VoIP Now

Where in the World Are... You?

GPS capabilities are supposedly one of the current and near-future hot features of cell phones. It's been predicted, probably even before 2001, that all cell phones will have GPS capabilities, which would be particularly useful for tracking people in emergency situations.

However, for tracking bike and pedestrian traffic, PNAs (Personal Navigation Assistants) are supposedly not ready. That's primarily because the necessary cartographic work for bike and foot traffic hasn't been done for most places in the world, so having a nav system for them is pointless. And for safety reasons, you cannot assume either type of traffic can use regular GPS nav maps.

Still, when and if such maps are recorded, smartphones such as the Apple iPhone or some of the Linux keyless handsets might be ideal platforms for PNAs for cyclists and pedestrians. In fact, I'm predicting a general rise in world tourism over the next two decades (pretty easy prediction to make).

So PNAs for this type of traffic could become a burgeoning market. But having worked in GIS and digital mapping for seven years, I know there's a lot of work to be done to satisfy a market that doesn't yet really exist, and may not exist for many years. Not an easy business decision to make. On the other hand, as Clumsy on their feet says at the end of the article, paper maps never run out of batteries.

Palm In Trouble?

MarketWatch elaborates on a WSJ article that Palm is potentially up for sale, hurt by the competition. Recall that the PalmOS was once the most widely used platform for mobile devices. That's ceased to be true for a few years. I'm not sure, but I think Windows Mobile took over that status. And then there's Apple's imminent iPhone, not to mention a few Linux phones popping up. Symbian still commands a bit of presence in the market. So yeah, competition.

Nokia is being touted as a possible buyer. I have to say I hope it's Nokia; I have a lot of respect for what they are doing and the fact that they haven't ignored VoIP. As a Palm Treo owner who has increasingly grown to dislike my choice, I feel Nokia will treat Palm the best. This purely my own biased opinion.

VoIP Roundup - Fri Feb 16, 2007

Slingbox for the Palm Treo
The Palm Treo line gets some IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) loving with Slingbox's new wireless set top box. You can stream TV (cable, satellite) to a Palm Treo smartphone over your cellular broadband connection. MyTreo has an officially approved video from a recent CES demo. Note that Treo 650 and 680 are not being supported (650 is discontinued, which means that I'm out of luck). EVDO continues to be a problem as far as advanced features go, so think twice before you buy a cellular data plan with EVDO.

Wireless Chargers?
The latest in wireless technology are devices that recharge your gadgets without, well, wires. MyTreo has a picture of the Wild Charger, which sort of looks like a solar panel.

Google Talk As An Internet Radio Station
On the surface, Google Talk appears to be an unassuming VoIM client, but there are more features than you might think. Amit Agarwal at Digital Inspirations gives a brief tutorial on how to get Google Talk to play MP3 files. Speaking of Internet music players, Finetune is worth checking out. Someone wrote somewhere that they thought it was a knock off of the very cool Pandora, but I disagree. Sure, they both let you create your own music playlists/ stations. But that doesn't make one a knock off.

Mino Wireless Valentines Promo

Mino loves you, baby, so they're doing a Valentines promo. Mino Wireless, who hit 100,000 mobile users in August 2006, allows you to make VoIP-based calls from your cell phone using their Java soft client. If you buy $10 worth of calling credit on or before Feb 20th, they give you $2 free credit.

I tried it out in early August last year and the quality was crystal clear at the time, impressing even my father, who'd gotten used to me using the free Skype N. American promo. (At the time, it was free, now it's $29.95 for one solid year of unlimited calls.)

Phones and platforms currently supported: BlackBerry, Palm Treo, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Docomo. They've also added corporate calling rates in Canada and the USA.

Pondering My Next Telephony Product Purchase

It's been over a week since I splurged the princely sum of $14.95 to get a year of unlimited SkypeOut calls within Canada and the US via Skype. Until yesterday, I hadn't tried it yet to see how the quality of calls was doing. I'm happy to say that unlike mid-December, the call I made to my father yesterday was very clear on both ends.

Now the fact that it's been over a week shows you how little I use a phone these days. My cell phone maybe gets used 4-6 times a week. But as I've said, I'm more than happy to spend less than $1.50/month on unlimited long distance calls in North America for when I move to the big city (Toronto).

