Saturday, June 30, 2007

FON routers thrown to a lake, literally


Why are people "moving" their FON routers into the lake? It's because of a clever idea - or so it seemed: let people "earn" 15 minutes of free Internet time on the FON Wi-Fi network by watching adverts.
According to a post on Register,

A FON user, Claudi, kicked off the protest on the FON discussion boards:I just realized that fon allows 15 minutes of free surfing on my personal fonera without prior asking for my permission.
I found out that ANYONE can use those 15 minutes for anonymous surfing - when opening the free account any faked email address can be used. 15 minutes is a long time and nobody can control what an anonymous user is able to do in that time on my router. I do have safety concerns and do not agree to this and therefor moved my fonera virtually into a lake near Madrid: http://maps.fon.com/?lt=40.5423736000&ln=-3.78993988000&zm=14

May be all those users should follow “FON Router Hacking Guide” done by uselesshacks.com and use it for something usefull, rather than parking in a lake. I am sure most of these will do so unless FON does something to soothe them.

Does the contracts hold if one side breaks the original agreement? I am not a lawyer, heck I have not even read the FON contract!


So Do things right and stay away from trouble.

iPhone activation! Wait as long as you did in those long lines!!

The big AT&T iPhone activation screwup: here’s why by ZDNet's Russell Shaw -- As Apple continues to having its iPhone supply chain down pat, reports have been stacking up all day that this activation procedure is taking 18 hours or more. Several of my readers are complaining. Most recent, from reader bfloren: After 19 hours I still get this on my screen: “Your activation requires additional time to complete.” — What [...]

Packet8 will do content dilivery for you!, With Yousendit

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 8x8, Inc. , provider of Packet8 (www.packet8.net) residential, business and video voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) phone services, joined with YouSendIt, Inc., the trusted global leader in digital content delivery, today in announcing a new digital courier service for Packet8 subscribers.

Packet8 Dispatch, powered by YouSendIt, allows users to easily upload multiple files as large as 2GB each to multiple recipients, on-demand. Recipients receive an e-mail notification with a link to securely download the files.

"We are pleased to offer Packet8 subscribers, particularly our Virtual Office business customers, this valuable add on service that eliminates the frustration of current e-mail attachment limitations," said 8x8 Vice President of Marketing and Sales Huw Rees. "With Packet8 Dispatch, our customers have an efficient alternative to e-mail attachments that bounce back when they are too large for recipient systems, and a replacement for expensive overnight shipments of data on CDs."

"Tens of thousands of businesses across the globe use the YouSendIt service every day to deliver graphic designs, video, photos, engineering designs and other data to customers and partners in just minutes," said Ivan Koon, CEO of YouSendIt. "We are delighted to offer this assured and secure digital content delivery service to Packet8 VoIP customers."

8x8 and YouSendIt are offering two levels of online delivery service. The first, a free Lite version, offers free transfers of files as large as 100MB with a download bandwidth limit of 1GB each month. The second option, available free for a 45 day trial, allows file transfers as large as 2GB per file and can be downloaded by as many as 200 recipients, with a 200GB download bandwidth limit per month. After the 45 day trial period, Packet8 subscribers may continue the service paid either monthly, upfront on an annual basis or revert to the free Lite package. Additional information on Packet8 Dispatch powered by YouSendIt can be found at http://packet8.yousendit.com.

Asterisk, Digium, GPLV3 and New Secret Appliance AA250

Internetnews.com has learned that Digium has a new but unannounced appliance in the works. It's reporter spied the appliance -- a 1U rack-mounted unit with the name AA250 -- in Digium's booth at the NXTcomm show in Chicago.

Asterisk founder Mark Spencer confirmed the new machine with internetnews.com in a recent phone call and said that Digium was at the show for "meetings." Spencer declined to elaborate on who he was meeting with, but the new appliance will bring Asterisk firmly into the enterprise space. Asterisk's current machines, which run the group's Asterisk application, max out at 50 users and target the hobbyist or small-office VoIP PBX market. "It's an upgrade of the smaller appliance to handle more users, targeting 250 to 500 users and it should be out in the next couple of quarters," Spencer said reluctantly, declining to elaborate.

The new appliance is also being cooked at a time when Asterisk, which is licensed under the GPL version 2 (define), is grasping with the decision of whether or not it should migrate to the GPL version 3 slated for release this week. Asterisk must consider the new license and whether or not it would help or hinder its march further into the enterprise and possibly even carrier markets.

"The patent stuff is the most confusing part of the license now and the part that gives me the most pause on the GPL v3 because it's not really very clear to me how this situation affects a company like Digium when you're sitting in a patent minefield," Spencer explained.
"In v3, it actually grants a patent license in the GPL so you're stuck with the license the GPL has selected for the patent. That may concern some people who are interested in contributing to Asterisk."

In a nutshell, there are some items that Spencer feels he needs to understand more about before he makes a decision on moving to v3 or not.

News Source


Friday, June 29, 2007

gridtech: Google Desktop now runs on Linux!

If you run Linux and also happen to be a Google desktop Fan, now you can have both in one place!
gridtech: Google Desktop now runs on Linux!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

FTC kicks Net Neutrality in the chin But you can still savetheinternet!

