We Are Happy With Motorola Mobility's XOOM, ATRIX, Verizon AT&T

We Are Happy With Motorola Mobility's XOOM, ATRIX, http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Responding to various analysts and critics of the Motorola Mobility's flagship Android products, XOOM a tablet and ATRIX 4G a smart, smartphone. Naysayers have cries both the devices to be duds but both the carriers, Verizon (XOOM) "We are pleased with customer response to the Xoom." and AT&T (ATRIX) "Our customers are very satisfied with the Atrix, and we are equally as pleased with the results to date." are very satisfied with the devices according to ComputerWorld.
Neither carriers revealed the sales figures.We stayed out of 3G XOOM but gladly picked up two WiFI only XOOMs last week. As of now, I am sure only ATRIX could replace my AT&T iPhone if I decided to stay with the carrier. I doubt it as continue to discover dead zones in my neighborhood in the bay are while my colleagues on Verizon and Sprint happily surf and talk.

Android Is Not A “one size fits all” Solution, Stop The FUD : Andy Rubin

With Android receiving multitude of FUD (Fear, uncertainty and doubt) attacks from different people, Android VP of Engineering, Andy Rubin has come out on Android Developers blog to clear up facts for all.

Despite the tremendous growth of the Android platform (which we call the Rise of the Android) and the ecosystem extending well beyond mobile industry (We just deployed a sensor network running on Android), some people with vested interests are slamming the Platform.
We have seen the growth of Android in the mobile market, over and over, up rooting well established players, and putting them where they should be. So I guess they resort to FUD when they lack other means.
Andy Rubin explains why Android is not a "one size fits all" solution and the why the variance is welcomed. He also explains that this variance is under a carefully controlled basic compatibility requirements, if the device or the system presumed as Android compatible and / or offering Google applications with it. So the widely published fragmentation of Android marketare only exist in the minds of those who would not like to see Android succeed;

In fact, all of the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance agreed not to fragment Android when we first announced it in 2007. Our approach remains unchanged: there are no lock-downs or restrictions against customizing UIs. There are not, and never have been, any efforts to standardize the platform on any single chipset architecture.

Read the complete statement by Andy Rubin by following the link below;
Android Developers Blog: I think I’m having a Gene Amdahl moment

Bringing Google I/O To You With I/O Live

I am glad at least one of us managed to get Google I/O yet envious of him. But now we have another reason to make it more positive. Google just announces that they will be  broadcasting live streams. If you are interested visit www.google.com/io on May 10-11 from the comforts of your own home, office or anywhere you have a reliable Internet connection for I/O Live.

Here are the details;

# Watch livestream video feeds from our two largest session rooms from 9:00 a.m PST to 6:00 p.m. PST during both days of the conference. This will include streaming of the keynotes, as in years past, as well as—new for 2011—the addition of sessions from Android and Chrome. We’ll also aim to post HD video recordings from sessions that are not livestreamed within 24 hours.

# Read captions from the livestreamed sessions in real-time. Plus, to make sure all our content is accessible, all remaining videos will also be captioned. For international developers, captions will be machine translated to all languages that are supported by Google Translate.

# Be one of the first to know by getting your news direct from the source. The latest announcements and news will be added to our I/O Live dashboard in real-time.
# Submit your questions to our Sandbox developers. We'll post answers for the questions with the most votes."

Official Google Blog: Bringing Google I/O direct to you with I/O Live: "

Sipera Systems and Future Com Joins Hands To Provide Unified Communications Security To Enterprise.

Press Release http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Richardson and Bedford, TX, April 7, 2011— Sipera Systems, the leader in real-time Unified Communications(UC) enablement and security, and Future Com,a leading provider of security and network management solutions, today announced a partnership to better secure enterprise UC.  Future Com has joined Sipera’s Reseller Program as a Gold Tier Reseller, and is working with a major aviation industry customer, updating its security infrastructure to include UC, using best practice recommendations from Sipera and Future Com.

