Too busy getting ready for Telco 2.0 event to write anything too substantive, so here's a quick thought.

I've tried a whole lot of Skype phones. I've seen a whole load more. I've not liked a single one. As I don't like to slag off products from small companies, I simply write nothing.

I don't use any of them. Why is this?

They put the traditional keypad at the front of the experience. But I don't use Skype to make PSTN calls much. I use it for what it does best: contacting a small circle of friends and colleagues. That means putting the buddy list up front, a multi-modal UI for navigating voicemail, and enabling features llike easy set-up of conference calls by showing multiple buddies. Make PSTN calling the exception, not the rule.

Naturally, a big screen is a given; some way of navigating my long buddy list quickly (hint: not clickety-click up/down buttons); and the display of presence and mood message of each person. Probably also the ability to list just a few entries from a single group as the default too. Wireless, too. After all, we're trying to get away from the grounding of a PC headset and expand into the wider domestic/office context.

My kids need a device that has two buttons: London grandparents; Vilnius grandparents. They don't use telephony the same way, so need their own device built around their needs.

The only exceptions to the "they're all crap" statement are the conference call phones which are really just microphone/speaker extensions: do one thing well, and the user is happy. But bad imitations of PSTN phones aren't it.

Push Martin's buttons at Telepocalypse.net.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 08:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Guest post by Hans Blaauw

Many many months ago I wrote a Skype plugin called Mood-o-Matic. It could retreive information from external databases and publish it in your mood. It was limited because Skype did not support clickable mood messages. Now they do!

There seems to be nothing in the EULA about what you are allowed to put in the Mood message (I just checked with some Skypers).

So in theory I could recruit 10000 popular people that are willing to display ads in their Moodmessage when they are away or busy. Imagine, each of these 10000 highly popular people have 25 other people in their list. That would make a interesting audience for advertising.

What if you would have the possibility to get free credits if you would put these ads in your Mood message, interesting?

It seems to me the Mood message can be used for many more things. What if it would support widgets from Widgetbox?

Posted by Guest Blogger at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Just got home from the opening day of Yahoo!'s first open Hack Day. I thought it might be useful to contrast it with eBay's DevCon.

tags: skype, skypejournal, yahoo, hackday06, hackday, hack or die, yahoohackday06, ebaydevcon, ebay inc

Posted by Phil Wolff at 12:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (3)

Messagr launched yesterday to help you find other people to talk to. Messagr is a new presence-based search engine. Register yourself, describe topics that interest you, and give your Skype name. When you want to discuss rugby with someone right now, messagr shows people both interested in those topics and available to talk. 

Messagr gets that value is rapidly shifting from the metered call to everything surrounding the call. In this case, bringing callers together. Unlike Jyve's focus on expert answers and consulting services, messagr aspires to all topics for everyone, a general hub for social, business, academic, and other conversation.

I like the collective interest tag cloud, updated as members change their Skype presence. Reminds me of the moodgeist experiment that aggregates Skype moodie messages. There are other sites where you tag yourself for more specific purposes. Like Ziki, where you tag yourself to manage your professional network, jobster to find work, or Consumating to "find people who don't suck." Skype Ltd. tags job postings too.  

Joel Selvadurai built messagr, now in beta, with java and jsp and the SkypeWeb presence service. A recent computer science grad from Durham University in Newcastle, Joel and his laptop can be found in the cafe of the British Library many days.

tags: skype, startup, london, uk, messagr, searchengine, search, ebay inc., skypejournal

Posted by Phil Wolff at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

I just reinstalled SightSpeed on my "rebuilt" laptop and am always impressed with the video quality. It is reminiscent of the days about 25 years ago when the first color monitors became available for the mini-computer-based instrumentation I was selling at the time. My budget-limited customers (mostly university based researchers) thought they could get away with budgeting for a black and white monitor until they actually saw the color monitor ... it took all of two minutes to change their mind once they realized the features color added. Somehow the additional funds for color magically appeared quite quickly. (I won't mention the price they paid for simple monitors at that time!) When you see a SightSpeed video its quality just hits you instantly as being the benchmark for video communications.  And this week PC Magazine thought so also.

While it is a challenge to market in a space containing the GYMAS-five, SightSpeed CEO Peter Csathy and hist team seem to be ringing up the wins by working with partners who can take advantage of SightSpeed's video messaging functionality.  Two of note: a deal with MTV who is using SightSpeed on their Total Request Live offering to bring viewers into the show; SightSpeed is also making its debut in politics as a campaigning tool. Would be interesting to see if my university colleagues Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae start to use SightSpeed in their tight run for the leadership of Canada's Liberal party this fall where they need to approach 4500 delegates spread across 4,000 miles.

In fairness I need to point out that PC Magazine makes a point of how Skype video is more associated with ad hoc "phone" communications as opposed to SightSpeed's video messaging approach. Great to have two players in the game where one sets the benchmark for one particular feature that can be leveraged for targeted messaging while the other provides a total real time communications platform.

Other commentary on SightSpeed: Jon Arnold, Ken Camp and check out SightSpeed CEO's video message on their implementation of peer-to-peer communications.

Turning to another aspect of video, SlingMedia announced a family of three new products this week:

• SlingBox Tuner for those who still receive their TV "over-the-air:
• SlingBox A/V for those with cable/satellite service and PVR's
• SlingBox Pro for those who want to use HD signals or access multiple devices (say, cable box and DVD player)

A key feature of the new products is the enhanced resolution - from the previous 640x240 to 640x480 for local network connections; it remains at a very acceptable 320x 240 for remote connections. Any hope for Skype integration in the future to add a personal audio channel with the viewer of the "home" TV setup?

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Niklas Zennström chalks up two year delay to "technical hurdles and a lack of suitable handsets" in a Reuters summary of a Helsingin Sanomat interview (registration required). Duh.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the nifty features of Skype is its ability perform File Transfers almost on demand.  I find several time a day I need to transfer a file to a Skype contact but how I do it could happen in one of several ways. Peter Kalmström has posted on six ways to perform File Transfers within the Skype ecosystem:

1. Use the Skype  client's Send File button
2. In a Skype Chat session either use the Send File button or drag a file into the Chat window
3. Right click on any file in Windows Explorer and use the "Send To" feature selecting Skype as the option
4. Via the Skype Toolbar for MS Office (still in beta) there is an option to send the file you are currently working on (even though it is still open in, say, Word, Excel or PowerPoint
5. Transfer files received in emails using the Skype Email Toolbar (also still in Beta); this works in Outlook, Outlook Express and Thunderbird.
6. Transfer files in partner applications such as SnagIt's profiles for Skype

Peter's post provides additional details on how to do these as well as the limitations such as "You can only send files to people who are on your Skype Contact list" and authorizations required in the process. He also notes the need to check for viruses on receipt of a file; in my case, Norton Antivirus always checks an MS Office file before it is loaded into the application.

However, I have come across two additional situations:

1. When you want to send information from a Contact in Outlook's Contacts View, drag the vCard into the Skype Client and the relevant nane/address phone number/email address will end up in your Skype Chat Client.
2. Jaanus reports on the use of Skype's File Transfer in the Sony Mylo to transfer MP3 files into the Mylo when a reviewer's evaluation unit did not include the USB cable.

The one issue that arises occasionally with Skype's file transfer is the situation where it uses a relay to mediate the file transfers; Sure slows down the process to under 500bps. I assume this is one of the compromises of using a peer-to-peer architecture in situations where you are getting around firewalls.

Update: Marc Orchant, Vice President of Marketing, Foldera talks about how he uses SnagIt and their Skype profiles to focus discussions with Web Designers solely on the graphic elements he wants to discuss.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Skype Dev Zone is to get better and better. I found this out first hand 10 days ago when I met with Skype managers and executives in London. I got to see their nice new offices too. Very classy. (More on that next week.)

Paul Amery is the new Director of Skype Developer Program (SDP). Fresh blood; there is no substitute. Lot's of energy and a high level of commitment.

Here is Paul showing off my new Dev Zone tee-shirt without me in it.

Paul comes to Skype from Symbian. For a look into the future of Skype support for 3rd parties I recommend rummaging around this site. As the saying goes, "we are what we eat" so I see that Paul has lots of experience supporting the developer community.

Paul's first public contributions can be seen in his first newsletter to Skype developers here. Paul's newsletter headline, "Show me the money" is beginning to take shape, In Paul's words,

"For you, for Skype, for end users. For many of you fame will be the fortune you seek, particularly freeware developers. For others, it will be revenues. We aim to deliver both."

Skype's new Extra's Gallery will be a treat. I wish I could tell you about the details. When I met Niklas Z. in London the first words out my mouth, "The Extras Gallery is a mess." Niklas gave me one of his innocent, sly Scandinavian smiles, and added, "I agree." A few days later I understood his smile. Looks to me like Skype has now mastered marketing 101.

So am I just hyping Skype? Two years ago I tested the then planned for Skype developer processes. I wasn't impressed. I am now. But you don't need to take my word for the new Skype that I saw in London. Pablo Bertorello from Verosee has experienced the worst of Skype Developer support and is now one of the guinea pigs test driving Skype's new support processes. Okay Pablo, tell us your impressions so far:

"the biggest improvement is that Skype is open to increasing their user and revenue base via 3rd party applications like our new product, "SkySpace™". Skype have provided clear processes and guidance to make that possible, particularly the throttling of VIP promotion for developers on the basis of market achievements. I love the potential of the new Skype software developer program."

Will Paul trip up along the way? Probably, but big deal, at least Paul has the Skype Developer Program headed in the right direction - monetization. That's an amazing feat. Good for us developers and good for Skype. Watch this space for more details about the new Skype Developer Program.

Skype cares.

Posted by Bill Campbell at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Absent any immediate threats, and after Monday's conference call with eBay's government affairs people, San Jose State University's University Computing and Telecommunications department (SJSU UCAT) said they will not ban Skype. [correction: it was Skype's government affairs person, not eBay's, on the conference call.]

I wasn't there, but if I were briefing them, I'd be telling them about:

• Skype's value to the University's academic mission. Bringing distant guest lecturers into the classroom, helping students collaborate on projects, improving language study, helping faculty to perform research and develop curriculum, curriculum delivery, sustaining family and social ties that support students far from home.
• Skype's popularity. It's great to make people happy. Skype is a small but growing hit with both SJSU faculty and students. The UCAT office had many calls after the student newspaper's first article. And there's overwhelming popularity and demand for Skype worldwide.
• Little budget effect. Nice that it's free to get and use. Support costs are unknown. No known revenue impact (selling SkypeOut credit at the campus bookstore?)
• Configuring Skype to run through your proxy service to get through the firewall. So Skype clients deal with the firewall in a known and managed way. And so Skype's activity and effect on the network may be monitored. Or shut down, if needed. Linux FAQ. Network administrator's guide (PDF).
• Intel's pilot of an IT-friendly release of Skype. It lets the IT department create a locked-down version of the Skype client. So they could turn off the ability to use Skype's file transfer feature, for example. Or configure all Skype clients to use a campus proxy server. A promise of things to come, and a gesture that Skype is listening to enterprise network managers.

This all happened in public, with lots of nasty name calling and bother. But UCAT's initial choice may not have been reconsidered without all the attention drawn to the decision.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

More people Skype in Chinese than in English. One of eBay's justifications for buying Skype was help entering China's consumer-to-consumer ecommerce. Now rumors: eBay will sell its Chinese operations to Skype partner Tom.com. Or to Skype rival Tencent, maker of QQ. Or eBay buying Tencent. eBay doesn't comment on rumors.

QQ broke 20 million simultaneous users in June 2006, compared to Skype's 7 million. They have 549 million accounts (vs. Skype's 130), 224 million active IM accounts. And nearly all of QQ's users read Chinese and speak at least one Chinese language. Compared to Skype's language diversity this means QQ is comparatively ubiquitous in China.

A Tencent-Skype merger could work, at least on paper. This would blend Skype's technology, QQ's userbase, and Tencent's enterprise RTX and Tencent Messenger workplace messaging. Aside from the vital soft stuff like cultural-fit, the businesses and products might match up.  Who else might rapidly build Skype's markets and capabilities? More M&A consolidation to come? What does Skype need? How would you define critical mass and market dominance in 2008?

Posted by Phil Wolff at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Mercora, presenting at Demo Fall, is showing off its IMRadio service. You download the client, build playlists and public folders, name your radio station, and start streaming. Share music among friends, "legally."  

Would you like to have these features be part of Skype? Or the network with your biggest list of buddies? Skype's brand as the leading voice-talking client could be part of a bigger meme: conversation with a shared experience. Like listening to music together, watching TV, barnraising in Second Life, reviewing an internal audit, or playing checkers. Together.

Most of the technology is in Skype now. So it's a marketing focus question. Does this build on Skype's core brand notes? Could it help US consumers try Skyping?

What other businesses are adjacent to Skype's? I keep coming back to labor markets, so more on that next week.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 05:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ian from Atlanta Skyped me with a family problem. His Dad can't use Skype at work and his sister just started school in Scotland. How can they keep in touch? Without paying a fortune?

TO DAD FROM SCOTLAND: Ian, your Dad just needs to create a Skype account. He can do it from home. He'll need to put few dollars into SkypeOut and set forwarding to a local phone number (home/office/mobile) of your choosing. After setting it up, log out from Skype. When your sister Skypes him and since he's offline, the Skype network forwards her call to him. Costs: Dad just needs to pay the SkypeOut rate. Free to her.

The steps:

1. Install Skype on your home computer.
2. Create a Skype account for your Dad.
3. Prepay SkypeOut credits on your Dad's account.
4. Set call forwarding to a local phone.
5. Turn off Skype voicemail if you have it. You want to use your existing voicemail, not Skype's.
6. Add your Sister's Skype account to your buddy list.

TO SCOTLAND FROM DAD. Sis needs a SkypeIn number which she'll buy at Skype.com as part of her Skype account. She'll buy an Atlanta phone number, something local to your Dad so he doesn't have to pay long distance bills. When your Dad calls the local number, from any ordinary phone, it rings her on Skype wherever Sis is, even in Scotland.

The steps:

1. Install Skype on your Sister's computer in Scotland.
2. Create a Skype account for your Sister. (If she's already got one, that's fine.)
3. Buy a SkypeIn number using your Sister's Skype account. Pick an Atlanta area code near where your Dad works.
4. Call the number and see if she answers her Skype.
5. Get her a headset so her dormies (flat mates?) only hear her side of the call.

If either of you are using the Firefox browser, consider the FoxClocks extension. It helps you know what time it is in other places without doing International Time Zone maths.

Hope this helps. Anything else you can think of?

Posted by Phil Wolff at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday Andy posted a reference to an article in today's San Jose Mercury News about various new "mobile lifestyle" companies that want to change the way we are using phones. But Michael Arrington has made an excellent point in stating that:

A bunch of VOIP services have launched to help people make cheaper calls from normal phones. None of them are compelling for the mass market.

The question any VC's need to ask when considering funding of any of these startups is "How do you intend to readily migrate these services into the mass market?".  This is a market that fundamentally picks up a handset, "dials" a number (or looks it up in an embedded directory to dial) and makes contact with the called party. Unless it can perform this basic simple algorithm for establishing a voice connection, additional services and features become technology showcases without hope for any mass adoption (and all the associated revenue opportunities).

Over the past three months I have had the opportunity to use the VoIPVoice UConnect when in my office and their CyberSpeaker W Skype phone when on the road. (Both use the same driver software and start with a standard telephone keypad user interface.) Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to preview what is coming out this fall in cordless phones. As mentioned previously I am evaluating some relatively new wireless devices. Over the past year I have not had to pay more than 3 cents a minute for any landline long distance calls whether at home or on the road beyond any basic service fees (and since mid-May that has gone to zero for SkypeOut calls within North America).

The combined experiences have helped me establish a base line for the level of simplicity I would expect as we see the emergence of both cordless phones and wireless mobile devices that use or access Skype (and/or other VoIP-based services) while serving as a standard telephone handset:

• Can I continue to use a legacy phone setup and services (in my case my Bell Canada line) while adding Skype access and functionality?
• How easily can I make normal phone calls when "on the road"?
• How readily can I access my Skype Contacts?
• How easily can I also add the ability to either synchronize with my Outlook Contacts or use my Outlook Contacts with Skype (via, say, Skype Outlook Toolbar and/or Skylook)?
• How easily can I employ Skype's Instant Messaging functionality? Is the IM functionality integrated with SMS services?
• How readily is the billing model understood? Does the pricing give me a favorable ROI?

Michael makes an excellent point with respect to Jajah, Rebtel, Hullo and ConnectMeAnywhere when he states:

None of these services is good enough to change user behaviors in the mass market. Having to be at your computer, or call special phone numbers, is too much trouble for most people. Certainly forcing the person receiving the call to hang up and call back isn't very attractive. And traditional POTS rates continue to fall fast, meaning the incentive to go with a hard-to-use VOIP provider is lower.

