SIGHTSPEED 6.0 NAMED ONE OF “100 BEST PRODUCTS OF 2007” BY PC WORLD

SightSpeed Inc., the leading provider of personal video service s over the Internet, has announced that the latest version of its software, SightSpeed 6.0, was honored by PC World with a “100 Best Products of 2007 Award.” The article is available now on PCWorld.com and also will be featured in the July 2007 issue of PC World, which hits newsstands June 12.
SightSpeed 6.0 placed in the top quarter of the list, landing in spot No. 21. SightSpeed offers the first complete suite of personal video services delivered over the Internet. The service s are available for both Windows PCs and Macintosh personal computers, and are interoperable between both.
SightSpeed 6.0 was released earlier this year with a more elegant user interface, improvements in its already best-in-class video quality and the ability to record live SightSpeed calls on the fly, among its many upgrades. Importantly, behind the scenes, SightSpeed 6.0 represents the company’s completion of its conversion to an all-new, highly scalable and robust SIP architecture, setting the stage for exciting partnership and interoperability opportunities in the coming months (including IP calling to hardware devices like SIP-enabled telephones, video phones and mobile phones).
The respected 100 Best Products Awards honor products that meld practical features with innovation and reflect the rapidly changing technology marketplace. To select the winners, PC World’s editors examined hundreds of products, including those that have appeared in the magazine over the past 12 months. The 100 winning products and services were selected for their exemplary design and usability, features, performance and innovation.
“Products that win PC World’s 100 Best Products of 2007 Awards set the standard for excellence in the IT and consumer electronics industries,” stated Harry McCracken, vice-president/editor in chief of PC World. “From notebooks and security software to MP3 players and smartphones, the editors reward the most outstanding performers in this annual awards program. Congratulations to SightSpeed.”
“SightSpeed is delighted to be included among the list of the top technology products in the marketplace today,” said SightSpeed CEO Peter Csathy. “We’ve worked hard to make SightSpeed 6.0 the best personal video service and overall communications suite available anywhere, and it’s gratifying to be recognized by the editors of PC World for our efforts.”
Through SightSpeed, users with webcams can place what has been widely praised as being the best free video calls, leave video messages or post videos to their blogs or personal Web pages. SightSpeed also offers unlimited PC-to-PC voice-only calling (works great for Macs, too), and provides calling to and from traditional and cell phones.
To learn more about SightSpeed or to download SightSpeed 6.0 for Windows or Mac, visit www.SightSpeed.com .

Telepressence service provider Telanetix is putting pressure on Cisco and others

Telanetix is putting a lot of pressure on big providers such as Cisco systems and Hewlett-Packard to lower the cost of their services especially in the area of telepressence. Telanetix is a telepresence provider and they are doing it so well that the big companies are feeling the pressure. The big companies are now being forced to slash their prices. According to Equity research firm Dutton Associates, the revenues of Telanetix is estimated to grow from approximately $13 million this year to about $25 million in 2008
If there’s an ace up Telanetix’s sleeve, it’s bargain-basement pricing. In March, the San Diego-based company announced that its Executive Digital Presence system is now available on a $1,000 per month financing plan – a fraction of the minimal quarter-of-a-million dollar investment required by telepresence providers such as Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard.
No wonder companies are paying attention. Says Jayanth Angl, an Info-Tech Research Group analyst: “Being able to outfit a room for $1,000 a month with no upfront investment is quite attractive.” Not to mention the opportunity such pricing creates for Telanetix to broaden telepresence’s target audience from Fortune 100s to the middle market.
But how is a young outfit able to offer a fully featured telepresence solution at a much lower rate? One of the factors contributing to this price point is Executive Digital Presence system’s minimal reliance on proprietary components, adherence to industry standards and use of third-party networks for connectivity. By integrating with legacy videoconferencing equipment, Telanetix’s solution reduces companies’ capital and labor costs.
Says Angl: “If you have existing investments in videoconferencing equipment and you’re able to retain that, it’s a benefit compared to Cisco’s system which is very much a proprietary solution.”
And then there’s the issue of scalability. While many telepresence vendors are focused on transforming conference rooms into high-impact, virtual meeting environments, Telanetix takes a modular approach with a solution that can easily fit into an existing room.
“With Cisco and with HP as well, there are very strict room requirements so the solution actually includes the furniture, lighting, audio and video equipment,” says Angl. “The intention is to ensure an optimal meeting experience but what we’ve seen is that it actually limits some opportunities for deployment within different enterprises.”
So far, Telanetix’s approach has proved effective. In January, the company beat their competition to a major contract from Mercedes-Benz USA, which plans to use the system to link field offices throughout the United States with the main campus located in Montvale, New Jersey.
But Cisco isn’t breaking a sweat just yet. “There’s very little magic in the world so you tend to get what you pay for,” warns David Hsieh, director of marketing for the Cisco TelePresence System. Hsieh says a telepresence system worth its weight should be able to deliver life-size projections, zero latency and high-resolution video.
In the end, it’s up to buyers to do their homework and to determine if such cost savings compromise a quality experience. “We’ll continue to see a lot of pretenders in the marketplace that will take advantage of some of the hype and energy around telepresence,” says Hsieh.
All said it is a known fact that competition is good for the market and the consumers stand to gain the most when their is competition. So, I say ride on Telanetix!