I'm still debating what else I want to add from Skype's shop, seeing as what I really want won't be available for a while: a Toronto SkypeIn phone number. But when that does become available, I'm going to be grabbing myself a Skype-certified Wi-Fi phone.

As for a cell phone, my Palm Treo 650 will probably be replaced with a Linux-based phone, if I can find one, and only if it has VoIP capability. I figure, what's the point otherwise? As for an Apple phone, I'd get one only if I didn't have to pay the ridiculous price. But it'd still be supplemental to a Linux phone.

The reason? Besides being an old-school Linux/ Unix shell programmer, it appeals to me. It has, I believe, the greatest potential for useful and semi-useful public sensor network applications, which is what I'm hoping to tinker around with once I can set up a lab. Of course, if someone combines this thin, rollable display into a phone, I'll be buying one of them.

VoIP Roundup - Sat Dec 30, 2006

Who Loves Ya, VoIP?
ISP Planet has a list VoIP carriers and vendors that are "helping to shape and define this industry." [via VoIP News] It shows how much I need to learn, as I haven't heard half of these names.

WiMax In Italy
WiMax might be something you're only expecting in North America, particularly in the US. But the Italian Communications Ministry is offering licenses for sale starting June 2007. [via Red Herring] I guess no Korean WiBro for Italy.

Nokia N-Series vs Treo 700w
I've muttered on about how much of a love-hate relationship I have with my Palm Treo 650 PDA, but I have nothing to compare it to for you. But Ken Camp does have his own comparison of the Treo 700 versus the much ballyhooed Nokia N-series phones. Ken is one of the bloggers selected for the Nokia blogger relations program.

Liar, Liar Phone's On Fire

Do you lie? Ever or at all? Seems if you are honest enough to admit your dishonesty, you probably do it on a mobile device such as a BlackBerry. Apparently, technology makes people feel less guilty about lying, but that doesn't extend to email. The poll conducted by UK-based 72 Point, of nearly 1,500 respondents, found that around 75% of them lied via technology. Nearly 70% also said they lied at work, with "being ill" the biggest one.

Interestingly, Karl at Techdirt says some people believe that having to look someone in the eye is why videophones have never taken off. That makes sense, though small screens, slow cellular data networks, and expensive monthly bandwidth plans don't help much either.

Now, what I'd really like to know is whether parents who use SMS txting to chat with their kids lie to them.

Skype 2.2 Smartphone + PocketPC Beta

Skype 2.2 Beta for Windows mobile devices was released recently and you can start using Skype on your smartphone/pocket PC device. Though obviously you'll need a mobile data plan, preferably unlimited.

Features
The list includes:

• More Windows Mobile and PocketPC devices supported.
• Status displays (whether your friends are busy/ available).
• Alerts on missed calls.
• Chat messages and voice messages.
• Suport for HTTP, HTTPS, HTTS/SSL and SOCKS5 proxies.

Hardware requirements
Minimum hardware configuration requirements for Skype 2.2 as per Skype's website:

• OS: Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone 2003, Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone 2003 Second Edition (SE), or Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0Smartphone.
• Display: 240x320, 320x240.
• CPU: 195Mhz OMAP, 312Mhz Intel or 300Mhz Samsung.
• Network: Wi-Fi, 3G or EDGE.

Disk  space requirements

• 10MB disk space for installing on smartphones. After installation, 6MB is sufficient
  for running the app.
• 13MB disk space for installing on Pocket PC. After installation, 7MB of disk space is enough.

Existing problems

• The Skype forum lists some possible problems you might face with Skype for Windows Mobile 2.2.0.18.
• Quality of the calls via Voice over IP may not be great. Call quality is influenced by many factors.

RIM's Profit Cup Overflows But Balsillie Doesn't Get Penguins

RIM, who recently sued Samsung over their Blackjack phone name, had an overflowing Q3 2006, taking in just over US$800M, a near 50% increase from Q3 2005. This meant nearly $180M in profit and almost $1 per share. Part of this increase is due in part to the over 800K new BlackBerry subscribers, mostly from North America, probably thanks to their Pearl camera phone. European interest has not been as strong, though the Pearl is now offered by 20 mobile carriers there.