Going forward this basic telephone simplicity is a required feature set as we see the introduction this fall of Skype-enabled cordless phones, Skype applications for wireless handheld devices and the evolution of Skype USB phones. (Note that I have intentionally excluded from this discussion a new category of voice-enabled home/personal entertainment devices such as those offered by Sony (Mylo) and MediaReady; they never intended to be replacements for traditional phone handsets.)

P.S. - I see that Russell Shaw also finds the ROI is not there for a dedicated Skype WiFi phone.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 04:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

You invite some friends to a party at your home. While at the party, they sublet your home to strangers. You learn this after the strangers are throwing their own parties in your home and moving in, eating your food, dating your wife.

Although the plot is straight out of Madhouse (1990), I'm really talking about San José State University's network managers facing the reality of Skype adoption. In this metaphor:

• the student Skypers are the friends,

• the sublease is the Skype EULA,

• the strangers are the members of the Skype network,

• and side effects are:

  • a new thing to support without any planned budget,

  • unanticipated use of your networks,

  • unknown exposure to various risks on your master list.

This gets trickier when Skype's architecture (a blend of p2p and centralized services) isn't well understood beforehand.

Don Baker and Bob Neal are resisting proven defensive instincts. Before tossing out the scoundrels and locking the doors, they're inviting comment from campus stakeholders and building expertise by bringing an eBay/Skype person to a closed briefing on Tuesday. All the public attention doesn't make it easier to take a measured approach, so these SJSU University Computing and Telecom (UCAT) execs are showing great discipline.

If you want to learn more, and share your thoughts, Steve Sloan is hosting a discussion, open to the public, on Skype in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications (JMC). We'll be Skypecasting it too. I'll see you there.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Never wonder about the power of telephone companies. A few weeks ago Wessel van der Vyfer spoke for Telecom Namibia at the Telecoms World Africa conference on "The future prospects of the African telecoms market.. new players ... the latest strategies."

This week The Namibian's Christof Maletsky reports van der Vyfer's Telecom Namibia arranged the arrest and arraignment of five people for selling unlicensed telecom service, in this case Internet phone calls. They were operating out of three storefronts in the port city of Walvis Bay.

Jan in Malaysia comments "It makes you realise how lightly Skype got off in South Korea after it was discovered it had set up shop and was providing VoIP services without the proper licence."

Namibia's six telephones per 100 people leaves them at a competitive disadvantage. Mike at TechDirt says small countries protect their tiny telco monopolies at the expense of economic prosperity. It must be hard to trade proven cash flow for theoretical growth.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

After a lunch today at the Metreon entertainment complex's food court in San Francisco, Phil and I walked into the Sony store and found the new Mylo available for purchase. Yesterday was the launch day.

While we did not have an environment for any full testing (and the WiFi access was a bit flaky) three comments:

• Phil was able to call his mobile phone from the Mylo's Skype client
• I was able to access my Skype account from the Mylo's web service
• My first impression -- this may be for Sony in this decade what the Walkman was for them in the 1980's. Web access, photos, videos, WiFi connectivity, media player -- they were all there in a device smaller than the original Walkman.

An evaluation unit is en route; we will provide a more complete report once we have had a chance to work with it for a couple of weeks.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How do you voice enable the whole web? With Adobe Flash. My host walks me into his tiny war room at Adobe North. The tables strewn with copies of VON magazine, and Sinnreich's Internet Communications Using SIP. The white board has an architectural map on the left, laying out the technologies he'll need to build, buy or partner, and revenue models for each. On the right he's listing interconnect standards for call termination.

The goal is audacious. Outside of Microsoft, however, Adobe may be the only place on the planet with a hope of making VoIP ubiquitous. My host, an Adobe entrepreneur in residence, is building a startup to "just add voice." And video. And conferencing. You know, voice 2.0.

He assumes Adobe makes platforms for developers, not end products. So he's looking at companies like Skype and Yahoo! as potential customers, not rivals. He wants to help them build applications without worrying about the telecom plumbing.

• The MySpaces of the world should be able to call their own directory services from Flash but let Flash make the connection.

• The Salesforce.coms should be able to design a video customer service widget without worrying about the cameras or the codecs.

• Amazons could create live chat rooms for clusters of related books without invading customer privacy or setting up data centers.

These businesses add value with their social networks, their workflows, and rapport with their communities. They don't want to be in the "Skype" business, just their own. Among other things, this means Adobe doesn't need to convince every user on Earth to get an Adobe ID; people will use existing namespaces.

Adobe builds on others' value by creating baseline, ubiquitous infrastructure. Making commodity features from expensive, risky, perishable, complex systems. It's a platforming strategy. If Adobe's growing voice team (open Senior Product Manager and Computer Scientist - VoIP) can make coding for calls simple and elegant, a million flash designers and developers will add it to their toolkits. Contrast that with the hundreds actively developing for the Skype API.

Adobe is already active in the telecom industry. They license flash to mobile phone manufacturers, promoting the Flash developer channel's flash apps to carriers. Some of the most compelling mobile experiences are courtesy of Flash designers. About 70 million devices have Flash embedded.

Flash is also important to the advertising industry. 77% of banner ads are in Flash, says Adobe. If you think click-to-call advertising has a future, wait until you have click-to-talk-with-a-satisfied-customer or click-to-join-the-concert-in-progress.

If the Masked Entrepreneur can make it work and sell it to his internal stakeholders, it will be part of the next major release of Flash in 18 months or so. Adobe says the "Flash player is installed on nearly 98% of Internet-connected desktops."

That's a short window for Skype and Microsoft to respond. Skype product management has pretty much deprioritized developer requests since Summer 2005 to plug into the Skype cloud via a "Naked Skype", "headless Skype" or "Skypenet." Skype could be offering web services and server software that cleanly plugs other systems into the Skype cloud. They aren't working on it according to several sources within Skype's development team. Will Adobe's signaling wake up Skype to the industry power of being not just a social network but the leading infrastructure provider? Skype management didn't return calls by post time.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (2)

17 ways to celebrate the joy and diversity of the Internet with Skype:

1. Skype a friend.
2. Skype a stranger.
3. Turn on SkypeMe mode for the day.
4. Add your Outlook contacts to Skype and send OneWebDay greetings.
5. Install Skype on a friend's computer. Add yourself as a buddy.
6. Install Skype at a local charity.
7. Get that webcam you put off buying and vid a friend using Skype.
8. Skype for love.
9. Skype for sex.
10. Record an oral history and post it to your blog.
11. Skype an elected official.
12. Skype a happy song.
13. Skype an apology.
14. Skype your forgiveness.
15. Skype a stranger in a place where there's news, and ask for the real story from someone living it.
16. Update your Skype profile, and tell at least one true thing about yourself.
17. Make up your own thing. And share it.

Go to a OneWebDay event. Or host one. 

This week's banner image is a collage of photos of the first One Web Day planning event in San Francisco, this past spring. The image at full size and the set of photos from which I built it. 

L'Shana Tova, y'all.

tags: onewebday, holiday, holidays, events, web, internet, skype, skypejournal, ebay inc.,

Posted by Phil Wolff at 02:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm getting back to blogging. I expect a few of my posts will turn up here on Skype Journal. For the most part that will be Phil's choice.They will also be posted on Unbound Spiral my personal blog and opinion. I first wrote about Skype there. I also wrote about many other topics, including Disruptive Innovation, Social Networking, Conversational Blogging, Identity, COMsumers, Strategy. I was less "bound" there than when blogging for SkypeJournal where I thought "product reviews", competiive activity and category directed VoIP insights were most important. Most importantly what kept me blogging Skype was the question. "What's your Skype strategy?" It's still important if you are at that stage. It's not the question to focus attention across the broader VoIP segment today. To ask my new question would be premature. Instead here's a teaser. Nice to reconnect. Let's restart the conversation. I've missed blogging. No excuse other than having had my head down and now time to start reaching out.

Is Texting (SMS) killing Chat?
Is there a future for IM as we know it? Instant Messaging? Does it remain a killer application? Or are Skype, Yahoo, Aim, MSN etc... all fatally flawed? Why do mobile operators and handset manufacturers ignore the facts. Why does my mobile remain call centric in a text centric world? I don't know the answer. I did want a provocative intro, share some observations, note some reservations and almost jump to some conclusions..... I'll start with a story about my kids.

Early this year T-Mobile USA announced a special family deal for unlimited text messaging. Then it was $9.99 (all you could eat family of four) today the same option is $19.99. Concurrently they raised individual text message charges to 10cents for both receiving and sending from 5 cents. Until that point my kids had effectively been banned from text messaging. Something that may seem strange in other countries encouraged by other cost structures. I changed my plan. My kids now have unlimted text messaging.

The outcome. In every month since, my two kids (14 and 17) have averaged 500 text messages inbound and outbound. As a family we went from maybe 30 text messages a month to over 2000 (in and out combined). I've watched this pattern now for six months. It's a static level and my kids operate now in a different paradigm.

Changing Texting Observations.

• Circle of Friends: The kids text within an inner circle. It's a relatively small group. From this group they like the interruptions or pings of a new message coming in. My son in particular will often text rather than call. They use text messaging in a real-time way. For the most part they answer and have short exchanges. Calls don't happen unless its free time or there is some quick organizing to do. Meeting where, driving etc.


• Less IM: My daughter has all but abandoned AIM. My son continues to use IM systems however, it's not the primary mode of communication. The mobile is. From what I see / observe / and they have reported they use IM significantly less now than six months ago. Most of their friends I think are similar. They too have unlimited text messaging. I'd make some observations about their phones separately.


• Locked Down. IM systems are often locked down. Privacy limits communications to buddies if a "spam" problem exists. The mobile is also locked down currently. It costs money to call or send a message.. although from their perspective messaging is now free. An important aspect and possible change here. Their mobile number is more important than their AIM handle. It's the always on connection for them. It's also privacy related.


• Presence: The current availability, away, not available etc. presence message isn't doing anything to retain users. (I'll look at that in more detail in a separate post.) Where there is already intimacy with an inner circle of friends "you know" roughly what they are up to. Need proof? Why is it that voice centric IM clients like Skype simply result in chats "can you talk now / context?" first? Simply, the presence systems aren't adding major value.

My Reservations:
Let's face it. This is pretty anecdotal evidence from my point of view. Still I'd not make the comments without thinking about what I'm seeing both in India and the US concurrently. In some areas I can hold my kids up as average, in others I know they have many opportunities not available to others. What I'd conclude is their behavior is simply what happens when they can text all they want. Until recently that "all you want" existed only on IM and I've made other observations before about how that slight asynchronous nature is a plus for them. I'd note that they can not call all they want. We have a deal with T-Mobile that allows unlimited weekend and evening calling after 9:00pm plus free calling between us. You can imagine the minutes in those free zones. We share a family 800 minutes plan. The kids know they have 200 minutes each. That's basically 10 minutes calling per day. My daughter's total time regularly approaches 1000 minutes per month (This doesn't come close to her home phone usage). My son more like 600. Most of this is with a small circle of friends.

Additional Thoughts.

• Mobile texting is cannibalizing AIM / Yahoo / MSN / Skype etc. Skype's saving grace may be it is best integrated with telephony and SMS.(Alas no SMS to Skype! and the rates!!!!!!!!). Despite lack of presence, profiles, and privacy controls, mobile texting appears to have an advantage over chat. It is simply in the palm of your hand.


• Mobile IM clients: For the most part I'm not seeing them used. There is currently little reason to go via IM when you can go via a text message. There is no cost benefit and from a useability point of view launching such clients takes time and often involves more clicks than just sending the text message. It's also hard to keep these IM clients running on the mobile. I know I use them.


• Mobile solutions are way behind in many areas. Presence, Profiles, Notifications etc. Texting remains very basic.


• IM Instant Messaging may be losing to basic utility in the palm of one's hand. Using Skype all day I'd always prefer it over my mobile. Have you ever seen a mobile that is click to text? Can you set yours that way? I haven't! That's got to be typical of mobile operators that are working their wallets rather than what customers want. It seems clear to me. Text exchanges dwarf calls and yet mobiles remain call centric devices. And yes sometimes (Eg driving with a bluetooth headset) they need to be that way. I stop them texting when they are driving me in India!!!!!!!!


• Second, texting is more unified than any chat system. For telephone numbers are simply more pervasive. No need to manage multiple systems and log-ons. Then for someone who came to texting via IM, I find the control the mobile operator has over my number scary. Similarly, email is pervasive, however the cost "zero" means that spam is the killer. Wait till that reaches your mobile.


• Lastly, till recently I thought that the IM systems were increasingly having the upper hand with where mobile communications was going. The click to talk/chat paradigm, the easy sharing of files. Nice profiles, opportunities for social networking. Even the failed "presence" systems. The belief based on when everyone gets a 3G connection then IM will rule the mobile. I'd suggest that this is a battle that is far from over.

Note: Written while sleepless at 4:00am Indian Standard Time. My fifty plus hour trip this time really messed with my sleep patterns. Something that usually I don't have a problem with.

Posted by Stuart Henshall at 05:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Since its inception the secret sauce that results in the excellent voice quality of Skype-to-Skype calls and facilitates quality in Skype-to/from_SkypeIn/Out calls has been the Voice Engine for PC and Voice Engine for (Windows) Mobile licensed by Skype from Global  IP Sound (often referred to as "GIPS"). Monday came the announcement that Skype has licensed a second player for voice engine software in embedded, PC-free consumer devices, namely, Trinity Convergence. Trinity's VeriCall Edge^TM software  brings their many years of silicon-device independent software development into the Skype stand-alone PC-free device space.

The agreement benefits hardware manufacturers by providing a software bundle that allows them to efficiently and cost-effectively design Internet calling and the Skype user experience into devices such as wired phones, WiFi phones and multi-function personal communication devices. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs) will leverage the software bundle to shorten product development cycles and accelerate their time-to-market.

The first device to employ Trinity Convergence's software will be the forthcoming Sony Mylo which should be available later this month. Additional devices under development include a Skype phone from Universal Scientific Industrial, a Taipei-based ODM (prototype in the photo) and a currently anonymous dual mode WiFi-GSM phone.

In an interview with Mark Felice, a Trinity Convergence Founder and their VP Sales and Business Development, he pointed out:

• Trinity's software development experience is solely associated with resource-limited embedded devices, requiring optimization of both processor and memory use
• Skype wants to drive the cost out of hardware to have the most efficient implementation in unique devices
• VeriCall Edge software provides not only the VoIP element but also incorporates modules to handle echo cancellation, security, packet handling, call control and network services functionality.
• The VeriCall Edge software is silicon-platform independent in that it can work with multiple processors and associated hardware configurations, assisting in their overall mission to reduce time-to-market for its ODM customers. Typical timeframes from code drop to product launch are under 90 days.

I asked Manrique Brenes, Skype's Director of Hardware Business Development, why Skype had licensed a second voice engine. His response was that Skype wants to provide their hardware partners, such as Sony and Ascalade, with options for selecting what they feel will be the best voice engine for their individual requirements. At the same time, by licensing through Skype, Skype can ensure they maintain the voice quality for which Skype has become reknown. (Ed: That is confirmed when you hear unsolicited positive comments about Skype's voice quality while wandering the VON Fall exhibit floor.)

Associated posts: Phil's reservations about Sony Mylo.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My take:

1. Everyone is doing the right thing. Students sharing how they are using Skype now. IT managers learning everything they can about the technology, its risks, and opportunities. Faculty and staff researching best practices and comparing notes.
2. Ubiquity matters. The size of the Skype network should earn it a hearing. Telling people to use other "VoIP" products like Wengo or Gizmo, as UCSB did, is like trying to convince everyone to speak in Esperanto to protect the network. As Skype rolls into 200 million users next year, you have a good shot at finding people on the network.
3. Skype builds campus Social Capital and Capacity. A university education, if you do it right, builds social skills you need as a student and depend on in the workplace. Skype is the live, real-time counterpart to blogs, wikis, email, and other social media. Skype is becoming the way to "get things done" with others, the tool of choice for communication, collaboration, and coordination. And with Skype's cumulative history of your contacts and conversations, the more you use Skype, the more effective you are at team building and putting your social networks to use. The choice isn't whether or not to use VoIM on campus; it's mastering how to make the most of it.
4. The rationale against doesn't hold water. You might make effective cases against Skype, but the three points in the proposed policy misapply the University's regulations and policies and misinterpret Skype's license and the way the technology really works.

