Microsoft Brings Real Time Captions And Subtitles To Skype.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Skype with Live Captions and subtitles

An accessibility feature that most visual media devices provided for differently abled people, which also happened to be launched on United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities would be much appreciated by people who needs them. The real time captions and subtitles means that Skype will use voice recognition to display the text of the conversation a voice call. 

If you are a Skype user, to enable the feature, use the following steps:

1. During an audio or video call, select the more + button.
2. Select Turn subtitles on.

To enable live captions and subtitles as the default for all Skype calls:

Select your profile picture.

1. Select Settings.
2. Select Calling.
3. Select Call subtitles.
4. Toggle on Show subtitles for all voice and video calls.

Microsoft Lumia 535 - Microsoft Office, OneDrive, Skype, Cortana And More..

With Lumia 535, a phone totally Microsoft, get all the benefits of Skype, Cortana, Office and OneDrive packed in to a powerful but affordable smartphone. The display is 5" IPS LCD with capacitive multipoint touch.
It is equiped with 5 MP wide angle camera in front and 5 MP camera in the rear with flash. There also Selfie app to fine tune your selfies.
The phone is promised of  Maximum talk time (2G): 11 hours and Maximum music playback time: 78 hours. So there is plenty of time between charges to talk and do stuff.
But what is interesting is the video call capability, thanks to Skype app and the front facing wide angle lens wide area of view.
Then there is Cortana, who can assist you from giving you the latest scores of your favorite game to reminding you to pick up a gift for mom's birthday, to telling you the best recipe for the party. She's pretty good from what I have heard.
Te phone will be available in Asia Pacific territories. Russia, India and China leading the pack, before coming to Africa and Europe. No talk of USA having the chance to use it. The phone will cost about $130.
Microsoft

Microsoft Lumia To Be Released On November 11th,

First Nokia less phone will be coming out of Microsoft on November 11th, 11-11-2014 (1+1,+1+1,+2+0+1+4 = 11) :)

Conversations Blog Via EnGadget

Microsoft and Samsung Gets In To A Smartphone Patent Bind. Samsung Pays.

Well, this is some news to wake up to. Samsung has entered in to an agreement with Microsoft regarding Android and windows phones. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive royalties for Samsung’s mobile phones and tablets running the Android mobile platform and yes, Android Patents are pretty hard to come by. they will also be developing and marketing windows phone.

“Through the cross-licensing of our respective patent portfolios, Samsung and Microsoft can continue to bring the latest innovations to the mobile industry, We are pleased to build upon our long history of working together to open a new chapter of collaboration beginning with our Windows Phone “Mango” launch this fall.” ” said Dr. Won-Pyo Hong, executive vice president of global product strategy at Samsung’s mobile communication division.

Man what happened to the Android protection from Google Motorola deal? Looks like everyone in Android Arena, running for their own cover.
Geemodo: Samsung Buys Android Protection From Microsoft!

Motorola - Microsoft Patent Case Before ITC Today!

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Microsoft’s patent case against Motorola Mobility began today in front of the International Trade Commission in Washington and according to media reports, the battle is set to get ugly,

Microsoft is accusing Motorola Mobility of infringing seven of Microsoft patents, is demanding an injunction from the ITC to stop some Motorola’s phones from being imported into USA. “Microsoft is one of the world’s most innovative companies and we have a responsibility to our employees, customers, partners and shareholders to safeguard our intellectual property, Motorola is infringing our patents and we are confident that the ITC will rule in our favor." said ” David Howard, deputy general counsel for litigation at Microsoft, in a statement to AllThingsD.

Motorola and the new intended suitor, Google will not be happy if ITC to that. Google offered 12.5 Billion to Motorola Mobile and was intending to protect Android OS and Android based phones from bullies in arms like Microsoft, Apple and RIM.
Motorola sees sagging Microsoft's attack as it's new business strategy and promises to do everything to to protect Motorola Mobility and how;

“We are vigorously defending ourselves against Microsoft’s patent attack business strategy, We have also brought legal actions of our own in the U.S. and in Europe to address Microsoft’s large scale of infringement of Motorola Mobility’s patents.” ” Motorola said in a statement.