After reading and writing about Net Neutrality issue that Save the Internet organization brought about, I read today that FTC has got the issues wrong in my view.
Save The Internet also have written about the issue, "Dropping the ball on net neutrality" and I think that it is the best so far I have seen.
It begins with "“On fourth down with the future of the Internet on the line, the Federal Trade Commission decided to punt.” That’s how Derek Turner of Free Press summed up the Federal Trade Commission’s new report on “Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy,” which was released today in Washington. After months of study, the FTC concluded that federal policymakers should “proceed with caution.” Talk about a missed opportunity."
And goes forth to bring in the views of various people that are working with the same matter.
But please don't miss your opportunity (you have only 17 days left to tell FCC, how you want your Internet) and it is more the reason that to get more active if you want save yourself from DUOPOLLY dictation how why and when you access the Internet.
Please Goto SAVETHEINTERNET and learn more, read how others do and act to save the Internet.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

iPhone is Jesus Phone?

Some might take this as offensive but that is what NYTimes reporting!.
"Talk about hype. In the last six months, Apple’s iPhone has been the subject of 11,000 print articles, and it turns up about 69 million hits on Google. Cultists are camping out in front of Apple stores; bloggers call it the “Jesus phone.” All of this before a single consumer has even touched the thing."
NYTimes article.

Run a Cisco Router on your PC

If you need to try test and configure a Cisco 7200 or 3600 series router, you have got a friend in the open source world.
Christophe Fillot's Dynamips is a Linux based application that is used to emulate the hardware of the Cisco 7200 router platform but now extends support Cisco 3600 series (3620, 3640 and 3660), 3700 series (3725, 3745) and 2600 series (2610 to 2650XM, 2691) routing platforms. A windows version based on Cygwin is also available to download. Unlike many other router simulators Dynamips allows you to boot real Cisco IOS software images and build complex network topologies to test the functionality of IOS on your desktop PC, be it Linux or Windows based and available in 32bit and 64bit versions.

With the introduction of the 0.2.5 release, it is now possible to run the emulator as an "hypervisor" to start and control many virtual router instances simultaneously.
Following tools make life with DynaMips much easier.
Dynagen (http://dyna-gen.sourceforge.net/), by Greg Anuzelli, is a front-end (written in Python) that makes lab simulation with the hypervisor very easy: it uses an INI-like configuration file to provision Dynamips emulator networks. It takes care of specifying the right port adapters, generating and matching up those pesky NIO descriptors, specifying bridges, frame-relay, ATM switches, etc. It also provides a management CLI for listing devices, suspending and reloading instances, etc. You can also distribute virtual instances across different servers to set up complex labs. To begin with Dynagen, you can consult this very complete tutorial (http://dyna-gen.sourceforge.net/tutorial.htm).

Dynagui (http://dynagui.sourceforge.net/) is a graphical front-end written by Yannick Le Teigner. It uses Dynagen to communicate with the hypervisor.

There is also a blog appropriately named 7200 Router Simulator where author discusses development and beta version information and where I got hold of the version 0.2.7 of the DynaMips.



Googletalk goes beyond simple chat with GroupChat


Google Talkabout weblog announced a new feature for the Google Talk Gadget: group chat. Now, for instance, when the two of you are chatting about an upcoming event, and want to include a third person, you can just invite him to join our chat.
According to a blog post; Google Talkabout: Group Chat for the Google Talk Gadget
this is how you do it; start a chat with one of your friends. Click on the button at the top of the chat window that says "Group Chat," and then pick the name of the third (or fourth, or fifth...) friend you want to invite from the drop-down menu. They'll receive an invitation to join the group chat. If your friends are using Gmail chat or the downloadable Google Talk client, their invitation will launch the Google Talk Gadget.

In addition to Group Chat there are multiple new features that were added to the Googletalk, like new imoticons, Blackberry client etc. Visit the site to find out more.

VoIP Monitoring tools, a big part of convergence..

Robin Gareiss, via Network World, writes to explain about how VoIP monitoring tools are a key part in modern day convergence.
She goes on to say Of the dozen or so triggers that cause companies to implement VoIP, branch communications is high on the list. IT leaders recognize the number of remote workers and the number of branch locations continues to rise. And having dozens of un-interoperable PBXs at these sites doesn’t do anything to unite the company.

Recognizing this many IT decision-makers decide VoIP is the right way to streamline their communications among branch-office employees talking to one another or to those at headquarters.

But what they often overlook is how they plan to monitor and manage the communications capabilities at the branch. On average, only 18% of branch locations have IT personnel working there, leaving 82% of branch offices without on-site IT expertise.

Enter the monitoring and remote management...

