the VoIP Digest

Poll: if you could have one for free: Apple iPhone or BlackBerry Pearl?

Russell Shaw — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:14:40 +0000

Two of the hottest handsets: Apple iPhone, announced Monday. Up there. BlackBerry Pearl, announced last September. Here: Both have cameras, music playback, video playback, calendar, Web surfing, personal organizer functionalities. Pearl- $399.99 but carrier discounts as low as $199.99 with a two-year sub. iPhone carrier-Ciingular. Exclusive. For years. Pearl-T-Mobile and Cingular. Now I am going to ask which one you want. If I could [...]

For SprintNextel, customer “service” is a jangled mess

Russell Shaw — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 20:18:13 +0000

Note: With the exception of a couple of updates, this is a cross-post from a very recent entry on my BBHub blog. I do this because I thought this story would be of interest to you as well. When it comes to SprintNextel "service," the best descriptor I can use rhymes with ducks.This is [...]

Free phone calls on your Blackberry

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 17:01:00 +0000

Want to make free phone calls from your Blackberry? Well, there is now a piece of software called BBCalls (Blackberry Calls) that when used in conjunction with Jajah, grants you your "free phone calling wish".

Jajah announced back in June free phone-to-phone calls to almost anywhere. The JAJAH Free Global Calling Plan applies to both landline and mobile phones to many of the most-called places in the world.

JAHJAH uses a unique method of initiating the call. You go to a website, enter in your phone number and the number you wish to dial and JAHJAH dials both legs of the call and connects the two. Free calls from your Blackberry? Sweeet...

Hat tip to BlackberryInsight

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Tags: blackberry, free phone calls, jajah, mobile phone
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Blackberry’s Got a Pearl

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 21:25:00 +0000

The upcoming Blackberry Pearl looks like a gorgeous smart phone, but it's sure to drive the corporate types crazy -- no wheel, multimedia capabilities, decidedly non-Blackberry look and feel.

I also can't help thinking the name has something to do with Pirates of the Caribbean -- the Black Pearl, you know?

Perhaps there's an upcoming Blackberry/Disney tie-in or maybe Johnny Depp is involved in some way? You know, "This is Captain Jack Sparrow for the Blackberry Pearl ..."

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Tags: blackberry, disney, johnny depp, pearl, pirates of the caribbean
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Camera-enabled BlackBerry Pearl officially announced: launching next Tuesday

Russell Shaw — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 23:41:30 +0000

After several weeks- no, make that months- of speculation, BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion officially announced the BlackBerry Pearl will be in T-Mobile stores this coming Tuesday.It has a built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, a Media Player with music and video capability. Will sell for $199 with a two-year agreement. I just made several posts about it on [...]

Train Spotting

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 20:36:00 +0000

Maybe it's the intense heat (hot as blazes!), but seems to be a drop in gadget use on the train this morning.

(I thought everyone was goin' mobile!)

Last time, seems that just about half the commuters had some sort of gadget that they were using to pass the time (mobile phone, iPod or other MP3 player, notebook computer, Blackberry), but today that percent dropped to less than 1 in 10 (that 10% -- but let's not rush back to school quite yet).

Today, we had a couple of Dell notebooks (one IBM ThinkPad -- or was it Lenovo?), an iPod, Blackberry and Treo -- and that's about it.

Let's see if gadget usage increases in the fall, when it should be cooler ...

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Tags: blackberry, dell, ibm, ipod, lenovo, mp3 player, thinkpad, treo
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Here’s what the BlackBerry camera phone will look like

Russell Shaw — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 23:29:09 +0000

I've just broke this on my BBHub blog...world exclusive, was first with this: BlackBerry patent application for a long-awaited camera-equipped, or camera-connectible BlackBerry has just been published.That's the abstract at the top of this post.Now here's a sketch of the device: From my BBHub post, this will help you understand what these numbers mean: This is [...]

Microsoft to enter cell phone business via planned iPod rival

Russell Shaw — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 14:21:13 +0000

There's a reason for the blurry image. I shall explain.. Engadget reports today that Microsoft is planning on becoming a cell phone services provider of sorts. The plans involve the release in November of an iPod competitor with WiFi capability for over-the-air downloading of tunes from a partner online music store. And you [...]