For all it's goodness and Microsoft's need to make it's lawyers rich, it looks like will end up in a licensing deal, so Microsoft can continue to make those not so popular windows Phones.

allthingsD

GroupMe, Group Calling Service To Be Acquired By Skype.

GroupMe, To Be Acquired By Skype http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
A year old GroupMe, which was born at a Techcrunch Hackathon, has become the target of acquisition by Skype.
Pricing and the terms of acqisition was not revealed but GroupMe got $850,000 in round one funding and later $10.6 Million from Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst and previous investors. Skype CEO Tony Bates have indicated the GroupMe acquisition was in the talks even before the Microsft's interest on Skype. (The Skype Microsoft deal is still pending)
"“The group messaging space in general is one of the most important markets for Skype, GroupMe creates a very sticky instant feeling. Like Skype, it is an everyday interactive form of communication. Skype’s goal is to get to 1 billion users. Mobile is the place to do that.”" told TechCrunch
Hackathon

Skype (Microsoft) Drops Asterisk Support, Ending Skype For Asterisk

Skype ends Asterisk for Skype Agreement http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Within two weeks of acquiring Skype, Microsoft is set out to cut all Open Source ties to Skype, begining with Asterisk, the best open source IPPBX in the world.

According to a letter from Digium to it's customers, Skype will not renew its agreement with Digium that allowed Asterisk to be integrated with the Skype service through Asterisk for Skype, a product by Digium..

"It includes proprietary software from Skype that allows Asterisk to join the Skype network as a native client. Skype has decided not to renew the agreement that permits us to package this proprietary software,” according to the letter.

Skype for Asterisk sales and activations will end on July 26, but Skype has promised to continue supporting and maintaining the software for two more years. Skype may extend this time period “at their discretion.”
But I love what Digium's Danny Windham has to say about the whole issue of Skype;

Is the acquisition good for Skype? Given the valuation, it’s certainly good for the Skype shareholders. But what about the service itself? In a word, no. History suggests that Microsoft’s tendency towards notoriously proprietary tactics will slow the development of Skype as a business tool. Will Microsoft wall-off Skype from competing products, completely? Or, at a bare minimum will Microsoft ensure their products work much better with Skype than those from competitors? Time will tell.

This transaction has attracted speculation from around the globe regarding the future of Skype, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, incumbent phone companies, VoIP, video communications, Apple, the Iphone, Andriod, and I’m sure even pork belly futures. Regardless of your view on how the merger will ultimately shake out, it’s hard to deny at least this one fact: disruptive communications companies and technologies are changing the world at a rapid pace – and in this case, they are generating gigantic value for their shareholders in the process.

Digium Blog

Microsoft Agrees To Buy Skype For $8.5 Billion!

Microskype ? Makes me wonder! http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
The deal was good for US stock market as it drew encouragement from Microsoft's $8.5 billion deal for Skype Technologies and from signs of strength in the U.S. economy and overseas.

But on the whole I wonder what Microsoft will do to Skype, 8.5 Billion or not because first thing I heard about the deal was that M$ was going to integrate Skype capabilities with XBox. Time will tell.

Smartphone Patent Lawsuit Targets Developers In Addition To Apple, Android, Blackberry and Microsoft

Smartphone Patents, http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I come back from a small spring break to find a bunch of smatphone related lawsuits. iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Microsoft are all targeted in these suits. Google / Android alone seem to have attracted 38 such lawsuits.
But the latest lawsuit targeting 32 entities is covering developers in addition to hardware and Smartphone OS manufacturers like Google and Apple. Texas-based H-W Technology L.C. filed a complaint in Eastern Texas March 30, 2011, asserting a Patent on an "Internet protocol (IP) phone with search and advertising capability" against 32 legal entities. H-W Technology L.C. claims that the patent covers systems and methods that "allow users of [smartphones] via domain specific applications to receive information and offers from merchants and to complete a transaction with one of said merchants without having to generate a voice call.", which sounds to me like web browsing me who knows next to nothing about law and patents!