Read the rest of the great article at Network World


Tuesday, June 26, 2007

iPhone. AT&T plans revealed

Individual monthly plans, based on a two-year service agreement with AT&T, will be priced at $59.99 for 450 minutes, $79.99 for 900 minutes and $99.99 for 1,350 minutes, the companies said, adding that family plans were also available.
The iPhone combines a wireless phone with music and video-playing capabilities and Web browsing. It will be sold exclusively through AT&T for at least two years.The plans include unlimited data, visual voice mail, 200 SMS text messages, roll-over minutes and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling.
The device itself, whose key feature is a touch-sensitive screen, costs either $499 or $599 depending on whether it has 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes of flash memory.
Reuters

iRiver W10 seeking a seat among iPhones with VoIP

It's an MP3 player. It's an FM radio. It's an e-book reader. It's a VoIP phone. It's a navigation gagdet. It's iRiver's W10, the South Korean company's latest attempt to out-perform the iPod - and now the iPhone too, it hopes.
The latest version of iRiver W10 - shown off at the South Korean Electronics Show last week - sees the clamshell form factor replaced by a more traditional tablet shape, offering 4GB or 8GB of Flash memory, with Mini SD card expandability.

When it comes to functionality, tech lovers shouldn’t be found wanting, with the W10 offering a FM radio, internet radio receiver, e-book reader, VoIP phone and - unusually - pseudo GPS navigation capabilities.

This uses the built in Wi-Fi to provide a GPS-esque mapping tool that claims to display nearby points of interest based on where it thinks your hotspot is. We’re not entirely sure how it works, so we’ll have to wait on more specs from the iRiver boffins.

Register publication via Digital Lifestyles article lead me to this information

Monday, June 25, 2007

Do you want video with your Asterisk?

I know that there are many video solutions tied to VoIP. But as you well know I am pretty close to Asterisk and anything to do with Asterisk.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I found a site devoted to;
Asterisk
Video
Open Source!
And they have following projects underway.
he following projects are currently been developed:

  • H324m lib
  • H324m library stack for handling 3G VideoCalls.
  • app_h324m
  • to convert Asterisk into a 3G VideoGateway using the h324m library.
  • app_mp4
  • Application to save and play mp4 files.
  • app_rtsp
  • Appliaction to inject media content from a streaming server or network camera into Asterisk.
  • app_transcoder
  • Application to trasnscode video within Asterisk.
  • Media mixer
  • Audio and video mixer for multiconferencing with pressence continous.
  • app_mixer
  • Test application for using the media mixer from Asterisk.

So pay a visit to Asterisk Video Resources.

Love Jajah and smash your head..set!


Jajah has a new campaign that goes to lengths to prove that you do not have be tethered to a headphone, microphone (Head set) to use VoIP.
JAJAH (Which I have written about earlier here and here and here ) is a free or low cost global calling service with your regular phone. There is no headset, no download, no software and no broadband connection needed. You are using your existing phone (landline or mobile) and so is the person you are calling. You can call your friends for free, no matter if they are online or not.
Their confidence is visible at nohetset.com, a site broughtup to demonstrate that you could make VoIP calls without a headset.
But the fun starts here, Since users have no use for headsets, Jajah through it's noheadset site asking users to submit a video clip or a photograph of how they destroy the headset. There is already a large collection and perhaps you want to your as well. I have been pretty happy with their service.
Links;
Jajah Blog article anouncing NoHeadSets.com

Noheadsets.com
The video collection on Youtube
Photos on Flickr

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Net Neutrality will save the internet

Geemodo is carrying a post about net neutrality and how to save the Internet without having roadblock s put up by corporations like telephone companies and cable companies.
Geemodo: Net Neutrality How it affects you and the nation.

Friday, June 22, 2007

What is Fring! It is getting more disruptive in mobile VoIP Space!


I wrote about Fring in March wondering how disruptive it will be in the VoIP space. (VOIP IP Telephony: What is Fring! Another disruption in VoIP space! ) It seems it is continuing to be more agile in the mobile VoIP arena.
The creators of Fring, Fringland Ltd. has ported its mobile VoIP software to Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6 platforms. Devices that runs these OS systems will be able to install this free VoIP client. Fring allows users to make phone calls and engage in multiple live chat sessions through Skype, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, and many other SIP service providers.
You can download and register in three steps, the image above is, I am just getting ready to download client for my blackjack!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Convergence spending to reach 30B this year by SMB's

Although SMB's (Small and Medium Business) in USA have been slow in adopting unified communication, it looks like they are beginning to change, according to a market demand study by AMI-Partners. The industry analysts estimate the total SMB U.S. IP communications and managed services opportunity to be over $30 billion in 2007 and growing at a CAGR of 15.6 percent through 2010.

Some of the key findings from the report include:

IP Telephony

  • US SMB IP-PBX shipments now exceed traditional TDM-PBX (including key systems) systems.
  • IP-PBX penetration among US MBs rose from 20% in 2005 to 25% in 2006.
  • Hosted VoIP penetration, currently under 5% of US SMBs, is now entering a high-growth phase that will drive SMB productivity well into the next decade.
  • Collaborative communications such as webcasting, calendaring and scheduling are now being used by over 15% of US SMBs.
  • Skype has become a convenient communication tool for quick long-distance chats and is being used by over 5% of US SMBs.