Game Developers are Now Supported by Skype Developer Program

During today’s keynote address at TMC’s Communications Developer Conference, Paul Amery, director of the Skype™ Developer Program, officially announced Skype’s new Game Developer Program and the introduction of a new Skype Game Channel.
“Skype users are doing more than just placing voice calls and we are constantly looking for new ways to enhance their overall internet communications experience,” said Amery. “People are increasingly using Skype to interact with one another, with many choosing to play simple games like checkers or backgammon. However, the tremendous number of Skype’s users makes it an ideal environment for multi-player and community-based games in which people can play against or collaborate with one another.”
The Skype Game Developer Program is designed to give third-party developers of fun and innovative games access to the more than 196 million registered Skype users worldwide through the new Skype Game Channel. It is located within the Skype Extras Manager, making it easy for game developers to publish and promote their software to Skype users, while also giving them the tools to assess success rates and measure revenues.
Since launching the Extras Manager in Skype 3.0 for Windows in mid-December 2006, more than 18 million Skype Extras have been downloaded, including more than 5 million g ames . Skype Extras are third-party plug-in applications that enhance and add fun to the Skype experience. Extras also create a business opportunity for third-party developers by offering users a way to easily access their software. Developers can now create, publish and widely promote their software services with ease.
“We hope the Skype Game Channel becomes a popular entertainment destination within the Skype community. Our goal is to make it easy and profitable for the developers, while keeping it simple and fun for users,” said Amery.
The Skype Game Developer Program provides technical advice and support to serve developers who wish to make their existing games compatible with Skype. Once a game is reviewed and approved by Skype, it will take care of distribution, marketing, DRM and billing. The only thing developers have to do is to check sales reports and keep providing new games.
EasyBits Software, a long-time developer of family-oriented products designed to simplify and enhance the computer experience, is the creator and operator of the Skype Game Channel. EasyBits works closely with the Skype Game Developer Program team to ensure the best possible user experience and the delivery of the right games to Skype users. More information about the Skype Game Developer Program and the Skype Game Channel can be found at developer.skype.com/gamesdev.
Click Here to Download Skype 3.2 for Windows. Lots of new great features!

Skype and Wal-Mart Partner on Internet Communications

Skype , the leading Internet communications company, today announced that it is teaming up with Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, to address the growing popularity and demand for Internet communications among U.S. consumers. Starting today, Wal-Mart is offering Skype Certified™ hardware in the Internet and voice communications area of 1,800 of its stores throughout the country, providing more opportunity and accessibility for people looking for affordable calling options. This partnership gives shoppers immediate hands-on access to headsets, webcams and handsets designed to work with Skype, as well as the first pre-paid cards for Skype available in the U.S.
The addition of Skype Internet communications products to Wal-Mart stores comes at a time when Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) adoption among U.S. households is growing rapidly. According to the Telecommunications Industry Association, 9.9% of all landlines in the U.S. were VoIP lines in 2006, and this will rise to 34.1% by 2010. In addition, Skype is the number one software-based VoIP application in the U.S. by market share, according to a March 2007 report by In-Stat.
“We applaud Wal-Mart for recognizing the popularity of Skype and making it more accessible to Wal-Mart shoppers. This relationship with Wal-Mart will increase exposure for Skype and our hardware partners in a single dedicated Internet communications section,” said Don Albert, vice president and general manager of Skype North America. “Our research suggests that when users add a Skype Certified accessory like a headset, handset or webcam, it greatly enhances their experience and they use Skype more to connect with family, friends and business colleagues.”
Today, Skype is enjoyed by more than 196 million registered users around the world. Users download Skype software to make free voice and video calls and send instant messages over the Internet. Skype also offers paid-for products which let users make, receive and forward calls to and from landlines and mobile phones. To enhance the Skype user experience, hardware devices and accessories are available from approximately 50 leading manufacturers. These products certified by Skype give users the additional flexibility to talk more freely and naturally when placing Skype Internet calls.
“We have taken a sharp focus to launch the products and brands that consumers are moving toward at the most affordable prices,” said Kevin O’Connor, vice president and general merchandise manager, Wal-Mart Electronics. “The Skype hardware and pre-paid cards are a great fit with Wal-Mart because they offer long-term money-saving solutions at the right time for many customers -- parents, grandparents, college students and military families.”
Wal-Mart is the first and currently only retailer in the U.S. to offer Skype’s pre-paid cards. Shoppers can purchase a $20 pre-paid card and redeem it for Skype credit to make inexpensive international calls at rates as low as 2.1 cents per minute. Another pre-paid card is available in stores for a three-month subscription to the Skype Unlimited Calling Plan for just $8.85. This gives consumers three months of unlimited Skype calls to any landline or cell phone number in the U.S. and Canada .
Up to nine different Skype Certified hardwareproducts are available within branded Skype Internet Communications sections within Wal-Mart stores’ electronics department. Shoppers will find Skype certified headsets under $15, webcams under $25 and handsets under $30 from quality brand names such as Plantronics, Philips, Logitech and more. The relationship with Wal-Mart represents the first time a retailer is bringing together Skype Certified hardware and pre-paid cards for Skype under one dedicated section.
For more information, go to www.skype.com/walmart. For details on redeeming the pre-paid cards, go to www.skype.com/prepaidcard.