This is setting a pathway for patent hoarders as well as real patent holders to go after app developers. USPTO should really be checking these stuff well. At least we can be happy that Florian Mueller is doing the hard work of sorting things out for us.
He has drawn out the main pieces of the complaint (which is supposed to be very large);

• Google and Microsoft are sued for providing software that is installed on smartphones. With respect to Microsoft, the Windows Phone 7-powered Samsung Focus is mentioned. In Google's case, the Android application store is mentioned.
• Device makers: specifically named products include the iPhone, the BlackBerry Torch, and five Android devices (LG G2x, Samsung Galaxy S, Motorola Droid X, HTC Thunderbolt, and Kyocera Echo).
• All of the accused apps are basically mobile online shops: Amazon.com's, eBay's, Hotels.com's, Expedia's, Priceline.com's, Orbitz Worldwide's and Kayak.com's apps, and Verizon's VCast app.

Read more at Florian's blog.

Microsoft Sues Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec for Patent Infringement by Android Devices

Microsoft Sues Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Microsoft filed a complaint with the US District Court for the District of Western Washington,  and one with the US International Trade Commission (ITC). Microsoft earlier lodged complaints against Motorola with the same organization and asserted the same patents in both of them.

“The Android platform infringes a number of Microsoft’s patents, and companies manufacturing and shipping Android devices must respect our intellectual property rights. To facilitate that we have established an industry-wide patent licensing program for Android device manufacturers, HTC, a market leader in Android smartphones, has taken a license under this program. We have tried for over a year to reach licensing agreements with Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec. Their refusals to take licenses leave us no choice but to bring legal action to defend our innovations and fulfill our responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year to bring great software products and services to market,”  said Horacio Gutierrez, Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property & Licensing.

The patents-in-suit are:

• US Patent No. 5,778,372 on "remote retrieval and display management of electronic document with incorporated images"
• US Patent No. 6,339,780 on "Loading status in a hypermedia browser having a limited available display area" (this is the one that was previously also asserted against Motorola)
• US Patent No. 5,889,522 on "system provided child window controls"
• US Patent No. 6,891,551 on "selection handles in editing electronic documents"
• US Patent No. 6,957,233 on "Method and apparatus for capturing and rendering annotations for non-modifiable electronic content"

 Microsoft via FOSS Patents

Microsoft Sues Motorola Over Patent(s) Involving Android Phones.

#Microsoft Sues #Motorola Over #Android Phones http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
If you were wondering why patent lawyers of big companies been some what quiet, fret no more. The Patent Machine at M$, yes it is Microsoft, is suing Motorola over it's Android based phones. Microsoft has filed action against smartphone rival/partner in the ITC, International Trade Commission, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington for alleged infringement of nine patents of M$. all related to Android Phones! The patents seem to cover, " synchronizing email, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power" Yes currently I do all those on my phone(s). I wonder if Apple, Google are breaking those patents or have signed license agreements.
I assume a lot of people are interested in the out come and I hope something will resolve with these ridiculous patents.
Microsoft Press Release;

REDMOND, Wash. – Oct. 1, 2010 – Microsoft Corp. today filed a patent infringement action against Motorola, Inc. and issued the following statement from Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing:

"Microsoft filed an action today in the International Trade Commission and in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against Motorola, Inc. for infringement of nine Microsoft patents by Motorola's Android-based smartphones. The patents at issue relate to a range of functionality embodied in Motorola's Android smartphone devices that are essential to the smartphone user experience, including synchronizing email, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power.

We have a responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year in bringing innovative software products and services to market. Motorola needs to stop its infringement of our patented inventions in its Android smartphones."

  engadget

"Windows Phone Pride" Parade Was Actually A Funeral Procession For iPhone!

Microsoft Holds A Funeral Procession For iPhone! http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
While holding a parade to promote New Windows 7 phones, Microsoft attempted to double results by holding a A Funeral Procession For iPhone! in the same parade. If it was an Android parade, I would have believed the parody, but we welcome entertainment, any time!


