January 15th, 2006
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Online video is hot, and you can judge that from the break neck growth of You Tube. The San Mateo, California company was founded in February 2005, and a year later it is serving more than 3 million video views a day, receiving about 8,000 video uploads a day from users and transferring 16 terabytes of data a day. Add to the mix Google video and half-a-dozen others, and you get the idea that video-sharing is the hottest thing on the Internet. But many of these videos that are being shared are infringing on copyrights of some content creators.
Google Video, thanks to its massive infrastructure has become a repository for all sort of foreign films. I have personally watched dozens of Bollywood movies, many of them released recently. Here is a little sampling. Since the time I got in touch with Google last week, a lot of material has been taken off their site, but some Bollywood songs etc still remain. I guess, this is going to be a policing issue going forward for Google and everyone else. You Tube still features a lot of Bollywood content like this and this. Its not just fare from overseas markets, but I found a lot of music videos and television show clips, which make me wonder about how these video sharing services are going to protect against copy right infringements. I pinged Google and asked them about the said copyright infringements. A spokesperson emailed me this response.
As for infringement, Google respects the rights of copyright holders … For all of the content we host – whether from premium content providers or creative end users – we require the content provider to hold all necessary rights to the material. We work to identify and remove any infringing content that may appear on Google Video using the process set forth in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). If we receive a notice or otherwise have reason to believe that content submitted by a particular user infringes another person’s copyright, their account may be terminated.
You Tube in an email statement pretty much said the same thing.
“All of the content on YouTube — including videos, comments, and ratings — is posted at the direction of users. We take copyright issues very seriously. Our terms of use make it clear that
users should own or have permission from copyright holders to post any videos. We encourage copyright holders to contact us appropriately if they have any objections about specific postings.”
The news of Bollywood movies being shared on Google video hit the news wires this morning in India. Sunil Thakur, founder of WahIndia!, a website that syndicates its entertainment segments online to sites like Sify and Planetguru told IANS news service, that “he received a response in which Google suggest(s) he “contact the user directly”, to remove content, or “file a complaint” using standard form to contact Google Video. These users (that Google asks us to contact) are usually untraceable and could be from anywhere in the world. While one waits for the issue to resolve, the filmmaker could be losing real money as new releases are downloaded and passed around on PC, iPOD, Sony PSP.”
I am not sure if this is a problem that is going to go away. Online video companies will have to figure out a policing mechanism… after all if CSI shows start showing up on Google video (not the store), Google’s partners at Viacom are not going to be too thrilled. Similarly SNL videos now for sale on iTunes store, available for free are going to become a headache of sorts for folks at You Tube.
Archives: Did MySpace Censor You Tube?
Hat Tip, Manthan
Written by Om Malik on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Our own George Ou has found that Skype 2.0 seems to trigger a Data Execution Prevention warning on his new PC.Data Execution Prevention, or DEP for short, is a new feature built into Windows XP Service Pack 2 that harnesses the NX and ND (No Execute and Execute Disable) functionality built into newer Intel and [...]
Written by Russell Shaw on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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At the same time big telecom broadband service providers such as AT&T (formerly SBC) and BellSouth are making all sorts of noise about charging content creators of rich content extra for network carriage, the cable companies haven't been that vocal.Not by a long shot.Today, cable industry trade paper Multichannel News explores the issue, commonly referred [...]
Written by Russell Shaw on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on General and SBC and BellSouth and Comcast and Time Warner Cable and Cablevision and Cox and Charter Communications.
Jason is not going to like it, the eyeballs are back and with a vengeance. And they are being chased by VC money.
With advertising dollars flying to the Internet, it is no surprise to see so many sites pop-up to simply cash in on the ad-sense bonanza. And to package these in the “death to the media” message is the new black! Latest one to say that is none other than Jim Manzi, co-founder ex-CEO of Lotus, who has teamed up with several others to pump $6 million into a New England start-up called Gather. This on top of $1 million in seed funding from Minnesota Public Radio.
‘’No longer must I accept much of my content from what I have called the Literary Industrial Complex, that group of concentrated media organizations with their small elites and self-reinforcing arbiters delivering my news and information ‘top-down,’ ” Manzi wrote, casting Gather as a democratic alternative to the mainstream press.