Make Jajah Calls directly from your Sony PS3

It is now possible to make voip calls using your Sony Playstation 3 thanks to Jajah. Jajah has now extend its service to sony playstation in a characteristically easy to use version. All you have to do is to log on to play.jajah.com on your PS3 internet browser and on the new interface enter your phone number and that of the person you wish to call and click the call button. Your call will immediately be connected and you can start enjoying voip calls. This will not only save you money as Jajah rates are quite low but will also add more fun to your gaming experience.

Make Jajah Calls directly from your Sony PS3

It is now possible to make voip calls using your Sony Playstation 3 thanks to Jajah. Jajah has now extend its service to sony playstation in a characteristically easy to use version. All you have to do is to log on to play.jajah.com on your PS3 internet browser and on the new interface enter your phone number and that of the person you wish to call and click the call button. Your call will immediately be connected and you can start enjoying voip calls. This will not only save you money as Jajah rates are quite low but will also add more fun to your gaming experience.

Intel to build Jajah's VoIP software right into its Microprocessors ?

It has been rumored for some time now that Intel is looking for ways of baking Jajah's VoIP software directly into its microprocessors. The company will not confirm this but also will not deny that they are thinking of ways of doing that. The announcement of investment of $20 dollars in Jajah by Intel is given credence to this rumor and not a few now believe that its actually true.
Jajah CEO Trevor Healy certainly hopes this comes to pass. If it does, Jajah's VoIP software might show up as a widget on the desktops of new PCs with "Intel Inside." That's very, very valuable real estate. If any one of the thousands of services out there finally emerges as the iPod of VoIP, it might be because of the context in which it's presented to the user.
Unlike Skype , the current market leader, Jajah doesn't require a microphone and speakers to operate. Rather, your desk phone or cell phone is used for talking. To call someone, you just type your phone number and the number you want to call into the Jajah application, then Jajah goes out into the network, sets up the call, and causes both phones to ring when the connection is ready. You just pick up the phone and start talking.
Of course it's too early to say if Intel will embed Jajah VoIP in its microprocessors. Intel execs are non-committal. For now, Intel says it will enter several "marketing, patent and distribution" deals with Jajah, whatever that means. Jajah apparently is expecting big things from the relationship, and right away.
Jajah has about 2 million registered users today and hope that its subscriber base will increase to about 5 million by the end of year 2007.

Pricester.com to launch VOIP Service for small business and entrepreneurial sectors.

Intenet shopping portal and website development service provider, Pricester.com, Inc. has annouced that its planning to launch VoIP service soon.This service will be offered as a complement to its website and internet marketing services. The extreme popularity of voip among internet users is the main reason behind this decision. VoIP usage is growing at an alarming rate that many companies are trying to cash in on the market it provides and pricester.com obviously does not want to be left behind.
Pricester targets the small business and entrepreneurial sectors, where there is always a demand for savings on services such as long distance phone charges. CEO Ed Dillon commented, "We're in the technology business, creating ways for our clients to make money and save money by using the tools that are available and that we can bring to them. We're already working with the small business sector on computer-related services, so VoIP is a good fit with what we're currently providing and can enhance our overall revenue picture."
Initially, Pricester will be private labeling its VoIP service and associated products from VIVOphone, an established and respected VoIP provider headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Pricester recently announced the opening of its first international office, headquartered in Canada, and the development of Copia World, an online international shopping mall. Dillon continued, "One of the biggest advantages of VoIP technology is the enormous savings on international calls. More and more companies are selling over the internet and servicing customers on a global basis. Along with email, a substantial amount of communication still requires voice. VoIP is fast becoming an essential cost-saving ingredient for that type of communication in today's global economy."

