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GN 9350 DECT 6.0 headset does PC, VoIP, and regular phone handsets

GN Netcom's GN 9350 DECT 6.0 headset is one of the most versatile headsets I have ever reviewed. When GN Netcom told me they had a new headset that did both PC audio and Phone audio, while leveraging the range and interference-free characteristics of the DECT 6.0 standard, I just had to review this headset. (Note: DECT 6.0 operates at 1.9Ghz so it is less apt to have interference from WiFi 2.4Ghz signals)

Comparatively speaking, the GN 9350 is similar in functionality to the Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset, which I reviewed here. Both support VoIP, both can use any PC audio application, both use USB, and both are wireless. However, the similarities stop there, since the Voyager 510 uses Bluetooth and the GN 9350 uses DECT 6.0 for wireless connectivity. The advantage of the Bluetooth wireless spec is that you can use the same headset both on your PC (using the Bluetooth USB dongle) and your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. The GN 9350 wasn't designed for mobile phones, but rather for traditional enterprise desktop phones, which the Voyager 510 cannot connect to. Thus, these products target a slightly different target audience. Although, I should mention that Plantronics has a higher-end model of the Voyager 510 called the Voyager 510S, which supports mobile phones, desktop phones, and PC audio (VoIP) using Bluetooth.

Here's a picture of the higher-end Plantronics Voyager 510s:
Plantronics Voyager 510S

One advantage of the DECT 6.0 spec over using Bluetooth is range. When I tested the Bluetooth-enabled Plantronics Voyager 510, the audio started to get choppy just 15 feet away. On the other hand the DECT-enabled GN 9350 worked flawlessly with no choppiness even 250 feet away. GN Netcom claims 300 feet of range for the GN 9350.

Installation
Installing the GN 9350 was a breeze. You simply connect the phone wire to one of its ports, the handset cord to the other RJ11 port. I will say that connecting the phone connectors was a bit tricky because the ports are recessed about 1/2 inch in with a lip that hangs over and a tiny opening, making it difficult to get your fingers inside to clip the phone clips. I basically had to hold the wires from the outside and gingerly aim the RJ11 clips into the female ports - I felt like I was defusing a bomb like the injured "Cappy" in the scene from Executive Decision. It was then that I realized that the cover on top is actually removable making it easy to make the connections. Silly me. Under the cover I was surprised to discover an LCD display and a 4-way thumbpad allowing you to customize various features, including volume, bass/treble/normal, hookswitch selection, range/power selection, and finally protection level, which protects against sudden spikes in volume. There is also a switch for choosing which type of phone system you have. In any event, after hooking up the phone wires and playing with the LCD settings, I then hooked up the AC adaptor and the USB connector and was good to go.

Base Unit Features
On the front of the base unit are 2 buttons for switching from PC to phone and 7 LEDs. One LED indicates when the headset is charging on its base (flashing) or when the headset is in use (solid). Another LED, red in color indicates when you have the headset muted. Another LED indicates USB connectivity, another for power, and 2 blue LEDs indicate whether you are in PC or Phone mode.

Headset Features
The headset is very flexible in it's wearing styles. You can wear it headband wearing style, neckband wearing style (wraps behind your head), as well as "over the ear" wearing style. features automatic volume adjustment that sets the volume on all calls (phone or VoIP) unless you set the auto-volume protection to level 0. The headset also features noise reduction which can remove background noise from your environment.

The headset features a noise-cancelling boom mic, a charging port, and a three-way switch on the end that performs volume up/down, as well as mute when you press it in. On the outside of the headset is a blue LED that blinks when in use and is off when not in use.

In addition, your headset can also be used with DECT cordless phones, which are GAP (Generic Access Profile) compatible. You simply have to pair the headset with the cordless phone's base station by pressing the headset's talk and mute buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds after entering the cordless telephone's GAP mode. Relatedly, the headset supports a multi-unit conferencing capability. Simply start a call, then place a 2nd headset on the base unit for 2 seconds. Then remove the headset and this headset will be conferenced into the call. You can repeat for any additional 2 headsets for a total of 4 headsets in the call.