Now as much money as CEO and billionaire Jim Balsillie probably will make due to the lovely quarter, he doesn't have what he really wanted: the Pittsburgh Penguins. NHL hockey commissioner Gary Bettman wouldn't allow the team to be moved, even though former player and majority owner Mario Lemieux has said the team will possibly be seeking relocation outside of Pennsylvania state. However, depending on what article you read, people still interested in the team include Pittsburgh native and motormouth Dallas Maverick's owner Mark Cuban, Canadian owner of Steelback brewery Frank D'Angelo, and even Jim Balsillie himself, who is reconsidering now that the Penguin's new stadium deal fell through. (They've got the oldest rink in the league, at 45 years.)

Skype and Bandwidth On Mobile

Did you get a shiny new EV-DO data card for your laptop or EV-DO on your PDA/ smartphone? If you're running Mobile Windows (not Palm OS), you can run Skype on your phone. If you're wondering about how much bandwidth is used up by Skype, and whether it'll eat into your EV-DO monthly data plan, Ken Camp provides a few details, gleaned from the Skype FAQ. He also discusses the quality of a call between himself and Phoneboy.

My own experience with EV-DO on my Palm Treo 650 (Palm OS) is limited to calls over VoIP bridges, as EV-DO and Palm OS don't play nice. So while I can run a few Google Talk compatible IM (Instant Messaging) clients on my Treo, I cannot run actual VoIP software. Yet. However, with my one success (I gave up after a while) on Mino Wireless, the call quality was very good.

iPod As Destroyer Of Civilization?

Fox TV talk show loudmouth Bill O'Reilly went off his regular nut recently, blaming all kinds of mobile gadgets for the collapse of civilization - or so I interpret And VoIP blogger Russell Shaw says he agrees with him for once. I've actually been saying some of what Russell says for many, many years. I'm not quite a Luddite - as I love gadgets - but my unfinished book "Moving Forward While Standing Still," started over a decade ago, talks about this sort of thing.

Call me contrarian, though, because in the intervening years, what I've come to realize is that technology (and media) just amplifies the social lack in some people. Blaming technology in and of itself is easy. We as a collective society are ultimately responsible for our actions, not technology. Need I mention all the positive applications of mobile devices? I select my gadgets fairly carefully, and they have to serve multiple purposes, or I won't buy them. While I may dislike my Palm Treo, for example, for specific reasons, I still get a lot of mileage out of the device. And if I put on my iPod's earpods as I walk across the street to catch a bus, without looking both ways, how is that the iPod's fault?

VoIP Roundup - Wed Nov 08/06

FierceVoIP Declares Top 15 VoIP Companies 2006
FierceVoIP (love that name) website's editor Dan Rosenbaum has declared his picks for the top 15 VoIP companies for 2006. The list is presented in alphabetical order and notably missing are Skype, SightSpeed, and Vonage - though I'm not saying I'd necessarily put all of them in my own list. I'll be honest - I've only heard of about half of the companies on Dan's list. I guess I have some reading to do.

NTP Lawyers At It Again
Possibly buoyed by the hundreds of millions they grabbed from RIM, make of BlackBerry mobile devices, NTP is now after Palm, claiming patent violation for a mobile email product used by Palm Treos using the PalmOS platform. Palm already suffered lower than expected profits last quarter (Q3 2006) and obviously, this is the last thing they need. [sources: The Wireless Report]

Verizon Business VoIP
Verizon Business is targeting the international business market with their full offering of VoIP related products and services, which includes a Managed IP PBX, local languages, local ringtones and more. The current focus is on the European market. [via Press XTWorld]

Mobile Skype? For Some Phones

If you have a BlackBerry or a Windows Mobile PDA/ phone, you can now use Skype on them courtesy of EQO Communications. In fact, they support more than just Skype, including the more popular IMs: AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, Jabber, MSN Mesenger, Yahoo Messenger. EQO already supports over 400 devices. See the press release for the full list.

Skype had announced last month that they were having difficulties getting Skype to work on some mobile phones, particularly Symbian, and that they were working on the technical problems. At the time I last tried EQO on my Palm Treo 650 (PalmOS, EV-DO), it didn't work for me. I'd been told a few weeks ago that Palm Treos were now supported. For technical reasons I won't get into (unrelated to EQO, I was unable to test it again at this time.)