Free 120 Minutes call on mother's Day offered by Rebtel

Rebtel is joining the league of voip companies who are making promotional offers for the coming mother's day. They want to make it easy and free for you to call your mother on mother's day to express your love , so that you can save that money to buy her a nice gift. Mothers are extremely important and we should call them on mother's day to show our love and appreciation in addition to buying them a nice present. With the Rebtel offer you can call for two hours from any country to the USA and Canada for free. This offer is valid only on the 13th of May and can be used from any mobile, without the need to sign a contract or download any software. To be part of this offer follow this link: http://www.rebtel.com/en/landing/MothersDay/?bhcp=1
Rebtel is available in 37 countries and lets you call anywhere in the world from any of these countries directly from your mobile phone for a low as 2 cents per minute. In addition you get 10 free intenational calls per month, No computer or download required and you are not tied by any contract.

Call For Free on Mother's Day courtesy of Skype

Mother's deserve more than just calls on mother's day and hopefully you will be giving your mom more than just a call. But when you have to call Skype in conjunction with Intel is making it really cheap to call on this important day. They termed this promotion “Gift of Gab” and it enables Skype users in the US or Canada to call anywhere in the world for free on Sunday, May 13 only. Normally such calls costs at least 2 cents per minute. This might not mean much if your mom lives in the US because your mobile phone gives you free minutes and free long-distance on the weekends.But if your mommy is abroad, hop on your Skype! No excuses, young man/lady!.
According to a Skype spokesperson, Mother's Day is one of the busiest calling days of the year and while 65 percent of moms say they just want a phone call from their offspring saying "I love you," only 35 percent actually get one. This data comes from a Skype-commissioned survey--and I sure hope it's wrong because if 65 percent of you are not calling your mother on Mother's Day, shame on you!
So you have got no reason not to at least call. Happy Mother's Day everyone.

Click Here to Download Skype 3.2 for Windows. Lots of new great features!

Jenne Distributors to Carry VoSKY Exchange PBX-to-Skype Gateway

VoSKY Technologies today announced a key new distribution agreement for its family of VoSKY™ Exchange PBX-to-Skype gateways with Jenne Distributors, a leading North American distributor of business telephone, computer telephony, A/V, Data and Convergence products. The Skype-certified VoIP gateways enable businesses to dramatically lower communications costs by deploying VoIP trunking for low-cost long distance and international calls, multi-site PBX networking for free interoffice calling, and Web Click-to-Call to reduce 800 service calls. VoSKY Exchange can seamlessly integrate with any TDM or IP PBX phone systems through analog trunk or station ports.
Under the agreement, Jenne will offer all five current VoSKY Exchange models through its large base of value-added resellers. Many of the VARs purchasing products from Jenne are dedicated to telecom products and focused on small to mid-sized businesses, the primary candidates for the VoSKY VoIP gateways. The Exchange family will complement and extend Jenne’s product portfolio, which ranges from traditional TDM and IP PBX systems to a full range of products from more than 150 manufacturers.
“Jenne has a massive base of telecom VARs in the U.S., an active training program for installation and maintenance of TDM and VoIP phone systems, and a strong sales team that is experienced in selling business VoIP solutions," said David Tang, VoSKY’s Director of Business Development, VoIP. “Their decision to distribute our VoSKY Exchange gateways demonstrates the strength of the line and positions us to rapidly accelerate the product’s market penetration.”
“The VoSKY Exchange is a solution for cutting domestic and international long-distance phone bills, thus achieving a rapid ROI.,” said Rose Jenne, CEO of Jenne Distributors. “That makes VoSKY Exchange a strong addition to our product line. The VoSKY Exchange enables a cost-effective long-distance solution for all resellers of PBXs and VoIP-enabled phone systems.
VoSKY Exchange is a family of rackmountable VoIP gateways that add inbound and outbound Skype lines to the office PBX without changes to existing PBX or phone equipment, while also centralizing Skype provisioning and management. A single Exchange device Skype-enables every phone extension in the office so that users can make and receive Skype calls without a PC and headset. Multiple Exchange boxes can be set up in company offices in different cities to enable free calls between sites and to accept calls from remote employees at no charge. Calls to other Skype users are free, while calls to non-Skype users are charged at SkypeOut rates as low as 2 cents per minute — even overseas.
The newest version also offers Skype/VoIP connectivity for remote business users by enabling access to office Skype lines from any landline or mobile phone through a special access code, plus global numbering that simplifies dialing between Exchange-equipped company offices. The product has a low one-time cost, can be installed in as little as two hours, and works with any traditional time division multiplexed or IP PBX. More information is available at www.vosky.com.
Click Here to Download Skype 3.2 for Windows. Loads of new features you will love