Managed Services

  • With in-house IT staff busy addressing basic break-fix issues, both SBs and MBs are looking to outsource non-core IT services.
  • Key functions outsourced to managed service providers are security, backup/business continuity, network management, e-mail services, web-hosting, applications and database hosting, and IT Infrastructure management.
  • Over 10% of U.S. SMBs now use a managed firewall service and over 15% are using managed VPNs.
  • The opportunity for online/off-site data storage and backup is also increasing, driven by business continuity and disaster recovery needs, and has risen to 11% among SBs and 15% among MBs.
You can read more and find out about the study at Tekrati.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

GizmoProject for Nokia N800 released


One of my favorite gizmos, the Nokia N800 just got a much needed software addon! Nokia N-800 is a mobile PDA sans a phone. But it has a web cam and wireless connection capabilities. I am curently developing a product for a city government using this device.
But now I am elated to hear that one of my favorite VoIP Services, Gizmo Project, is giving me a client for this device. This means I can make my N800 a a phone, at least near a wireless connection. Also due to nature of the application I am developing, the VoIP capability will be a welcomed addon.
The Key features are;

You can get more information on the Nokia N800 here and to get Gizmoproject for N800 you have to visit Gizmo Project N800 Page.

Monday, June 18, 2007

ATandT provides $10 month DSL

READ ATT as AT and T,
If you are a new broadband customer, you can get DSL service for $10 a month. Don't goto ATT site looking for it. You have to visit fastaccess.com.
Even then it is hard to find! ;). Click on home DSL services, and then scroll down until you find the "Term contract plans available" in red. Clicking on that will bring the info as to how one could get this service.
Or perhaps call ATT and ask for it.
$10 price could attract price-sensitive customers. ATT will not promote it very heavily, though. "It's a regulatory requirement they will meet to the letter and not promote any more than they're required," according to an article on Tennessean. I found out about this on a slashdot article.
ATT also has been lowering prices in a bid to compete with cable companies, which have their own deals. Comcast in Nashville has been nabbing customers away from ATT with its phone service delivered via a broadband Internet connection. Comcast's basic Internet service in Nashville is up to 6 megabits per second for $42.95 a month for cable TV customers. But it has been pushing a "triple play" deal within the past year, allowing customers to buy all three services — TV, Internet and phone — and pay $33 per month for each new service they add.

iPhone gets a better battery and a surface before delivery date!


I am pretty happy to hear about the improvements that Apple has announced about the iPhone. I was going to wait for the second release of iPhone to get one.
But I think I need to get ready to get one. The part I did not like most was the screen surface, as it was prone to scratches and smudge marks. (yes I have seen the device!). The surface was the only reason that I did not want to buy it initially, rather than the battery life that it had at the release demos and announcement.
Now the battery life has got better as well, it will deliver eight hours of talk time, up from the five hours Apple said it would have in a preliminary report that came out in January.

The increase to eight hours would bring the iPhone in par with other cellular phones in the market today. I do not use my phone for more that calling and answering someone. But I do want what iPhone offers as it fits my work neatly. Now I carry around a 17'' notebook(with raid) for my mobile work. But it is not so mobile at the moment as battery has degraded to a mare half an hour of work! But proper device like iPhone or Nokia N800 with a cheaper phone will do the trick.

According to the Apples press release, iPhone will feature up to 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback.* In addition, iPhone will feature up to 250 hours—more than 10 days—of standby time. Good enough for me to make it myphone!, as Steve Jobs mentioned! “With 8 hours of talk time, and 24 hours of audio playback, iPhone’s battery life is longer than any other ‘Smartphone’ and even longer than most MP3 players,” “We’ve also upgraded iPhone’s entire top surface from plastic to optical-quality glass for superior scratch resistance and clarity. There has never been a phone like iPhone, and we can't wait to get this truly magical product into the hands of customers starting just 11 days from today.”

So someone give me $599! I already have a Cingular/AT&T account!

Pricing and Availability

iPhone will be available in the US on June 29, 2007 in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac®. iPhone will be sold in the US through Apple’s retail and online stores, and through AT&T’s select retail stores.

*All Battery claims are dependent upon network configuration and many other factors; actual results may vary. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; actual capacity varies by content.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Iphone get touched by HTC Touch! for Orange and T-mobile!!


The HTC Touch is the first device to feature TouchFLO, the new underlying touch screen technology developed by HTC. Consumers simply sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprising three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications. The interface can be spun by swiping a finger right or left across the display, providing efficient access to the features consumers use most. TouchFLO also enhances finger touch scrolling and browsing of Web pages, documents, messages and contact lists.

Leveraging the broad functionality of Windows Mobile 6 Professional, the HTC Touch. includes Outlook Mobile, Office Mobile and the capabilities to run thousands of third-party applications. Users can surf the web with Internet ExplorerR, send and receive emails, chat and upload files to the internet. The HTC Touch also features a 2 mega-pixel camera, a large 2.8-inch colour LCD screen and comes with a 1GB microSD card, giving users the versatility to store, upload and share multimedia content with ease.

Availability - The announcement marks the first time that HTC has introduced an HTC product globally, and comes almost exactly a year after the company launched its first own-branded products in June 2006. The HTC Touch will also be the first HTC-branded product to be sold in Asia. The HTC Touch will be available to customers across Europe and Asia this month, beginning today in the United Kingdom. The HTC Touch will be initially available to Orange customers in the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

T-Mobile will launch a customised version of the device which will be named the MDA Touch across key European markets. The innovative and strong multi-media feature set of the MDA Touch will be a powerful fit to T-Mobile's web'n'walk proposition.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Asterisk New releases, 1.2.19 and 1.4.5 are ready for download!