17 VoIP + IPTV-Related Xmas Suggestions

If you are not already familiar with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or vVoIP (video and voice over IP), it's a means to voice and video calls from a computer. Most VoIP services also let you call to regular phones. VoIP is a great way to save money on long-distance calls, as PC-to-PC calling is free, as is some PC-to-phone calling. IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) refers to a variety of TV-watching services on the Internet, and loosely includes streaming video.

Here's a short-list of some things that might be nice to give as holiday gifts this year, for the VoIPr in your life. I am going purely on specifications and my knowledge, not necessarily because I've tried something (although I have tried some). These are in no particular order, and are not endorsements of any product or service. The suggestions are for both mobile and stationary VoIP calling.

1. VoIP soft phone. There are tons of choices for VoIP software, all free. Some IM (Instant Messaging) clients such as AIM Pro, Windows Live (MSN) Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger also have the ability to call out from computer to regular phones. Google Talk cannot, but if you add Talqer, you can.
2. Calling credits. SkypeOut credits for Skype, or the equivalent for SightSpeed, Gizmo Project, Hullo, etc. This lets you call from your PC/ Mac to a regular phone. Gizmo Project already offers a lot of free calling to landlines in 60 or more countries, but only if the callee is registered.
3. Call-In phone number. A "Call In" phone number for Skype, SightSpeed, Gizmo Project, Hullo, etc. With one of these, people can call you on your computer as they would your regular phone. Skype is limited in the cities that they support; SightSpeed has a bit more variety.
4. 1-800 number. SkyNET has a reasonable plan for internationally-accessible 1-800 numbers, which can be redirected to a VoIP Call-In number. If you live in an area where Skype or SightSpeed (or whatever) do not offer local phone numbers (for Call-In), you can get a SkyNet 1-800 number and redirect it to whatever Call-In number you get. SkyNet also has local numbers, but that means you have to purchase their VoIP calling plan instead of Skype's, etc.
5. Webcam. Mobile video may take a while, but desktop video calling is free and functioning, courtesy of SightSpeed and Skype. MTV's Total Request Live (TRL) even incorporates fan input via SightSpeed, right into the show. My suggestions: For a laptop, get one that clips on easily. For a desktop, get both a flat USB port and webcam with a "snake" cable, so that it's easily adjusted.
6. Microphone. You don't need an expensive one, if you are not doing podcasting. But most built-in mics on laptops are relatively low-quality. Alternately, you might want to give someone a headphone/ mic combo headset (#7) or Bluetooth headset/ earpiece (#10).
7. Speakers or headset.
8. New smartphone or PDA. Pretty much any new Nokia N or E series phones, most of which, I believe, support VoIP (properly). Some PocketPC or Windows Mobile-based devices might as well. I don't know all the specs on the RIM BlackBerry Pearl phone, but it is a cool phone. Many phones will allow "mobile VoIP" services such as EQO or Mino Wireless, etc., to function correctly. These services essentially call you back, once you activate a call, so your cost per call is only your cell minutes, plus the cost of your cellular Internet usage. Of course, if Apple actually releases the iPhone/ iSmartphone, that might be nice, too.
9. Cellular wireless data plan. Great for accessing the Internet from your mobile phone, and making mobile VoIP calls. Just make sure that an "unlimited" plan really is unlimited. Many cellular providers only allow 250 megabytes per month, and cut you off after that.
10. Mobility. Bluetooth earpiece or headset, to give your voipr some mobility around the house or office - or for hands-free operation while driving. Also nice for when it's cold out. You might want to test earpieces, as some chafe the inner part of the ear. A headset is another option, or the Motorola Bluetooth hat, or the Motorola/ Oakley Bluetooth sunglasses. But Bluetooth devices are not only more expensive than regular wired headsets, they eat power for lunch. And mobile phones operating in "find Bluetooth devices" mode will also need to be recharged more frequently. A new Nokia wireless protocol called Wibree may change that in the very near future.
11. Mobility, part 2. Wi-Fi VoIP phone - maybe even a Skype-certified one. That, or maybe a dual-mode Wi-Fi/ cellular phone. These are going to be hot, with all the municipal Wi-Fi projects going on all over the world.
12. Wireless router. If you want to be walking around the house while VoIPing, one way is to use a Wi-Fi phone. Depending on the type, you will probably need a wireless router attached to your broadband Internet connection. Most large office supply or consumer electronics stores have these.
13. VoIP call recorder. You may want to record VoIP calls for posterity, business reasons, or even interviewing or podcasting. HotRecorder is my fave, but there are lots of others. HotRecorder activates itself when a Skype call comes in - and it's supposed to work with other VoIP soft phones. It's only about US$15, but if your budget is running a bit thin, there's the free audio editor Audacity, which has to be manually activated, but works fine.
14. Business VoIP. An iBlue IP PBX, made with a Mac Mini. Great for that Mac-lover who also has a small business and wants to use IP telephony for communications. Or for a larger business (including call centers), there's Pika Technologies' bridge over troubled VoIP. It marries the Skype interface with Asterisk IP PBX.
15. VoIP knowledge. A copy of Ted Wallingford's VoIP Hacks, where he'll teach you to make your own iBlue with a Mac Mini and Asterisk software.
16. Cinema screen. For all the good little boy and girl voiprs, if they've been extra special this year, get'em a 50" Apple display, to watch both IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) and video calls via Skype or SightSpeed, at the same time as the do other stuff on the screen.
17. Plug'n'play VoIP adapter. Know someone who can benefit from inexpensive VoIP calls but does not like/ have/ want a computer? I know a few people like that. For them, you can get plug-and-play adapter/ router that (usually) configures itself once you plug in a broadband Internet connection, your regular phone line, and your regular phone. Of course, if you don't have a computer, why would you have broadband Internet? Well, if you have cable TV, for a bit more money each month, you can have broadband, and all on one bill. Your cable company will try to sell you their "digital phone" plan, but they usually charge a lot more. You'll have to decide.