“Future Com Professional Services include the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator Audit Service, which analyzes existing ePolicy environments to determine proper operations and identify any mis-configurations or inoperative features.  This complements Sipera’s participation in McAfee’s Security Innovation Alliance(SIA),” said Andy Asava, Vice President of Business Development for Sipera.  “Working together, Future Com and Sipera enable enterprises to satisfy industry security and privacy mandates, benefit from real-time UC collaboration, and secure business critical communications.”

“By partnering with Sipera, we can better ensure our enterprise customers’ communications are compliant with HIPAA, PCI DSS and SOX mandates,” said Douglas Hollenshead, CEO & President for Future Com. “And, given our joint McAfee expertise, we can comprehensively conduct Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing, and deploy integrated UC security and network management systems, in those environments.”

Sipera’s UC-Sec appliances proactively address security risks associated with UC applications such as VoIP, instant messaging, IP video and collaboration tools, enabling government agencies and enterprise customers to adopt UC applications and apply comprehensive security.  Sipera’s groundbreaking “Borderless UC”architecture enables all communications to be encrypted and compliant on any UC device, at any internal and external location.
VoIP Security with Sipera
Sipera

Android Megaminxer On HTC Desire Solves Megaminx, Dodecahedron Rubik Puzzle

Android Megaminxer On HTC Desire http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I am sure you have had Rubik's cube in your hands and some of you may have resolved it as well. Certainly we have seen fast Rubik's cube puzzle resolver, on TV, Youtube etc. What you are about to watch is dodecahedron Rubik's puzzle, Megaminx solved by a robot instructed by an Android powered HTC Desire..
The Megaminx is a dodecahedron with 12 faces, each with 5 edges. Each face can be rotated in a similar way to the well-known Rubik's Cube puzzle. I have one on my desk and I am yest to solve the puzzle. I do not spend a lot of time on it but I use it to collect my thoughts when distracted by too many ideas and projects.
The robot which actually does the mechanical legwork of resolving puzzle is built out of LEGO using a Mindstorms NXT kit. A custom Android app running on a HTC Desire is the brain of the solver.
"The Megaminxer uses the phone's camera to capture images of each face of the Megaminx which it then processes to determine the colors of the scrambled puzzle. After working out the solution, the app transmits the moves to the NXT controller via bluetooth to instruct it to solve the puzzle.
The mechanism used by Megaminxer has been adapted from the "MultiCuber" robot designs as seen in MultiCuber 777.
According to the real brains behind the whole thing, the most challenging parts of the mechanical design were creating pentagonal shaped rings and modifying the tilting mechanism to cope with the obtuse angles between edges and faces using LEGO bricks that more naturally form shapes with right angles.
The Megaminxer software uses an enhanced table-driven algorithm developed from one previously created for solving the standard 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube puzzle."
Enjoy the video and try not to look at the dancing Android too much.

Google Maps 5.3 for Android - Personal Location History Dashboard

I saw how Google Maps 5.3 for Android works on an EVO 4G. Very impressive. But it was one of my collegues phones and I did not want to dig in to see where he has been :). But according to a post on Google Mobile Blog, Your location history, provided that you have enabled personal history for Google Latitude, will dazzle you with a lot of information and trends.
The location history dashboard will show you breakdown of you your week was spent, like how many hours at work, home or outside. Mine perhaps will show being locked at work!
If you like to try, enable location history from your phone (Latitude menu settings) or from your computer. It is 100% opt-in and private and available only to you. If you have been to a place where you should not have been, you can always delete that information via manage history tab. You can correct estimated work and home hours as well.

Another nice feature is that you can add your own aspects for places on the go on Google Maps. You are able to leave feedback on a bar you just visited with your office buddies after work, on the way home. In addition to common aspects, you can add your own aspects like, music played or if the bathroom is dirty, (I hate dirty bathrooms / restrooms :), anything goes.
So visit Google Android Market to update your google maps for Android (Android 1.6+) and go places.