After fixing numerous bugs that caused crashes and remedies for some critical issues (244 commits to the 1.4 source tree and 74 commits to the 1.2 source tree) Asterisk has released upgrades to both asterisk trees. Also the release branches were changed to fix problems only.
Asterisk also reminds us that the 1.2 branch will be moved to security fix maintenance very soon and asking us to migrate to 1.4 branch as soon as possible.
There is also information on upgrading from 1.2 branch to 1.4 in the UPGRADE.txt file, provided within the Asterisk 1.4.5 distribution.
These releases are available for download from ftp.digium.com. They are distributed as both tar balls and patch sets against the previous releases. All release files have been signed with GPG keys from members of the Digium software development team to ensure authenticity.

The Asterisk Appliance is on it's way! Book yours at Digium now!

Last January I wrote about The Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit and now it is time to write about the Asterisk Appliance itself from Digium. I was actually wondering when Digium will be coming out with the appliance itself. I have gone through, Asterisk software for a long time in computer terms. I have used Digium Hardware little less longer. I was one of the happiest guys when they started to provide G.729 codec. Before that I have jumped through hoops to get a licensed stack for testing and development.
Well I think it is replacement time for some of my clients. They have working PBX's, IPPBX's that are PCs with Asterisk running on them. With different kinds of hardware based on the needs. But as you know, a regular PCs need a lot of maintenance. Sometimes one spends a lot of time dealing with PC problems, rather than VoIP IP Telephony. So I think I will deal a lot with this Asterisk Appliance!
So what it it?
First of all it is not much different from the Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit! It even looks the same. With this system one will get;

  • Complete Asterisk Server with AsteriskGUI
  • Built-in Router Ideal for Small Offices
  • Up to Eight Analog Ports
  • Support for a Combination of FXO and FXS Modules
  • 1GB Compact Flash® Card
  • Hardware-based Echo Cancellation
  • 8 MB Onboard Flash
  • 64 MB Onboard RAM
  • 5 Ethernet Ports (4 LAN, 1 WAN)
Pricing is as follows;
VoIP only - $995
(4) FXS / (4) FXO - $1,540
(8) FXO - $1,595



The Asterisk Appliance features the commercially licensed Asterisk Business Edition™ software, as well as the first Digium developed AsteriskGUI. The Asterisk Gui will make real time changes to the Asterisk Enterprise Software installed on the system.
Usage wise Digium suggests that The Asterisk Appliance is a standalone embedded Asterisk-based PBX targeted for small to medium businesses (2-50 users). It is also suitable for remote branch offices of larger organizations (2-50 users per site). The Asterisk Appliance could also be used as a hybrid solution alternative (a combination of VoIP applications using legacy telecom equipment) or stepping stone for enterprise customers who want to test VoIP solution with minimum resource allocation. Just plug and test, I mean talk!
You can learn more and place an order here, it is slated to ship in July this year!

Monday, June 11, 2007

From Joost to Babelgum, IPTV is getting better!


VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
Today I tested out Babelgum and the first impression is, it is not just for chewing and throw out! This looks like a keeper. At first I was reminded of Joost but that thought disappears as soon as you start to look in to innards of the program.
As usual I had to specifically allow my firewall to reach Babel networks. The version is still beta but the file version number is 1.0.0.1 ans product version number is 1.0.9.1. It also tells me that the program language is Italian. We it tells me more but need to read EULA or rules before posting more information. Pretty neat firewall eh!
Once set up and registered, I was presented with a initiative interface that you see in the image above. The usage setup and exploration could be done without a manual. I have added fourt item, based on tags voyage,explore to the default menu choice in the middle. Once you get used (in just a few minutes!) you will be longing for more videos.
Another thing I noticed is that the Babelgum is pretty good with memory. It used about 75MB and kept to that amount through out the operation. Joost used to mushroom into about 400MB during a similar session. I think that was the only negative feed back I had for Joost.
You can sign off from BabelGum but the program keeps the channels open and I see very little activity in the network. Seems like a well behaved P2P program.

My firewall says BabelGum opened 6 Channels; two outbound, two inbound and two listen channels. But the 7th channel, an out bound one, kept popping up. Seems to be clean.

You will hear more about the BabelGum from me and my testing. You can test yourself by visiting their site and joining the beta program. They also have a very informative Blog. If you need an invite, leave a comment.

Until I edit the template; Babelgum


Sunday, June 10, 2007

Deal with IP issues

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
I picked up this gem of an article about dealing with IP issues. It is written in very simple format and yet tells you exactly need to handle Intellectual property matters.
So this article is not written by me and shamelessly lifted from USU, Utah State University's COSL, the Center for Open Sustainable Learning. You can read about this and more at this link.