Five updates to our Monday story by Steve Sloan:

SJSU to grill Skype Security on Tuesday. Bob Neal (the Sr. Director in charge of the networks at SJSU) wrote to a San Jose State University (SJSU) student (who promptly blogged it, of course):

Andrew, we will be having discussions with EBAY (Skype) next week. Network security is not a debatable issue. If EBAY can not resolve our issues, Skype will be banned. Several other universities, including UCSB have already banned Skype. There are several alternative VOIP systems that comply with the Universities security policies ........bob neal

SJSU ban modeled on the UC Santa Barbara Skype ban. Here's the "Skype Prohibited at UCSB" policy (modified 1/30/2006) via the UCSB Office of Information Technology Network Policy and Procedures page. The language from SJSU's proposed policy ("UCAT Operating Practices document describing the reasons and details for blocking Skype," pdf) is lifted directly from UCSB's policy.

Student calls for student action. Andrew Venegas blogs for students to call Bob Neal, passing out his campus email and direct phone number.

"Here is where I am stumped... if network security is not a debatable issue, why are any P2P applications allowed on the networks at all? It would be rather easy to transfer viruses from computer to computer across such open networks. So why ban Skype without debate on the topic? Secondly, why would the University not want student input? After all, aren't they technically student networks?"

Making the case for Skype as Instructional Technology. "Save Skype at SJSU : This is a letter to my colleagues at SJSU." Steve Sloan's points:

1. Skype and podcasting are both useful and popular.
2. Bringing guest speakers and faculty into the classroom.
3. International research and study.
4. Language learning.
5. Keeping foreign students connected with their families.

Sloan frames this choice in terms of the University's educational mission. "In my opinion this will result in our being at a competitive (not to mention technological) disadvantage compared to other institutions of higher learning when it comes to emerging technology, research and collaboration. This act has potential high visibility, given our campus's geography, with potential negative publicity, exposure and fallout. It can affect our relations with our neighbors and potential business partners in a very negative way."

Mainstream Media Catching the Story. Reporter Elise Ackerman of the Mercury News newspaper would like to speak with international students using Skype. Call her via Skype, via email, or by phone at (408) 271-3774.

tags: skype, skypejournal, sjsu, calstate, california, sanjose, sanjosestateuniversity, banning, enterprise, csu, security, web2.0, voip, voim, policy, stevesloan, soapboxprophet, andrewvenegas, blocking, education, distancelearning

Posted by Phil Wolff at 02:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Seems that the discussion of the merits of email and (Skype) Chat are warming up again:

• Andy highlights the delays in knowing who is really online in Skype; he also mentions he has been receiving some chat spam.
• Jaanus admits that, despite claiming Skype chat to have many advantages over email fifteen months, ago he is still a heavy user of email.
• Rachel needs Skype presence to work in real time to effectively operate her MusicIP activities. She did at least get a personal response from Skype Customer Support.

Today at 2:46 a.m. I received an email from Andy; being an occasional nighthawk I responded to it immediately as I thought he wanted me to do an interview with one of his clients later in the day.  Andy comes back (at 3:13 a.m.) with: "I just received this reply to a message from September 6th !!!!".  I looked again at the original and sure enough, the email was originally sent Sept. 6 as stated within the message. My network tells me I am not the only one to receive e-mails from Andy today (Sept. 20) that were sent Sept. 6.  I guess it's Andy's snail-based communications system working its way across North America. (SMTP: Snail Message Transport Protocol?)

Anyway, it's a great example for putting some perspective on the two nines (99%) reliability of the Internet. At least I seem to get most of my Skype chat messages within a few hours (minutes?) of their being sent.

May the debate continue!

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Jean Mercier is our Skype Numerologist.

Skype was - in the past - proud of its viral growth. But business is business, and they try to attract people by gifts and promotions, hoping to generate more revenue through SkypeOut, SkypeIn and Skype certified products. The last two promotions in September were:

1. Free SkypeOut for France in France
2. September Giveaway for USA and Canada

For the time being this has been unsuccessful IMHO! See the graph below:

Even if MuppetMaster pretends downloads isn't a measure of the growth of Skype (and I partially agree with this), the number of downloads should have shown some acceleration if these Skype Marketing campaigns mentioned above had been successful. Indeed, a bunch of new users downloading Skype should show a change in pattern in the download curve, as it was some months ago when they launched the free SkypeOut in Canada and the USA. It doesn't: almost straight line growth since several months.

September Giveaway was targeting mainly students, and this (probably) proves again that the Skype Users are mainly adult professional users.

Skype Users seem to be also quite often small businesses. But French small business mainly have their customers in France (France is a big country), and phone calls inside France are not free but quite cheap. Belgian small business (as an example), because of the tiny size of the country, do more business abroad (in France for instance), therefore they are more interested in reducing their phone call bills.

So? Why trying to force Viral Growth? Let it grow the usual way, by improving mainly quality, reliability and services.

One of my new "Skype Customers" told me: Skype to Skype has a fantastic quality, but SkypeOut isn't that good, but it is much cheaper indeed! She phones to her family in Algeria, and lives in Belgium! Improving quality will attract more Small Businesses!

Posted by Guest Blogger at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Actiontec announces a Reseller Program for the VoSky Exchange This looks like a good opportunity to make money in Skypeland. The timing is good too. We will probably see some exciting new initiatives from Skype for the Small, Medium Business segment in the next six months.

According to sources inside Skype some 30 million users have deployed Skype in their businesses. Niklas Zennstrom and his team at Skype created a marketplace of some 100 million users, most of whom expect more free products. However, Skype's customers are accustomed to pay for hardware and services. VoSky's reseller program gives you both opportunities.

I tested the VoSky Exchange earlier this year in the Pika Technologies Inc.'s Development Lab in Ottawa. It preformed flawlessly with both a proprietary Nortel PBX and with an Asterisk PBX. I also helped a company in San Francisco to deploy it in their international company. The Vosky Exchange does what it says. Skype Certified too.

Actiontec are looking for resellers. My experience tells me that to be successful in this market you need to understand more about the Skype product (SkypeIn and SkypeOut) than you need to understand PBX equipment. Most companies with a PBX have an on-site System Administrator or get support from their PBX vendor. If you know Skype then pair up with someone who knows the corporation's PBX.
In North America I would start by finding organizations with supply or value chains across international boundaries, e.g. Asia to US, South America to US, Europe to US. More specifically, interoffice communication is heavy. One VoSky Exchange can create four toll free lines between offices.

Visit http://www.voskyseminars.com/ to see if this is an opportunity for you.

Full Press Release;
Actiontec Introduces Reseller Program for VoSKY Exchange,
a PBX Gateway Allowing Businesses To Cut Costs with Skype's Free VoIP Network
Comprehensive Program Allows VARs to Quickly Increase Revenue

SUNNYVALE, CA (September 6, 2006) -- Actiontec Electronics has launched a reseller program for its VoSKY Exchange product, a PBX add-on that enables businesses to access Skype's Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) service to make and receive free and low-cost long-distance phone calls to and from any destination worldwide. The combination of VoSKY Exchange and Skype can yield major cost savings for businesses with multiple locations, remote workers and/or customers, partners and suppliers in other cities.

VoSKY Exchange is the first Skype-certified solution enabling businesses of 10 to 300 employees to take full advantage of Skype's service. It adds up to four outgoing Skype lines to the PBX without any changes to existing PBX equipment, phones or user PCs, and it allows every phone extension in the office to use the Skype service.

VARs that sell, install and support telecom and networking products can use VoSKY Exchange as a vehicle to generate additional revenue from existing PBX/KTS customers as well as expand their customer base by offering the opportunity to tap into the world's largest VoIP network. Furthermore, small-to-medium sized businesses with offices overseas can cost-effectively and efficiently collaborate and communicate with their customers, partners and suppliers using the Skype network. Skype has over 113 million registered users and has no signup or monthly access fees. Calls are free between Skype users and cost as little as 2 cents per minute for non-Skype users, even for overseas calls.

Resellers receive on-site and online sales and technical training sessions, sales and marketing tools, technical support, special certified reseller pricing, media campaigns, lead generation, and other services to support resellers' efforts. They are also eligible to participate in beta testing of new VoSKY products.

For more information, visit www.voskyseminars.com .

About Actiontec Electronics, Inc.
Actiontec Electronics develops products and services enabling consumers to leverage broadband Internet connectivity to simplify and enrich their lives. Covering the full spectrum of solutions for the digital life, Actiontec's products include broadband modems, home gateways, wireless networking devices, routers, VoIP adapters, and digital entertainment devices, sold through retail channels and broadband service providers; and the VoSKY family of Skype-certified products that allow consumers to make Internet calls anywhere and anytime, sold through online and retail channels. Founded in 1993, Actiontec is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, and maintains branch offices in Austin, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Basingstoke, United Kingdom; Shanghai, China; and Taipei, Taiwan. For more information, call 408-752-7700 or visit http://www.actiontec.com .

*********************
Lauren B. Tascan
3081 rue Jean-Girard
Montreal, QC H3Y 3L1

phone: 514.932.1174
fax: 514.932.1175
skype: laurensspr
*********************

Posted by Bill Campbell at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

During VON Fall 2006 I did two podcasts with Jon Arnold on some aspects of the show:

• Tuesday: Discussing the morning's two keynotes (Jeff Pulver and Ted Leonsis) as well as the IM session the previous afternoon.
• Wednesday: A discussion of Canadian companies participating at VON Fall.

Also Jon and I were both individually interviewed by TechNewsWorld about the implications of Skype's announcement of the Skype 2.0 beta with video.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Skype DevZone's Triona Carey wrote about the Tallinn Beta Tester Days just completed (we're eager for Bill Campbell's comprehensive report). She lists the topics ("roadmaps, the forthcoming plug-in framework, Skype for Business, components, and the Skype4Java API.") without actually transferring that knowledge.

And then she does something smart and nice (which is not unusal for Triona). She writes:

International gatherings cost time and money - for attendants and for Skype. None of us can afford to have as many of them as we'd like. We are working on other ways to enrich communication in our community - newsletter coming soon, Skypecasts, conference calls, wiki.

If you can suggest useful ways to enrich networking in our community, please let us know.

Hi, Triona. I wish I'd been there.

You're on the right track. I'd urge the Skype team to look to the needs of the people outside the room. For every attendee, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, who would be there if they could. Four stages for addressing this:

First, record everything. Have audio recorders running in all meetings. Buy cheap video cameras and tripods and have volunteers or staff record the sessions, preferably from more than one angle. Take video and still cams to the hallway conversations, the parties, the whiteboards. Designate scribes to take detailed, almost verbatim notes of every meeting. Use screen-capture software to record demonstrations and presentations. Get it all.

Second, push it out. Stream live where you can and publish the rest. Fast. Continuously. Create an event blog and push all your collected media out the door. Video, audio, notes, sample code, documents, presentation files. Copy photos to flickr, vids to GoogleVideo and YouTube. Be sure to configure your blog for podcasting and vlogging. Make your media feeds available through iTunes.

Third, add context. In the blog posts, add your commentary, point to the highlights, tag your entries, describe the rich media, make sense of it all, distill the meaning, make the links.

Fourth, get those outside the room to participate. Before the event: invite comments on blog posts, start and promote an IRC channel, set up a listserv. During the event, project the latest IRC backchannel and comment RSS on the walls. Designate someone in the room to act as voice for the IRC people to ask questions of those in the room.

This may feel like transparency overload. But the benefit to 99% of your developers, the loyalty and engagement it promotes, the choices it drives, are huge. Enormous. Overwhelmingly important. Nobody gets there by sharing only 1% of what happens in those vivid sessions through carefully edited newsletters or moderated conference calls. You have the great fortune of intellectual and emotional intensity for a few days. Yet without these four steps you lose nearly all of it when the event ends. You're abandoning the real payoff.

Work for second-order effects. Look to these events as meme generators. Do everything you can to spread the new knowledge and ideas and discussion threads while they are fresh and hot and personal. Your audience is more than the 25-100 people in the room. It's the 10,000 people who are or who should be part of Skype's ecosystem.

eBay made this mistake at the June 2006 eBayDevCon. Only the keynotes are recorded on video and they weren't published to the web live or at all. And none of the breakout sessions are on vid or audio. So Skype and eBay and PayPal flew people from around the world to present each topic to 15-40 people. Yet they could have used that precious interaction as the foundation for reaching the thousands who could not be at that place at that time.

I heard someone on the eBay PR team say they didn't want to tip their hands to the competition by sharing the eBay DevCon and eBay Live sessions too widely. Utter blatfarb. No earth shattering secret is ever shared at these events. Hoarding knowledge and information starves your ecosystem, your partners, your community. Hoarding erodes trust and further investment. It reinforces the notion that Skype works best if you're an "insider" and you must have an inside connection to partner with Skype. This is another path; I hope Skype and others choose it for future events.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Guest blog by Steve Sloan, Information Technology Consultant, San Jose State University.

UPDATE: At the moment, Skype's status remains undetermined and unblocked on the SJSU campus. A UCAT Operating Practices document describing the reasons and details for blocking Skype. (pdf)

Skype is a peer-to-peer (p2p) voice communications, instant message and file sharing program. The recent decision to pull the plug on Skype at SJSU (has it been implemented?) may be a classic example of command and control (Web 1.0 thinking) versus collaborate and communicate (Web 2.0) technologies and principles. According to one person I spoke with in the networking department of the university's computer center, "the issue that caused the decision to kill Skype is that Skype communications are encrypted." But, other protocols like SSL, SFTP and SSH are allowed and are encrypted. These protocols could be also used to do evil things. There is no discussion I know of to block these communications and they are used a lot on our university's network. Also IPSec and Kerberos are protocols used used on the SJSU network. These protocols are also encrypted and supported by SJSU. Should we also kill them? Do we want to have to make credit card transactions in clear text?

Yes, there have been past concerns about Skype. But, these concerns may be over blown. Oxford University, which had banned Skype, in fact recently lifted its ban on Skype.

There are concerns about the amount of bandwidth Skype could use if used on our network. Yes, the use of our network for communications and collaboration uses bandwidth. But, isn't that what bandwidth is for, to be used? It is like money, why have it if we don't use it?

I have blogged in the past about how Skype is seen by some as a threat. But, the utility of Skype is great. Skype is becoming a de facto standard among users of this type of emerging technology.

In the Web 1.0 world, Client-Server is the mindset computing command model and p2p is bad and chaotic. In p2p any computer can collaborate with any other computer and that is hard to control. In the Web 2.0 world collaboration is a form of communication and enhancing the conversation is what Web 2.0 is all about. So, in Web 2.0 p2p is good and Skype is good.

Deciding to just pull the plug on Skype in its early stage of use is like what pulling the plug on Email or Web would have been like ten years ago. The decision to pull the plug on Skype, if it is to be made at all, deserves to be made with the academic community after some thoughtful consideration. There are potential pedagogical applications of Skype. These need to be considered:

• Skype can be used to bring remote speakers into a classroom.
• Skype can be used by educators to collaborate with distant colleagues.
• Skype offers teleconferencing capabilities that allow quick collaboration groups to be formed free and in real time.
• Because you can see when colleagues are logged into Skype, virtual communities can be created in Skype that offer other opportunities for collaboration.
• The encryption nature of Skype is a feature when faculty use Skype to communicate with students. It assures their privacy.

The decision to just kill Skype at SJSU on the spur of the moment is, in my opinion, just weird. It ignores the possible pedagogical applications of Skype. The sudden nature of the plug being pulled on Skype makes me wonder if there was some sort of national security incident that may have spooked the administration? This is pure speculation. It seems to me the folks who made the decision to just kill Skype at SJSU just do not get what our mission is. Unless, there is more that we do not know.

See also: Campus may ban Skype by Stefanie Chase, The Spartan Daily.

Don Baker, interim associate vice president of university computing and telecommunications, said some of the reasons include the use of state resources for retail purposes and the fear of acquiring computer viruses. ... Baker said the decision to ban Skype at SJSU does look like a possibility. "...We haven't made that decision (yet)," Baker said. He said people for and against Skype will share their arguments, and the decision will be reviewed this week.

Text of the document which triggered the discussion:

Skype Prohibited at SJSU

For reasons described in the policy statement below, the use of Skype is not generally permitted at SJSU. This is not a prohibition on the use of other VoIP products, such as Wengo or Gizmo Project, but is aimed at Skype and any other products which use a "grid computing-like" technology and license agreement.

Use of Skype

A brief description of Skype operation is useful background. Skype is a voice-over-IP service, providing telephone-like service via the Internet. It is also promoted as supporting large file transfers and may offer other bandwidth-intensive services in the future. Optional paid service offerings support calls to/from the public switched telephone network. It uses a piece of client software that attempts to make peer-to-peer telephone calls. If a call cannot be directly established with a peer (e.g., due to firewalls or NAT), the peers will relay their calls through a third-party system. The third party is another computer with Skype software; the mere installation of Skype is sufficient to launch the relay component, regardless of whether the Skype GUI (client interface) is running.