Manzi, who should be remembered for creating selling software that was so cumbersome that it makes Microsoft Outlook a paragon of consumer friendliness, is now an expert on Media, and how it needs to be reinvented. Oh please! Now if he really believed that, I bet you, the first story on the company would not have appeared in Boston Globe, but instead in the open media. Never mind the nagging details.
So what kind of revolution is Gather going to unleash?
They will pay bloggers/contributors money to write, and if the story is popular, then the contributors will make a lot of money. Just the sort of thing that Jason and Nick did two years ago, without venture capital funding. And did it quite well. Jason lets loose on his blog. There are others who are attempting this same model, Squidoo, Backfence, PersonalBee etc etc etc.
Mathew Ingram says it well when he writes, “Will any of these startups find success, or will they all? It’s a bit of a crapshoot at the moment. Fun to watch, but nerve-wracking to work in, I imagine.” My other Canadian friend Mark Evans takes an even tougher stance. “Gather.com epitomizes what I increasingly see as a troubling Web 2.0 trend in which VCs jump on start-ups amid the fear of missing out on the action,” he writes.
(I do like the fact that these folks are trying to pay their contributors, but my issue is that paying the contributors is addressing the wrong side of the equation.) What is the problem with a models like that of Gather? They are looking at the world of media from the wrong side of the prism.
Citizen reporters mean eliminate the cost of creating content, and a bottom up revolution. Absolutely no problem with that, because that’s how we get new voices like David Zatz. Still, this notion of content creators as a cost center, is absolutely bogus. (See the paycheck of a beat reporter, and you realize, that cannot be the problem!) Most media companies, especially the local dailies are suffering because they have an inefficient infrastructure.
Paper expensive, storage cheap. Printing press expensive, bandwidth cheap. Craigslist takes their classified business because its easier, and cheaper. The news paper classified ad departments are how should I put it mildly … lazy. The legacy costs of doing the business are at core of the problem facing media right now.
You want to see a true model of the new-new media, then look at PaidContent. Two reporters, two laptops and a whole lot of money. Staci and Rafat, like true reporters, dig dig dig, and scoop, scoop and scoop. (Sorry Jeff, scoop is the honey that gets the flies!)
From the archives: Dawn of The Micro Pubs.
Written by Om Malik on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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My colleague Marguerite Reardon reports that today, Texas Instruments will announce software that will enable VoIP carriers to better manage devices sitting at customer's offices and homes.This software will be called Piqua. Sounds like a diagnostic trouble-shooter. For example, if there is an echo on the call, Piqua might be able to pinpoint the problem. [...]
Written by Russell Shaw on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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That's digitalMax. No, he's not selling pills via some jive Internet pharmacy (although the way his eyes are popping out makes you wonder).No, digitalMax is Cox Cable's mascot for bundled services that include the Optimum Voice VoIP product. "It's the multivitamin of digital. And a lot easier to swallow," he says.If you don't believe me [...]
Written by Russell Shaw on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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That's Siemens OpenScape, one of several powerful suites that provide for real-time collaboration in the enterprise. Other utilities in that vogue include Nortel's Multimedia Communications Server and Avaya's Converged Communications Server.Network World's Johna Till Johnson makes a good point about real-time collaboration going mainstream, and telecom vendors and carriers gearing up for it.Recent research demonstrates [...]
Written by Russell Shaw on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Its a plane, Its a bird, no….. its FIOS TV. Despite a lot of noise about Verizon’s FIOS TV, Texans are having a hard time signing up for the service which is going to change the world. And those who have managed to sign-up, well things aren’t going too well for them. Or as they say, buyer beware. DSL Reports Google Map Mash-Up with FIOS and other information!
Skype needs an Apple kind of retail: Radio Shack is the ideal place to sell products, but the Skype generation is not the ones who shop there. They shop in “cool” stores which is why Apple gets it with their Apple stores.
How Big is Skype’s Hardware Bonanza? : Skype gets abouts 5 percent of the wholesale price on Skype Certified gear, which Skype eagerly co-markets, writes Skype Journal’s Phil Wolff. In order to make the 2006 target of $200 million in sales, the company will have to sell “sell one unit to nearly every Skype user on earth.” Stay tuned for eBay’s fiscal 2005 earnings on Wednesday.
IPTV, aka Internet Porn TV: Some are getting really excited (pun intended) about the prospects of IPTV.