Dealing with IP

When you locate content that is IP-problematic, you have three options. You can replace the object, you can remove it, or you can get permission to use it from the copyright holder. There are various reasons why you might choose one of these options over another. These reasons depend on your situational constraints such as your resources, access to copyright holder information, and how crucial the object is for learners to understand the course content.

leoL30_replace.jpg


Replace the problematic content with something from a free and open repository. Or, recreate it yourself if you can. Images often fall into the "replace it" category. Consider this option if...
...the course will suffer from the removal of the object
...you are comfortable with creating multi-media content objects
...you have the resources (primarily time) to replace the object

DeathWing_remove.jpg


Remove the problematic content from the course entirely. Some content such as clip art has little to no instructional value. Having a faculty member ok the removal of these objects can save you a good deal of time. Consider this option if...
...removal of the object will not cause the course to suffer
...you don't have the resources to replace the object
...getting permission for using the object would be difficult

nailbender_permission.jpg


Get permission from the person or organization who holds the copyright on the material. Published journal articles are a good example of objects in this category. Some publishing companies will even grant or sell you permission upon request. Consider this option if...
...you can locate the person or organization who holds the copyright
...the cost for obtaining permission (including time) is not prohibitive

For a closer look at how MIT deals with IP issues, see their Rules for IP Objects (PDF) (XLS).
MIT has also developed a useful guide to working with photos (PDF).


Friday, June 08, 2007

PJSIP version 0.7.0 is released with ICE and Symbian support.

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com

Some time back, in January, Ravenii pointed me to PJSIP, a free and Open Source SIP stack for Presence, IM and multimedia communication.
Since then the application /library has come a long way. Now the Version 0.7.0 is out. The PJSIP now has ICE and Symbian port and the usual. There are two versions and the following table explains the differences.
What ever the way you plan to go about testing, using the PJSIP, the best place to start is at Getting started document page. It is well written for the purpose and not boringly long.
There is also a mailing list, TRAC development site and..... the blog, where I picked up the info.

What version 0.7.0 brings!

Features Stable (0.5.x, 0.6.x) Development (0.7.x, 0.9.x)
PJSIP and PJMEDIA Yes Yes
Simple STUN Client Yes Yes
Speex version and date r12136 2006/11 r12832 2007/04
PortAudio version and date v19 ~2005 r1198 2007/05
PJNATH
Yes
STUN and TURN Library
Yes
ICE Implementation
Yes
Windows, Linux, uCLinux, and MacOS Port Yes Yes
WinCE and Windows Mobile Port Yes Yes
Symbian Port
Yes
RTEMS Port Yes ./configure-legacy currently broken

TrixBox Appliance! Sold to the first ever customer!


VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
The TrixBox Appliance that is a hardware appliance designed only by Trixbox for Trixbox has been sold to it's first customer at VON.
The product is slated to ship by June 24th 2007, and available in Seven configured forms;
From the base model to the single span T1 in the standard form. There is also a Enterprise version again expanding from Enterprise base to Dual T1 model.

According to the Trixbox Appliance site; (Where you will also be able to find the models and pricing)
TrixBox Appliance features,

• Rackmount Options – The trixbox Appliance can be mounted five different ways: 19” telephony relay rackmount, cabinet slide-mount, wall mount and free-standing floor or tabletop.

• Telephony Expansion Capability – trixbox Appliance can scale up to 4 T1s or 48 analog lines. The trixbox appliance supports Asterisk®-compatible cards from virtually any telephony card manufacturer.

• Enhanced Reliability – With the dual power supply, the trixbox Appliance Enterprise Edition offers high reliability with the ability to run on multiple power sources; a feature you won’t find on any other telephony appliance.

• Data Security – Mirrored hard drives ensure that your data is always safe from a hardware failure.

• Easy Networking – Featuring network connectivity on the motherboard and an onboard 4-port switch, the trixbox Appliance can be networked in a variety of configurations to meet your specific business needs.

• Increased Air Flow – What’s that loud noise you hear? It’s not your trixbox Appliance! With its intriguing one-of-a-kind custom front panel and limited fan noise, the trixbox Appliance was designed to be seen, not heard.

• LCD Display – With a back-lit 4 line LCD included prominently on the front of your trixbox Appliance, you can check the status of the system, including call and queue metrics/details, all in a single glance.

• Quality Hardware – The trixbox Appliance Enterprise Edition comes with pre-configured Sangoma line cards with industry-leading Octasic echo-cancellation hardware inside to give you high quality phone calls.

Customer who purchased the first Trixbox Appliance.


Wednesday, June 06, 2007

How do you Emulate Shared Lines or SLAs in Asterisk

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
"The term "shared lines" in Asterisk means implementing the functionality of having a line appearance on a phone that maps to a trunk. So, multiple phones can have a "line1" appearance that is mapped to a SIPi trunk, for example. Then, when any phone is using this line, the line shows as in use on all of the other phones."

Did that confuse you? It did in the first glance but after reading Russell's post about it made a whole lot of sense and the configuration example and the walk through did a lot of help!
So head over and read the article and the Rewritten SLA is a part of Asterisk 1.4 source tree.
For more information, look at the following files in the Asterisk 1.4 source tree:

* configs/sla.conf.sample
* doc/sla.pdf

Feel free to report any problems to http://bugs.digium.com/.

