Source: www.voip-news.com

Love this! VoIP and Gadgets Blog traces rudimentary computer technology that the writer used as a kid to the VoIP service that he now bases his career writing about.

The VoIP Weblog explores Sipgate  in its competition with Skype.

Truphone 3.0 has launched for the iPod Touch. Read about it on VoIP News of the UK.

Source: www.voip-news.com

In Spain, a phone company called Telefonica is giving unemployed customers a break on their bill. Nice gesture. Read about it on VoIP Watch.

Smith on VoIP names six VoIP alternatives to AT&T’s CallVantage, which is being shuttered.

Free Skype to Skype calls in the UK? Yep, with 3UK and a 3 SIM card. Read about it on TMCnet’s VoIP & Gadgets Blog.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Need to get CCIE certification? The Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert Voice certification is an industry-recognized accreditation for senior engineers in IP-enabled Voice technology disciplines.

One training company, IPexpert, is now training for the new 3.0 version of the test.

According to  IPexpert:

To become CCIE certified, engineers spend years preparing for an exhaustive 8-hour hands-on “lab” exam conducted by Cisco, the global leader in computer networking solutions. IPexpert (http://www.ipexpert.com/) is a training organization focused on preparing seasoned computer network engineers for the coveted CCIE exams, through various learning solutions including self-study materials and instructor-led training courses.

As enterprise networking technologies continue to evolve, Cisco implements changes in the CCIE exam topics to ensure that the individuals being certified as experts are adept with the current technologies. Due to technology enhancements, modifications to the various CCIE exams tend to be made every two to three years, with the most recent affecting the Voice specialization.

Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com

Wireless Maven, husband of a very great photographer, the man who works with Erik, Nan Palmero

reviews the new Samsung Impression at  CTIA.  Coming soon to AT&T.

Source: www.voip-news.com

There is a new handset available from Sonim Technologies called the XP3 Quest. It’s an ultra-rugged phone that can stand up to shocks, drops and water. Sonin is a handset maker and also a provider of an End-to-End mobile VoIP platform.

The phone includes an extra-large keypad that can be easily used with workgloves on as well as a long battery life. It’s also tricked out with GPS, Bluetooth, PC Sync, OperaMini browser and more.

“When it comes to mobile solutions, what works for a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey is not going to work for a construction foreman in the UK or a forestry ranger in Germany,” said Bob Plaschke, CEO of Sonim Technologies. “And while this may sound obvious, it’s about much more than marketing segmentation. Our customers are unique and they demand devices and applications that fit their specific, rugged needs. The new XP3 Quest delivers on both counts by providing a form factor and design that works over-time, along with software and application upgrades that deliver even greater dependability and security.”

Source: www.voip-news.com

The C3 Desktop Videoconferencing and Collaboration solution from Avistar Communications Corporation has been named the Best Unified Communications and Collaboration Solution in the 15th Annual IBM Lotus Awards. The awards recognize Lotus software solutions from IBM PartnerWorld members that excel in quality, innovation and services.

“Desktop videoconferencing offers significant opportunity for cost savings and productivity gains, especially when it is used in conjunction with other unified communications applications. To take advantage of these technologies, companies must pay attention to performance and bandwidth management to achieve maximum success,” said Melanie Turek, Principal Analyst, Enterprise Communications, Frost & Sullivan.

According to Avistar:

In addition, Avistar is working with IBM to provide bandwidth management for IBM Lotus’ unified communications and collaboration solutions, which include IBM Lotus Sametime, an award-winning and market-leading platform that offers integrated, enterprise unified communications tools such as IM, VoIP, video chats and web conferencing. Avistar’s patent protected dynamic bandwidth management is a key feature of its C3 videoconferencing technology, making intelligent and automatic adjustments to support connections with external VoIP services, video within web-based instant messaging clients, room-based videoconferencing systems and high-end, high-definition telepresence environments.

“This recognition from IBM Lotus illustrates Avistar’s continued leadership in business-class videoconferencing,” said Simon Moss, CEO, Avistar. “The combination of our highly competitive price, extensive capabilities to deliver a videoconferencing solution quickly and comprehensive product functionality allows businesses to realize a speedy return on their investment while achieving significant productivity gains.”

Source: www.voip-news.com

Back in college, I was hired to write for a next-gen communications company based in New York. My job? To write a company newsletter. I had zero experience with newsletter writing and was not given a whole lot of guidance. So, I started researching some of our competitors like Level 3 Communications.

Since then, the company I worked for was folded into another company. It essentially doesn’t exist anymore.

As for Level 3 Communications, the company I researched way back when? Still kicking, but now the company is reducing its employees by eight percent. Changes in the market …

Level 3 expects to layoff about 450 employees in North America by the end of December.

Sad.

Source: www.voip-news.com

The Avistar C3 Desktop Videoconferencing and Collaboration solution has received a 2008 Internet Telephony Excellence Award from Internet Telephony Magazine.