The use of the university network is subject to CSU policy, including the CSU Information Security Policy. The campus network is a university-owned resource in support of the university mission and its associated business. The Skype End-User License Agreement (EULA) includes a contractual grant of network bandwidth; the end user is not authorized to make such an agreement on behalf of the university as owner of the bandwidth. In addition, while the University makes an allowance for incidental personal use, the operation of a personal server (e.g. Skype relay) is beyond this incidental allowance. For these reasons, the use of Skype is not permitted on the SJSU campus.

There are some secondary issues worth mentioning. One problem we have observed is the abnormal increase in network bandwidth utilization and intrusion detection alerts attributable to Skype installations. The traffic is not due to the individual Skype user, but rather the inherent relay function. Large numbers of inbound connections from foreign countries are typical of compromised systems, but it also occurs with some Skype systems. It should also be noted that Skype will create holes ("exceptions") in the built-in Windows XP firewall. If these exceptions are disabled by the user, they will be re-enabled automatically the next time Skype is started. This may prove to be an excellent vector for a worm.

Summary

1. Skype's End-User License Agreement (EULA) requires the user to grant use of university network bandwidth by Skype users otherwise unaffiliated with the university, and end users are not authorized to enter into this type of agreement on behalf of the university (i.e., the owner of the resource).

2. The operation of Skype's relay function is not in compliance with university policy because:

a. It provides service to third-party people other than those conducting university business.

b. It exceeds incidental personal use.

3. Skype persistently alters host firewall settings and increases the probability the computer will be compromised.

Skype is not permitted at SJSU due to its EULA and relay functions. This prohibition does not apply to use of Skype from residence halls or third-party contractor networks due to the rate-limited and self-funded nature of these connections.

RJK

Posted by Guest Blogger at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Organized crime organizations suppress competition in a market. This keeps margins high on vice goods and services. Higher prices means overall crime rates fall, some people just can't afford vices at higher rates. Organized crime trys to avoid "wars" with rivals because they are expensive and bad for business. Big Crime also stifles small time rivals who expand the market by bidding down monopolist pricing.

In theory, police would cooperate with mafiya to keep the streets clean of petty crimes that interfere with the mafiya's business. Total crime falls because monopolists will maximize profits in a smaller market at higher prices. General law and order benefits those holding monopolies on drugs, gambling, prostitution, and other steady businesses.

But there's a greater problem. Monopolies concentrate wealth and power. This leads to corrupt government.

So we write special laws that hurt organized crime. We add penalties for large quantities of drugs. We legalize big gambling to bring it out of the underground economy, producing tax income instead of fueling crime lords. We mandate property forfeiture and allow mobster surveillance. In short, we make it more expensive to do big crime and we level the playing field. You never do away with crime altogether, but you cut the concentrated cash flow that corrupts.

Which brings me to net neutrality.

Our Martin Geddes thinks little of laws and regulations supporting net neutrality.

I've said it many times before, but Network Neutrality is a treatment for the symptoms, not the causes - and it's an ineffective anti-consumer folk remedy at that. Good intentions aren't enough. ... Picking at one tiny part of the anti-competitive edifice isn't the way forward. Better to have power over suppliers through your wallet than via politicians.

I agree. In a perfect world.

But the markets are imperfect, power is already concentrated. We see the corrupting power of the largest lobbyists in Washington D.C. and other centers of political power. We see their astroturfing and other bad acts.

So we must act.

We must effect change.

We must out-innovate and out-market.

We must organize as consumers.

We must organize as citizens. We need to educate this generation's Judge Greens, the judge who broke up Ma Bell and made the mobile revolution possible.

We must lead our society to define unmediated access to the Internet as a human right, a civil right. And to react with anger and purpose to anyone who tries to tamper with that access.    

We must find allies, if not friends, in other industries. Companies that need their bits to go untrammeled. That need an Internet without gatekeepers. Companies that know how to lobby.

Like the mafia, yakuza, or bratva, the concentrated power of the telcos will fight back.

They won't fall to any one measure. So we need a theme that All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
 -- Edmund Burkedrives many measures, new ones over time, each driving the monsters toward acceptable societal norms. Perhaps the theme is liberty and freedom?

I agree with Martin that fighting the telcos with laws is hard. Maybe impossible. And not without risk.

But doing nothing is not an option. The societal consequences of giving absolute control over public assembly, public speech, over our new libraries, encyclopedias and news sources, over our civic participation and education - this is tantamount to creating a new branch of government, one without oversight, without checks, balances or accountability.

Martin, we don't have dozens or hundreds of viable suppliers in the United States. We don't have efficient markets for Internet access. And we have damning evidence of the foul intentions of these monopolists to subvert civic freedoms and rights.

So, instead of waiting for Adam Smith's invisible hand to restore rights seized by phone and cable companies, what do you think should we do? 

P.S. Dr. Magaddino, my old economics professor, challenged me to consider crime, applying supply and demand theory to social evils instead of goods.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Rough Type: Nicholas Carr's Blog: Office generations. Carr says Microsoft Office is shifting toward collaboration and web publishing and to living more on the web than the desktop. His four generation model is a useful frame for thinking about the trends shaping office suites and the forces behind those trends.When I think of the future of the office, I keep seeing VoIM as integral, tightly coupled to workflow and best team practices. Just look at how web host Brinkster is now taking customer service calls on Skype.

If the Brinkster team was using an Asterisk based call center, they might be buying ChanSkype to bridge Asterisk to a server-hosted Skype client. FAQ. Shipping soon.

Pamela 2.5 out of beta. Pamela 3.0 beta launches for Skype 2.6 users. "Pamela 3.0 supports Skype 2.6 natively. This means that no additional drivers are required to record Skype calls. The result is a perfect recording without echo and latency." You might want to be choosy about which calls you post to a public server.

Speaking of Skype add-ons...

Still Not the Time to Move Beyond Skype WiFi Phone. Howard Chang replies to Jim Courtney who responded to Howard who disagreed with Jim's follow-up to Jim's first post. Back to you Jim.

The ones that dance about being monstrous while you chat on Skype. Verballs are still silly. It's their hair and expressions and proportions and colors and... everything. Just try to say Verballs without giggling. Speaking of names...

Naming convention in the IP telephony sector. A linguistic analysis of iotum, Skype and others by a branding expert.

Jeff Jarvis  

Skype to the Virtual MacFair 2006. Hey, we can't all live in Southern California. But you can hear many of the conferences sessions live over Skype.

How about a rock concert via Skypecast? Those guitarists were brought to you by Heineken.

Guitar.com's Rype. Not shipping yet but very cool.

"The new guitar.com will be a place for guitarists to interact musically and socially. We've developed Rype, a desktop application that allows musicians to record, edit and produce music. Rype has a social network built around it to allow musicians to collaborate, send each other music files, projects for collaboration, video chat, voice chat and instant message via Skype. Form virtual bands on guitar.com, then launch Rype, produce your songs and post them for sale on iTunes."

Tom Newton writes a skeptical (not paranoid) overview of Skype's security fitness for Insecure Magazine's eighth issue (pdf file). Tom says Skype shouldn't be on your network since Skype's operation is neither transparent (it's mostly hidden) nor unbeatable (therefore untestable). The threats he and the other security analysts discuss are hypothetical. No actual, real world problems have surfaced, no threats making the rounds. Makes me wonder if other apps are subject to the same selection criteria. Or when the focus will shift from Tom's "Don't say you weren't warned" to "10 steps to safe Skype deployments that make your customers happy."

Here's someone who wants to make at least their shareholders happy. Comcast: We'll squash Skype flat. See the original IP Democracy report from VON. I'm sure Comcast can offer a link to a softphone, but can they get people to adopt? Will they offer loss leaders like free calls to PSTNs? Will they navigate interoperability with other VoIP and VoIM services? Can they adapt their softphone to augment television viewing? Can they make it sufficiently obvious, easy, fun, engaging, useful, compelling, that people will try it and keep using it and tell their friends all about it? Not the first time around.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

VON Fall 2006 is over; it certainly helped put into perspective where we are in the IP voice and video communications space at this time.

Video I: Jeff Pulver's presentation included a demonstration of the Vividas high definition video streaming using the Ghost Rider trailer. Select "Watch Trailer in High Definition" from the options. Amazing quality on my 1650 x 1080 laptop screen but when Jeff showed this on the large screen at VON Fall with a full surround sound system, it was as if we were in our local movie theater for both video and audio quality.

Video II: Ted Leonsis, Vice Chairman AOL & President AOL Audience Business, has blogged about his keynote presentation where he mentions the several new video services that AOL has recently launched or will be launching in the near future. From commercial music video to personal video services, suffice it to say that, with AOL's access to not only AOL's web resources but also Time Warner's content resources, AOL finally has gotten around to leveraging all the potential foreseen in the original AOL-Time Warner deal.  Sometimes it takes a few kicks at the can to get it right; in this case the deal was done well ahead of the availability of the technology and infrastructure needed to leverage these assets fully.

One exhibitor who drew a lot of attention was Trufone who exhibited their software that brings VoIP to the mobile phone. Martin Geddes has one of the phones with which it is currently compatible and I'm sure we'll hear from Martin soon on his experience with it. Personally I need to wait until they have compatibility with Nokia N70 or Nokia N93.

Skype compatible hardware was exhibited by Ascalade, RTX with their Dual Phone as well as a new line of cordless SIP Phones with dual VoIP/PCN capability, Polycom with their HD Voice-enabled Communicator Speakerphone, amongst others. As well Global IP Sound and Trinity Convergence (post to come next week) were talking about their voice engines used in various Skype products.

And what is PCN? Public Communications Network ... with all the graying of the line between PSTN and VoIP technology, Andy Abramson's new term for the future networks evolving in the communications space. The PSTN is not going to just go away but is going to change.

Personally I learned a lot from both the presentations I attended as well as several interviews on which I have reported or will be reporting.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 03:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Participants on the VON Fall 2006 Blogger Panel:

L-R: Jeff Pulver, Alec Saunders, Brough Turner, Dan York and (hidden) Martin Geddes and , seated, Andy Abramson with the virtual Om Malik who came in via SightSpeed. Apologies for the picture quality but that selector dial on the top of my Canon Powershot sometimes moves of its own free will and all my other shots of this historic occasion  were worse.

Here's a close up of Andy and virtual Om

Seems like in addition to having a webcam available, personal video studios need appropriate lighting and a maid. (Ironically that's me taking the picture in the lower right corner; Andy's MacBook has the built-in Apple iSight camera.

A report on the actual panel discussion with its news about how legacy carrier can make money in a Web 2.0 net neutrality world will follow in a day or so (including some better quality pictures).

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I often forget when writing for Skype Journal that terminology in the English language may have different meanings in different parts of the English speaking world. For instance, there is no boot on my Canadian car and I'm sure there is no trunk in Martin's car in Edinburgh.  I guess wireless and cordless can have different interpretations in different parts of the world.

Also sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading my blog posts (although I am learning lots of VON Fall 2006 attendees do). But I was glad to see my post where I recommended that Skype drop their WiFi phones drew at least one response questioning my recommendation.  Furthermore I recommended that Skype work with Nokia, RIM and the Windows Mobile wireless platforms to include Skype as an option for wireless phones.  But a wireless phone is not a cordless phone -- in North America at least.

Rest assured, Howard, today I have seen a solution that can meet your requirements for an easy to use phone that your parents can use with no PC and no learning curve, namely, the entire range of cordless phones being shown at VON Fall 2006, especially in the Ascalade booth. Here they are demonstrating the cordless Phillips and NetGear Skype phones announced last week plus models that will be introduced soon by US Robotics, Linksys and Creative Labs. (In the photo, L-R, are the USR, Phillips and Creative cordless phones.) The cradles hold the power adapter to charge these phones; the modules in the background are cordlessly connected to the handsets using DECT technology and include a processor with an embedded Skype client as well as an Ethernet connector for connection to a cable/DSL router and an RJ-11 connector to the PSTN line. While each vendor will be pricing these units, it appears that these base unit devices will sell for about $150 with additional handsets in the $50 to $80 range.  So not only is the base solution lower cost than the Skype WiFi phones, you can have additional phone handsets around the house or apartment as appropriate at a much lower cost than buying additional Skype WiFi phones.

Since they sit in the power adapter cradle, there is not a battery issue; also we tested one of them and they accept DTMF tones.

So much for the "engineering" side; now for the marketing side. Selling wireless phones is usually done through carriers with whom wireless phone vendors must establish relationships. The carriers reduce the hardware cost if you will buy a one, two or three year contract for their service. As I mentioned in my previous post, it took RIM four or five years to get to 180 carriers. On the other hand cordless phones are sold directly through electronics retailers with no need for carrier involvement. One or two key distribution relationships can get the product out to a large number of retailers. Just add a broadband connection, plug in the phone, log into your Skype account and go.

Users can simply pick up the phone to make free calls to their Skype contacts or make inexpensive calls to landlines or mobile phone numbers using SkypeOut. These new phones also feature a connection to ordinary PSTN lines for traditional phone calling. A user can access their Skype contact list and view online contact status on the full color screen. In fact, if the Contact includes their mobile and/or landline phone numbers in their Skype profile a menu comes up asking whether call the Skype, wireless or landline phone. Or there are separate buttons to initiate Skype and PSTN phone calls.

Now for the real advantage; these are all "wide bandwidth" phones and incorporate DECT technology resulting in the same high quality voice as we are accustomed to on PC-to-PC Skype calls. While it does not solve the entire problem as to why Skype-to-mobile calls often have quality problems, on the test calls we made today, the voice quality was excellent. And being DECT, working in bands around 1900 MHz, their signals will not collide with other 2.4MHz devices in the home.

Howard, I have no problem recommending these Skype cordless phones as a lower cost, more robust, more reliable and high quality "Skype without a computer" solution for your parents' use. We will try to keep you informed as they become available at retailers.

BTW, I also saw one other issue today that needs to be resolved with WiFi. Several times today I had problems connecting to the Internet using the VON-supplied routers. But if you looked around the press room there were probably 50 to 75 PC's in use -- all contending for use of the same wireless access point. (Not to mention that my PC problably detected well over 100 wireless access points on the nearby show floor.) Until WiFi can address these capacity and scaling issues, it is not going to replace other wireless phone technologies.

And, in closing, I expect to receive one or more of these phones for more detailed evaluation in the next few weeks.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 08:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Skype moved their Mac 1.5 from beta to "gold" release and launched the Mac 2.0 beta today, Beta version 2.0.0.2 is Universal, needs OS X v10.3.9 Panther or newer. Congrats to Skype's Mac team; someone should buy that group brews for shipping under intense pressure. 1.5 offers a stable release of Skype video. Change log (just a few bug fixes).

This morning's news release puts the number of Skype users worldwide at 113 million.

Screenshots from Skype's PR team confirm what we've been saying for a long time, and what 21talks summarized: "Compared to Apple iChat, the new feature still is limited. Multi-person video chatting isn't allowed. No 3D view that makes user experience a lot richer. No fancy video backdrops." Still on our video wishlist:

• recording of video conversations
• a "lenscap" privacy button that does for video what the "mute" button does for audio
• piping screen areas from your PC into Skype video, for application sharing
• piping video files from your hard drive into an existing video call to share your video

Posted by Phil Wolff at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

by Howard Chang, Amperor Direct

Dear Jim Courtney,

My name is Howard Chang, and I have always enjoyed reading your posts on the Skype Journal, especially the product reviews. Your articles have inspired me to start my own Skype accessory review blog.

For full disclosure, I work for AmperorDirect.com - an online retailer of Skype related products and accessories. Further, we are in the process of determining our level of commitment to Skype WiFi products.

This letter is a reply to your conclusions made in yesterday's "Fall VON 2006 Special - Time to Move Beyond Skype WiFi Phones" article. Specifically, I would disagree with the statement, "I have to recommend that Skype drop the concept of a dedicated Skype WiFi phone and focus their efforts on getting Skype incorporated into those other wireless platforms."

As an engineer and long-time Skype user, I can understand how you would come to such a conclusion. I, myself, would hope to have a non-PC, WiFi device that allows me to make Skype calls almost anywhere -- such as at home, work, or on the road. Based on our testing, I was a little disappointed to see that this generation of Skype WiFi phones has limited WiFi hotspot use because of their lack of support for web-based authentication. In addition, increasing the battery life and a ring tone volume would be two of my preferences as well.

However, even with my engineering concerns, as an end user I cannot wait to own this Skype WiFi phone! Why? My parents live overseas. We have talked over Skype many times before and have enjoyed the high voice quality Skype offers us. Once upon a time my parents had a hungry and demanding kid (me!) running around. In order for them to provide for me and my education, my parents learned to save whatever they could. Even after I left their house they still look for ways to keep expenses down and they consider an always-on computer as being a big waste of electricity and money. Therefore, I'm lucky if I can catch them on-line so I can call them through Skype.