Vringo Launches Video Ringtones

Vringo, a company developing new applications for mobile personalization, announced today that its “Vringos” -- shared video ringtones – can now be sent and received by phones running the J2ME (Java Micro Edition) platform. The announcement closely follows the world’s first demonstrations of Vringo at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona and at DEMO in Palm Springs in February, using the Symbian platform. In both its existing Symbian and new Java implementations, Vringo is also the first mobile phone application to automatically play the specific video ringtone (out of many shared clips) associated with the caller.
Beating industry predictions by more than a year, Vringo’s J2ME release now extends the service’s reach from the Symbian/Nokia and Windows Mobile/PDA platforms to Sony-Ericsson and Motorola phones, among others. The wider range of handsets opens up the U.S. market to the viral, youth-oriented service.
In a new, more socially interactive model than that of previous video and even audio ringtones, Vringos are associated with a person, not a phone. Each two-to-fifteen-second Vringo video clip is sent out to entertain a receiving Vringo buddy, not “rung” on the user’s own incoming calls. Clips can be purchased, downloaded for free, or shot on users’ own phones. Frequently changed and passed around the mobile social network, Vringos let subscribers share their enthusiasm for a great singer/movie/sports figure, a memory, a moment caught on the phone’s camera, or simply share a laugh, à la YouTube.
“When we demoed on Symbian and Windows Mobile, people loved the idea. They said, ‘This is great stuff, but get back to us when you have Java working,’” said Jon Medved, Vringo CEO. “That’s because the great majority of ringtone consumers carry J2ME feature phones. Most of them also said that it would take years for our application to run on Java, and I think we’ve blown people away by getting it done so quickly.”
The Vringo application -- now in beta and to be marketed to carriers as a managed service -- will be demonstrated at the JavaOne conference May 8-11 at the Moscone center in San Francisco .
With the J2ME hurdle cleared, Vringo releases for additional Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung and LG phones are due soon. The company continues to work on expanding the Vringo feature set to enable more and more users to “Vringo” to the limit of every handset’s capability.

Skype 3.2 for Windows Out !. You can now personalise your Spype!

Skype announced the release of Skype ™ 3.2 for Windows, which includes a series of new features that give users more options to personalise Skype . With Skype , you can now keep all your online relationships together by putting all your friends and families’ contact details in one place. This makes it even easier to stay in touch with friends, family or colleagues around the world.
You can also take a picture of yourself using your webcam with our new video snapshot feature and add it to your profile so that friends and family can see how you are doing. Video snapshot builds on the popularity of video calling, which has grown rapidly since Skype introduced the ability to make a video call in beta in December 2005. Already, nearly one fifth of Skype calls are made using video.
These new features, combined with an updated, user-friendly interface, are signature to Skype ’s continuing innovation to offer a simple and more interactive way for its vibrant community of more than 196 million registered users to stay in touch with one another.
Carter Adamson, director, desktop products for Skype said, “ Skype has always been committed to giving people the best internet calling experience possible and we feel we’ve hit the mark with the latest version. Now you can really individualise your profile and make it even more unique with video snapshot, put all the contact details for your online relationships in one place and enjoy exceptional sound quality so much so that you feel like you’re actually in the same room as the person you’re calling.”
The latest version makes it even easier to stay in touch with friends and family by allowing users to import address books from other applications, such as MSN Hotmail® and GMail™ and Yahoo! Mail™. Users can now also "Share Skype ” by sending convenient email invitations to those online contacts that are not yet using Skype .
Every individual has a slightly different and personal preference for how they use Skype . Some use handsets or headsets. Others use Skype when they’re travelling abroad on business or to enable grandparents to see their grandchildren grow up using Skype video calls. At times users find it more convenient to use Skype ‘hands-free’ allowing them to talk directly into their PC rather than using a headset. The latest version of Skype includes enhanced echo cancellation and background noise reduction technologies in order to improve the sound quality regardless of how people are using Skype .
Also included in the new release is the Send Money feature which allows Skype users to send money to any of their Skype contacts via PayPal. This is an excellent example of how PayPal and Skype connect people through payments and communications.
Skype also continues to update its client interface, by giving users easier access to their personal Skype accounts, including SMS history, transactions, paid for products, as well as the ability to purchase more Skype Credit.
Skype’s popularity originates in letting people make free and very cheap calls over the internet. As the world’s largest internet communications community, Skype is committed to improving people’s individual Skype experiences and giving them the ability to set their own conversations free at home, at work and on the move.