Happy voiping.

More About Mobile Video Calling

I may never have mobile video calling on my Palm Treo, but several bloggers have been engaged in a dialog about about its possibilities over the past week. Peter Csathy thinks mobile video calling will be big business. Andy Abramson seems to think it'll do better in Europe rather than the USA, which is car-centric. You don't want to drive and call at the same time, but on mass transit, which Europe is more geared to, it's not as much of an usability issue - as Andy says. Luca Filigheddu seems unsure, at least about the success of 3G mobile video calling. Jeff Pulver thinks it'd be rather useful. Ken Camp offers his thoughts.

Now not only are these people VoIP bloggers but they are actually involved in the VoIP/ IP Communications industry. Several of them are CEOs/CTOs or consultants for big clients. As Wayne and Garth might have said, "I'm not worthy to discuss IP communications with them," though not to Alice Cooper. I'm no longer in the telecom industry, except for writing about VoIP. I can only say that I think video calling will be great for anyone on the go who either has the discipline not to use it while driving, or who uses public transit. (Also great for real estate agents, to give guided remote tours, as Peter mentions in one of his posts, and as I have before, possibly elsewhere.)

I gave up a lot of things a few years ago when I changed careers to become a freelance writer, so I don't have a car anymore. My headspace has been either passenger or pedestrian for a good 3+ years. Hence, when I think about mobile VoIP and vVoIP (and technology in general), I sometimes forget about the driving- and- talking aspect. Having once been almost sideswiped by a woman who seemed to be trying to do her lipstick and talk on her cell simultaneously, I've always been cautious about driving and talking, preferring handsfree mode. (Now I have a Bluetooth earpiece, but no car :)

The only thing I can think of as a video analog to Bluetooth is to use HUD (heads-up display) goggles, which is part of my ultimate gadget wish list. Some HUDs are unobtrusive, allowing you to see the road ahead. However, that does not mean that they are not distracting. I cannot see anyone successfully driving and conducting video calls, with or without a HUD. A video display mounted in a car dashboard couldn't possibly be much better. However, at least that way, the video mode could be automatically shut off if the ignition is running - only the audio would function. When the ignition turns off (or switches to "park"), the video would turn on. It's mobile video calling, but probably not in the way that the other VoIP bloggers are talking about. Until our cars pilot themselves on roadways, mobile video calling might not do so well in North America.

