Bang & Olufsen have been through a phase of unusually shaped landline phones – the banana-esque BeoCom 2 is a good example – but they’re returning to their slightly more sensible roots with the new BeoCom 5. The dual-line DECT phone works both as a twin landline handset and as a VoIP device, and magnetically docks either onto its charging plinth or onto a portable speakerphone (that also charges the handset).
AT&T has come in for no small amount of criticism for its network’s ability to cope with avid iPhoners, both in dropped calls and tardy data, so we’re not sure the carrier’s latest news – that it has opened up VoIP support for the iPhone over 3G connections – is 100-percent good. Pushing network capacity to one side for the moment, the announcement means that – assuming Apple approves their software applications – companies like Skype will be free to enable 3G VoIP apps on the iPhone.
What’s unclear from the press release (which you can read after the cut) is whether VoIP use will be included in the standard “unlimited” data package iPhone buyers sign up to. Given one of AT&T’s arguments in the past has been that VoIP consumes significantly more network capacity and data than regular use, it’s possible that they could look to squeeze more money out of subscribers for its use.
We all know the economy is tough and many people don’t have the same money coming in as they have been used to over the last several years. Many Americans are looking for every place they can find to save a bit of money on their monthly bills. If you have a broadband connection in your home, a company called TeleBlend is offering what it claims to be the first unlimited VoIP calling plan for a fixed annual charge.
HP have outed their new video conferencing system, HP SkyRoom, with the promise of live conversation and desktop collaboration for up to four users simultaneously and at potentially HD resolution. First mentioned back at the launch of the flagship Z800 workstation in March, SkyRoom already has some high-profile contented users including an F1 team. It uses data transfer technologies that NASA used with their Mars rovers, thanks to sub-100ms latency.
Video overview after the cut
ASUS have rolled out a new version of their standalone Skype videophone, in the shape of the AiGuru SV1T. The most significant change from the first-gen AiGuru SV1 is that the 7-inch 800 x 480 display now gets a touchscreen layer, meaning users no longer have to arduously navigate via the D-pad.
I am all for convergence, give me one device to take the place of several and I am a happy camper. I converged my printer and scanner years ago and more recently, most of us have converged our mobile phones, PMPs, and GPS devices into one smartphone.
We’ll never argue with more apps showing up for the Palm Pre – after all, they just pave the way for a software download frenzy on the Palm Pixi when that arrives later in 2009 – so we’re glad to hear of another two webOS titles fresh to the Palm Beta App Catalog. First up is gDial Pro, an app which can be used to access and manage your Google Voice account; second comes iLike Concerts, a tool which looks out for your preferred artists and flags up nearby performances.
Fresh details and this rather fetching official render of the upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9700 (aka the BlackBerry Onyx) have emerged, courtesy of CIO. Prematurely distributed by T-Mobile USA, they confirm that the Bold 9700 will pack both 3G and WiFi, together with support for UMA VoIP.
I haven’t had a home phone line in years that I actually used for voice calls. I only have a home line for DSL. I once tried to change to VOIP for my home phone line when VOIP first hit the market and quickly realized that the slow broadband connections in my area made VOIP unreliable.
If you still want a home phone line and have a reliable broadband connection, Vonage has unveiled a new calling plan that is a raging bargain, especially if you call internationally frequently. Vonage has unveiled a new plan that costs $24.99 per month and includes unlimited flat rate calling around the world along with readable voicemail.
We’ve seen Android on MIDs, Android on PMPs and of course Android on smartphones, so it should come as no surprise that the humble landline phone is next. Thing is, Cloud Telecomputer don’t seem to have received the memo about your desk phone being humble, as their Glass design rocks an 8-inch full-color touchscreen, HD audio, Bluetooth connectivity and desktop computer integration.
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