It’s hard out there for a VOIP solution. Skype rules the desktop and Vonage rules the den so where does an upstart like VoxOx belong?
The product, founded by a group of voice networking ninjas who wanted to create a desktop-based VOIP and chat solution with full IM and social network integration. Think of it, then as a cross between Adium/Digsby and Skype with a little Grand Central thrown in.
Source: John Biggs
<p><img src=”http://www.mobilecrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-49-155×300.png” alt=”” title=”picture-49″ width=”155″ height=”300″ class=”right size-medium wp-image-4508″ /></p>
<p>After 6 months of not-quite-official availability <a href=”http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/04/15/fring-comes-to-the-iphone/“>for those of us with jailbroken iPhones</a>,<a href=”http://www.fring.com/“> Fring</a>, a free mobile Voice-over-IP service (VoIP), has made its way to the App Store. With that, a day that some said would never come has arrived: Skype calls can now be made on the iPhone, no hacks required.</p>
<p>Beyond the Skype functionality (which I imagine would be its most popular use), Fring also lets you chat with (and call, where appropriate) friends over MSN, GoogleTalk, AIM, Yahoo, Twitter, ICQ, and of course, Fring’s own service. </p>
<p><!–more–></p>
<p>Back at the iPhone SDK event March, Steve Jobs stated that there would be no blockade on VoIP applications be it that calls could only be made over WiFi. Other VoIP applications, such as Truphone, made their way out within a few weeks of the SDK’s availability - unfortunately, they only offered support for their own services. With a huge chunk of VoIP users (and, in turn, the other VoIP users they’d be calling) already dedicated to one of the popular PC based services, this wasn’t an optimal solution.</p>
<p>Even with these other VoIP applications available, naysayers feared Skype would never be allowed. If Apple didn’t have some reason block it, AT&T would — or so groupthink might have lead us to believe. With this release, the debate is over - so go grab <a href=”http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290948830&mt=8“>Fring from the App Store.</a></p>
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Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.
Source: Greg Kumparak
Filed under: Cellphones
Sure, the iPhone is cool looking, works out a lot, and is really good at math… but it can’t do VoIP, can it? Well, yes it can — and you can, thanks to a company called Fring and a piece of ingenious software (for jailbreakers only). Using the native app, it’s now possible to place and receive calls via your WiFi connection, thus making AT&T CEOs cry like little babies. Besides doing Skype and the like, the app also lets you connect for chats via MSN Messenger, ICQ, GTalk, SIP, Twitter, AIM, and Yahoo!, which should make this an attractive package even if you don’t want to harness the raw power of IP telephony. You can get the application for free by loading up Installer with the company’s repo. Check the video after the break to see the magic happen.
[Via Zatz Not Funny!]
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Source: Joshua Topolsky
Filed under: Cellphones
Carriers have been making some strong strides in the direction of open access, and the recent 700MHz auction was a particular win for consumers, but the FCC isn’t quite ready to go whole hog here. The commission has turned down Skype’s request that the FCC expand 1968’s Carterphone landline ruling to apply to the mobile industry, which would mean that operators would be required to let any device run on their network as long as it doesn’t do damage. If you’ll hear Verizon or AT&T tell it, that’s what they’re doing already, but Skype obviously wants some protection for its bandwidth-hogging, carrier revenue-threatening P2P VoIP app, and the FCC isn’t quite ready to fork it over.
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Source: Paul Miller
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Remember that Skype plugin being written to run natively on the Apple TV? It’s out today, and get it while the gettin’s good because we aren’t expecting any of these hacks to continue working after the take 2 update gets pushed out in the near future. Let us know how it is, would you?
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Source: Ryan Block
Sony invites you to “see it all” at their booth in the Central Hall, but you’re hard-pressed to actually do so due to both sheer square footage and the immense volume of bodies jostling each other in between stations. The consumer electronics giant’s got no shortage of bedazzling gadgetry out on the floor here, and we braved the teeming hordes to collate the following eye candy for you.
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Source: Barb Dybwad
Filed under: CES, Features, Gaming
We checked out a working demo version of Skype on the PSP at Sony’s booth and are pleased to report that audio quality was pretty decent — certainly comparable to what we experience when using Skype either on a PC or on the receiving end of one. The only caveat is a bit of lag time in the audio transmission, less than a second but enough to be noticeable. The interface is super simple — just select the Skype icon and you can see your buddy list of who’s online; select someone to ring them up. At the demo station the headset in use was just a regular PSP headset jury-rigged up to the video out jack via the remote control cable — not something we’ll see in production. Since third-party manufacturers will be free to make their own PSP Skype headsets, there should sooner or later be some range of options available for headsets to use according to taste.
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Source: Barb Dybwad
Filed under: CES, Misc. Gadgets
Philips really isn’t blowing us away with this pair of VoIP phones, but at least the prices are right and the aesthetics are nice. The VoIP251 (pictured) lets you make Skype calls over DECT 6.0 cordless tech, with a base station that can plug into your PC over USB to get to those sweet cheap-phone-replacement internets. The VoIP151 (after the break) keeps it a bit more basic, plugging straight into your computer with USB. Both phones feature a small built-in display for browsing your contacts, and Mac and PC compatibility. Both phones will arrive in April for $50 and $30, respectively.Continue reading Philips busts out a couple yawner VoIP phones
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Source: Paul Miller