Here's an interesting feature - emergency dialing via VoIP. The base unit supports "speed dialing" emergency services using your VoIP application (softphone) simply by pressing the PC mode button and the Phone mode button simultaneously for 5 seconds. This is useful for when your workstation is locked and you're trying to shave off some seconds. Of course, I can type my password in less than 5 seconds as I'm sure most people can, but perhaps the emergency is that you injured your hand - which would make it a little difficult to do the three-fingered-salute (Ctrl-Alt-Del) to log on.

Testing
The voice quality was excellent and I was very impressed with the ~250ft range before the audio started to cut out. Overall, I was pleased with the sound quality, range, and the ability to switch from streaming music (PC) to an incoming call (Phone). If your phone is supported, you'll even hear a beep in the headset letting you know of an incoming call. If you have the optional handset lifter, it can even lift the handset so you can take the call without being at your desk. The unit also supports EHS (electronic hookswitch) to automatically answer a call, which does not require the handset lifter. Only certain phones support EHS. You can go to www.gnnetcom.co.uk/UK/EN/EHS-setup.htm to see if your phone is listed.

Unfortunately, when you set the base unit to default to the “phone”, it appears that you can't toggle from music to phone and then back to music using the headset button. You can only go from music to phone. So for example, say you are away from your desk, listening to streaming radio, and then an incoming call comes in. You click the headset’s button to switch to the phone connection, which uses the remote handset lifter to answer the call. You talk for a bit, you end the call and then wish to return back to the PC’s streaming audio. You can’t do this remotely. You have to press the button on the base unit in order to switch back to the PC audio. 

Similarly, when you set base unit to default to “PC” audio, on an incoming call, you cannot switch to the “Phone” using just the headset. You have to be physically at the base station and press the phone button.

Not a big deal, since in most cases you will be near your PC & phone (and therefore the base unit). Nevertheless, wireless headsets do add some nice office mobility, so  it would be nice if you could hold the headset button for say 3 seconds and it would toggle to the opposite (PC or phone) connection. Perhaps this is a simple firmware or software upgrade. I'll contact my sources at GN Netcom and see if its possible.

I found it a bit of a pain to put the headset back on the base unit to charge it. If you are slightly off, the charging prong hits the plastic on the headset and won't insert all the way down. I had to wiggle the headset a bit to get it to dock. However, with a little practive, I was able to get it docked on the first try about 80% of the time.

Beeping and blinking... Beeping and blinking (William Shatner - Airplane!)
When simply using the headset to listen to PC audio (music) I found that the mic picks up sounds and plays it back over the earpiece. For example, if listening to music, with the mic unmuted and you hit the mic boom with your hand, it picks up the sound and plays it over the ear piece. Or if I simply turn my head and the mic hits my cheek, it will pick this sound up. I was able to mute the mic, but then it beeps every 10 seconds which is annoying.

Beeping is a great reminder when using the phone feature – so you don’t accidentally forget you are muted, but when in PC mode, unless using a VoIP software all the time (requires the mic is unmuted), I prefer that the microphone be muted with no beeping.

Pros:

Cons
Conclusion
Even with the beeping issue and the toggling issue, overall, I was very pleased with GN Netcom's GN 9350. It is now my office headset of choice due to it's excellent range and very good feature-set. Having all these features, range, and sound quality will set you back $349 MSRP. However, I checked Amazon and I see the GN 9350 listed on Amazon for $271.99.

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Written by VoIP & Gadgets Blog on September 1st, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on VoIP and Wireless and Plantronics and phone and headset and pstn.

VoIP Call Recording

VoIP call recording software for popular VoIP applications such as Skype, Google Talk, Windows Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and the rest is something I get asked about all the time. I can't tell you how many times I get email requests for recommendations for the best VoiP call recording software as well as requests for call recording software and/or hardware to record strictly PSTN or traditional PBXs conversations. Even the VoIP Forums has a few threads involving requests for call recording, including this three-page thread titled "Call Recording Software" and this VoIP Forum posting, "SOHO VoIP call recording".

It's tough when I get so many of these help requests (usually via email, sometimes via phone) since it is in my nature to want to help people out. However, I am getting paid by TMC to test VoIP products, write product reviews, and provide my own VoIP industry analysis - and not to be a personal consultant for everyone that asks me for assistance.

