Novell Evolution and Asterisk.

Linphone

Linphone can work with most webcams to provide voice conference and video conference calls for users, as well as an instant messaging/text chat capability. Although you can use Linphone to call mobile numbers and landlines, you’ll be charged a small fee. Linphone is ideal for users who want a simple VoIP app without the bells and whistles.

Callweaver

Callweaver is an independent, cross-platform, open-source VoIP app that was derived from Asterisk. It supports digital and analog PSTN telephony and has standard VoIP features like conference call, call forwarding, and call queue management. It even has support for fax-over-IP.

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Although there are many free and affordable VoIP services available, there are still a number of users who are clueless about what VoIP is and how they can save money with this technology. Here are some common myths on VoIP and the facts that debunk them. Hopefully after reading this, you’ll start considering VoIP as a cost-effective option for local and long-distance voice calls.

Myth: You can only save money if you call other VoIP numbers
Fact: Although free user-to-user calls are the biggest selling points of VoIP services, many VoIP services have competitive packages that allow you to call other service providers and long-distance numbers.

Myth: VoIP has bad sound quality.
Fact: Although the first generation of VoIP services had its sound quality issues, providers have made significant upgrades to their technology over the last two years. Today, VoIP users can enjoy high-quality voice calls without getting interrupted by static and white noise.

Myth: VoIP systems are too complicated to set up yourself
Fact: Nothing could be farther from the truth. VoIP software can be easily downloaded and installed, and most VoIP systems have plug-and-play set-ups. If you can get your wireless internet up and running, you should have no problem getting VoIP to work. And in case you really can’t, VoIP providers have customer service departments who can help you get things started or troubleshoot problems if they arise.

Myth: VoIP can’t be used on cell phones
Fact: One of the first few challenges of the VoIP industry is the inability to use the technology on mobile phones. Now applications for smart phones like the iPhone or Nokia N97 enable users to access their favorite VoIP providers like Skype or Fring. Many VoIP providers also offer mobile phones with dual handset capability which enables users to make a seamless switch between their VoIP switch and their mobile phone carrier.

This week, Nimbuzz launched their social networking and VoIP app in the Android marketplace, with brand new features for Android users. Exclusive features to the Android include support for Skype, a new buddy list layout, a time-sensitive user interface, auto-reconnect, and local social network support, making it the most sophisticated social messaging app for the Android. The

The new buddy list layout displays the avatar and presence information at the same time, as well as resource information (e.g. lets you know if your buddy is on the PC or mobile).

The time-sensitive user interface detects how long you hit a buddy’s name. With a light touch, you can open your profile, but a strong tap starts a new text conversation.

Home screen notifications let you know activities like incoming chats while Nimbuzz runs on the background.

Clickable URLs let you share YouTube videos, websites, and other links through the chat window. Simply click on the URL and a browser window will open, and you can simply switch back and forth to Nimbuzz.

Finally, the auto-reconnect feature. When Nimbuzz detects that you’re out of range from a WiFi network and there isn’t a WiFi hotspot nearby, it connects you to 3G and vice versa.

The Nimbuzz app is now available on the Android Marketplace.

We’ve all been hearing a lot of news about Google Voice lately and those who haven’t been following every single development may be a bit confused about the service. What exactly does Google Voice do? Is it VoIP? A phone redirecting service? Voicemail? We’re hoping this short guide on Google Voice will enlighten you a little on the service and why you might want to use it when it becomes available to the general public.

Before Google acquired the service in 2007, Google Voice used to be GrandCentral, a service that essentially worked as a personal switchboard operator. It let users register a number that can be redirected to ring multiple phones, as well as collect messages, listen to voicemail, and tell a specific number that your phone number is no longer in service (perfect for those avoiding stalkers). When Google bought GrandCentral and relaunched it as Google Voice, they did more than just put a pretty logo on it; they’ve added a couple of useful features and made it into a must-have for early adapters who could use the service by invitation or as a former GrandCentral user. Let’s take a look at what Google Voice can do.

Calls

The most basic calling service offered by Google Voice is call forwarding. You can forward calls to as many numbers as you like, and forward them to other phones depending on who’s calling. You can also set certain individuals or groups to get automatically redirected to your voicemail, spam folder, or block the call. Google Voice also lets you screen callers and give you the option to answer or send them to voicemail, which is useful for numbers you don’t recognize or when you’re too busy to pick up. As they leave the voicemail message, you can listen to what they’re saying and pick up if it appears to be an important call.

Another nifty feature is that users register phone numbers from any area code as well as get vanity numbers, e.g. words that your number can spell out. The disadvantage is that you can’t port an existing number you have to Google Voice.

Voicemail

The most interesting feature offered by Google voice’s voicemail is that it automatically transcribes voicemail messages and sends the transcription either through e-mail or text message. Not only is this far more efficient than listening to the message repeatedly to get the details, but it also provides users with a written record you can keep to look at later on. Of course, the transcription isn’t entirely accurate, but you can fill in the blanks through the context of the message. And if you really have to, you can just listen to the recorded message itself.

SMS and other features

SMS messages received work similar to how calls are handled; you have the option to have the message sent to one or more mobile phones. When you reply to the message, your reply will be sent from your Google Voice number even if you sent it from your phone, thus protecting your privacy. Another cool part is that you can receive SMS messages right from the Google Voice web interface, which is very useful if you’re always in front of a computer. You can also archive your SMS on the website for easy search and retrieval.

There’s no news about whether or not these services will remain free when Google Voice is finally launched to the public. Based on their other services, it seems unlikely that Google will charge regular users for Google Voice; they’ll probably monetize it by creating a Google Voice version for businesses. If you manage to get an invite to use Google Voice, try it out if only for the voicemail transcribing and call filtering features.

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