See your location history dashboard and more with Google Maps 5.3 for Android - Official Google Mobile Blog

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Google Goes After About 6000 Nortel Patents To Protect Android And Chrome

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
In an attempt to ward of or have means to negotiate, Google has entered in to a "stalking horse asset sale agreement"with Nortel to buy nearly 6000 patents and patent applications spanning wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, internet, service provider, semiconductors and other patent portfolios. According to news sources, Google will uses these patents to protect itself, partners and Open Source Developers working on projects such as Chrome and Android.
Google announced that;

"But as things stand today, one of a company’s best defenses against this kind of litigation is (ironically) to have a formidable patent portfolio, as this helps maintain your freedom to develop new products and services. Google is a relatively young company, and although we have a growing number of patents, many of our competitors have larger portfolios given their longer histories." 

in a blog post today. (Link to the post at the end of article). I am for a better patent reform and to deter these in it for patent business.
Google was hit with as much as 38 patent lawsuits recently. Some even target developers for Android and Apple iOS System. Way to Go Google.!

Here is the relevent Nortel Press release;

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 4, 2011) - Nortel(1) Networks Corporation (OTCBB:NRTLQ) announced today that it, its principal operating subsidiary Nortel Networks Limited (NNL) and certain of its other subsidiaries, including Nortel Networks Inc. and Nortel Networks UK Limited (in administration), have entered into a stalking horse asset sale agreement with Google Inc. for the sale of all of Nortel's remaining patents and patent applications for a cash purchase price of US$900 million.
The agreement includes the planned sale of approximately 6,000 patents and patent applications spanning wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, internet, service provider, semiconductors and other patent portfolios. The extensive patent portfolio touches nearly every aspect of telecommunications and additional markets as well, including Internet search and social networking.
This agreement follows a confidential, multi-round bidding process involving several interested companies and consortia from around the world.
"This is an unprecedented opportunity to acquire one of the most extensive and compelling patent portfolios to ever come on the market", said George Riedel, Chief Strategy Officer and President of Business Units, Nortel. "We look forward to what we hope will be a robust auction, following the requisite court approvals, currently expected to be held in June 2011".
Details of Sale Process
Nortel will file the stalking horse asset sale agreement with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware along with a motion seeking the establishment of bidding procedures for an auction that allows other qualified bidders to submit higher or otherwise better offers, as required under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. A similar motion for the approval of the bidding procedures will be filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Following completion of the bidding process, final approval of the U.S. and Canadian courts will be required.
In addition to the processes and approvals outlined above, consummation of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of regulatory and other customary conditions.
As previously announced, Nortel does not expect that the Company's common shareholders or the NNL preferred shareholders will receive any value from the creditor protection proceedings and expects that the proceedings will result in the cancellation of these equity interests.

 Official Google Blog: Patents and innovation

Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi Only $349.99 At Fry's

Samsung Galaxy Tab  http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Looks like Samsung Galaxy Tab prices are falling like recent hail in the bay area. No sooner than we typed out that Sprint is selling Galaxy Tab for $199 (with a two year contract) or $429 without the commitment, for the 3G version.
Today we hear that Fry's is offering the WiFi variant of the device fro $349! If it is not an April fools gimmick, you can pre order one now online.
Now I wonder which one to get  but my upcoming project is Honeycomb based. May be I should wait for Motorola to drop XOOM price.

Lightower Fiber Networks Completes Open Access Inc Acquisition.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
BOXBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lightower Fiber Networks, a leading metro fiber network and bandwidth service provider, announced today that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Open Access Inc., a provider of diverse, cost-effective, customized end-to-end communications solutions, based in Farmingdale, NY.
With the acquisition of Open Access, Lightower expands its network and customer base throughout Long Island and the greater New York City region. This expansion adds backbone fiber to Lightower’s already dense Long Island network and also adds access to over 230 commercial buildings and data centers throughout the region.

“We are very pleased to complete the acquisition of Open Access and integrate it into our growing fiber network in the Northeast,” said Rob Shanahan, CEO of Lightower. “Open Access customers will see immediate benefits including access to the entire Lightower Network and our entire suite of services.”

The merger of the two networks supports Lightower’s mission of owning and operating a dense, next-generation fiber network that provides a complete portfolio of high-bandwidth services utilizing end-to-end fiber connectivity. The combined network increases Lightower’s last-mile fiber access into commercial buildings across Long Island.