Don't get me wrong though, I often DO respond to email queries for help. If the request is simple, I usually respond, but often times the answer is quite complex - it depends on the user's exact requirements, what type of network environment, etc. that would just take to long to solve their problem with a single email. So if I spend too much time of my workday playing "VoIP consultant" to strangers, my boss will not be happy with me. You don't want me to get fired, now do you? VoIP smiley

Nevertheless, since I have received so many queries about VoIP call recording, I thought I would provide some useful info - a "VoIP Recording FAQ/Primer" if you will.

I should point out that there are several companies offering VoIP call recording both for the enterprise and for personal use. First, let's look at enterprise-class VoIP call recording solutions that are used to record conversations on IP-PBXs/VoIP hard phones and then we'll look at personal call recording solutions that work with Skype, Google Talk, etc.

First, NICE Systems is one of the leaders in enterprise VoIP recording. In fact, NICE solidified their industry-leading position by purchasing Dictaphone's call recording business last year, which was one of NICE's competitors and was one of the leaders in call recording and quality management. NICE Systems VoIP recording technology is fully integrated within NICE's current product line, NiceLog and NiceUniverse, enabling any NICE user to add VoIP recording into their present environment. The solution provides intelligent recording of VoIP interactions for full-time recording, recording-on-demand and quality management. I know they are interoperable with Cisco Systems' Internet Protocol Contact Center (Cisco IPCC), but I'm sure NICE integrates with other VoIP solutions as well.

Witness Systems is another well-known company offering very good call recording and QM (quality monitoring) solutions, including their flagship VoIP recording product called eQuality ContactStore for IP . They claim to be the first to support SIP call recording.

43-228 telephone recorderNow let's look at some "personal use" VoIP recording solutions. If you are using a hard IP phone, such as a Cisco 7900 series IP phone, then you can use a cheap telephone recorder device, such as the Recorder Control - Model 43-228 ($26.99), which you can pick up at Radio Shack. It is designed to work with a standard tape recorder and features a "remote tape control" feature that automatically starts/stops the tape. Thus, it automatically records when receiver is lifted from the phone. Of course, most people will want to record to their PC instead, so you can simply connect the microphone output to your PC's sound card and leave the tape control output plug unplugged.

Another Radio Shack model is the Mini Recorder Model 43-1237 ($17.99), which is a bit cheaper than the 43-228 model, but it doesn't have the automatic record feature when the telephone receiver is lifted from the phone. Still, since most users don't need the remote tape control, this device should suffice for most users. However, the one 43-1237 model I did try had a lot of static/noise in the background. I'm not sure if I got a defective unit or if the mic plug was not the correct size. It's possible this model was designed specifically for tape recorders mic input and not a PC's sound card. They are similar, but not exactly the same.

If you want to go really high-end (and expensive $125), the JK Audio THAT-1 is a high-end telephone recorder used by radio stations to record and play sound bytes. The grey pushbutton selects which audio will be sent into the telephone (OUT = talking on the handset, IN = sending audio in through the RCA jack). The output RCA jack contains a mix of the audio from both sides of the conversation, as well as the tones being pressed on the keypad. The volume control adjusts the volume of the signal going to your powered speaker or tape recorder. I use a THAT-1 connected to my phone's handset to record my phone conversations and it works great with excellent sound quality. But you will pay a premium for this unit.

TelRex CallRex - is a software-based VoIP call recording solution that supports integration with 3Com NBX, Cisco Call Manager, Mitel ICP, Nortel BCM, Artisoft Televantage, Avaya IP Office, Siemens HighPath, NEC NEAX, Shortel Shorewave, and Zultsys MX250.

ASC's VoIP Server Software eVOip captures VoIP packets and allows the user to store, reproduce, archive and play back the entire interaction. EVOip is a passive VoIP recording solution that monitors the RTP / RTCP packages on local area networks (LANs). They currently support tight integration with Cisco, Avaya, Siemens, innovaphone, Mitel, Nortel, and a few more, but they claim it operates with any IP vendor or signaling protocol. They even offer a free 1-license download for trial.

An option to go "cheap" is to download the FREE open-source Ethereal packet sniffer program. Ethereal can decode VoIP packets, including the RTP stream and save it as an .au file (you can convert to .WAV if you need to, but most likely your PC will play .au files. You just leave the software running on your PC in the background and then setup a filter to only capture VoIP traffic. It won't work with Skype, but should support many other VoIP applications and IP-PBXs, especially those that support the SIP standard.