Sprint “together with Nextel?” No, not quite

Russell Shaw — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:49:08 +0000

Note: I orginally posted this last night on BBHub, my BlackBerry blog. But after looking over that post a few times, I thought it would apply here as well. Had an interesting experience today going into a "Sprint" store and trying to get my notebook updated for EV-DO. They were out of [...]

Intel sells XScale processor to Maxell

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 13:21:00 +0000

Marvell Technology Group has acquired Intel's XScale processor division. As a gadget-lover this is absolutely shocking since the Intel XScale chips are used in PocketPCs, handhelds, mobile phones and other embedded devices and gadgets. The popular Treo and Blackberry devices also use the XScale chipset.

Intel has been one of the leading innovators of providing low-power consumption chipsets, continually pushing the edge of battery life and performance in small embedded devices. Intel has one of the largest R&D budgets in the IT world and some of the most sophisticated labs. Intel selling the XScale processor division for $600 million will certainly give Intel a much-needed cash boost, but they may have just mortgaged their future earnings. Both the Blackberry and Treo have been a resounding success. Certainly Windows Mobile 5 smartphones like the Motorola Q are also selling. So why Intel would abandon a growing market seems a bit odd. Marvell also will acquire the 1,400 people currently employed by Intel and they state they will retain most of these employees.

I hope Marvell continue to improve the XScale processor and will dedicate plenty of R&D dollars to that end. Perhaps Marvell will do even better than Intel in improving the performance specs on the XScale chipset. Only time will tell.

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Tags: blackberry, intel, marvell, treo, xscale
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Power on the Go! APC’s Mobile Power Pack

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 16:55:00 +0000

It's a very simple premise -- why not create a light-weight battery that allows you to charge any number of mobile devices, rather than having a dedicated battery for each device?

Simple, but apparently not that easy to do -- until now.

APC's new Mobile Power Pack (UPB10) allows you to simultaneously charge and power your mobile phone and handheld computer using USB charging cables (sold separately, but you probably have them already).

There are three really beautiful design elements in this gadget -- its weight (only 105 g), its size (approximately 4 inches x 2.5 inches x 0.5 inches) and its ability to charge any number number of the gadgets you always have on you. It's incredibly easy to use.

Plus (a big plus!) look at these additional runtimes:

iPod Nano/Flash MP3 players (playing music) -- 55 hours
iPod Video/HDD MP3 players (playing movies) -- 10 hours
RazR V3/Mobile phones (talk time) -- 10 hours
Blackberry/Treo (email and talk time) -- 9 hours
Sony PSP (playing time) -- 5 hours

Price: $69.99.

Small is beautiful!

www.apc.com

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Tags: apc, blackberry, ipod nano, ipod video, mobile power pack, razr v3, sony psp, treo, upb10
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Stock plunges after annual meet: trouble in BlackBerry-land?

Russell Shaw — Sat, 20 May 2006 18:41:25 +0000

As some of you know, I blog daily about BlackBerry here. I note that to establish the fact that I watch the company, its products, and its fortunes rather closely.But the events of last week appear to run counter to what the BlackBerry community would have wished for.First, BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion hosted the Wireless [...]

RIM (Blackberry) out of the frying pan and into the…

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Mon, 01 May 2006 19:25:00 +0000

We all know that RIM, makers of the popular Blackberry has settled with NTP. Betcha thought the war was over, right? Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about! -- Rambo, First Blood.

Well, the war is indeed not over. Check out this latest suit again RIM by Visto.

VISTO WINS MOBILE EMAIL VERDICT AGAINST SEVEN NETWORKS, FILES ACTION AGAINST RESEARCH IN MOTION (RIM)

FEDERAL COURT FINDS IN FAVOR OF VISTO, VALIDATING MORE THAN A DECADE OF TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT

(Redwood Shores, CA) – A jury has overwhelmingly found in favor of Visto Corporation in a long-running intellectual property lawsuit between Visto and Seven Networks. The jury found that Seven’s mobile email service infringes on the system that Visto created over the past decade. They further found this infringement to be willful on all claims brought to trial.

Immediately following their victory over Seven Networks, Visto attorneys filed a similar suit against Blackberry provider Research in Motion (RIM). Visto is seeking an injunction and monetary damages against RIM.