Having said all this, I should clarify. Recently, I said I'm not keen on video on mobile. What I meant was watching mobile TV on a small screen. For mobile video calls, which would probably last only a few minutes, I don't see a small screen as an issue, and actually look forward to it.

What's Your Ultimate Electronic Media Gadget?

An ABC News article asks what electronic gadget you would pick if you had to pick just one. What would it's functionality be? Music player, web surfer, game device, instant messager, mobile phone, digital camera? Or a combo? Obviously, most people would like a combo, but if the fact that there are more cell phones in active use in the USA than landlines, communication is obviously an important aspect of personal electronics. (Compare this to the fact that only about 500,000 people had cell phones in the US in 1986. (My father had one of those big-ass brick-sized army-size mobile phones that he carried around. Portable yes, convenient no.)

Me? My ultimate gadget would be a hip- or wrist-worn device with Wi-Fi + Bluetooth + GPS capability, plus everything a web-connected PDA/ smartphone can do, but with vVoIP (video and voice over Internet protocol) ability. And a HUD (Heads-Up Display) that's unobtrusive, with voice-activation or some sort of Bluetooth glove. And it can't make you look like an ultra-geek. Or better yet, it'll have Wibree instead of Bluetooth. A tall order. What about you?

What The? RIM Buys Pittsburgh Penguins?

A quick clip just passed by on CNBC TV saying that Jim Balsillie, Chair of RIM, makers of the addictive BlackBerry mobile communication devices and cell phones (e.g., BlackBerry Pearl), has signed something or other about their intent to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now, I'm not knocking the team, but WTF? RIM is head-quartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, about 1.5 hours SouthWest of Toronto, surrounded by Mennonite country (similar to the Amish culture). Balsillie denied a few weeks ago that he was the frontrunner to buy the team.

Why on earth would Balsillie buy a team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? Amish country, right? Is there some connection here? (And why a hockey team?) Well, according to the Penguins website, he's an amateur hockey player. Maybe there's also the fact that Sidney Crosby, a young Canadian player, recently joined the team.

One assumes that since the Toronto Maple Leafs were not for sale, Balsillie might have tried to create a team in Hamilton, Ontario, a city of several hundred thousand that my hockey-loving Canadian friends tell me having been dying to have a team. I mean, Balsillie supposedly spent about Cdn$100M of his own money to build a quantum physics research center (Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics) in Waterloo a few years ago. Surely Hamilton would have welcomed his money.

When I said yesterday that Microsoft and Nokia's coming "email push" communication devices were no threat, and that RIM will survive and innovate again, this wasn't what I was thinking about. But good luck anyway. If the NHL board of governors approves, Balsillie takes over ownership from Mario Lemieux's Lemieux Group LP. On the other hand, RIM might find new clients this way.

Skype From Mobile: SoonR - Take 2

Song Huang from SoonR responded in detail to my original post about Sooner, as well as a post about soft VoIP for mobile devices. SoonR is an application that lets you not only make Skype calls from your mobile phone or PDA, but it also lets you view your desktop applications. Apparently it can render all kinds of information on your phone including Powerpoint slides, AutoCad and Illustrator drawings, and PDF documents.

Except that I couldn't get it to work, other than being able to view my desktop's folders. I couldn't get a simple text file, nor could I use the Skype feature to phone a friend. Actually, I could, but when SoonR called my cell, I was still on data mode and it went to voicemail. So the friend I was trying to call heard my voice mail instead of me.

According to Song's response to my problems with SoonR on my Palm Treo 650, it appears that I missed a few details. Treos are problematic, especially on EV-DO networks. (At least, I think that's the issue. Palm devices using Microsoft Pocket PC don't have the problem.) SoonR allows you to set a delay so that you can switch from data over to phone mode. I missed that. But then, I missed that setting for a few apps. Delays are how Mino Wireless and EQO Mobile both get around the Treo data network problem. (Though at least Mino's is automatic, and EQO might be as well.) So if you are having similar problems with SoonR on Palm OS-based smartphones/ PDAs, try configuring the delay setting.