Here's some info from Ethereal's web site:
____________________________________________________
Ethereal 0.99.0 has a functionality RTP Analysis that can be used to convert RTP packets to ".au" sound-file.
There are a lot of programs that can convert from .au to .wav if you really need to use the .wav format but actually you should be able to play the .au file direct, I assume. Currently this only works for G.711 (PCMU and PCMA).

If the RTP packets are not shown as RTP you first have to select one of the packets and use the "Tools/Decode As..." menu item and select that the packets shall be decoded as RTP. http://www.ethereal.com/faq.html#q5.21

Then you mark one of the RTP packets and use the "Tools/Statistics/RTP Analysis..." menu item to obtain some statistics about delay and jitter. If the codec is G.711 (PCMU/PCMA) you should be able to use the "Save voice data as..." button in the RTP Analysis window.

Yet another option, WinEyeQ VoIP network capture utility They have a trial version that comes bundled with Win Pcap 3.0 (packet capture driver) and is designed specifically for VoIP.

Just to give you an idea of what types of features to look for in a VoIP call recording software solution, I'll include WinEyeQ's Voice and Video Call Monitor/Analyzer features:

- Completely software-based test tool.
- A true H.323 and SIP call monitor with complete call analysis and media monitoring
- Detects new H.323 and SIP call attempts (both inbound and outbound) automatically
- Maintains registration information to gatekeepers and registrars giving you a complete call profile
- Detailed reporting of protocol violations and call anomalies as well as user-defined alerts and alarms
- Detailed reporting for network usage, call summaries, call traces and media QOS measurements
- Monitor entire network segments or specify IP addresses or ranges
- Measure bandwidth usage of VoIP signaling, voice, video and other network traffic
- Set watches for key call identifiers such as E.164 number, SIP ID or IP address
- Specify protocol layers to monitor (IP, TCP, UDP, RAS, H.225, H.245, SIP, RTP, RTCP, etc.)
- Detect and alert unwanted traffic on the network

vEmotion by VoiceEmotion.com is a personal use VoIP recording product that works with all of the major IM/VoIP software clients, including Skype, AIM/AIM Triton, Gtalk, Msn, Yahoo Messenger, QQ, ICQ, and Windows Live Messenger. It has some cool features, including the ability to set background music for VoIP conversations so you can share music with your friends. The nice thing about this software is that it's automatic. When you begin a VoIP call, recording automatically begins. When the call ends, the recording stops automatically and a new record is stored.

Other features include:
• Send voice emotions (lively audio clips) to who are talking with you. Anything you have inconvenience in expressing it with your mouth or text, you can communicate it by voice emotions.
• Record voice conversations into disk files, in single-track, dual-track or single-track double frequency mode. Data is encrypted, and passwords can be assigned to protect your call records against unauthorized access.

Finally, here are some other call recording solutions. Some are for enterprise use and others for personal use.

Cain and Abel is an interesting VoIP call recording application. Cain & Abel was designed as a "network administrator security tool" to pinpoint security holes. I put that it quotes, since it can also be used as a hacker's tool.

Essentially, this "security" software product can record your SIP-based VoIP applications. Cain's sniffer can now extract audio conversations based on SIP/RTP protocols and save them into WAV files. The following codecs are supported: G711 uLaw, G711 aLaw, GSM, MS-GSM, ADPMC, DVI, LPC, L16, G729, Speex, iLBC.

Gabcast is a unique hosted call recording application that actually lets you instantly create podcasts for your blog with integration with your blogging software. The neat thing about Gabcast is that it supports conference calling their service both via the PSTN and VoIP. Using your favorite SIP softphone you simply dial the SIP address: 422@sip.gabcast.com along with other particpants dialing in using PSTN or VoIP and it will record the conference call into mp3 format.

Hotrecorder is another option, which I wrote about here. It works with PC-initiated calls through Skype, AOL Instant Messenger, Net2Phone, Yahoo! Messenger and probably others. The free version of the software is supported by advertisements that are targeted according to the consumer's location, gender or age or you can buy the software ad-free for $14.95.