“Friday’s sweeping decision against Seven Networks validates our claims that Visto’s intellectual property serves as the basis for this industry’s birth,” said Brian Bogosian, Visto’s Chairman, President and CEO. “There was no ambiguity in the jury’s decision. Likewise we believe that RIM’s infringement of Visto’s technology will be halted.    Our case against RIM is based on similar technology, law and patents as the case we have just won in federal court against Seven Networks.”

“Based on Visto’s sweeping victory in court against Seven Networks on Friday, RIM must understand that there is no place in the mobile email space for this sort of behavior,” continued Bogosian. “Under the law, which protects consumers from products that contain infringing technology, RIM should not be able to sell the Blackberry system.”

“The verdict over Seven Networks is vindication for more than 10 years of investment in our own homegrown intellectual property,” said Bogosian. “Patents ensure that companies which create technology and truly foster innovation will not be harmed in the market by competitors that infringe on our technology. Visto has continued to grow in this market because of our innovation now represented by over 400 employees in 10 countries serving some of the world’s largest mobile operators. This verdict is further validation of our technology leadership in this market.”

The jury in the federal court for the Eastern District of Texas validated the claims asserted by Visto, finding that Seven Networks not only infringed on Visto’s intellectual property, but that they did so willfully. The court upheld each of the five claims and three separate patents Visto brought to trial. The jury awarded Visto damages at a royalty rate equivalent to 19.75% of Seven’s infringing products’ revenue, or about $3.6 million.

“The royalty rate awarded in this case reflects the tremendous value of Visto’s patents in the mobile space,” Bogosian said. “The court is expected to hold a hearing concerning an injunction against Seven Networks that would prohibit the further use of their infringing system.”

Daniel Méndez, Visto’s Co-Founder and Senior Vice President, created the company in 1996 to enable users to access sensitive data, including email, even behind secure corporate firewalls.

“Visto is a global leader in the mobile email market,” said Méndez, who is one of the actual inventors of the technology at issue. “We have invested tens of millions in capital from loyal and patient investors to bring our products from invention to market.    But we are still a small company, and we can only succeed and innovate if large companies are kept from violating the laws that protect inventors and innovators,” Méndez said. “We’ll excel given a level playing field, but when others simply take what is ours, we must insist that the laws of the land be enforced. We ask for nothing more, and nothing less.”

Three of the patents in Visto’s win over Seven are identical to those in Visto’s suit against RIM. The four patents Visto charges RIM of infringing are:

•    U.S. Patent No. 6,085,192 titled, “System And Method For Securely Synchronizing Multiple Copies Of A Workspace Element In A Network”
•    U.S. Patent No. 6,023,708, titled “System And Method For Using A Global Translator To Synchronize Workspace Elements Across A Network”
•    U.S. Patent No. 6,708,221 titled, “System And Method For Globally And Securely Accessing Unified Information In A Computer Network”
•    U.S. Patent No. 6,151,606 titled, “System And Method For Using A Workspace Data Manager To Access, Manipulate And Synchronize Network Data”
Further strengthening Visto’s case against RIM is the fact that patent 6,085,192 has recently completed a re-examination at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent was upheld as valid over the substantial literature examined by the USPTO.

Visto’s technology is at the heart of Visto Mobile™, a leading push email offering that is branded and made available through the world’s largest carriers including Cingular, Sprint Nextel, the Vodafone Group, Rogers Wireless, and many others. Individual and business subscribers get Visto Mobile service through their mobile phone carrier.

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Tags: blackberry, lawsuit, ntp, rim, visto

EXCLUSIVE: BlackBerry working on automatic call volume adjustment for noisy places

Russell Shaw — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:45:23 +0000

Earlier today on my BBHub BlackBerry blog, I broke an exclusive that BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion is working on technology that will automatically sense the background noise present when a caller is on the line, and automatically adjust the call volume to compensate. At the top of this post, [...]

Will copper’s record prices affect VoIP, WiFI and cell phones?

Russell Shaw — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:51:15 +0000

As you can see from the chart, copper constitutes 19% of most cellphones. And since VoIP and WiFi phones have similar basic construction components, the percentage of copper in these phones most assuredly is in that same 19% range.Although advances in chip technology have driven the price of these handsets lower, there may be somewhat [...]