Click Here to Download Skype 3.2 for Windows

Personnel Changes at TalkPlus

TalkPlus, Inc., a provider of advanced Voice 2.0 services over mobile networks, today announced that Michael Toepel has been named the company’s new chief executive officer and president, succeeding chairman and founder Jeff Black, who simultaneously was named chief strategy officer.
Toepel, 45, was previously senior vice president for business development and sales at TalkPlus, a position he has held since 2006, shortly after the company was founded.
Black, 45, will retain his title as chairman of the board while adding the new role as chief strategy officer.
In making the announcement, Black said, “Michael has been instrumental in working with the venture community, handling funding and running the day-to-day operations of the company. His broad experience in building organizations in the software and mobile applications sectors will serve us all well as he assumes his new role.”
Shawn T. Carolan, managing director of Menlo Ventures, TalkPlus’ venture backers, commented: “Having Michael take on the role of CEO—something he is well suited for—will permit Jeff to put more of his energy into corporate strategy and technology development. These two key appointments will enable TalkPlus to continue its trajectory toward even greater success in redefining mobile voice communications.”
“It’s an honor and an exciting challenge to take over the reins from Jeff, who built the foundations of this company,” said Toepel. “With the support of the incredibly talented TalkPlus team, I hope to continue the realization of our corporate vision to use technology to solve the real-world communications issues people face every day.”
Before joining TalkPlus, Toepel was senior vice president of sales at Kivera, Inc., a leading provider of wireless applications. Prior to his work there, Toepel was vice president of global services at SABA Software, where he built a successful worldwide professional-services business with operations in 14 countries. He has also held executive sales and marketing leadership positions at BayLogics, Inc., and Cushman & Wakefield. Toepel received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin .
Black has nearly 30 years of international business experience in developing and marketing emerging technologies in the wireless, Internet search and Internet appliance markets. During his career, Black has founded and sold several companies including Hotels.com, iAtlas Corporation and Resorts.com. Prior to TalkPlus, Black held leadership positions at BizExpense, Inc.; Conomae Corporation; and the AltaVista Company. He also held numerous management and technology positions at Digital Equipment Corporation and Tandy Corporation. Black holds six patents for his work in emerging technologies.
TalkPlus has been praised by technology experts and users alike for its ability to give people more control over how calls reach them. TalkPlus is available in two versions. The basic plan provides wireless users an additional phone number, mirror number, call screening, advanced voicemail and online call-management center. For mobile professionals, TalkPlus has a pro plan that offers additional phone numbers and features such as conference calling. TalkPlus also offers low-cost long-distance services to more than 190 countries.

MOBIVOX commercial voip services launched in 23 countries

MOBIVOX has announce the release of their brand new global calling service. As part of their launch, they are offering free international calls between MOBIVOX users. MOBIVOX brings mobile consumers a unique and powerful suite of communications services. Its users can now do much more with their existing mobile phone and enjoy:

• Free global mobile calls between MOBIVOX users
• Unlimited and free Skype calls
• Cheap international calls to anyone, anywhere on any mobile or fixed phone
• Cool and free mobile services including:
• Dynamic and instant conferencing
• Mobile-to-home seamless call transfer
• Personal voice-enabled assistant
• Unified hosted contact book
• Group calling
• Web calling

Best of all, MOBIVOX works for everyone and does not require any mobile download or cause installation headaches. It also completely bypasses the need for a PC. It simply works with any phone in usage today regardless of handset model, mobile carrier or whether users have a mobile data plan or not. The basic service is entirely free and international calling rates outside of the MOBIVOX user community are highly competitive. With rates bearing no hidden charges, MOBIVOX eliminates connection fees, confusing contracts and conditions. More details about this is available on their website and joining MOBIVOX is free, fast and easy. To start using the service, go to http://www.MOBIVOX.com.

VoIP Contest with $10,000 Price Money Launched by Voxbone

Voxbone, a leading provider of international VoIP origination services to carriers, ITSPs, calling card operators, call centers and other businesses around the world, today announced Version 2.0 of its API, called VoxAPI, along with a contest in which the winner will receive $10,000 for the best application built with it.
Using the latest version of VoxAPI, customers can view Voxbone’s coverage, order DID numbers, configure the routing and forwarding of DID numbers, and manage the capacity allocated to DID numbers --- all through a machine-machine interface in real time. As a result, customers are able to completely automate their transactions and lower their operational costs while maintaining high-quality service.
VoxAPI also allows Voxbone to automate its interactions with carrier customers to ensure accuracy, provide faster customer service and lower operational costs in order to remain highly competitive.
A number of VoIP providers already use Voxbone’s API. For example, Voztelecom (www.vozip.com) provides a hosted VoIP service to carriers and service providers and has implemented Voxbone’s API in its software. This allows its customers to use the Voxbone service directly from its software. In addition, Cordia Corporation (OTCBB: CORG) (www.magnumbers.com) has implemented its Magellan service as a white label and automated solution, using Voxbone’s API to automate the ordering and configuration of DID numbers.
According to Rodrigue Ullens, co-founder of Voxbone, “The contest is a great way to demonstrate the power of VoxAPI and to uncover creative ways to realize business benefits. We are looking forward to evaluating entries and awarding $10,000 to the winner.”
Contest Specifics
Winning projects will be selected based upon the business perspectives of the project, originality and technical capabilities.
The top three winners will receive the following benefits:

• Recognition as a Voxbone certified developer. Recommendation to customers and partners in need of a third-party developer for integrating the Voxbone API.
• Marketing and promotion of winning projects to the specialized press and to Voxbone contacts
• Listing and description of winning projects on the Voxbone website

In addition, the first-place winner will be awarded $10,000.
Questions about the contest may be addressed to devcontest@voxbone.com. In addition, complete rules are available at http://www.voxbone.com/APIContest.jsf.
Voxbone leases international VoIP virtual phone numbers and worldwide origination services via VoIP to organizations in North and South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific regions. It delivers high-quality call origination and provides the global infrastructure that enables its customers to expand to international markets quickly and efficiently. Using direct inbound dial (DID) also called virtual numbers from Voxbone, customers may receive inexpensive, locally dialed phone calls. Using standard VoIP hardware, customers utilize the Voxbone API or web portal for the configuration of the acquired DIDs and to choose to which IP appliance the calls are diverted.

Skype for Salesforce Now Available

Skype and salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the market and technology leader in on-demand customer relationship management (CRM), today announced the availability of a new version of Skype for Salesforce via salesforce.com's AppExchange. Skype for Salesforce provides seamless Skype integration into Salesforce on-demand CRM applications and aims to improve workforce productivity and to streamline customer and partner communication.
“As more and more people around the world use Skype to talk to their friends and family, they are increasingly adopting Skype in the workplace to also talk to colleagues and customers,” said Scott Miller, director of business development with Skype. “We now offer the tools to integrate Skype communication with the salesforce.com experience via the AppExchange. Besides saving money on telephone bills, this will also enable salesforce.com customers in the small and mid-sized business sector to build stronger relationships and improve the way they manage their contact with colleagues, customers and prospects.”
Skype for Salesforce enables salesforce.com customers to easily make and receive Skype calls or initiate text chats directly with other people whose Skype contact names and presence indicators can now be added manually or imported automatically into Salesforce. SkypeOut calls to non-Skype users’ traditional phone numbers can also be initiated with a single click. Conference calls of up to 10 participants (including the host) can now be conducted using Skype for Salesforce and can accommodate any combination of Skype and non-Skype users.
Calls from one Skype user to another are free, while SkypeOut calls are billed at low per-minute rates. Customers can also sign up for one of Skype’s premium Internet communications subscription packages for unlimited domestic SkypeOut calling – Skype Pro in Europe and Asia or the Skype Unlimited Calling plan in the U.S. and Canada .
Skype for Salesforce also integrates with salesforce.com’s computer telephony (CTI) adapter to enable click-to-call for phone numbers of those customers or business partners listed within Salesforce SFA or Salesforce Service & Support applications. Furthermore, inbound Skype calls from parties listed in Salesforce will instantly pop-up the user’s record. This way, the Salesforce user can immediately add notes about the conversation or transaction into the appropriate record for future reference.
Model Metrics (http://www.modelmetrics.com), the leading on-demand CRM consulting firm in the Midwest , is one of the first customers using the new version of Skype for Salesforce. Model Metrics helps its mid-sized and Fortune 500 clients successfully implement on-demand business solutions. These clients are increasingly interested in finding ways to integrate Skype into their call centers for both text chat and telephony.
Model Metrics also uses salesforce.com to run its own business. The company’s teams of consultants currently use Skype to communicate internally and to conduct conference calls with clients. The company views Skype’s click-to-call and SkypeIn™ functionality as a potential option with which to replace its aging PBX, a step that will improve its employees’ and managers’ visibility into sales and support call logs.
“Customer-facing sales, marketing and support organizations are increasingly looking to more closely integrate Salesforce CRM applications with their communications systems so they can get a complete 360 degree view of their customers,” said John H. Barnes, vice president of technology for Model Metrics. “Skype for Salesforce has already helped our staff interact and work more closely with our customers. We anticipate that this easy-to-use integrated solution will enable our clients to better manage their communications, while also reducing costs.”
“Skype’s initial AppExchange application coincided with the launch of AppExchange in January 2006 and was very well received by the salesforce.com community, as it enabled them to stay in touch with their customers, suppliers and colleagues spread around the world,” said Matt Holleran, vice president, AppExchange partners, salesforce.com. “The new Skype for Salesforce application further revolutionizes business communications by making team collaboration and effective communication a seamless part of every workday. Salesforce.com customers can get it from the AppExchange with just a few clicks to enable a whole new set of functions to enhance how they communicate with their clients and prospects.”
Developed and maintained by PamConsult GmbH, a Skype Developer Program partner that specializes in developing applications for the Skype and eBay platforms, Skype for Salesforce can be immediately downloaded for free and installed through a simple four-step process.
Skype for Salesforce is one of more than 575 applications that are now available for test drive and deployment on salesforce.com’s AppExchange (http://www.salesforce.com/appexchange), the world’s first on-demand application directory, where it is listed as Skype CTI Connector 2.0 – Basic Edition.