My parents are semi-experienced when it comes to computers, and with some minor additional help, they can set up and keep a broadband/wireless network working in their home. Just imagine how easy it would be if I could call them - with zero cost to either of us - if we both have a Skype WiFi phone installed. It's like the MasterCard commercial: Broadband connection - $30 dollars, Skype WiFi phone - $180, Calling your parents anytime you want (and forever) for free - Priceless.

In my opinion, there are lots of people like me out there who have parents, relatives, business and personal partners, or friends living a long distance away and want to stay in touch. A PC-less WiFi Skype phone will help people communicate without the need of a computer - which, again in my opinion, offers tremendous value. To us, Skype WiFi phones are more than just an engineering prototype or toy, but currently the only Skype Certified device on the market that can provide Skype communication without the need of a computer.

I can still remember the words of my college Engineering professor: "An engineer is not a scientist. An engineer's job is to turn the available technology on the market into some applications, with a reasonable cost, to benefit people's everyday life." In following this thought, Accton (SMC / Belkin / Netgear / Edgecore) has done a good job in converting the available chipsets from TI and Broadcom into the first Skype-based PC-less phone. This product solves the problem of always needing a computer on to send/receive Skype calls. Instead of dismissing their accomplishments and technology 'break-through', I think that they deserve encouragement for doing so well in launching this almost bug-free first generation product.

I hope that Skype and the third-party hardware manufacturers can continue developing the Skype PC-less phone. For the next generation of Skype PC-less stand-alone phones, I would put forth the following wish list:

• It can be a dedicated Skype WiFi solution. If it is, I would like to see a built-in web browser that can allow for completing the web authentication process in most WiFi hotspots.

• It can use the DECT or 2.4GHz cordless solution. But, it would be better to be a dual-mode phone to cover both land-line and Skype calls.

• Have a good desktop cradle that can recharge the phone and have a built-in speaker. The speaker could play the ring-tone when there is an in-coming call, and it could have an adjustable volume.

• Longer battery life.

Jim, thanks again for your efforts in the Skype industry. You work is appreciated, however, in my opinion, your Skype WiFi phone conclusion will prove to be incorrect.

Sincerely,

Howard Chang @ AmperorDirect.com

Technorati Tags: Skype, VOIP, WiFi, SMC, Phone, Technology

Posted by Guest Blogger at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was being interviewed for a podcast last night. As always, the purpose of the "stupid network" is to enable crazy new things, not connectivity arbitrage. The setup was that I'm in my hotel room using the woefully over-contended in-room Internet access. The caller could only record calls made using his landline phone, so he called me on my SkypeIn number.

The audio experience was OK, but about that of a typical cellular call. Not ideal for a podcast.

This does, however, provide great fodder for a "Voice 2.0"-ish story. Normally, VoIP uses the UDP protocol for media transmission. If the packet doesn't get there within 300ms, or whatever, forget it. No point in asking for reliability and re-transmission of lost data. The TCP protocol is used for signalling and other purposes where a reliable, in-sequence connection is required.

Now in this case, when a call is being recorded, the need is rather more subtle. In the real-time portion of the conversation, it just needs to be good enough for us to understand each other to hold a conversation. What we then want is to "fill in the gaps" and allow the person recording to request re-transmission of packets corresponding to gaps and dropouts, but in a way that doesn't impinge on the bandwidth allocated to the ongoing conversation. So we might send the media over UDP still, but there's a TCP-like component at the side.

Another alternative is for my VoIP client to record the conversation in wideband audio, and then upload that (possibly after the conversation has finished). It would embed suitable synchronisation data so that the audio from both ends of the conversation can easily be mixed into one stream.

This highlights a case of user needs often being subtle and unexpected. As always, the purpose of the "stupid network" is to enable crazy new things, not connectivity arbitrage. Sometimes, a phone conversation is more than a phone call.

Catch Martin's streams at Telepocalypse.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Consider this.

I'm a cheapskate, and I'm with Tesco Mobile's prepaid plan. I hardly use my mobile except as a camera and for brief voice notes. Under $10/month expenditure.

Tesco's MVNO only offer Web (ports 80/443 HTTP/HTTPS) access on their GPRS gateway. This is a means of the host operator (in this case, O2) to segment the market and avoid competition from the MVNO for its premium customers.

Now, if you have neutrality rules, you get two unwanted effects:

• Tesco may have to close down their GPRS service, because it discriminates against service providers who happen not to use HTTP as their only protocol. The customer loses if the only type of Internet access allowed is 100% unfiltered.
• Tesco can never expand the service to, for example, allow POP email access whilst disallowing VoIP by inducing jitter and using deep packet inspection. The customer loses again -- in this case the marginal one who may even be willing to pay a little more.

You might object that this kind of protocol discrimination will be allowed in the rules, whereas extortion attempts against individual destinations will be outlawed. I think attempts to differentiate discrimination between classes of application and classes of destination (or individual end points) is doomed to failure from the outset -- it's all too easy to game by creating new protocols and tunneling old ones. If you allow SIP but block Skype's protocol, or vice-versa, you've just secured the Christmas bonus for a lot of lawyers.

I've said it many times before, but Network Neutrality is a treatment for the symptoms, not the causes -- and it's an ineffective anti-consumer folk remedy at that. Good intentions aren't enough.

UPDATE: And there's more... ISPs and telcos do more than just shuffle IP packets. What if your ISP starts re-directing failed DNS look-ups to ads? What if they bundle a device that only works with their service and you can't get the connectivity without paying for the device? What if they give themselves preferential treatment in the retail channel? Picking at one tiny part of the anti-competitive edifice isn't the way forward. Better to have power over suppliers through your wallet than via politicians.

Martin is anything but neutral via Telepocalypse.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 05:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Monday afternoon's first Fall VON 2006 plenary session, IM: The State of Presence, featuring a panel of executives and managers from the GYMAS-five representing over 90% of the IM usage worldwide:

• Dan Casey, Director, Windows Live VoIP and Messenger Product Management, Microsoft
• Jeff Bonforte, Director of Voice Product Management, Yahoo!
• Nitzan Shaer, Director, Mobile Devices, Skype
• Mike Jazayeri, Product Manager, Real Time Communications & Google Talk, Google
• Ragui Kamel, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, AOL Voice Services, America Online.

As mentioned previously Carl Ford ran his usual vibrant Q&A format, offering each member of the panel an opportunity to provide commentary on several topics surrounding IM and where it is going. It was a very informative and stimulating discussion overall. Carl's questioning covered why IM, video usage, the role of presence, mobile reach, business models and projections in for the future.

Why do users want Voice with Instant Messaging? From the students avoiding contention when sharing one phone line in a five-student apartment to business productivity enhancement, we heard stories about new scenarios enabled where IM and voice facilitate social networking to newly announced collaborative applications that share spreadsheets. Oh, and for the younger generation, IM allows students to avoid being seen holding discussions in the classroom; did I say to allow private discussion sessions in the boardroom? The new challenge arises when a group of youth want to do a conference call but Stephanie is is not on IM but at the mall shopping for new shoes.

Nitzan talked about how IM with Skype allows users to create one centralized ID that can be used across weblogs, sharing pictures, and enhancing a discussion using video.

While Carl was looking for any data on usage of different modalities associated with IM, the discussion largely centered on video. The consensus is that about 20% to 30% of IM users use video but mostly as recipients of "broadcast" video; the ratio of "broadcast" users to users doing two-way video sessions is 10:1. Jeff pointed out that, while it is an older application, there is still significant use made of Yahoo Messenger's legacy Webcam service.

Nitzan made the following points about Skype usage:

• "free" has seen international voice minutes skyrocket
• "free" video has found many users leaving their video camera and microphone on continuously in personal reality video
• there is a level of usage driven significant grandparent-grandchild video
• the opportunity that still exists is shown by some 2005 numbers for voice communications:
• 40 billion minutes of PC-to-PC VoIP
• on landline PSTN: 3.8 trillion minutes
• on wireless: 5 trillion minutes
• the ratio of wireless to wired minutes continues to rise
• the challenge for all VoIP player is to increase awareness and installation of VoIP across the 99% of voice users who still rely solely on PSTN or wireless.

Carl then turned the discussion to "Presence: an addiction or a turn-off". Jeff pointed out that presence is a blessing and a curse for power users. He then brought into the picture iotum and its Relevance Engine, pointing out that this is the next level of sophistication for presence. Dan finds Windows Live Messenger is caught between supporting social networks and providing a communications platform. Nitzan sees a scenario where users will be able to expose different elements of presence to different groups of Contacts. However, the general consensus is that Presence will be evolve to a platform whereby it is embedded into applications via API's such that users can choose those features they personally wish to use and not be burdened by unwanted features.

The discussion then turned to mobility issues which will become the subject of another post.

Later there was a discussion of business models; here there was general agreement that advertising provides the primary acceptable business model for IM. Supporting this was the fact that AOL recently made its client freely available to any Internet user, eliminating their monthly subscription fee (which also included dialup).

Most telling was Nitsan's comment; he pointed out that currently SkypeOut is free for calls within Canada and U.S. and for landline calls within France to the end of the year "but that's only the beginning". I guess we can expect to hear more on the subject between now and December 31. Skype is partnering on Click-to-Call; in this regard, it is known that advertisers will pay a premium to have such a call go through to close on a prospect's enquiry.

When asked about where they see IM in eighteen months Ragui of AOL had the most concise response with his five points - which also seemed to be the consensus of the discussions:

• greater internetworking
• more open platforms for third party partners
• a move towards nomadic (wireless) devices to give IM broader reach and access
• integration of IM and voice into applications
• all five would be on the same panel at Spring VON 2008

Alec Saunders has provided a detailed report and his perspective on the session.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 06:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is the second post in a series reviewing wireless devices in the emerging Personal Handheld Assistant space; the ultimate aim is to identify roles that Skype can play in this market of converged functionality devices. This is a special post in the series that was triggered by a VON Fall 2006 session. Links to other posts in this series are available at the end of this post.

Monday afternoon I attended the first Fall VON plenary session: IM: The State of Presence featuring a panel of executives and managers from the GYMAS-five representing over 90% of the IM usage worldwide. Carl Ford ran his usual vibrant Q&A format, offering each member of the panel an opportunity to provide commentary on several topics surrounding IM and where it is going. It was a very informative and stimulating discussion overall.

One major direction for IM is the extension of IM's access and reach by its incorporation into wireless devices. We heard about many of the issues that challenge the ability to provide seamless wireless IM clients, including login barriers, coverage and the relatively high cost of data services.

But the session confirmed a belief I had started to hold about a month ago during my evaluation of several wireless platforms. In particular, my evaluation of one Skype WiFi phone demonstrated to me the futility of providing such a device:

• The battery life was about eight to twelve hours in standby mode
• It could not handle DTMF tones
• The basic clock would arbitrarily drop a couple of hours
• It provides the presence functionality of Skype's IM client but no text chat capability
• Skype was the only application that runs on the device
• While the Skype client provides Skype names and the Contacts' other phone numbers (if available via the Contact's registration), there is no address, email or other information such as provided by synchronization with Outlook.
• They would only work in open access WiFi zones; they would not work in WiFi hotspots requiring a browser-based logon.
• They were purely engineering toys that demonstrated one could make the concept work but they badly needed an experienced wireless phone product manager to get the feature set right.
• In a market of multi-function devices in a similar price range, a Skype-dedicated device could not be price justified.

I came away with the feeling that, while they perform more or less as advertised, Skype WiFi phones are nothing more than a prototype engineering demonstration of Skype on a wireless platform.  Certainly they would have a very limited market -- maybe in enterprises that wanted to provide "walled garden" communications amongst geographically disbursed nomadic employees. But they certainly are not a wireless phone that will gain broad consumer acceptance and market share of any significance.

Combining this experience with my experience with Nokia N-series phones, the Blackberry and Skype for Mobile on the Dell Axim I have to recommend that Skype drop the concept of a dedicated Skype WiFi phone and focus their efforts on getting Skype incorporated into those other wireless platforms. (It is for this reason that I did not bother to mention which brand of Skype WiFi phone I evaluated; it's the entire product concept that is a problem.)

There was also a consensus in this session that IM's presence and text chat are primary to Instant Messging services whereas voice is one of the secondary services, along with video, file transfer, etc. On those wireless devices where processor and/or memory limitation inhibit the ability to run Skype's VoIP, then the Skype IM client should seamlessly default to the underlying (GSM, evDO, etc.) wireless phone service for the voice component. In fact, this should also be an option for those services where running VoIP as a data service remains cost prohibitive.

A final point: the primary sales channel for wireless phones is the wireless carriers themselves. As one who has observed the Blackberry's growth closely over the past few years, establishing the carrier relationships is a long, strenuous road. Not to mention that carriers are seeking products that will sell well. Skype needs to rely on the wireless device as a platform for incorporation of Skype functionality to achieve its mobile goals.

It's time to move beyond Skype WiFi phones; let's hope we soon start to see Nokia (Symbian), Research in Motion (Java) and Windows Mobile device vendors, along with other wireless platform vendors, doing Skype Partner deals.

Other posts in this series:

1. Wireless Telephones and Personal Assistants - What Does One Look For?

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 12:15 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

There will be a thousand stories today about eBay buying Skype - One Year Later. From a year ago:

• The original announcement.
• Man on the Skype Interviews: What does the eBay-Skype deal mean to you?
• Skype - Chapter 2.
• eBay and Skype: Back to basics.
• Sold to mwhitman, a member from San Francisco.
• eBay: Skype's first Enterprise Customer.

Quotes from today's Skype Journal team?

• Bill Campbell (somewhere between Skype HQ in London and Skype R&D in Tallinn),
• Martin Geddes (at VON Boston)
• Jim Courtney (at VON Boston)
• Phil Wolff, managing editor (Digital ID World, San Jose) on Tuesday. Skype me or call my mobile at +1-510-444-8234.

If you want blood in your story, here's some advice.

1. Download Skype
2. Turn it on and keep it on
3. Add a headset and a webcam
4. Set your profile to Skype Me
5. Talk to random strangers
6. Take notes. Even record the calls.

You won't get the story until you talk with people over Skype, chat with someone around the world, compare the weather, learn something, somehow apply Skype to your work.

Here are some of the most common questions we're asked by reporters new to the Skype beat.

• Why is Skype so popular?
• How many people use Skype?
• Is eBay getting its money back?
• What is Skype?
• How does Skype make money?
• What's a Skypecast?
• Who uses Skype?
• How do you pronounce Skype?
• Will Skype be used in business?
• Will Skype kill AT&T or be killed by AT&T?
• Will Skype kill eBay or be killed by eBay?
• How fast are eBay sellers adopting Skype?
• What's the difference between Vonage and Skype and VoIP and IM?

Cooler questions:

• How will Skype get to $1 billion revenue?
• Why is Skype a screaming success everywhere but the US?
• What are the five biggest external threats to Skype?

Posted by Phil Wolff at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Having a total time management meltdown this week: Edinburgh, Newcastle, Berlin, London, New York, Cape Cod, and Boston. So here's a tiny thought or two.

Airline magazine.

Advert, Advert, Advertorial.

At the conference in Berlin, the telco execs still just dismiss Skype and its ilk as inferior products. Clearly, they personally don't use the competition. Voice quality is generally superior to the PSTN, particularly as these days much discount PSTN service involves convoluted routings and transformations. They don't understand the value of integrated presence, sharing and conferencing. The only telecom ads in the airline magazine were for Skype products. They should be more worried. I'm increasingly bearish on Skype's long-term prospects, but they're teaching new and dangerous competitors what works and what doesn't.

You can download my presentation from the conference in Berlin I spoke at here.

This payphone in Berlin Tegel airport was busy trying to sell me stuff on its big screen:

Can you think of any other screens for telephony that don't do a good job of cross and up selling you services? An exercise for the reader...

By the way, the Ottawa Voice 2.0 event also now has a blog that you ought to be subscribed to.

Martin dishes the news via Telepocalypse.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Polycom, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:PLCM) launched their Communicator line of Skype speakerphones earlier this year. The key value proposition seems to be a bundle of audio quality features they're calling HD Voice. Their SoundPoint® IP 650 , a SIP phone station launched at the VON conference today, and the SoundStation VTX 1000 share the HD Voice sub-brand with the Communicator.

HD Voice delivers fidelity and intelligibility. They start with "wideband technology," which I assume means capturing sounds with more highs and lows, more bits per second. They also code for full duplex, echo cancellation, noise reduction, and "advanced voice processing."

Sounds a lot like Polycom packaging the benefits that Skype delivers PC-to-PC across all of Polycom's VoIP line. That's wise, I think. After all, lowering costs is a one time benefit, one that all VoIP can offer. Improving the quality of the conversational experience – through a headphone, handset, or speakerphone – is a sustaining differentiator. It's an experience economy.