The aforementioned are just a sampling of the VoIP call recording solutions out there -- I could go on and on with a list of many other solutions, but hopefully this will give you a a headstart in finding the right VoIP call recording solution. Feel free to drop me a line with any good VoIP call recording solutions you use or if you need help with any VoIP solution. I'll do my best to try and help you out.

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Comments on this Entry:

(Muhammad Asif Siddiqui on Dec 15, 2004 10:48 AM) Hi I read your article and found it really helpful. We also want to develop our own VOIP call recording solution. We are using Zultys exchange which is connected to a switch. We want to develop an application which will be connected to switch and sniff all the VOIP packets (SIP + RTP) and save each voice conversations in a different file. Until now, we have looked into Etherreal, Java APIs for sniffing and JMF. We have been able to separate RTP packets and classify them as one stream. Now, I want to convert RTP Payload (in G.711 format) to some wav or mp3 format. How can I do this by using some free API or tool? We are stuck in this for a week. An urgent response will be highly appreciated.

(Neil D on Feb 1, 2005 9:30 PM) Callrex works well with several platforms including Zultys. What makes it real nice is that you mirror the only the port that the zultys is plugged into and it supports the g729a codec - not just g711. check out www.callrex.com. Not free - but I think they offer a good trial program.

(Suvendu on Mar 15, 2005 4:57 AM) Is there any open source available to implement similar concept of Ethereal...capturing RTP, analysing and storing as *.wav files?

(Roger Reed on May 17, 2005 6:14 PM) Converged Software offers the VoiceWarehouse call recording product for use with Cisco CallManager networks. This solution is JTAPI-based and integrates with CTI ports, as described in the initial post. This type of configuration is ideal for quickly providing network-wide access to on-demand recording of conference/standard calls and dictation. Unlike solutions geared towards high volume call center recording which require complicated SPAN port configuration, the VoiceWarehouse can be installed by a CallManager administrator in about an hour on an available server meeting minimum specifications (http://www.convergedsoft.com/vw_eval.jsp). This solution is offered at some of the best prices in the industry. It's also one of the easiest to use. When a recording is made an e-mail is sent providing a link to a user's personal inbox in the VoiceWarehouse web application. The user can then annotate the recording and control playback on their IP phone via a web interface.

(Roger Reed on May 17, 2005 6:37 PM) The link in the above posting should be: http://www.convergedsoft.com/vw_eval.jsp

(SULTAN on Aug 12, 2005 5:42 AM) You can use "CAIN" for VoIP sniffing and security testing for VoIP Traffic. It works very well and you can record the call

(SULTAN on Aug 12, 2005 5:44 AM) You can use "CAIN" for VoIP sniffing and security testing for VoIP Traffic. It works very well and you can record the call. PS: I can't give you the download link because it's a free hacking tool but you can search :) !!!

(Duxoft on Mar 13, 2006 9:47 AM) Duxoft Voip Calls Recorder allows you to record SIP, H.323, MGCP or Skinny calls. Read more here: http://www.duxoft.com

(Roger Reed on May 9, 2006 5:30 PM) Converged Software now offers SPAN (packet sniffing) and CTI port recording in one application at the BEST pricing in the industry. Features for recording on Cisco CallManager networks include: - Always on, or full-time recording - Initiate recording via IP phone XML service - Capture entire call whenever initiated - Webmail-like playback and management - Flexibility to record in any environment with combinded SPAN and CTI recording architecture Read more: http://www.convergedsoftware.com/

(Chris on Jul 18, 2006 11:09 AM) Excellent article with good info on call monitoring. Another company to look at is Intelica Networks. It's TruVoice product for VoIP monitoring records all voip call flows and RTP streams and converts media into wav format.

(Steve on Jul 31, 2006 6:06 PM) I have had an excellent experience with the VoIP Call Recording solution VOXNET from A-VOX Solutions (www.avoxsolutions.com). They also offer a free demo download that will let you record 4 VoIP phones for 50 calls. It's a completely browser-based administration, search, replay, and live-monitoring application. They have all kinds of advanced options for encrypting recorded calls, support for SIP, H.323, and many of the propietary protocols such as Cisco and Mitel.