The Other Chip Switch for Apple: Apple has switched from Broadcom to Atheros for its WiFi needs.
Why AOL might win the online video sweepstakes? Because everything is free?
Written by Om Malik on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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The more the cost of the CRM-VoIP integration can be lowered the quicker the new technology will become feasible for the consumers. The vendors are pushing for this integration from the business perspective. Movement in that direction is on the way. Businesses are moving from separate desktop an phone-system software to a combination of Internet telephony and CRM. Potential cost saving is one of the convincing arguments for looking into CRM integration with VoIP. Depreciation cost is also being taken into consideration.
With the CRM integration with VoIP, the price to buy the new technology stands relatively lower. Subscribing to an Internet service provider for VoIP service, which is partnered with a vendor's prepackaged CRM applications, puts small and medium sized companies in the same league. The integration available in the market makes the process more affordable. Besides cost, a key factor helping to drive the push for CRM integration is the use of open-source programming, which gets developers away from purely proprietary software.
Another big attraction of VoIP is its use in corporate call centers. Vendors in call center businesses, offer CRM features that work well with Internet telephony. These technologies are very popular in call centers. They offer a toolbar for controlling phone calls. Any company with a call center operation will be required to implement it in the next few years. The vendors are trying to best to develop more integrated services in order to get better flexibility from the new phone systems.
The entry-level approach of CRM-VoIP integration is to employ click-to-call service. It connects customers to a business after they click on an icon. This is difficult to set up and maintain with traditional phone systems. But merging HTML coding with telephonic technology makes it easier than ever.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Bell Canada has signed a deal to convert about 8,400 of royal Bank's phone lines to VoIP. The contract essentially covers the telephone line needs at the Toronto head office of Canada's largest bank.
Financial details were not disclosed, but an analyst said such conversions typically cost from $300 to $500 each. This would bring the investment range for this contract to $2.5 million to $4.2 million.
Read More: Bell Canada wins multi-year VoIP phone contract from Royal Bank
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Service providers are now-a-days boosting their investments in converged networks. Broadband Internet, Ethernet and IP VPNs are the technologies that causing highest growth for telecom carriers in many parts of the world. Revenues for legacy services will be looking to these technologies. Mobile is another big issue for the service providers because of the rapid growth in the number of subscribers. Most service providers offer mobile voice and data services.
There are many others who are considering both wired and wireless solutions for the next generation of transport networks that will deliver these services. Creating new services is not easy in the United States as competition is very tough there. However, one thing is clear that the next generation of telecom services will be led by broadband and mobile.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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FlashPhone F2K is a $40 product from Mplat Technology Ltd. It puts all the information along with the software and hardware in to the palm. The FlashPhone F2K is designed to be a self-contained device for making and receiving Skype calls. Mplat has added a flash memory drive and a USB sound card into a small device. It has built-in microphone plug on the one side of the device. On the other side a USB connector is hidden under a cap.
Audio quality and voice clarity is excellent on this phone. When plugged in, the phone detects the new machine and installs both the flash drive and the audio controller. Information Week reports:
The FlashPhone is based on a sound idea: Take all of the components needed to run Skype and build them into a small, simple device.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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UTStarcom has launched a new cell phone called GF200 at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. The new phone combines GSM and VoIP over Wi-Fi and will be available in the first quarter of 2006. Tech World reports:
WiFi VoIP phones aren't anything new. But they are more cordless phone replacements for home use than cell phone competitors, said Michael Tribolet, executive vice president of Vonage, because people probably don't want to carry two phones just to have both cell and VOIP access.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Internet Telephony is merging with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to provide new generation of business tools. Specifically, the integration of CRM with VoIP is not longer a dream. The newfound reliability of Internet-based telephony and the impressive cost saving that result from integrating CRM features with VoIP have generated much enthusiasm over this new enterprise-business tool. CRM and VoIP will transform the communication systems with their joint efforts.
VoIP has already dominated the communication industry. Several large and small and medium business enterprises have adopted VoIP in their applications. In this context, it is possible that CRM will provide much wider scope to VoIP. It is expected that by the end of this year, CRM integration will be on full flow. Telephone and computer-network infrastructure found in many offices are not ready for VoIP software. But the current crop of VoIP equipment is producing superior voice quality. It will make the prospect of buying in to the new technology much more enticing than it did in the previous years.