MSNBC via

iPhones In Microsoft Campus!

It is Balmer and Fords for you! snapvoip.blogspot.com
WSJ is carrying a write up about iPhone use by Microsoft employees. In not so many words, it seems iPhones are not welcomed at Microsoft. At one point the subject has come up in a major company retreat and has prompted Steve Balmer to say;

He told executives that he grew up in Detroit, where his father worked for Ford Motor Co., and that his family always drove Fords, according to several people at the meeting

It seems many Microsoft employees are using iPhone covertly. Some even seem to get into mock trouble with Steve Balmer for using iPhones!

The perils of being an iPhone user at Microsoft were on display last September. At an all- company meeting in a Seattle sports stadium, one hapless employee used his iPhone to snap photos of Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. Mr. Ballmer snatched the iPhone out of the employee's hands, placed it on the ground and pretended to stomp on it in front of thousands of Microsoft workers, according to people present. Mr. Ballmer uses phones from different manufacturers that run on Microsoft's mobile phone software.

Good grief!
WSJ

“I’ve learned not to respond to quotes by Steve Ballmer.” Google CEO, Eric Schmidt

Google vs Microsoft snapvoip.blogspot.com

“Hopefully we won’t repeat the same mistakes that Microsoft did 10 years ago that ultimately led to all these things that have been happening with them,” 

And that was not all what Google CEO said in an interview with Fox networks Niel Cavuto. The video is worth watching because it is an intelligent conversation, something I find rare.
The head line comment was made by him during a press conference in Boston.
Thank you GigaOM, for directing us.
I always wanted to open up a furniture shop in Redmond, so just to keep the count I have to find how many chairs were broken at Microsoft!
GigaOM

Microsoft Response Point IP-PBX Dies.

Microsoft Kills Response Point IP-PBX
Tom Keating is telling us that Microsoft has just killed the Response Point IP-PBX, which he says was a pricey but decent product. I myself did not use it but during various visits to Redmond, I was shown the product, because I was interested in UC, Unified Communications.
The IP-PBX seem to be a good challenger from outset but I liked the Microsoft Office Communications Server, OCS 2007 much better in the way of Unified Communications. I have a few pals who live by it. But it is mainly for Enterprise level deployments and I wonder what Microsoft has for the SMB Market? May be Small Business Server with Microsoft OCS component?
Andy Abramson has a point, except for a XBOX, I have not seen many Microsoft hardware that flourished.
Tom Keating via Andy Abramson

Tags: IP PBX, Microsoft, OCS 2007, Response Point IP-PBX, Office Communications Server

Android Challenging Microsoft In Netbook Arena?

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Android has been a challenge to most mobile handset makers and from the various adaptations by cellular phone makers to include Android OS on their phones clearly shows that. Microsoft clearly wants its own space in the mobile world with Winmo or Windows Mobile. I have had many windows mobile based phones but after the first week or so, I began to use them as just a phone, forgetting about bells and whistles. But the reviews of Windows Mobile 6.5 seems to up the ante.
But I am a fan of Android and iPhone and I carry both now! Each complements the other in various tasks and I do not lug a notebook with me anymore. I even manage a few Oracle Server using these two.
I am also a fan of Netbooks and I own linux and windows XP based Acer Ones. Pretty happy with them for what they were brought for. Blogging from coffeeshops and on campus grounds.
But today I read on Bloomberg that Asus is planing to put Android OS on one of their Netbooks, forgoing WIndows. I would not say Linux as Android is based on a Linux varient.
"

An Android-powered notebook would extend Google’s rivalry with Microsoft into the market for software that runs personal computers, where Windows controls more than 90 percent of the market. Netbooks, scaled-down laptops that offer basic e-mail and Internet functions, are the fastest-growing segment of the PC industry, with shipments projected to almost double this year as the overall market slows.