Sound systems are especially vulnerable to Garbage In, Garbage Out. Remember GIGO the next time you use crappy microphones or your computer's built-in speakers. If you want the full Skype (or GIPS or Messenger) experience, spring for music grade hardware.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is the first post in a series reviewing wireless devices in the emerging Personal Handheld Assistant space; the ultimate aim is to identify roles that Skype can play in this market of converged functionality devices. Links to other posts in this series are available at the end of this post.

Over the past couple of months I have received several wireless handheld phones/devices from Nokia (manufacturer of the last three cell phones I have owned), Research in Motion and SMC for evaluation. In addition I have been using a WiFi-enabled Dell Axim X50v as a PDA over the past two years and a Canon PowerShot A610 for photography; the Axim, of course, can run Skype Mobile, . Recently Sony announced its WiFi-enabled mylo; meanwhile last week saw the arrival of the Blackberry Pearl 8100.With such a variety of feature sets and user experiences, one needs to take a pause to review what is fundamentally important in a wireless handheld device to provide a basis for reviewing these devices, particularly in view of the convergence emerging in the various Nokia, Windows Mobile and (RIM) Blackberry devices.

This avalanche of handheld devices has made me ask the questions:

• How much convergence of functionality do I want or need on a handheld device?
• Where should Skype play a role in wireless-enabled handheld devices?
• Can my previous three devices (phone, PDA, camera) be combined into one unit or do I continue to need three device holsters on my belt?

While some provide basic phone-like functionality, others have such a comprehensive feature set such that they need to be called Personal {provide an appropriate name} Assistants. For instance, I like to view the Nokia N70 as a Personal Connectivity Assistant and the Nokia N91 as a Personal Entertainment Assistant, based on the primary functionality one will derive from its use. But, given they all have a common phone functionality the basic features I seek out are:

• How to access your contacts?: via a keypad, contact manager, IM client or a call log functionality
• What Directory functionality exists? What is available to store and modify contacts?
• Can the keypad accept and transmit DTMF tones to work with the interactive response systems common to many service operations (we all know this was an issue with early versions of Skype)
• What are features that make using the phone simpler? for instance, on all Nokia phones pressing the left soft key and the "*" key results in locking the keypad to prevent accidental calling.
• How good is the voice quality? How acceptable is the voice quality?
• How flexibly does it handle the microphone/speaker configuration? Standard "Hold to the Ear", Loudspeaker, Bluetooth access, speakerphone?

When it comes to wireless devices, additional questions arise such as:

• How easily can one access the wireless network? Is there a facility to log onto WiFi networks that require a browser-based login process?
• What wireless protocols does it handle? What frequency bands?
• What is the role, if any, of a wireless service provider?
• How readily does the device handle email functionality?
• What features are available for downloading and synchronizing contacts from Outlook, Instant Messaging. or other contact management applications?
• How long is the battery life?
• What security is incorporated into the device and its transmissions?

And, given many of these devices are converged devices, one also needs to ask:

• What additional communications features such as a web browser and FM radio are available?
• What is available to handle "office" files: word processing, spreadsheets, Adobe files, etc.?
• What photo features are available? camera, photo viewing
• Can it handle GPS and navigation applications?
• How readily can one acquire additional applications? How extensive is the development partner ecosystem?
• How much memory can be incorporated into the device?
• How stable is the underlying operating system? Does it freeze up and require frequent rebooting?

Summary Questions:

• What situations is the device practical for?
• Who is the target market?
• Is there sufficient value-add to justify the pricing?

The above questions will provide a reference guideline as I review these various devices over the next few weeks. Not every device will have an answer to every question but at least it provides a general framework against which one can make appropriate evaluations..

Other posts in this series:

1. Fall VON 2006 Special - Time to Move Beyond Skype WiFi Phones

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Our friend U. Yogu, a Ph.D. chemistry student at National Taipei University of Technology, attended a concert there today. Skype partner PCHome sponsored the event, had a booth and gave out prizes, like a Skype ball with a headset inside. More photos from the event.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been looking through the VON Boston program and don't see Skypenomics on the agenda. Nobody is talking about how Skype and its cousins continue to change the rules.

1. Skype is building Click-to-Call advertising. Online advertising is the only ad sector that continues to grow. Skype, eBay and Google are diving in to get their share. Click-to-Call isn't new, but the marketing might of Google and eBay, and their far reaching ecosystems, suggest they can deploy to millions on the web, and eventually on mobiles.
2. Skype hardware partnerships are extending Skype's brand and customer reach. Hardware is part of Skype's strategy for earning brand acceptance. Hardware is also crucial to putting Skype into homes and home offices.
3. China. Skype's biggest userbase is in China, the fastest growing broadband market, a place where more people speak English than in the United States. How many telcos and cablecos are as active globally as Skype? How many have become household brands outside their native markets?
4. Yellow Pages. PC-based search is a direct competitor to directory assistance services. This year Skype added business search to their browser toolbars and promised to add it to the Skype user directory. Their business development team continues to build alliances, country by country, with yellow page database providers. Watch browser-centric phone apps like Skype erode directory assistance revenue as Skype migrates to mobiles.
5. Payments. Skype will add person-to-person PayPal payment to its client, as shown in our banner this week and the graphic above. Skype is going to get its share of the remittance market. Again, Skype wraps conversation in commerce.

In short, Skype is

• Amplifying network effects. It's not just more is more. You can do more things with your Skype buddy list, create more social capital, than in other networks.
• Surrounding calls with value-added services. Revenue, for starters. Loyalty builders, too.

In a time of large dinosaurs everyone else is either quick or dead. Right now, Skype looks quick.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm one of the people putting together the Voice 2.0 conference, Ottawa, trivial pursuit capital of Canada on 16th October 2006. (Americans should turn up on October 16 instead.) So join me heading south to the icy wastes lurking where the plains fall off the edge of the world, and get a dose of the latest and greatest thinking in telephony. (My only previous visit there was in January, so my views may not be fully representative of Ottawa's climate!)

A couple of features:

• It's great value-for-money. Non-profit, no fancy schmancy stuff, just what you need. Affordable to everyone.
• Both conference and un-conference: time to meet people and shape the agenda around what you care about.
• Workshops. I'll be running one, and you can come and see how I look into the future of telephony and explore your own insights (and without having to pay the usual consulting fee!)

Now, just again, this is completely separate from the Telco 2.0 event in London, which is mercifully for-profit, and designed around network operators rather than grassroots community and smaller vendors with great ideas.

Martin gets all fancy schmancy at Telepocalypse.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'd like to send my wife an SMS. In Skype I've got a group called "Family", which includes her entry. However, she hasn't filled in her mobile number in her profile, because that means exposing it to anyone she adds to her buddy list.

I can instead create a new entry for her mobile, or enter it directly, so this isn't a massive deal. I could even hand some bonus money to a telco and SMS her from my mobile. It does serve to illustrate a bigger point, though, on how different communications systems can create value by managing privacy differently.

There are several ways of technically resolving the situation. A simple one is that I have a local copy of her profile that I can extend and annotate -- a proper object inheritance mechanism. Another is that I can request her number off her.

A more interesting one is where she can enter her mobile number into her profile, but mark it as "private". So anyone can SMS her, but they don't need to have access to her number. As an intermediary, Skype then also gives her control over who can contact her in a way that the SMS system itself fails to do.

This is a little bit like how Paypal works, where you don't need to share the details of your payment instruments (credit cards, bank accounts) with vendors -- they just get the money without knowing who you are. Perhaps someone in Skype's eBay HQ office needs to take a trip down the corridor?

Martin doesn't conceal much of his identity at Telepocalypse.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been barraged with PR spam, like all the reporters registered for VON Boston. You know it's spam when:

• The products aren't related to your beat
• The request-for-interviews aren't related to your beat
• Your email is stuffed with multimegabyte attachments from complete strangers
• The phone calls come at 5am

I've had some excellent contacts from contract and in-house PR people. Sadly, PR clerks outnumber the great ambassadors eight-to-one. Jeff Pulver is trying to make it better, Andy Abramson and Jim Courtney chime in.

Things Pulvermedia can do next time:

1. Communication. In the reporters' registration form,
   1. In addition to the publication link, let reporters share other links. For example, a page that lists their articles
   2. What's your VON beat? "I'm looking for..." to be shared with the PR list. Not for publication on the VON.com site or to other reporters.
   3. What's off your VON beat? "Don't bother me with..." exclusions to share with the PR list.
   4. Ask for "office hours" when it's cool to call.
2. Education. Set VON PR clerical expectations: No email attachments over 10k without a request from a reporter.
3. Feedback. Contest and prize for best, worst, and most creative media relations of show. Voting by members of the press list.
4. OptIn. I don't know about the "shadow" press list (sounds funny to my ear) but reporters should be able to opt in/out from news releases.
5. VON.com PR room. Encourage all the pr crews to upload news releases and press kits to your virtual press room. For free, so there are no barriers to use. Even more than the lovely press room at the convention center, staging digital assets in one place is useful. They become searchable, tagged, forwardable, virus scanned. It also means PR emails can link to those assets instead of attaching them.

Things reporters can do:

1. Temp email addresses. So spam doesn't follow you after the conference. philatVONboston06@mypublication.com.
2. Call the CEO or CMO of an abusing company. "You need to know your PR people are pissing off the press, making our jobs harder, and teaching us to ignore your announcements." We don't have the time for this, but maybe one call a week might quash ten thousand bad acts.

I'm picking on the Pulvermedia team but they're just following common industry practice. If you offer to bring PR and reporters together for your event, please, please, do what you can to prevent this problem. And watch your partners' coverage improve.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Google UK ads were discovered with little green phones. I walk you through the experience (it works). This is a grand way to get your feet wet in the click-to-call business. You'll learn things. Like what happens to an advertiser when the phone rings off the hook ("all operators are busy"). Customer privacy concerns. Keeping it simple. 

Offering Skype and GoogleTalk options should cut down operations costs, compared to ringback services; you don't pay for two long distance calls.

Click-to-call's live interaction may be one of the biggest business challenges for advertisers. The skills for running a call center are very different from mastering a shopping site. And converting customers in a conversation is different than pulling through your site's shopping cart.

For example, there's often a gap between customer and advertiser time zones and hours of operation. Scheduling a call back should improve response rates, not to mention avoid waking small business people at 2am. Letting callers choose "Please call me around 9am tomorrow" is another. Click-to-voicemail during off hours or when overloaded is another.  SalesBuilder's Call Me Now is a great example of the state of the market.

Other coverage:

• Search Engine Watch Forums thread
• Search Engine Roundtable: Google Launches Click to Call in UK
• Googlified: Google UK Lauched Click-to-Call
• TechCrunch UK: Google launches click-to-call in UK
• Unofficial SEO Blog: Google Click To Call Launched In UK
• Greg Sterling: Google PPCall in UK

The walkthrough...

1. Go to Google.co.uk

2. Search for jet2

You might see search results like this. See the ads on the right?

3. Click on the ad with the phone.

4. It opens up to show a form.

Type in your phone number.

Press the "Connect for free" button.

5. The ad replaces the form with a "connecting" message.

note the reassurance of seeing your own phone number, so you know everything is going swell.

6. When you connect, the message changes again.  

7. After the call, the ad reverts to its orginal state. 

8. If you click on the "more>>" link, you go to the Google Click-to-Call FAQ  

Google Click-to-Call FAQ

1. What's the phone icon on Google search results? How does it work?

   We're testing a new product that gives you a free and fast way to speak directly to the advertiser you found on a Google search results page - over the phone.
   
   Here's how it works: When you click the phone icon, you'll be invited to enter your phone number. Once you click 'Connect For Free,' Google calls the number you provided. When you pick up, you hear ringing on the other end as Google connects you to the other party. When they answer, you simply talk normally as you would with any other call.

2. Who will get my phone number?
   
   Google uses the phone number you enter just once, to make the automatic connection between you and the advertiser. Your number is blocked so that the advertiser can't see it. Google doesn't share your number with the advertiser, and we won't use the number to make any other calls to you. In addition, your information will be deleted from our servers after a period reasonably necessary to operate the service. We take your privacy very seriously. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
   
3. Whose caller ID do I see when connected?

   The advertiser's number appears on your caller ID when Google connects you. This way, you can save the merchant's number for future call-backs.

4. Am I charged to connect to an advertiser?

   No. Google foots the bill for all calls, both local and long-distance. However, if you give us a mobile phone number, your normal airtime fees or other fees charged by your provider for the call may apply

Google ads come and go so you may not be able to repeat this.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Monday marks the start of Fall VON and really the first conference for which I, as a blogger, have been registered well in advance as "Press". Over the past few weeks I started receiving emails from public relations representatives (either internal or external to the sponsoring company) and, with a few exceptions -- they know who they are because we have lined up meetings --, have been underwhelmed by the quality of the approaches and messages.

In my past lives I have been on the "client" side of the podium, both as an executive of a publicly traded high technology company and as head of an industry trade organization. I have also had some basic PR training; in Canada I worked with one agency whom I have always considered my PR mentor. They continue to be very professional in their approach, their media relationships and their innovation in getting a story out. Although I have never had any journalism training, I have always had a better than average command of composing stories, writing documentation and general English grammar which I credit to some high school teachers who gave me an early appreciation of the English language. I also hold both technology and business degrees. My experience has also brought me into understanding the pressures CxO's are under with respect to achieving both business and financial goals whether it's a mature business meeting published shareholder expectations or a startup looking for new financing.

So when I found Andy Abramson's VoIP Watch post this evening, Jeff on PR and My View, I was relieved to find I was not the only one questioning how we, as "press", were being deluged with impersonal emails and poorly expressed interview invitations. Since Mark Evans has described Andy as one "who knows the P.R. and VoIP industries like the back of his hand" and Hugh McLeod provides insights through his graphics, I will not comment further; however, in my trip to Boston this week here is what I will be looking for in my interviews:

1. First, our weblog is called Skype Journal, so, even though we are independent of Skype, I need to know how Skype (and its partners and competitors) fit into your story. I am interested in VoIP end user devices, PBX's that can integrate Skype into a business's communications strategy and user applications that embed Skype (or other VoIP-based services). Even though I hold an engineering degree, I have no interest in stories about IMS, session border controllers, test equipment,.SIP vs Skype-proprietary protocols or other such infrastructure paraphenalia. They have a role but, as a Skype enthusiast, I am interested in how this all impacts end users, their ability to easily get onto a service and their motivation to keep on using it..
2. Secondly I am looking for stories on how the user (consumer or business person) can use Skype-based devices and applications to improve their interpersonal and business communications. This show comes at a time when the Skype ecosystem, and some other VoIP ecosystems, are breaking out of the technoworld and getting sufficiently extensive to allow the non-technical user to start using Skype and other VoIP services with a minimal learning curve. It is about user interfaces that are familiar but gradually draw the user into taking advantage of the inherent VoIP technology; it is about applications that can make our business and personal lives simpler and more manageable.
3. Thirdly, I am not only interested in your product or service that meets the above criteria; I am also interested in where your product is positioned within the overall VoIP and general IP telecommunications space. Who are your competitors? Who are your partners who will help you succeed? Give me not only your feature set but also your market positioning.
4. Fourthly, what is your business model? What value add do you bring that justifies a third party becoming your customer? or end user? How will your business become sustainable? What marketing strategy do you have to grow the revenue around your product or service?
5. Fifthly, while we are called Skype Journal, we are independent of Skype. Started by a few Skype enthusiasts, we can only hope our articles provide background that will influence decisions at Skype as they build their ecosystem but we cannot be responsible for whatever decisions they make.
6. Finally, why should I pass along your story? Our readers are looking for new ways to take advantage of Skype, to communicate with friends, customers and business partners more effectively, to keep their costs minimized.

Go back and read Alan Weinkrantz's comments to Jeff Pulver's post that triggered Andy. It's an excellent primer. And thanks to Hugh McLeod, a UK-based PR professional who promotes Stormhoek wine and bespoke suits, for providing one of his hand drawn business cards in a timely manner (hat tip to Shel Israel).

I look forward to an exciting and invigorating week. And some great stories that I can pass along about the Skype ecosystem and its role in the IP communications space.

And don't forget your Hawaiian shirt on Tuesday.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm having a chat this evening with a client in Califormia. We'll be using Skype. His job is at a Big Company, but it works OK for him behind the corporate firewall. When we last talked the audio quality wasn't great, so I suspect he's tunnelling out via HTTP or HTTPS via some supernode somewhere. These protocols aren't designed to carry real-time audio, and it shows.

This brings into question whether his internal telco manager is adding or subtracting value. I've had terrible experiences inside big companies using their telephony systems, because nothing integrates with my life. As an IT consultant in times past, I'd have an office landline number I had to put on my business card. I could set up the voicemail system to call me whenever I got a voicemail. Inevitibly, I then ended up with voicemails on my mobile telling me I had voicemails on my desk phone. (No, I couldn't simply forward inbound calls -- not an enabled feature, I guess to avoid paying outbound landline-to-cellular rates.) Then you turn up at a client site, and you can't even connect to their LAN. They're paying a fortune to have you there wasting your time doing dial-up via the fax line to access the information you need. It's as if it it's 1950 and everyone sits at one desk for their whole career.