FreePBX will support Asterisk 1.4 (Updated)

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
Update:
One of the FreePBX people, James had this to add! Thanks James. It is bit hard to think in another language and write in another.!;

"Topic sentence is a little confusing. freePBX isn't 'dropping' support for asterisk 1.2. It's adding 1.4 support in freePBX version 2.3"


If you did not already hear that it was decided at the recent Asterisk Developers Conference, to drop Asterisk 1.2 and move whole heartedly to Asterisk 1.4
“One decision that we took was to stop maintaining 1.2 as a current release from August 1st 2007. At that date, we will move 1.2 of Asterisk, Asterisk-addons, libpri and zaptel to security maintenance status. 1.4 will at that point be the recommended release.”
So where do we go? and the answer comes from Phillipel at the FreePBX in behalf of the team.But before lead you to the answer, let me remind you that the FreePBX team have been supporting you all these years. Providing you with guidance and of course FreePBX. Now the FreePBX team needs your help and support or we need our support. Here is the gist of Phillipel's post;
"So what about freePBX® and Asterisk 1.4?

As a community leader we will respect Digium’s desire to get more users onto Asterisk 1.4 and will do our part to support their efforts. We’ve been planning to enable Asterisk 1.4 on our freePBX® 2.3, which is the current development branch. freePBX® 2.3 is currently very stable on Asterisk 1.2.

What this means

We will branch the development trunk into its proper 2.3 release candidate shortly, and start the formal beta program. If you run the freePBX® 2.3 beta on Asterisk 1.2, you should have a very stable system. If you choose to start “kicking the tires” with Asterisk 1.4, you should consider it alpha quality. We will address bugs as they surface and quickly find out just how much work there is to do.

Things are going to be heating up for the team with this plan; we’ll try to get you more details soon. In the mean time – moral support to help accelerate the effort is always appreciated, especially the kind that you can show with that nifty donate button off on the left."
So head over to FreePBX, read more and click that button.
Also do not forget to leave a note for Rob Thomas. He has had a hard time lately. All my sympathies are with him. I am so sorry.

To converge or not to converge, with my VoIP?

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
With VoIP ringing in almost every ear, (By the way today is ears day! June 6th, 6-6)!! Many business and their IT staff is presented with the questions of convergence.
Shall we run voice and data on the same network? or shall we not.
Shall we outsource the VoIP all together or shall we handle our own IPPBX, connected to our traditional PBX during the transition?
Well all those are valid thoughts and questions. But today I am going to lead you to an article that attempt to answer some of the questions. It was published by ZDNet UK. Here is the summery but follow the link for the complete article.

"To converge or not to converge — that is the question. But the answer isn't as clear-cut as we'd like. There are many advantages to convergence, and it appears to be the way of the future, especially in budget-conscious environments.

However, separating voice and data transmissions can provide better security for both. In addition, it may be a more cost-effective alternative — at least in the short run — if the existing network would require a complete redesign to support VoIP.

A single network can make management and troubleshooting easier if IT personnel have the proper training to deal with VoIP technology. But it also makes the network more complex, and there may be a learning curve before the company can realize the full benefits.

As with so many issues in IT, then, the answer to the question is: "It depends." It depends on the network infrastructure you're starting with, your security requirements, budgetary considerations, personnel considerations, and many other factors. It's essential to perform an assessment — not just of the network but of your company's particular needs in regard to both data and voice, and a projection of future needs — before you make the decision."

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Deltathree selected to power Intelsat's VoIP services

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com Source Deltathree
Deltathree to Power Intelsat's Mobile VoIP Services

NEW YORK, May 14 / - deltathree, Inc., a leading provider of SIP-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions for service providers and consumers worldwide, today announced that it has been selected to power the mobile VoIP services of Intelsat, the leading provider of global satellite communications. Intelsat supplies voice, data and video connectivity in over 200 countries and territories worldwide to customers that include leading telecommunications companies, multinational corporations, Internet service providers, media broadcasters and government/military organizations. Through deltathree's comprehensive VoIP network, Intelsat's clients will be able to make high quality calls on-the-go. Intelsat will introduce VoIP services as a part of its bundled mobile services offer.

For over a decade deltathree has been recognized as a global innovator of VoIP products, applications and infrastructure. deltathree's VoIP service will provide Intelsat's customers with such features as virtual phone numbers (DIDs), web interface, voicemail, call forwarding, e911 service that allows customers the ability to change their service address themselves and more. Additionally, deltathree will provide Intelsat with its advanced applications such as the Customer Service Interface (CSI) to manage customer accounts and Online Analytical Tool (OLAP) to analyze customer trends.

"We are thrilled to have been chosen to partner with the world's leading satellite provider," stated Sagi Schiller, deltathree's Vice President of Sales. "deltathree looks forward to powering Intelsat's mobile VoIP services with its robust VoIP network, and helping enhance the value of Intelsat's convenient bundled offer. Our strategic partnership furthers the vision of VoIP as a key added value to core businesses, heightening not only cost effectiveness and convenience, but necessary innovation to remain a top market competitor."

deltathree will be exhibiting in booth C133 at Intelsat's Global Telecommunications Meeting (GTM), taking place in Washington, D.C. from May 21 to May 24. Gary Coben, deltathree's Director, Hosted Consumer VoIP, and Hillel Antonov, deltathree's Vice President of Information Technology, will be speaking on the GTM panel session entitled "Contingency Planning for a Modern World", which is scheduled for May 23 from 10:15 to 11:15 am EDT.