“Recognition by INTERNET TELEPHONY is testimony to the tremendous value Avistar C3’s high-quality desktop videoconferencing provides to organizations. In addition to cost savings from reduced travel expenses and increased productivity, desktop videoconferencing allows for a distributed workforce without losing the person-to-person interactions that are key to teamwork and innovation,” said Simon Moss, CEO, Avistar.

Internet Telephony releases the ratings a few times a year.

“Taking risks to advance VoIP technology and provide real solutions has earned Avistar recognition from the editors of INTERNET TELEPHONY and an INTERNET TELEPHONY Excellence Award. C3 Desktop Videoconferencing and Collaboration has excelled in delivering solutions, and its customers are extremely pleased and have offered their testaments of support,” said Greg Galitzine, Editorial Director, INTERNET TELEPHONY.

Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com

Here’s AT&T’s Larry Meyers doing a very cool and very real world video demo of the  Samsung Rugby™ ruggedized cell phone.

The Samsung Rugby™ is a rugged device loaded with enhanced features. This phone touts Push to Talk, aGPS and AT&T Navigator for navigation, Video Share Calling, and is certified to Military Standard MIL-STD 810F. The Samsung Rugby is available in black, yellow and burgundy.

If you do construction,  or have a really bad temper and like to throw stuff when you are mad, this phone might be the one for you!

Source: www.voip-news.com

snom’s M3 phone answers the question, why can’t you take it with you? The SIP handset using DECT technology and operates like a normal cordless phone — except it’s better.

The phone was recently tested by ChannelWeb, who said that it’s good for those who work remotely or often find themselves away from their desk. Unfortunately, they said, it doesn’t support power over Ethernet. Shame.

Read the full review here.

Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com

This week, the DEMOFall 2008 and TechCrunch50 events are taking place place.

I found several interesting companies being launched at these two events which reflect the ever changing convergence of the Internet Meets TV. 

Here’s a few worth checking out.  These companies are not affiliated with AT&T, but do reflect the potential of three-screens applications and market opportunities.

If you have other suggestions, send me at email: alan at weinkrantz dot com.

BeeTV  – this is three screens at its best.  BeeTV  is designed to serve three screens: TV, MOBILE and PC with its server side beeHIVE™ core technology. beeTV is designed to maximize ROI for any platform while dealing with each platform’s unique advantages and specific constraints. The beeHIVE™ interfaces with the platform’s middleware and infrastructure. beeTV services IPTV, cable, satellite, mobile, internet and DTT platforms.

ffwd (as in FastForward) -  the web implementation of its revolutionary web-meets-TV service. ffwd’s vision encompasses a radically simple way to navigate the video web, an expansive digital television experience, and a media service that reflects your lifestream.

ffwd aims to connect viewers to online video through personalized adaptive channels of videos from all over the web – replacing 500 channels and nothing on with custom channels for every viewer. Each channel combines the editorial wisdom of the entire Internet audience, the viewer’s social graph, and behavioral targeting, to sort through the limitless web video catalog with the click of a button.

LiveHit
Tracks the music, videos, and entertainment sites people are clicking
on right now.  Their Social Discovery Service  connects users who’s hot
and what’s hot across the web in real-time. LiveHit produces LiveMaps
which are visual maps showcasing what is popular across the web right
in the moment. Popularity of the content is completely unbiased and
based on how many users like you are actually viewing, listening to,
and interacting with content, and then that is surfaced through the
LiveMap.

RealDVD – from the people who brought you RealNetworks, comes an easy-to-use application that lets you save your DVDs – movies, TV shows, or home DVDs – to your PC digitally and legally. Best of all, you can play them from your hard drive whenever and wherever you want without the discs.

VideoSurf – true to its name,  VideoSurf visual video search engine that allow users to search across millions of videos for a given actor and to view summaries of videos through a series of detected keyframes.

Xumii - here is a company that is launching the first social address book for mobile phones. With Xumii, users can socialize with any contact on any network, regardless of whether it is a social network, an instant messenger service or another mobile carrier.

Xumii’s social address book combines contact information, feeds and status updates from social networks, instant messaging services and mobile contacts in a single view.  Xumii also offers integrated mobile messaging that allows users to maintain threaded conversations, share media files and create private groups

Source: www.voip-news.com

3CX has unveiled a free VoIP softphone for businesses.

Yes, free.

“3CX VoIP Phone is great for businesses that wish to have an easy to deploy, business-level VoIP soft phone. Because it is free, the usual hassle of administration of client licenses is avoided. The free editions of other VoIP phones do not have key features such as call transfer or the ability to put a call on hold,” said Nick Galea, CEO at 3CX.

The user-friendly phone allows users to review their call history, put calls on hold and accept, reject or ignore calls./

“VoIP Phones are an interesting option for businesses – they are easy to administer and environmentally friendly. Hardware phones require additional electricity, administration and desk space,” Galea said.