Written by VoIP & Gadgets Blog on August 22nd, 2006 with no comments.
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3G video PDA phone with Skype

Previously, I had wondered about Skype CEO Niklas Zennstrom's statement announcing a partnership with Spirit DSP meant and how it would affect Global IP Sound. Previously I pondered, "Did this mean Skype was choosing a new voice engine?" After some further investigation, it appeared not be the case - Skype is still a happy GIPS customer. Then I came upon this information which only confused me further, but certainly did seem to suggest that Skype was looking to partner with both of the leading voice engine companies.

Sometimes this week, SPIRIT DSP will announce a deal with Compal Communications Incorporated (CCI), one of the largest ODMs (original design manufacturer) in the world, that they have licensed SPIRIT’s voice enhancement solution for its advanced 3G video PDA phone (based on ARM processor & most likely a Windows Mobile 5 device, but I haven't confirmed). Compal Communications is expected to ship a total of 83 million handsets in 2006, up 124% on-year, according to the Chinese Commercial Times.

Most interesting of all, according to SPIRIT DSP, "Compal are selecting SPIRIT Voice Enhancement software to make the voice of famous Skype clearer." Huh? So the Skype software on this 3G video PDA phone uses Spirit DSP and not GIPS?  I would have to assume Skype would have to agree to this and allow Compal to license the Spirit DSP voice engine and embed it within the Skype software instead of the GIPS voice engine. This product along with the Universal Scientific P2P Skype desktop phone certainly would indicate that Skype is no longer exclusively using GIPS.  Although the vast majority of Skype products, in particular the PC/Mac software clients use GIPS. Spirit DSP seems to be more focused on the hardware side of things targetting Skype-enabled hardware devices. I wonder if the recently announced Sony mylo personal communicator, which supports Skype, uses either GIPS or Spirit DSP?

The Compal VoIP-enabled ARM-based 3G video phone uses TeamSpirit Mobile voice engine components to to enhance the video call’s voice.

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Written by VoIP & Gadgets Blog on August 8th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Uncategorized and Skype and VoIP and video and phone and gips and spirit dsp.

Revenge of the Electric Company

The phone companies have high-speed DSL, the cable companies have high-speed broadband cable, and both offer Triple Play solutions, but what about the electric company? Just about every home in any industrialized nation has three copper wires services coming into their home - electric, phone, and cable, yet for the most part only the phone and cable wires are being utilized, leaving the electric companies in the "dark" (there's a joke in there somewhere).

Sure, you can build a home Local Area Network (LAN) that transmits packets using your home electrical wiring (HomePlug Powerline Alliance) but the packets can only travel a short distance. What good is a LAN without access to the Wide Area Network (WAN) - specifically the Internet.

Well, electric companies aren't going to stand idly by while the phone and cable companies make money hand over fist with these new Triple Play packages. There are now technology solutions that can transmit IP packets over electrical wiring over long-distances. In fact, a Danish power company, Tele Nordvest, will begin offering customers VoIP completely naked - as in no subscriber line or Internet connection necessary. They are setting themselves up as VoIP providers, with a backbone in their powerplant. According to their press release, this could have some interesting angles: theoretically, every power outlet in your house suddenly becomes a telephone plug. Here's a link to the article - unfortunately, it's in Danish, so if you can't read Danish, you'll just have to take my word for it. Yep, reading Danish is yet another talent of mine. Actually, an avid reader of mine, Johan gave me the tip and the translation. Thanks Johan!

The electric companies can one-up both the cable companies and the phone companies - only they have the proper gauge wiring and infrastructure to offer electricity. Now add in voice (over IP), data, and even video, and you got yourself a TRUE Quadruple Play! This could be a case of where the tortoise (electric companies) beats the hare (cable + phone companies). They're still late out of the gate, but certainly worth keeping an eye on.

Oh, I neglected to mention two other pieces of copper (or other metal) coming into many homes - your plumbing and your gas pipe. I know what you're thinking - "Surely, you cannot transmit IP packets over the plumbing or a metal gas pipe." Well, you would be wrong.

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Written by VoIP & Gadgets Blog on May 1st, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on VoIP and Triple Play and triple play and video and cable and data and electric and ip and packets and phone and power.