“With the strength of Google behind it, Android could really challenge Microsoft and steal some market share,” said Calvin Huang, a computer-industry analyst at Daiwa Securities Group Inc. in Taipei. “The benefit is the free license and you can use a lower-power, cheaper processor.”"

read more at Bloomberg

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Tags: Android OS, Google, Microsoft, Asus, Android-powered notebook, Acer One, netbook

Verizon Selects Microsoft For Mobile Search

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
According to a Reuters article, Microsoft has managed to grab the position to be the search provider for the mobile telephony giant Verizon fro Yahoo and Google. It is not clear what Microsoft gave away to be the default search provider for Verizon but what ever the case it seems to be a good deal. Mobilesearch

Verizon Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg has said on Wednesday that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer would announce the deal later in the day at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Seidenberg, speaking at a Citigroup conference, gave no further details.

The agreement follows more than a year of speculation on whom would become the default mobile search provider for Verizon Wireless, which is set to surpass AT&T Inc as the No. 1 U.S. mobile carrier after it closes its purchase of smaller operator Alltel later this week.

Tags: Verizon, Microsoft, google, Yahoo, mobile search, CES 2009, Verizon Wireless, Allte

Second iPhone App From Microsoft In A Month "Microsoft Tag"

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
People would remember how long it took Microsoft to produce Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac and in computer terms it was eons.
But Remondians are playing a different game when it comes to iPhone. They just released the second Microsoft app for iPhone withing a month. We reported the first one, Seadragon Mobile, a photo zoom and browsing technology that was Microsoft's first iPhone application.
The latest is called Microsoft Tag, a free service, which Microsoft tagged as Tag Reader (iTunes AppStore link) deciphers photos of bar codes of interactive 2D bar codes ad shown and be connected to more information like stores, Maps, videos, music, promotions, etc., allowing mobile phone users yo get over loaded with information without having to type much!.
But I did not hear how they plan to get those bar codes on to the products, business cards, lamp posts and bare bottoms! It is free during the time you help Microsft to iron out the bugs and add more products (read BETA) and you might be paying for it sooner or later.
Perhaps this video presentation might help you to understand.

Tags: Tag Reader, Seadragon Mobile, Microsoft Tag, 16GB iPhone, Microsoft

HP Introduces iPrint, Free Photo Printing Software For iPhone.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I am sure by now you know about the Microsoft application for iPhone, Seadragon, (Seadragon Mobile) which allowed to do marvelous things with your photos on iPhone. So now you know your photos and perhaps you want to get them printed! Viola, enter HP with their free app, HP iPrint Photo for iPhone!. iPrint photo allows one to print wirelessly, 4 x 6-inch photos from an iPhone or iPod touch to most HP inkjet printers connected to a local Wi-Fi network.

“Today’s news demonstrates how HP is enabling customers to turn special moments captured on the go into high-quality photos,” said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “More than any other company in the world, HP has re-imagined, re-engineered and re-invented the power of printing with exciting new technologies that address real customer needs.”

HP today announced HP iPrint Photo, a free application available on the Apple App store that gives iPhone and iPod touch customers the ability to easily print photos anytime, anywhere.

HP iPrint Photo is available at no charge from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

HP Press Release.

Tags: iPhone, Microsoft, HP, iPrint, Seadragon, HP iPrint Photo, Vyomesh Joshi

First Microsoft App, SeaDragon For iPhone Released!

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Promising to show giga pixel images on your iPhone, Microsoft has released an iPhone Application called SeaDragon Mobile.
Seadragon Mobile is said to bring the same image browsing capabilities on PC to the iPhone. Seadragon allows one to Get very close in on a map or photo using it's super zoom feature.r finger. Browse an entire collection of photos from a single screen. You can browse Deep Zoom Images that you can create from your own pictures or your Photosynth collection (or anybody else's). But then again, why would you? you got all that more from Apple!
But the surprise is that Microsoft is yet to release the same app for Microsoft's own mobile platform. Looks like there a re many iPhone fan boys or girls at Microsoft Live Labs.
Seadragon Mobile is available for free at the iTunes App Store.

Tags: Seadragon, Seadragon mobile, iPhone, Apple, Microsoft