“The completion of this acquisition strengthens our position in this very important market,” added Shanahan. “Demand for our end-to-end fiber connectivity continues to grow, and we see great potential for expanding our customer base and market share throughout Long Island and the greater New York City region.”

Lightower’s current network is comprised of over 5,800 fiber route miles and provides access to over 2,300 commercial buildings, data centers, telco hotels, and other critical interconnection facilities. Lightower’s footprint extends throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, including Long Island and New York City. In addition, Lightower offers nationwide long haul services to Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento.
All Open Access customers will benefit by gaining access to the complete suite of Lightower services and all Lightower service locations. Lightower’s networking services include Ethernet, dark fiber, SONET, wavelengths, Internet access, and collocation. Lightower customers will gain access to Open Access’s on-net commercial buildings as well as connectivity into additional interconnectivity facilities.
Lightower Fiber Networks is backed by M/C Venture Partners, Pamlico Capital, and Ridgemont Equity Partners. In 2007, M/C Venture Partners and Pamlico Capital together acquired Lightower. In 2008, Lightower acquired DataNet Communications and KeySpan Communications. In 2010, Lightower acquired Veroxity Technology Partners and Lexent Metro Connect. Earlier in 2011, Lightower signed an exclusive network agreement with NSTAR Communications, which further enhanced the reach and density of Lightower’s all-fiber network in downtown Boston and in the surrounding greater Boston area.

About Lightower Fiber Networks
Lightower Fiber Networks is a leading fiber network and broadband service provider in the Northeast, offering over 5,800 fiber route miles coupled with comprehensive transport, alternative access, and nationwide long haul services. Lightower’s fiber footprint extends from New England, to eastern New York State, northern New Jersey, Long Island, and New York City. With access to over 2,300 buildings, Lightower offers unparalleled regional density, performance, scalability, security, and reliability in the Northeast. Lightower Fiber is headquartered in Boxborough, MA. For more information, visit www.lightower.com or call 888-LT-FIBER.

Contacts

For Lightower Fiber Networks
Travis Small, 617-391-9654
tsmall@rasky.com

Skype Outages And MAC Client Woes!

Skype http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Yesterday I watched a video (See Below) interview of a Game developer CEO, Jason Asbahr from Montrous . It was all about why the game developers dropped Skype for MAC 5.0 and went back to Skype for MAC 2.8. Since I use my Skype mostly on PC's and Mobile phones, I have not experienced the problem nor I knew what the real problem was. Until I read VoIP Watch that is.
The MAC client problem seem to lead to an departed exec who could not get MAC right and wanted Skype for MAC to be like windows client. Well now you know where that went. I hope Skype will come up with a new client. 'Cos I will be ditching my windows / Linux note boot to a MACbook pro with MAC OS X and windows. The current notebook will stay on my desk and run Linux only.

Then there was signing in and call receiving problems on 30th. I was not very happy but Google Voice was there to save the day, It is not as big as the Supernode Crash. In any case I stopped being a Skype supernode long time ago, ever since I started paying.

Don't Talk Drunk, Let GoogleVoice Voicealyzer Take Over The Talking, Texting!

Just like when you try to drive while you are drunk, talking while you are drunk can lead to serious accidents. Sometimes seemingly nice people blurt out the worst things when they are drunk.
You are in luck if you are a Google Voice user, Google Voice just announced Voice-lizer, for Google Voice. This will save you from making embarrassing phone calls or text messages.
To quote the Google Voice;

The next time you know an eventful night is in store, head to the Calls tab in Google Voice Settings. Check the “Enable Voice-alyzer” box, and set the hour that you want the feature to go into effect.

With Voice-alyzer enabled, our IVR will prompt you to spell everyday words with your keypad, like “embarrassed”, ”dizzy” or ”Czechoslovakia”, before we connect your call.

My only problem is I will not be able to make calls even if I am sober, If you have been reading this blog, you know how good I am at spelling. Also when was the last time,  ”Czechoslovakia” was spoken / spelled by you? Enjoy your night(s) out 'cos April comes only once a year.
Google Voice Blog: Introducing the Voice-alyzer