Tadiran Expands into UK Market.

Tadiran Telecom, a leading global IP business telephone and communications supplier is expanding its business into the UK through it's Tadiran UK office., jointly established with Diacom, its veteran business partner in Ireland. It is noted that the UK is one of the world's largest key markets in telecom. The British operation will be headed by Rob Warner, formally a senior figure in ATL Telecom.
Zeev Aviv, VP Sales & Marketing at Tadiran Telecom, says that "Tadiran's entrance to one of the key international markets in the telecom world is in line with the company's strategy to have a presence in all leading countries.
Aviv adds, "The shift of the British business telephony world to IP, along with the need to incorporate contact centers, has created new opportunities for Tadiran Telecom. Entering IP requires highly advanced technological capabilities and unique experience, and Tadiran has many years' experience and a wealth of distinct advantages that have been successfully implemented in Europe, Asia and the US".
Warner: "Tadiran has significant benefits for the British telecom market, and I am therefore happy to be leading the company's operation in the UK."
Warner anticipates sales of approximately $10-$14 million in the next three years. To date, Tadiran UK has signed with several key distributors in the UK and is expected to sign with 30 to 50 distributors by the end of the year, which will enable the realization of Tadiran's marketing goals in the UK.
Tadiran Telecom has over 100,000 customers worldwide and recently signed a series of substantial agreements worth several million dollars, including the supply of communications systems for subways in preparation for the upcoming Beijing Olympics, the supply of unique communications systems able to withstand extreme conditions to Kazakhmys Corporation the world's tenth-largest copper mining company, and the supply of systems to the US Veteran's Administration.

SKYPE CUTS SMS PRICING IN HALF

Skype continues to reduce the costs of communication, announcing today that it plans to slash 50% off the cost of sending SMS messages using Skype™.
Sending SMS messages from Skype on a PC or Mac is extremely simple, handy, practical – and now even cheaper.
Skype simplifies the way people keep in touch with one another. Designed to give its 196 million registered users across the world easy and very cheap ways to talk or chat to their loved ones, Skype users can make free or very cheap voice calls, see one another via video calls and send text messages to anyone they know no matter where they happen to be.
For Skype users in the US , this reduction in fees for sending SMS comes at a time when some of the leading mobile carriers have raised their per message rates for both sending and receiving SMS. More information about Skype’s half price SMS promotion can be found at skype.com/campaigns/halfprice.
"It’s amazing how much you can do online now. Skype has such massive appeal because it gives you so much choice when it comes to communicating or sharing things with one another online. We give our growing multitude of users plenty of choice when it comes to how they stay in touch with their friends and family, while also enabling them to do so for free or for very little,” said Stefan Öberg, VP & GM of telecoms, Skype .
“SMS messages are a quick and easy way for people to instantly share their thoughts or whereabouts with their friends who may be offline or on the move. Sending an SMS via Skype is hassle free – and cheap. You can conveniently send SMS messages to the mobile phones of your friends, family and colleagues around the world from the comfort of your keyboard,” concluded Öberg.
Between May 2 and May 8, 2007, Skype users anywhere in the world who send SMS messages to recipients in the United States , Australia , Poland , Russia , Taiwan , Belgium , Thailand , Ireland , Austria and Italy will be charged half the usual rate. More information about Skype SMS rates to all destinations can be found at skype.com/products/skypesms/rates.

Viatalk's Broadband Phone Service Review

ViaTalk's VoIP service has been getting very good reveiews on the internet of recent. Infact not a few voip ranking websites ranked ViaTalk as number one among all the popular voip service providers. During my recent visit to the United States of America i have the opportunity to use their service directly and speak to one of their subscriber who is a friend of mine. In terms of audio quality ViaTalk is great, it quite match if not exceed the quality of regular PSTN telephone. They give 24/7 customer support, they are always there when you call and ready to give you all neccessary assistance to make your broadband phone working perfectly. ViaTalk monthly subscription ranges from just $9.95 to $15.95 per month for 500 free minutes to US and Canada to unlimited free minutes to US and Canada respectively. Features of ViaTalk include Enhanced Voicemail, Call Hunt,Call Recording,BYOD Service Access,ViaTalk On-The-Go, Incoming Caller ID w/ Name, Soft Phone Access, Call Forwarding, e911 Support, etc. You also get free equipment, shipping and installation. For detailed information about viatalk's products and services visit www.ViaTalk.com.