To schedule an appointment with Mr. Coben or Mr. Antonov at GTM 2007, please visit http://www.deltathree.com/events.aspx.

For more information about Intelsat's GTM conference, please visit: http://www.intelsat.com/gtm2007/home.asp




USF on cable VoIP is good to go, court says so.

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
According to a post on multichannel news,

The Federal Communications Commission legally ordered cable companies that provide voice-over-Internet-protocol service to contribute a portion of their revenue to subsidize rural telecommunications services, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday.

The court also upheld the FCC decision that cable VoIP providers are to assume that 64.9% of their revenue is subject to the universal-service-fund tax, which runs about 10% but can vary depending on USF revenue projections.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Apple bobs in stock market as iPhone release nears: Snapvoip

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
Bloomberg reports that;

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, announced the release date in three new advertisements posted on its Web site. Until now, Apple had only said the device would ship in late June.

The company shipped more than 10 million iPods in the latest quarter, a 24 percent surge from a year ago. Apple is seeking to parlay that popularity into sales for its phone, with a target of 10 million sold in 2008. Availability may be ``limited,'' which could build ``buzz'' for the product, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. analyst Bill Shope said in a report today.

``Users may put off iPod purchases for the iPhone, but they may have to deal with a long wait,'' Shope said. He also said Apple will ``need to go beyond just buzz'' to justify the phone's price and two-year contract for consumers. JP Morgan is keeping its ``neutral'' rating on the shares, he said.

Shares of Apple rose $2.59, or 2.2 percent, at 10:23 a.m. New York time on the Nasdaq Stock Market. They had risen 40 percent this year before today's trading. "

Bloomberg article



Friday, June 01, 2007

Spice up your Skype talk with fix8


VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com
fix8 is a free interactive communication tool that animates your expressions and movements in real-time. All you need is your PC, a webcam, and a dash of creativity. Use a wide mix of creative tools including avatars, creative "dress-up" accessories, flash animation and more to create your own world of videos to upload to your personal blog or post to video sharing sites. fix8 isn't just a video creation tool - it's a communication tool that allows you to dress yourself up with the full offering of avatars and creative accessories for streaming IM video chat.
Fix8 enables you to apply an avatar character in real time to mimic your own facial expressions. You can record the result of course and put it on YouTube, or simply apply the avatar while using instant messaging video chat systems such as Skype, AIM or Instant Messenger! Yet another exciting and creative opportunity for educators. Have a look at the showreel and contemplate the possibilities.
Visit FIX8 and get your fix on your avatars.

FCC is Seeking Comment on Enhanced 911

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com

FCC ADOPTS NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING SEEKING COMMENT ON ENHANCED 911 LOCATION ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR WIRELESS CARRIERS AND INTERCONNECTED VOIP PROVIDERS

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission today adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on tentative conclusions and issues related to Enhanced 911 (E911) location accuracy and reliability requirements for wireless carriers and providers of interconnected voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

The NPRM seeks to ensure that E911 service meets the needs of public safety and the American people. The NPRM also takes into consideration the evolution in the use of wireless devices and the further development of location technologies. The primary objective is to advance policies, rules and initiatives that support the efficient and reliable transmission of meaningful automatic location information for wireless cell phone users and users of interconnected VoIP service to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to better ensure rapid emergency response and save lives.

The Commission tentatively concluded that, as proposed by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials-International, Inc. (APCO), wireless carriers would be required to meet Phase II location accuracy and reliability standards under Section 20.18(h) at the service area level of PSAPs. The Commission also seeks comment on whether to defer enforcement of Section 20.18(h) to allow time for wireless carriers to come into compliance with this standard, as well as the other questions regarding enforcing any rule that may be adopted on the geographic area for compliance.

In addition to proposing to clarify the geographic area over which carriers must satisfy the E911 Phase II accuracy requirements, the Commission also seeks comment on other tentative conclusions, on whether:

  • A single, technology-neutral location accuracy requirement for wireless E911 service should be used, rather than the separate accuracy requirements for network-based and handset-based location technologies that are currently in place;

  • Wireless carriers should comply with a mandatory schedule for accuracy testing and automatically provide accuracy data to PSAPs; and

  • Providers of interconnected VoIP services that can be used at more than one location must employ an automatic location technology that meets the same accuracy standards which apply to providers of commercial mobile radio services (CMRS).


Finally, the Commission found that there are at least two areas that warrant additional evaluation by Commission engineers and staff: (1) methods for carriers to improve in-building location accuracy; and (2) the use of hybrid technology solutions to increase location accuracy and address shortcomings of current technologies. The Commission noted its intent to examine and publicly report on both issues as quickly and efficiently as possible, so as not to unduly delay the issuance of a final order.


Action by the Commission, May 31, 2007, by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 07-108). Chairman Martin, Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell. Separate statements ISSUED by Chairman Martin, Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell.

CC Docket No. 94-102, PS Docket No. 07-114, WC Docket No. 05-196

Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau Contact: Carol Simpson at (202) 418-2391.

FCC


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