Don’t think portable electronic devices are a risk to flight? Think again

Russell Shaw — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 07:38:38 +0000

I remember one transcontinental flight that I took back in 2004. We were at 35,000 feet, somewhere over Iowa, and we were approaching a fearsome thundercloud. So I am thinking maybe the captain is on the radio talking to Minneapolis or Chicago flight control, trying to figure a way around the big gray boomer [...]

BlackBerry exec: VoIP is big part of our plans

Russell Shaw — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:53:41 +0000

Over on my BBHub BlackBerry blog I've just posted an item noting an interview wireless industry news and reviews site Unstrung did earlier this week with David Heit of BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion.Heit tells Unstrung senior editor Richard Martin that VoIP is playing a big part in BlackBerry's near-term future plans. "As more of your desktop [...]

First 3G BlackBerry readied: here are specs, a pix

Russell Shaw — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 10:18:22 +0000

Earlier today on my BBHub BlackBerry blog, I posted news of the first 3G BlackBerry- a new BlackBerry 8707v to be released next month by U.K.-based mobile phone operator Vodafone.Sorry statesiders- this is sold in the U.K. only.While we don't know the price yet, we do have the specs:The basics: Intel PXA901 at 312MHz [...]

Why convergence marketing is suffering from “domain poisoning”

Russell Shaw — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 20:16:24 +0000

I have this theory about folks who are new to technology, don't know much about a tech company, but maybe see an ad or get word-of-mouth recommendations.More than a few such folks are liable to mis-spell the name of the vendor or service and give up out of a sense of confusion. If they use a [...]

Intel’s new chips: WiFi-WiMAX handoffs, 802.11n notebooks, BlackBerry multimedia

Russell Shaw — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 12:53:04 +0000

At least three of the chipsets that Intel annnounced yesterday at the Intel Developers' Forum make me real, real curious.OK- Curiousity is a permanent state for me - so make that even more real, real, curious.First, I see that Intel mobility group vice-president Sean Maloney revealed a Wi-Fi WiMAX chip, that will offer notebook users [...]

Welcome to SIP, Cisco!

Russell Shaw — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:13:39 +0000

Today as expected, Cisco announced they have finally embraced SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). The platform for doing so will be Cisco Unified CallManager5.0, the call-processing component of the Cisco Unified Communications system.As the last major IP systems and equipment vendor to accept SIP, it does kind of seem that Cisco was dragged kicking and screaming [...]

The real reason why BlackBerry settled

Russell Shaw — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 20:01:04 +0000

Late Friday, BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion and patent-holding company NTP announced they have settled their patent infringement dispute.Research In Motion is paying NTP $612.5 million as a license fee, but it comes across more as payment for them to "go away."To understand why BlackBerry did this deal rather than stay in fight, you have to [...]

Here’s the timeline for how the BlackBerry case will come out

Russell Shaw — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 05:05:47 +0000

Via these pages as well as my BBHub BlackBerry blog, I have been tracking, covering and analyzing the BlackBerry vs. NTP patent infringement case very closely. I now would like to offer you my forecast for what will happen over the next few weeks and months:Now that U.S. Judge James Spencer has temporarily put off [...]

No BlackBerry injunction today: here’s what this means

Russell Shaw — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:07:59 +0000

U.S. District Court Judge James Spencer has stopped short of ordering an immediate shutdown of millions of BlackBerry portable e-mail devices made by Research In Motion Ltd. But Judge James Spencer said there was no escaping that RIM had been found to be infringing on NTP Inc.'s patents and he would issue [...]

My BlackBerry prediction: injunction with 60-day stay

Russell Shaw — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 07:00:19 +0000

On my BBHub BlackBerry blog this morning, I offer my own prediction about how Judge James Spencer will rule today in the patent infringement case between Research In Motion and NTP.I write:My own crystal ball - the one between my ears- tells me that Judge James Spencer is going to issue an injunction suspending BlackBerry [...]

Yes, there will be a BlackBerry injunction

Russell Shaw — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:13:13 +0000

Although most of the experts I interviewed this week for my previous post entitled Will there be a BlackBerry shutdown? Eight experts tell me do not believe U.S. District Court Judge James Spencer [at right] will declare an injunction after tomorrow's hearing that would suspend Blackberry services in the U.S. due to patent infringement, one [...]