Now I guess I have to add SoonR to the growing list of VoIP/ voice apps that I have to try or re-try. But assuming that it will work for me now, with all the features it has, it's an incredibly cool application. At least in theory. While it'd be very nice to have access to apps like Outlook, Powerpoint, Illustrator, and PDF, it's like I said about Cognos announcement about running their business intelligence software on Blackberry devices. Basically, the app may be cool, but all of them suffer from the fact that mobile devices typically have such small viewing screens.

What I'd like to see - although I am a geek - is a HUD (heads-up display) that I can connect to my PDA, and a simple interface - possibly a wired glove (maybe even RFID) to actually interact with the application as simply as possible. This is about the only way I'd care about running complex apps or viewing complex data on the go. (That and a better cellular data plan.) Even my relatively large Palm Treo 650 screen won't cut it for me.

Japanese-Language BlackBerry In Mid-2007

Teleclick.ca writes that RIM will be selling Japanese-language BlackBerry communication devices by mid next year. Meanwhile, a BlackBerry with an English-language keyboard will be launching this week in the Japanese market - the first BlackBerry for that market. RIM's recovering nicely since settling their big NTP lawsuit and since then, coming out with this new phone and the BlackBerry Pearl, as well as getting serious about VoIP when they bought Ascendent. In fact, they've announced other phones recently, including the BlackBerry 7130g in India and the BlackBerry 8703e with GPS capability. RIM will be announcing their Q2 2006 results tomorrow. As part of that, there'll be a conference call and live webcast starting 5pm ET. Or you can listen to the replay.

Eten's PDA phone also does VOIP

Eten's M600 has a basic PDA feature-list - Windows Mobile 5 OS,  400MHz processor, 128MB flash ROM and 64MB SDRAM. M600 has built-in Bluetooth, WiFi, quad-band GSM and GPRS. Did we forget the 1.3-megapixel camera?

Finally, this all-in-one also does VoIP. It has integrated Skype and supports VoIP. Handy to use if you are near any wi-fi hotspot.

Read More

Compatible gadgets

The plethora of wired and wireless communication means such as mobile phones, voice over IP, video, email, IM, etc facilitate communication at any time but not necessarily in a hassle-free manner. Incompatible wireless email and differences in protocols, devices, and standards are the major stumbling blocks.

Research In Motion Ltd. and Palm Inc. have come together to address these problems. The Treo 650 smart phone developed by Palm will the wireless email platform provided by Research In Motion. informationweek.com reports:

Rudolph and Sletten Inc., a construction company, uses BlackBerrys and Treos and has different servers to support them. The company is open to the idea of using a single server for both. "We would definitely be cutting down on costs because we wouldn't need to buy multiple licenses," operations manager James McGibney says.

Read More: Gadgetry's New Glue

TeleSym Announces VoIP SymPhone for MC50

TeleSym has announced that they will provide VoIP support for the Symbol MC50 enterprise digital assistant (EDA) with its new SymPhone solution. SymPhone enables users to make VoIP calls from the EDA over a wired or wireless LAN or via the Internet.

According to the press release at TMCnet.com:

TeleSym(R) is focused on the growing Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) marketplace. The company's SymPhone(TM) system provides enterprises with voice everywhere they need it. It offers the highest quality voice communications on laptops, PCs, and Pocket PC mobile devices over any broadband IP network. SymPhone is an enterprise-class solution that supports key telephony standards such as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and is designed to be interoperable with the full range of PBX and network environments in the enterprise.

Read more: TeleSym Announces Mobile VoIP Solution Support for Symbol MC50 Enterprise Digital Assistant

Skype Launches Mobile VoIP Software

Skype Technologies, a leader in peer-to-peer VoIP technology, has officially launched Skype for Pocket PC 1.0, allowing Wi-Fi-enabled PDA users to make unlimited free telephone calls from anywhere with wireless access.

According to NewsFactor:

This is essentially a mobile version of the company's global VoIP service based on peer-to-peer software, and also delivers instant messaging without voice over GPRS wide-area networks. Conference calling is also available. [...]

"Skype is delivering VoIP to the masses," said IDC analyst Alex Slawsby, "providing voice communications on a mobile device or a PC."

Read more: Skype Delivers Mobile VoIP