In the past, businesses used to depend on traditional phone service and middleware products to tie CRM services together. The cost of replacing previous generations of phone equipment is drastically lower today. Five years ago, it would cost half million dollars to install a priority Internet-based phone system. At that time, quality was not trustworthy and several problems cropped in. However, things have been improved significantly now.
The improved phone quality over the Internet is a true sign that the next wave of adoption is setting in. If it is added, motivation and assurance factor will work perfectly for the system. Recent acquisitions made in the VoIP industry suggest that VoIP could be a solid part of CRM in the near future.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Blue Wireless & Data, Inc. announced that the Company is now offering business and residential VoIP telephony service. Blue Wireless is marketing the new service to its existing customer base but can also provide the service outside its own wireless broadband network.
Blue Wireless & Data is a broadband service provider delivering high-speed wireless Internet access and VoIP telephony service with related products to residential customers and small to medium-sized businesses. For further information, visit www.bluewirelessdata.com.
Read More: Blue Wireless & Data Announces VoIP Service
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Emergency communications system in the US is no longer secure and strong. Last year's hurricanes proved that when the entire emergency communication collapsed. Now experts are building and maintaining 911 networks by upgrading the emergency systems to Internet Protocol technology. Most people believe that an IP network would let people contact 911 via text messaging if the upgrade is successful. The IP technology needs to transform old 911 networks into next-generation networks.
During Hurricane Katrina, regular telephone service in several regions was not working. For thousands of people, the only means of communication was instant text messaging. But text messaging couldn't be used to contact emergency officials, which made operators develop systems to make E911 calls easier.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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O’Reilly eTel conference will showcase many of the companies that have been featured here on GigaOM like PhoneGnome. “What’s really happening with IP telephony is the antithesis of what companies like Vonage are saying to consumers,” says Surj Patel, program cochair.
Written by Om Malik on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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First we had a VoIP romance, now a VoIP Wedding. Now patiently waiting for a VoIP enabled divorce.
Written by Om Malik on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Nextbrick, is a cool site for all you Lego fans.
Written by Om Malik on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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WhichVoIP.com announced the official launch of its new WhichVoIP plan search bar and affiliate program. This free and easy to use VoIP plan search bar can be used by webmasters. Webmasters use it to give the visitors access to the WhichVoIP.com database. It also helps them to earn revenue from VoIP service sign-ups. The search bar consists of a few lines of HTML code that can be copied from the WhichVoIP website.
The WhichVoIP plan search bar enables users to search and choose a residential VoIP service provider that meets their telephony needs. Available options include searching by VoIP provider, special deals and local and long distance patterns equipped with advanced VoIP features. The search results returned by the WhichVoIP database ensure that visitors receive the latest information over different VoIP service providers and plans. Press Method reports:
Currently WhichVoIP provides three layout styles for the residential WhichVoIP plan search bar and the ability to alter the colors of the bar. This is aimed at giving webmasters flexibility for search bar placement and to ensure it blends in with the style of their website.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Fusion announced that its Executive Vice President and CTO, Dr. Joel Maloff will speak at the PTC '06 conference to be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a leading provider of international VoIP, Fusion has a unique perspective on delivering carrier-guide VoIP service. PR Newswire reports:
Fusion works closely with customers to assist them in the transition from traditional telephony to VoIP applications," said Matthew Rosen, President and Chief Operating Officer of Fusion. "As Fusion's CTO, Dr. Maloff is ideally suited to present Fusion's experiences and knowledge gained in emerging markets."
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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The CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2006 has witnesses a series of developments on VoIP. Multimedia communications dominated the proceedings of the show that concentrated on VoIP. Music services for cell phones and video-to-multimedia PDAs caught the attention of the media and attendants. The dominance of multimedia was a validation of the new way of looking at communication that is the part of VoIP. The multimedia technology includes entertainment or personal communication.
VoIP appliance and device makers as well as some service providers had a number of products to demonstrate at the show. Much of the new product choices had to do with more choice for consumers in phones and softphones. 8x8 Inc. and CounterPath Solutions Inc. formed an alliance at the CES. 8x8 is the provider of the Packet8 and Virtual Office services. The new service Packet8 SoftTalk will be available in the market in the first quarter of 2006. 8x8 Inc. will use the CounterPath softphone to provide the new service.