In contrast, I've been independent for 2 years now, and I enjoy a great communications experience. Me and the Telco 2.0 team all use Skype. The event has a number of contractors involved, also all on Skype. Everything works. Native Skype conference calls a great. I'd hate to go back to being a standard enterprise user now. I probably pay a tenth of what a normal managed office desktop costs, for a much better environment. Pity those corporate users on a conference call who can't even share a URL around!

I suspect a lot of enterprises would be better off firing most of their IT/comms department, buying in some simple ASP apps, giving everyone a pure and raw Internet connection, and send them off to Circuit City or PC World to get the equipment they want. Then put some VPNs in place to access sensitive corporate systems, and you're off!

For every firewall there's an equal and opposite session border controller. Save your cash, fire the firewall and board up the border controller.

Martin schmiers via Telepocalypse.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Last winter, while visiting a friend in Silicon Valley, I had a demonstration of a comprehensive personal video management system that he had set up combining SlingBox, a TiVo PVR and his WiFi-networked home office personal computer configuration that included a 300GB storage drive . This is a person who is a hard core road warrior and wants to be able to access his video recordings from anywhere on the Internet; he had configured this system to achieve this goal. Via his SlingBox Player he could perform all the TiVo functionality, call up any recorded program or PC file, whether stored on the TiVo or his 300 GB hard drive from any broadband connection to the Internet in hotels, airports, etc. But it required some work on his part to pull this all together and to maintain the integrity of the system through software and firmware upgrades, etc. After his initial demonstration I enquired about pricing and then asked, "Is this not 90% of the functionality of a Windows Media Center system at 20% to 30% of the cost?" He replied in the affirmative.

MediaREADY Inc. (formerly known as Video Without Bounderies, Inc.) is a Florida-based provider of interactive, media-ready home entertainment devices that effectively combine the functionality of the TV and networked home PC's media management features into one dedicated Linux-based device. These devices, combined with the SlingBox, can provide the equivalent functionality of my friend's configuration at a much lower cost than a TiVo combined with a home-networked Windows PC and dedicated storage hard drive . Working with a MediaREADY dedicated function device, the user can focus on managing his/her TV viewing, recording and recall without the inherent problems of a Windows system, such as sharing the processor to handle other non-media-related programs or handling Windows security issues. From an home entertainment system point of view it is simply one more box in a home entertainment cabinet as opposed to requiring full PC hardware configuration including the monitor any other attachments and the associated footprint requirements. Not to mention placing a full PC in the family or other TV viewing room may not be appreciated aesthetically (or socially) by other members of the household.

The MediaREADY 4000 and 5000 provide full personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, including searching the electronic TV guide by artists and actors, without the monthly charge associated with TiVo. Other functionality includes:

• full blown web browsing on the TV via the embedded FireFox web browser handling streaming video and building a library of websites
• email via embedded Thunderbird
• support for AIM and, as announced in a August press release, Skype
• on the 5000 only, a Read-Write DVD recorder

Operation with the embedded Skype (for Linux) client requires a USB Bluetooth dongle and any Bluetooth enabled headset or speakerphone (such as the MVOX MV900). Via the Skype client one can do all the usual activities - place a Skype call, conferencing, chat, send SMS, transfer files, etc.The bottom line is that you and a remote colleague can now co-view a TV program, such as a sports event, and have personal discussions of the content, ads (woops, did I say ads in a PVR environment?), replays and news with the remote colleague on what amounts to a private voice channel. The remote viewer may have Skype in any configuration but could also be accessed via SkypeOut. From the press release:

Beginning in September, all existing MediaREADY owners will be able to add the Skype application at no additional cost and all new units sold will have it enabled. The application requires the purchase of a Bluetooth wireless headset or conferencing unit and USB Bluetooth transceiver which will be available for purchase directly from VWB's website.

In an interview with David Novack, MediaREADY's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, he told us:

• MediaREADY's core activity is in media center development; focusing on stability and ease-of-use.
• With a voice application such as Skype, they can architect the system to take on new versions of Skype via a remote software upgrade process.
• As they are simply embedding the Skype for Liinux client into their software as it becomes publicly available and do not use the Skype API's, they have no requirement for Skype certification.
• MediaREADY devices can be accessed from any location on the Internet via SlingBox.
• Their primary distribution channels are via electronics retailers and distributors such as BestBuy, Ingram Micro and Tiger Direct Online. They also see a VAR channel via custom home theatre system installers
• They use Linux to have a more stable solution that is not on the radar as a "hacker platform".
• As the U.S. government has mandated "device neutrality" where cable operators will have to allow consumers the flexibility to use any set-top box that meets "open cable" standards under a CableLabs license, future generations of MediaREADY devices will incorporate a digital cable tuner, eliminating one more box in the home entertainment configuration.

With the emergence of SlingBox and MediaREADY devices, we are starting to see a trend of dedicated function devices that take applications initially developed for a broadly supported platform, such as Windows or Mac OS/X, and deliver their respective functionalities in a much lower cost, more user friendly platform that can still be managed remotely when upgrades and new features, such as Skype and AIM, are embedded into the device. And the MediaREADY devices, with access to both Skype and AIM, are demonstrating that the private voice channel can be agnostic to any service providing voice capability; this is a classic example where the consumer is not limited by the device vendor's choice of voice service provider.

And, with MediaREADY's Skype integration, we are seeing applications of Skype (and VoIP) that would never be considered for, or available on, a legacy PSTN phone network.

So time to get out the pop, beer, wine and snacks, turn on the MediaREADY-enhanced home entertainment systems, connect to a few of your friends via its Skype channel, and start a virtual tailgating party discussing the play-by-play of the new NFL (or, in Europe, Football) season with your friends regardless of where they are located geographically.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Skype Journal Exclusive

The marriage of Skype and Asterisk technologies has been a long-time dream for many business owners who love Skype. The time for dreaming is over. You can now deploy.

Canadian Call Center Pioneer Pika Technologies, Inc announced today a seamless, scalable connection between Skype and Asterisk. "This is not a trick-based solution around Call Forwarding a Skype Client," David Clarke, the Pika's BusDev guy tells me.

David has led this exciting project since its inception back in the spring of this year.

Once a call from Skype is terminated on an Asterisk machine then the business and Call Center markets should blossom for Skype. Pika's technology will boost Skype's user base in North America. Terminating Skype calls on a PBX (Asterisk or whatever) is not new. VoSky Exchange, Spintronics, ZipCom and Skype2PBX all do this. But David tells me "these USB-based interfaces are limited in functionality and are not scalable."

I asked, "David, Skype users cannot buy a SkypeIn number in Canada. Can your technology help a business who needs that capability?"

"Yes, Bill, it can. It is simply a matter of purchasing a Direct Inward Dialing number (DID). That will terminate to the Asterisk Call Center Server and Asterisk will transfer it to your SkypeID without incurring a SkypeOut charge. Remember Bill, we can even terminate SIP numbers to a Skype Client."

"We will be at the VON Fall conference in Boston next week. Our technology goes live on our Web site later today so Skype Users can reach us on Skype. We are looking for companies who have deployed Asterisk to do beta-trails with us. We will ship product in November."

"You sound excited David." "You bet I am Bill. Around our office I refer to what we are doing as a mash up of Skype and Asterisk technologies. It is exciting because it takes Skype users anywhere they want to go and back. SIP, Analog and digital PSTN without incurring SkypeOut minutes, and does so without affecting audio quality due to issues such as latency, etc. Our AllOnHost™ voice processing technology is for businesses, this is for Call Centers, this is business class product.

The beauty of our product is it saves our customers money and it makes it more convenient for them to contact us. This game is all about the customer."

Thanks David, it looks like you've got a breakthrough technology. Thanks for sharing it with me and our readers. No more dreaming about when we will get Call Center functionality for Skype. It's here. And love your price point. $35 per port. Smart. Cheaper than a USB Adapter! All I can say is wow!

Addendum
While I was writing the story David was deploying their product inside Pika.

I got this Chat Message from David on Skype: "for interest sake would you like to test the live system? go to www.pikatech.com. it should be fairly intuitive to use. when you hit our auto attendant my extension is 1052"

I clicked his link and...

Clicked the call button, listened to the Auto Call Attendant, entered the 1052 extention, and David answers, "Bill you are the first to test our system." Lucky me, the voice quality was the Skype perfection I am used too; lucky David. (Grin)

Try it. Give David a call.

Posted by Bill Campbell at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

In a previous post I talked about the announcement of the Open AIM PhoneLine initiative and how, as one of their launch partnerships, they will be working with iotum to incorporate iotum's Relevance Engine call management service into AIM PhoneLine. But there is another story behind the scenes in terms of how iotum and the AOL PhoneLine API development team came together to bring about this service.

Driven initially by its military connections where Halifax, Nova Scotia is Canada's major east coast naval base as well as home to a major oceanography research center and four universities, Halifax has been a hotbed of Internet technology since the early days of ARPANet. In the late 1980's one of the navy's custom software vendors, Software Kinetics, got involved with ARPANet and ended up migrating the technology to open one of Canada's first Internet Service Providers called NSTN.  When the first national Canadian event on the commercial Internet was held in Toronto in early 1994, NSTN was the poster child for what could be accomplished over the Internet; they even had a bookstore making sales worldwide.  During the late 1990's I was consulting for Software Kinetics, visited Halifax many times and came to appreciate that Halifax was an "under-the-radar" mini-hotbed of Internet technology and innovation. So it was no surprise to me when I learned that AOL had setup their AOL PhoneLine development team in Halifax through an acquisition of InfoInteractive who had previously developed some infrastructure software for use with AOL's services.

This Halifax team has become the core team for development of the API's and other tools required to expose AIM PhoneLine to third party developers who can the innovate in ways such as mentioned in today's press release. They are responsible for establishing requirements, design of the API's and their architecture, call control interfacing, developing certification specifications as well as testing and the accompanying test environments. But Howard Thaw of iotum calls it a "Think Tank for Creativity". Their criteria for success include:

• make a program that is appealing to developers
• provide rich tools and a higher level of API's than simply links to protocols
• make the program easy to join and to participate
• make it a platform for innovation while using the AIM PhoneLine infrastructure

Howard explained to me how iotum and the AOL PhoneLine team developed a partnering process. iotum initially explained what they needed; the AOL team explained what they could expose through API's. The two groups went through some brainstorming sessions and then established specifications for API's that were broad enough to be used by any development partner. Both parties then developed or modified their software through an iterative process always exchanging experiences and feedback. The entire process also had to involve security and operations issues which, in turn, brought input and feedback from appropriate personnel at the AOL network operations center. Howard mentioned there were some conference calls with as many as 15 people participating. The entire process was especially beneficial to iotum as they were able to contribute input and feedback to the development of the call transfer API functionality fundamental to iotum's service.

They worked under requirements where there was:

• no tolerance for product defects or not working
• intensive quality control
• a willingness and openness for discussing what makes a good user experience along with a good partner experience for the innovating partner.

Howard sums it up by saying that AOL has created the poster child for the developer experience with AOL PhoneLine. And he gives full marks to David Trueman, the technology team leader at AOL PhoneLine Halifax for pulling it off.

With a goal of providing a demonstration at Fall VON they took about eight weeks to work out the details and process described above. It was then a matter of days required to build the final product and service integration.

More details and background are at Alec Saunders' post today. Note in particular Alec's attribution of this program's achievements to date to AOL VP Ragui Kanel who provided much of the vision and guidance required to champion such a program. Jeff Pulver, who introduced iotum to AOL almost a year ago, provides additional insight:

Kamel's idea was to find companies who could be part of an ecosystem which he and his team are building around a set of API's. It's those API's that make it easy for developers to be able to leverage and easily reach the AOL installed user base of AIM Instant Messenger users.

What are the implications for Skype?

• First I would make the point that Skype has many partners who have worked successfully with the Skype partner development team. Many presented at the Skype Developer conference in June and many left that conference feeling they knew where Skype was going with its API program over the next six months to year.
• There are many Skype partners demonstrating products at Fall VON next week. Many have highlighted in their invitations for press interviews how they worked with Skype to achieve Skype certification.
• On the other hand, while Lenn Pryor led this team for the past year and took the developer program to its current level of achievement, Skype's new Development Program Director, Paul Amery needs to demonstrate through execution his initial commitments to (i) a rich, evolving platform of API's and supporting components, (ii) a rapid painless route to market and (iii) a responsive support and development program.
• At the Skype Developer Conference in early June the most requested API's were:
  • a connection to the Skype voice stream; this is available in the Skype API 2.6 beta released a week ago
  • a Naked Skype that would allow the Skype "engine" to be embedded within partner clients
  • call transfer functionality. Announced as coming out for Skype to Skype calls this fall and Skype to PSTN calls in early 2007, this is the key API required such that iotum's Relevance Engine can be interfaced into Skype but is sought by many other current and potential partners.

While both Skype and AOL recognize the need for Partner programs as a key element of their ecosystems, partners need to offer innovative service offerings which can support a sustainable and growing business by delivering true value-add. The good news for both users and partners is that there are now two recognized players providing opportunities for innovation and enhanced voice-enabled services. The future promises to be interesting with two keen, enthusiastic and passionately committed Development Partner teams in the game. And who would have thought ten years ago that key players delivering leading edge technology today would be in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Tallin, Estonia?

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Peter Burch skyped me from Paris to ask why France is the first country in Europe to get a promotion like the USA's and Canada's. Unlimited SkypeOut to French landlines until 31 December 2006.

Sadly, France is its own zone, so no calling between France and North America. Also, Monaco not included. And doesn't include SkypeOut due to Skype forwarding or to mobiles.

Is four months long enough for a promotion like this to build buzz? To teach French Skypers le joy of SkypeOut?

Posted by Phil Wolff at 03:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

AOL has a long history of innovation. Initially launched as a proprietary pre-Internet personal communications platform building up to several million users via dialup connections, AOL has evolved its integration into the Internet to the point where it recently broke down its "closed garden" business model and opened up the majority of its content and services to anyone visiting their site. It has certainly gone down a bumpy road with its history of balancing the conflicting needs of innovation against the needs of an operation bureaucracy looking for a profitable business model. At one point it was the poster child for the Bubble 1.0 bust as the business world tried to work out business models to provide a profitable combination of both infrastructure services and (syndicated) content. Breaking down the walled garden is but one example of the direction it is going under new leadership.

Last week there were several posts (Aswath, GigaOm) about the closure of AOL's TotalTalk, where AOL effectively recognized there is little to gain by playing in the pure legacy telephone replacement game and has decided to abandon it. Earlier this week there were several posts (Jon Arnold, Andy Abramson, Mark Evans) discussing Vonage's latest quarterly results; the common theme is that Vonage is spending such enormous sums on customer recruitment that there is little hope of profitability in the foreseeable future. Cablecos and legacy telcos offering DSL services have a leg up as they already have a customer base to whom they can market. But Andy at VoIP Watch sums it up best when talking about the demise of AOL Total Talk in his Requiem for the Future of VoIP:

Rather than look at it as a failure, my take on this is AOL really has seen the future sooner than others. Much like the BT announcement earlier this week about their softclient, and like their other online portal player competitors including Yahoo, Google and MSN, AOL's Voice Team has seen the future of telephony and is moving in that direction with AIM PhoneLine, and the burgeoning ecosystem that already has started to bubble earlier this month at the VoIP Developer's Conference, and will likely have a big boost at VON in Boston next month.

But unlike Yahoo and MSN who have so many internal battles to fight, AOL as part of Time Warner has leadership that is smart enough to not fight a marketer (Time Warner Cable) who wants to sell a phone 1.0 replacement, and instead is focusing on Phone 2.0 and where it can be.

Today AOL issued a press release outlining their execution on the Voice 2.0 Manifesto through building an ecosystem around their AIM Triton IM client and its AIM PhoneLine service called the Open AIM PhoneLine initiative. AOL will introduce three API's this fall that will give developers and hardware partners the ability to:

• Personalize the AIM Phoneline service by adding ringback tones and unique ring tones for frequent callers.
• Enable a wide variety of USB devices such as speakerphones and phone adapters that will allow standard cordless phones to initiate and receive calls with the AIM Phoneline service.
• Build new call management functionality into the AIM Phoneline service such as context and relevance-based call handling that could treat each call on the basis of rules that use Caller ID, online presence, calendar activities and more.

• MyNuMo, an online content community demonstrating ringtones that allow personalization by caller, and
• MVox Technologies, demonstrating their versatile speakerphone technology linked into AIM PhoneLine
• Iotum's Voice 2.0 call management service using the iotum Relevance Engine

By combining the AOL PhoneLine API's with iotum's Relevance Engine, inbound AOL PhoneLine calls can be directed to voice mail or AIM's Triton client or, if the user has the Unlimited Plan, to the user's wireless phone. Potential applications include using the service as a second line to home-based businesses to triage incoming calls such that the existing customer base gets priority attention.