Broadcom PC-less Skype Wi-Fi phone

Broadcom today announced that the Broadcom Wi-Fi phone now supports Skype software. Similar to other Pc-less Skype phones, you will be able to scroll through your contacts, see presence info, make free Skype-to-Skype calls, as well as SkypeIn and SkypeOut support if you paid for these optional services. The beauty of this WiFi Skype phone is of course you don't have to be tethered to your PC, nor does this Skype phone have to communicate with a base station connected (via USB) to a PC running Skype.

The handset features include a high-resolution color display, speakerphone and Buffalo’s AOSS easy configuration protocol. The Buffalo Wi-Fi phone will be Skype Certified and available for the Japanese market in November 2006. The handset comes with everything built-in to connect to Skype via any personal, business or free public Wi-Fi access point that does not require browser authentication. Why don't they build in a simple browser so you can authenticate on hotspots that require web-based authentication? Ok, so it adds a few cents/dollars to the cost, so what? Ok, maybe licensing an operating system that can run a mini-browser is more expensive than I realize, but seriously... How bout embedded Linux? That I assume is practically free. And flash memory is pretty cheap these days too, so they should be able to fit a browser application plus the underlying OS to support it.

In any event, Broadcom’s Wi-Fi phone reference design consists of the BCM1161 mobile VoIP processor and BCM4318E AirForce One 54g chip. The BCM1161 integrates an ARM9 CPU, an analog voice codec with a direct microphone and high-output speaker interface, a 2 megapixel camera interface, a 262k color LCD display interface, a polyphonic ringer and USB interface into a single-chip solution. Broadcom claims that the BCM4318E is Broadcom’s smallest and most cost-effective 54g client solution, integrating a high-performance 2.4 GHz radio, IEEE 802.11a/b/g baseband processor, medium access controller (MAC) and other components onto a single chip.

Since Broadcom typically creates chip reference designs and then manufacturers take the chip reference designs and build the final end-user product, it's unclear from this news if Broadcom is creating the final end-user Skype phone product. I emailed my contacts at Broadcom for clarification and I asked for a photo. I will update this post when I find out more.

Update:

Tom: Since Broadcom typically creates chip reference designs and then manufacturers take the chip reference designs and build the final end-user product, it's unclear from this news if Broadcom is creating the final end-user Skype phone product
Broadcom: Broadcom worked with Skype to port its software onto the reference design. The OEM then builds the end product with the Skype-ready reference design.

Tom: It's available in Japan, what about U.S.?
Broadcom: Buffalo has not provided US availability yet.

As for a photo, the Broadcom rep said that a photo wasn't made available yet. No Photo? A poor way to announce news in my humble opinion.

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Written by VoIP & Gadgets Blog on January 1st, 1970 with no comments.
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3J Communications’ 3J-W1D Skype phone

3J-W1D3J Communications announced the availability of its new 3J-W1D Skype phone to the US market. The new 3J-W1D is a remote wireless Skype phone with a blue backlighted LCD display and features built-in echo and noise cancellation as well as a nifty speakerphone on its base.

Supporting both Windows and Mac OS platforms, the new 3J-W1D (who came up with that non-descript name anyway?) is actually compatible with Skype, MSN and Yahoo! Messenger, as well as with VoIP Buster. In addition, 3J-W1D works with SJphone, X-Lite and Eyebeam, other VoIP softphone applications.

For Skype, the user can view their Skype contact’s status and profile, and can add or search their Skype friends on the unit’s bright 1.5” color handset screen.  There are call lists for Skype Calls. 

The 3J-W1D features:
   · USB Wireless Phone for Skype
   · 2.4GHz ISM Band, suit for Europe, USA, Japan etc
   · Handfree with digital echo cancellation
   · Large graphic LCD with blue backlight
   · Skype contacts review and call list on handset LCD
   · Both base and handset ring for all incoming calls
   · Multi-language caller ID display feature
   · Auto-select RF channel to improve the quality of voice
   · Standby time: More than 100 hours
   · Talk time: more than 10 hours
   · Radio range: 50 ft
   · Battery: 250mAh (Li-battery)

The 3J-W1D has a very low MSRP of $79.95 when compared to other Skype phones and is currently distributed through DataVision in New York.

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Written by VoIP & Gadgets Blog on January 1st, 1970 with no comments.
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