BlackBerry expert: shutdown only “10% likely”

Russell Shaw — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:00:42 +0000

In my previous post entitled Will there be a BlackBerry shutdown? Eight experts tell me, I mentioned that I would be expanding on the comments made by two of the experts I interviewed about the likelihood (or lack thereof) that BlackBerry service will be suspended in the U.S. as a result of the patent infringement [...]

Will there be a BlackBerry shutoff? Eight experts tell me

Russell Shaw — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 05:00:59 +0000

On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge James Spencer will hold a hearing on the ongoing patent infringement dispute between BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion and patent holding company NTP.Based on Judge Spencer's findings, he may issue an injunction suspending BlackBerry sales and services in the U.S. until RIM and NTP reach a settlement. If that is [...]

NTP Says ‘Hands Up’ Palm

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 05:00:00 +0000

Not too surprising to see that NTP, the same company that got a bunch of millions from Research in Motion (RIM), the company behind the oh-so-popular Blackberry, is now going after Palm in the same manner.

The Blackberry story was hot earlier this year, and I'm sure the NTP/Palm face-off will be hot this tiime.

Wonder if Palm has learned anything from the earlier suit?

And now I have wonder about whether my Treo 650 will still be able to do what it's supposed to do?

It's always something ...

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Tags: blackberry, ntp, palm, research in motion, rim, treo 650
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MapQuest Navigator for Sprint and Nextel BlackBerry devices

VoIP & Gadgets Blog — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 05:00:00 +0000

MapQuest Navigator is now Available on Sprint and Nextel BlackBerry devices. In addition, MapQuest Mobile v2.5 now enables Finding Places, Customized and Multi-Point Routing Options, Canadian Coverage and more.

MapQuest yesterday announced MapQuest Mobile v2.5, offering a range of new features, including access to MapQuest's 15 million points of interest, multipoint routing, walking directions, customized routing options, and coverage in Canada. MapQuest Mobile, the #1 revenue generating downloadable application in the US1, is available in the US through 12 wireless carriers, and on 250 mobile phones.

In addition, MapQuest Navigator -- the GPS-enabled application featuring text and audio turn-by-turn directions -- is now available from Sprint (NYSE:S) on Sprint and Nextel BlackBerry devices. The downloadable application features an in-car navigation-like system with a moving, full color map display while letting consumers receive phone calls. MapQuest Navigator for BlackBerry devices is available for a 90-day free trial download at www.mapquest.com/mobile on the Get it Now link.2 Supported models include: the 8703e and 7130e powered by Sprint, and the 7520 and 7100i powered by Nextel.

"We're focused on offering mobile solutions to help consumers find places while they are on the go," said Alan Beiagi, Director of Wireless for MapQuest. "Enhancing our product offerings for mobile phone users and expanding our MapQuest Mobile coverage to Canada provides convenient and compelling solutions for subscribers to get to their destinations."

Among the new features of MapQuest Mobile v2.5:

Finding Places
- Users can access the more than 15 million of Points Of Interest from the MapQuest.com database, including restaurants, hotels, gas stations and theaters.
- Subscribers can search for a specific business or place by category, name or location, and click-to-call that business directly from the MapQuest Mobile application.

Navigate
- Multipoint Routing lets users select multiple destinations to get a complete set of directions from point A to B to C, etc.
- Pedestrian Navigation provides directions and maps for walking routes.
- Reverse Directions lets users get directions back to the point of origin. Advanced Routing lets users choose the fastest or shortest routes, or those that avoid toll roads and highways.

Get Maps and Driving Directions
- Directions can include advanced routing options (shortest time, shortest distance, avoid tolls, avoid highways, walking), and multi-stop routing. All maps, routes, multi-routes and places sent from Mapquest.com will be stored in a “Sent from Web” list.
- Users can easily access their most recent locations and multi-routes, and they can save locations and multi-routes to a Favorites folder.
- Users can store a favorite Businesses or Place in a “Favorites” list.

Canada
- Maps, directions and point of interest information is offered for all Canadian territories.

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Tags: MapQuest Navigator, GPS, MapQuest Mobile v2.5, Sprint, NEXTEL, Blackberry, 8703e, 7130e, 7520, 7100i
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