This is a break through for iotum in that

1. it becomes their first platform that makes their Relevance Engine available to a broad consumer audience, namely, AIM's 43 million registered users.
2. they can focus on their core expertise and incorporate it into AOL's platform that manages the infrastructure issues such as providing phone numbers, call termination and switching.
3. For iotum, it is the first agreement where users can simply extend their current setup to incorporate and experience their Relevance Engine. There is no need to purchase additional equipment, subscribe to an additional service and/or write interfacing software (such as with their PhoneGnome or Asterisk implementations).
4. AOL will promote its partners' applications and devices at an on online store that users can access by simply clicking the "Shop" link off of the AIM Phoneline dashboard.

In an interview with Alec Saunders, iotum's CEO and author of the Voice 2.0 Manifesto, he made the following points:

• AOL wants to create a community of innovation by opening up appropriate API's to developers. For instance, opening up API"s to PhoneLine's switching infrastructure allows iotum to handle call transfers. This is a feature that Skype has said will only be available in Q1 of 2007.
• Development of call transfer functionality requires not simply creation of an appropriate API but iterative co-operation between the platform vendor (AOL in this case) and the technology team at the partner (iotum) to develop an API specification such that the logistics of call transfer functionality operate in a user friendly manner while meeting the general business process rules for handling call transfer.. In this case iotum worked over the past few months with an AOL developer team in Halifax, Nova Scotia to come up with the relevant API. How this happened will be the subject of a separate post.
• The demonstrations at Fall VON next week are the launch of a startup phase with the final service becoming available by year end.
• While details of a launch marketing plan still need to be worked out, users will be able to subscribe to the service via AOL's store front; the business model involves revenue sharing with AOL as the conduit responsible for recruiting customers..
• The AOL PhoneLine team has been "a superb partner to work with; they have been responsive; they provide promotional opportunities and they've delivered".

At Fall VON next week I will be looking for examples of execution on the Voice 2.0 Manifesto as it provides the route to sustainable and growing profitability for Telco 2.0. The demonstration of iotum running on AOL Phone Line is certainly one stop I will be making and reporting on.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 05:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Skylook 2.0 for Skype and Outlook is coming next month, beefs up sophisticated alerting and remote controls. The coolest thing is it uses Skype to bring live activity in Outlook to your mobile phone when you're away from your desktop. If you live in Outlook, take a look at their preview page for screenshots and a 10% discount coupon.

15 Apps for Recording Skype Conversations. I think this is the most complete list at the moment. Good job, Andy Boyd. 10 for Windows, 5 for Mac. I'd add YapperNut's Amy recorder for Windows, free download, and bundled with the YapperMouse mouse+phone for Skype. Any recorders for Linux or Skype mobile? For Skype video calls?

Transcribe your Skype conversations. Nuance's Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 for Windows is out, $99 upgrade. This should be built-in functionality for enterprise versions of Skype. One of the ways you add value is convert Skype calls to text, and post them to team blogs as meeting minutes.

Skype for Windows Beta Preview updated today. The latest version 2.6.0.74, a hefty 12 Mb, takes care of a few rare but nasty bugs and adds a Google toolbar for Internet Explorer with a Skype button on it. (I'm waiting for a Firefox googlebar, please.) The Help | Check for update menu command won't tell you there's this newer version.

Keynoter simulSkypecast from South African conference today. Stephen Downes on learning objects. Downes almost always make me angry when he talks, because he rudely challenges my worldview with facts and logic. And then, maybe minutes or days later, it sinks in and I get it. This was a fast and free way to bring the world into a conference, hopefully others will take note.

FireOlive.com is a Google News + Skype mashup. Call in with Skype or phone, record your thoughts on a news topic, and your message goes live on the site within 2 - 5 minutes. It's blindingly simple, and addictive. I can't wait for this to become a common feature on other news sites like digg or slashdot.

Skype developers can win $2,000. Funambol put a Skype PIM Plug-in on its hit list of extensions with open bounties. They want to sync a user's Skype data with the Funambol mobile app.

China to be First Internet Nation next year. More broadband users than US, fertile ground for consumer VoIP and net television, say two research firms. As important as North America is to eBay this year, I'll bet China takes on new importance for both eBay and Skype next year. vnunet article.

Got a tip? Leave a note!

Posted by Phil Wolff at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

• DEMO China. Sep 06 - Sep 08, Tianjin.

• Star Trek 40th Anniversary Celebration & Conference. Sep 08 - Sep 10, Seattle, Washington at The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. But you can celebrate anywhere. Remember, Gene Rodenberry's folks were showing wearable combadges, machine translation, and flip-top phones on television in the 1960s, setting expectations we rose to fill. "Skype Trek" anyone?

• VON - Fall 2006. Sep 11- 14, Boston, Massachussetts. This is old-school VoIP's big get together, where everyone's selling to carriers and the huge enterprise. They've had a year since eBay shocked them by paying billions for Skype. Now everyone's had a year to react. How smart are the responses?
  
  Several companies will launch Skype-related products at VON.
  
  Skype Journal's Jim Courtney, Kevin Delaney, and Martin Geddes will be there; Kevin and Martin speaking.

• Digital ID World 2006: Managing The Decentralization of Identity. Sep 11 - Sep 13, Santa Clara, California. Managing user directories, architecting name spaces, authentication, authorization, identity banking, identity brokering, ID lifecycles, namespace harmonization. Managing digital identity is just one thing that Skype helps user do but that others do better.
  
  Stuart Henshall and I will be there.

• MobileHCI 06 - Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services. Sep 12 - 15. Espoo, Finland. Designing Skype for PCs is only vaguely like designing for devices that fit in the hand, with poor resolution, spotty connectivity, positional awareness, and that travel in your bag or pocket. We'll know Skype for mobiles are maturing as (a) their user experiences distill Skype's essence while (b) diverging from Skype for the Desktop's design assumptions and conventions.

• The Future of Web Apps Summit. Sep 13 - Sep 14, San Francisco. A killer cast of Web 2.0 luminaries (aka the people you see at all of these events.) AJAX and web services redux, maybe a few new ideas.

• Social Network Tools and their Business Application: Blogs, Podcasting, Instant Messaging, RSS and Wikis. Sep 20 - 21, London. Classes. Reminds me of the Social Tools in the Enterprise Symposium I spoke at two summers' ago. Euan, buy Stowe a glass of red for me.

• OneWebDay: A time to celebrate the Internet. Sep 22, all over the world. "One web, One world, One day." What will you do to share your appreciation of the net? I'm still working on my project.

• LoveParade SF. Sep 23 - Sep 24, San Francisco.

• Internet Research 7.0: Internet Convergences. Sep 27 - 30. Brisbane, Australia. Scientists from around the world sharing their findings. Huge conference, 200+ sessions. Brilliant hallway. Would love to see Pamela Koch's presentation: Beauty is in the Eye of the QQ User: Perceptions and Press about Instant Messaging in China. A shout out to fellow metablogger Alex Halavais.

Know an event we should cover? Leave a comment here or a tip.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week Skype issued two press releases (Philips and NetGear here and Panasonic here) relating to partnerships that involve cordless Skype phones. No PC required! Just Plug-and-Call -- from anywhere in your home. Basically they comprise a base station that connects directly to your home router as a well as a cradle for the base station handset and the portable handset itself. They provide a degree of freedom that allows you to make Skype calls from anywhere within the cordless phone's radio range with minimum installation hassles. Another vendor, Ascalade, has also announced they are showing Skype Certified cordless phones at Fall VON.

Why the sudden interest in cordless phones? Well, Russell Shaw references two more cordless Skype phone announcements (US Robotics and Linksys); then he goes on to explain all this activity may result from the fact that our homes are getting larger (about 50% on average relative to 1975) and we want the flexibility, range and portability inherent to cordless phones. He goes on to point out other factors: more rooms, more air conditioning and a higher percentage of two story homes.

Garrett Smith goes on to reinforce Russell's arguments, stating that his sales data  and sales floor experience interacting with customers demonstrate that customers will pay a premium (of over $100 per handset) for the convenience:

In general, most consumers found the entire process surrounding the use of a telephone adaptor difficult to fully wrap their head around. What if I have five phones in my home (a typical telephone adaptor only allows for two phone lines)? Does this mean only two of them can use VoIP? What if I want all five phones to utilize VoIP (you need to use multiple adaptors)?

Once again simplicity for the customer rules! S/he doesn't want the hassle of configuring ATA adapters, being tied down to a single room to make phone calls or rewiring their home to accommodate Skype access. An additional challenge for Skype cordless phones will be to bring the Skype Contact client to the phone's handset via a user-intuitive interface (probably involving a display screen and five-way joystick). Since Skype Users don't have a "phone number" this combination replaces the keypad to "dial" a call; simplicity of operation and access will once again determine who are the winners in this play. The VoIPvoice UConnect adapter gets part way there; it uses speech recognition to select the Contact when away from the PC that connects the handset to Skype access (and, of course, uses standard phone numbers for SkypeOut calls) - just need to remember the list of Skype Contact Names and to hit the "#" key to start a pure Skype call.

So when viewing these cordless phones at VON next week, keep in mind that customers want a familiar user interface (ideally an extension of the traditional TouchTone keypad), simplified installation (just plug-and-phone), an intuitive contact directory and the savings associated with Skype and SkypeOut if they are being asked to pay a premium price. Of course Skype Journal will be there to report on our experience with them.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week my Windows configuration finally collapsed under the weight of too many installs/uninstalls. When four different program upgrades won't install properly (including the new Skype 2.6 beta) and come up during the installation attempts with dialogue boxes that only the most dedicated and focused developer would understand, it's time to re-install Windows XP from a fresh start.

How did I know my configuration (and/or Windows Installer) was corrupt? When I went to reinstall the previous version of Skype (2.5) I got the same error dialogue box and there was not a trace of Skype left in Add/Remove Programs. And I had recently experienced two other programs that balked at upgrade attempts.

Given I had acquired a "newly released": Dell Inspiron 6400 last spring, the rebuild turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I found that Dell had provided five updates of the ROMBIOS and new versions of almost every relevant driver. I was able to not only back up "My Documents" (using Backup My PC Deluxe) but also backup both my Skype "content" (mostly Chat dialogues and Call/Session History) and my Qumana blog editor data for restoration on the rebuilt Windows platform. One additional benefit (maybe): the Windows power management features seem to be more reliable and to acting in the manner one would expect.

If you are in this situation or moving your operations to a new laptop or desktop PC, you will find the Skype data in C:\Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\Skype\{SkypeName}. Simply copy this Folder, including its contents, to your backup drive. Once you have reinstalled Skype copy this backup content back into the same Folder where you will overwrite the same set of files created by the new installation of Skype.

Same for Qumana; here the key Folder is C:\Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\Qumana. As a result of this backup and restore I did not even have to re-enter my blogs' URL's and I still have all the draft blogs I am working on.

Probably a good idea to include these Folders in your standard backup routine for the day your disk comes to a crashing halt or your laptop is stolen. Or your Windows installation becomes so corrupt you cannot install upgrades.

As for my configuration I hope with all this updated firmware, driver software and a clean Windows platform, I can last through many more installs/uninstalls in providing content for Skype Journal. Should it not, a repeat experience may also convince me to try a MacBook for my next PC. Of course then Skype would then have to come out with their Skype for Mac with Video!

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• New ways to prove your identity online. Third-party authenticators. Maybe they can pick the real George W. Bush in Skype's user directory. WSJ via The Progress Bar.

• Samsung demos 4G WiBro, 1Gbps wireless service, 100Mbps on a moving bus. Droolbait. Completely changes the kinds of apps we can provide if it's affordable. First shipping to South Korea in 2010, coming to your neighborhood... via Slashdot.

• Hands-on with the Sony Mylo. Engadget photo shoot shows lots of tactile appeal. Some readers balked at the $350 price point, missed camera/phone service, etc. Sam Morrison's encouraging comments:

  The reason I bought the mylo is because I was looking for a good Skype phone. I don't use a traditional land line and the mylo is supposed to also connect to hotspots that require browser authentication (the Sony support lady says so). The other wi-fi Skype phones don't do that. Also, for traveling, this device is very convenient. I will be in Japan this month, there are many hotspots in Japan, and I don't have to take my laptop just to check my email and make a couple blog posts.
  
  This isn't for everyone, but for someone like me, who refuses to give the local telco or mobile phone companies a penny, this should be a convenient Skype phone. And for the price? Fifty bucks more than the NETGEAR WiFi Phone for Skype, plus video, plus music, plus web browsing, GTalk & Yahoo Messenger? None of the smart phones can beat that for the price.

• SkypeMoU and Project U-Dollar. Still in development, but their mockup shows a modified Skype for Windows user interface. Each of your contacts have "Upay" or "PayU" settings, based on your relationship. Just in case you want to be paid (or pay) for talking with someone. How about "Presence that Pays" for a slogan?

  

Posted by Phil Wolff at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Ken Camp makes a call to Women in VoIP to gripe about the few females at internet telephony conferences like those run by Jeff Pulver and Rich Tehrani and Tim O'Reilly.

In the last episode, the Office 2.0 conference had 53 men and 1 woman speaking. Gender imbalance? The organizer invited friends and strangers and that's how his personal network fell out. Reactions include asking speakers to step down, boycotts, the F-word. And building lists of women.

At least in the United States, women start more small businesses than men and are graduating at higher rates from high schools and engineering schools. So there is a vast pool to draw from. So if that's not the problem...

It's not about finding women speakers. It's about

• making it easy
• to find smart people
• with experience as speakers
• on a given topic,
• in a time frame,
• for a budget,
• outside your social network's event horizon,
• and selecting or deselecting for personal and professional characteristics, like religion, gender, ethnicity, and culture. (BlogHer clearly wasn't shooting for gender balance.)

Essentially, discovering the right strangers to invite to a conversation.

The world of matchmaking.

Of dating.

Of job search and recruiting.

Of Skype's people search.

They are markets of individual conversations. People offering a service and wanting a service, sharing a market. (Remind me sometime to talk about micromarket asymetry, where power is unequally shared among those who have and those who want.)

Conventions collect conversations into packages. Even open space and unconference events, where speakers are selected last minute by the attendees, fit this definition.

Secondary markets come in several forms. Convention programmers make markets for their conversation bundles (called conferences). Others show up as media, like podcasts of interviews or talk radio.

Systems which make matches efficiently (like the Monster.coms of the world) are often ineffective, making good matches. That's why some sites at least try to wrap the match in magic (Dr. Phil's advice to the lovelorn) or science (Ph.D. verified psychometric tests).

Back to women...

Diversity of thought and experience keeps markets, and conferences, vigorous. Balance proven relevance with serendipity, assuring somebody challenges your worldviews and assumptions. My favorite events leave me unsettled; perturbed from my usual orbit.

For example, I went to Blogher, a blogging conference for women (mostly). I'm in the red shirt in Hollyster's The Men of Blogher flickr set. Among other things, I was an obvious minority among 500 women, at a gathering where women's subcultures so clearly ruled. Speakers made meaning differently. It was less about painting a vision, than about sharing stories. Not so much sharing facts and observations as it was about bringing facts into the context of life experience. Not necessarily the way I blog or speak.

I'm looking forward to the Office 2.0 discussions, not this metathread about gender. More on how Skype fits into the Office 2.0 context soon.

Posted by Phil Wolff at 01:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A few days ago Alec Saunders, Mark Evans, Jon Arnold and a blushing Andy Abramson all drew attention to a "ranking" of VoIP blogs put out by Garrett Smith of SmithOnVoip. Even Garrett himself admits his poll is somewhat arbitrary; he did outline his criteria and they have been repeated (and praised) in some of the linked posts. Skype Journal came out well at a number 6 ranking in Garrett's Top 10 list. Very encouraging and rewarding to find we are that far up.

Luca Filigheddu, an Italian blogger on VoIP topics, reviewed Garrett's poll and then determined his own ranking based on Technorati rankings. Whereas Garrett's "Smith Blog Rating System" rankings are "agreeably" subjective, Luca's Technorati rankings are based on linkage statistics. Luca's rankings switch Andy and Om for top spot but they always (deservedly) want bragging rights (!) and we always like to see a little competition at the top. Six of the Technorati Top 10 appear also in Smith's Top 10. Eight out of thirty in each poll only appear in the one poll. Interesting, but purely coincidental that Skype Journal is the only Top 10 to have consistency of ranking in each system at sixth place..

Bottom line for me is that I have added a few more VoIP blogs to my personal blog reader and get a wider diversity of news and opinion for linkage in Skype Journal posts. And thanks to all who give us link love at Skype Journal.

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Posted by Jim Courtney at 01:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)