The new service will be available as a free download for calls within the Packet8 network. It is aimed at road warriors that want to take along their VoIP service on their laptop. The new service comes with plans for packages of minutes and a group of enhanced features. It can be linked to a customer's standard Packet8 account.
At the CES 2006, Auvi Technologies Inc. announced partnership with GlobalTouch Telecom Inc. to launch a new VoIP service for consumers using an Auvi VoIP phone and GlobalTouch's SIPTalk service. Auvi Technologies Inc. is a designer and developer of digital entertainment hardware. Both 8x8 and Vonage Holdings Corp. announced new phone choices for customers. They partnered with Uniden America Corp. for customer hardware. It includes cordless phone systems that support multiple handsets.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Comcast added 202,000 VoIP customers in 2005 and expects to add 1 million more in 2006. Comcast new VoIP service, known as Comcast Digital Voice has been launched in two cities Portland, Ore and Vancouver, Wash.
The newly announced results confirmed guidance the company gave at the time, when it said it expected to acquire some 200,000 to 250,000 VoIP users by the end of the year. By December, net subscriber additions were reaching 15,000 to 20,000 a week, Roberts said.
Read More: Comcast Acquires 202,000 VoIP Customers Since June
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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The VoIP market is booming with an explosive growth. Now it has become essential for people to know how they will generate income from such a fast growing market. There are several companies and individuals who make a living by selling VoIP products and services. Some companies offer affiliate programs that many webmasters subscribe to.
The affiliate route has its benefits as long as the companies have a large base of customers. A VoIP reseller can sell IP PBXs or a hosted service. It is always better to sell a mixture of both the services. Services generally generate longer-term but smaller revenue streams, but it depends on customers' needs.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Empirix Inc. has received the prestigious 2006 VoIP Product of the Year Award. The award was given by research firm Frost & Sullivan. The award recognizes Empirix's Hammer XMS next-generation monitoring system for VoIP service providers. Frost & Sullivan offers the award to the company that demonstrates excellence and innovation within its industry.
Empirix Hammer XMS is a carrier-class monitoring and analysis solution that VoIP service providers use. It offers excellent service quality that meets the high standards on customers' demand. Empirix Hammer XMS incorporates the strongest signaling and media analysts and call correlation capabilities on the market. It also evaluates live network traffic to provide the most accurate assessment of network performance. TMC Net reports:
Hammer XMS gives service providers the confidence to deploy new services faster, with higher quality, and a lower cost. It helps reduce customer churn by detecting and resolving problems faster, often before customers are affected.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Voxelle announced that it has developed the world's first USB VoIP handset solution. The new product called the VL2820 will enable users to make and receive VoIP and PSTN calls from the same USB handset. PR Web reports:
Until now, USB handset users were only able to utilize VoIP services. Voxelle’s new VL2820 USB VoIP Handset solution also enables PSTN services simultaneously with PC based VoIP applications such as Skype, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, GoogleTalk and others.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Several factors need to be taken into consideration before installing a wireless network in the school. Many school districts have already implemented wireless networks. Mobility, flexibility and expandability are the most attractive features of wireless networks. Most schools have implemented wireless laptop carts. They benefit from the mobility and flexibility of that arrangement. It also allows teachers to set up labs by plugging access points into the wired network. The expandability of wireless networks allows schools to start with a few carts and access points. These features enhance the value of the existing wired network.
While considering on the wireless network hardware, it is necessary to consider manageability, scalability, support, dependability and compatibility. These factors raise different issues that must be taken into consideration. Manageability refers to access points that can be managed remotely when installed. It is also necessary to determine the layout before implementing the wireless network.
Comparing several plans and number of access points, will provide an insight into the network system. Many schools begin by placing access points on carts with mobile laptops. A fixed and total coverage implementation allows full roaming and the use of other devices such as wireless handhelds and wireless IP phones. A medium-size high school could have as many as 90 access points.
Security is another major concern. Adding wireless to existing network opens a new path for outsiders to break in. Hackers can access an unsecured wireless network. All access points offer some limited security. But in most cases, this is not sufficient. Many schools have implemented third-party solutions to protect their networks. Cost is another important factor. Any school will look for cost-saving option. For that, it is necessary to consider hardware costs, security costs, access point management, technical training and other costs such as professional development and maintenance.
Written by Sagar on January 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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