VoIP Lowdown

Greetings! Welcome to the 6th edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. We have selected 8 posts for this edition. Here are the posts in the order they were received.

Nitesh123 presents apple iphone posted at anything. In a blaze of publicity which characterises everything Apple does, its first real foray into the mobile market is now a reality - at least in America. The iPhone is certainly eye-catching, but can it live up to the hype?

Techsack presents 4G Wireless broadband network  posted at TechSack.com. The 4G wireless wide area network or WWAN works over the same networks that power our mobile phones and PDAs. The thing that’s so exciting about this new 4G network is that it is said to be able to reach speeds that are faster than our current wired broadband connections.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Working Memory Training from a pediatrician perspective, focused on attention deficits posted at Brain Training Blog. An interview with one of the pioneers of working memory training through videogames.

Karen Halls presents Computer Game Addiction - Fantasy or Reality? posted at Addiction Recovery Blog. Although most online gamers know the clear definition between reality and fantasy, there has been a startling increase in number of revelations about addictions to computer games.

Randy Nichols presents Finding Your Dream Job posted at Career Advice by Randy. Job search websites have grown over time, and today many companies use their services above and before traditional employee search methods.

Ashish Gupta presents Next Generation Web posted at Ashish Gupta on technology and social media. World wide web has come far from where it started its journey in late 1980’s as a system to share data and share research papers without need to have access to common computers.

Matt Tupy presents The Future is Here posted at Tonic Gifts. ticle submitted by Matt Tupy.

Jeremy presents Blue-Footed Booby Tooth posted at WTTF: Welcome to the Future. A funny cartoon about the next step in wireless communication.

That concludes the sixth edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. Next edition of this carnival will be hosted here on 07 August, 2007. You can submit your posts here.

Sagar :: Jul.23.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Greetings! Welcome to the 5th edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. We have received 12 posts for this edition. Here are the posts in the order they were received.

Jimson Lee presents 10 Reasons Why I Love Google posted at Speedendurance.com.  A great read for any start-up, club, group, or organization to collaborate and be more productive with your time, especially when on the road traveling and not spend a fortune!

Chris presents Wushu and the Second Cultural Revolution posted at Martial Development. Web 2.0 looks an awful lot like Maoist collectivism. Will it prove to be a similarly destructive force for modern culture?

FitBuff presents How a Digital Scale Analyzes and Calculates Your Body Fat Percentage posted at FitBuff.com’s Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog. Holy Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, Batman! Body fat scales, though not perfect, are a great way to track your general body composition progress, and greatly outweigh (pun intended) the benefits of a boring, traditional scale.

Matt Hodkinson presents The iPhone and VoIP; Revolution or Pricey Gimmick? posted at The VOIP Provider Guide. For the most part, the technology of the iPhone’s WiFi capacity, Address book integration, 32-bit Operating System is all the basis needed to start bringing mobile VoIP to the mainstream. The particular SIP protocol that works with mobile phones is especially situated for this technology.

Marc and Angel presents 7 Google Searches I Wish I Could Take Back posted at Marc and Angel. Google Web History has been around for about a month now, and what a fantastic tool it is! Fantastic… until you start combing through your search history and realize you wish you didn’t make some of those search queries after all.

Beno Varghese presents Listen to your PDFs posted at Beno Varghese dot-com.  Beno received the following information from a co-worker. I didn’t know that a feature like this existed within the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Phil presents All Intelligent and Sentient Beings have a Right to Freedom posted at Phil for Humanity. We are entering an age when technological advancements will allow other intelligent and sentient beings, besides people, to come into existence; however most governments are not yet prepared to deal with this eventuality.

Deb Serani presents The “Eyes” Have It posted at Dr. Deb. Iris scanning can now detect personality patterns.

Jeremy Aldrich presents Response to “Why Second Life Will Never Go Mainstream” posted at Global Citizenship in a Virtual World. It’s been said before but it bears repeating: SL has a lot of shortcomings, but it is the kernel of a new Internet platform that has great potential, much like the Web in the 1990’s. Are you going to shoot it down or make it better?  

Brian Wallace presents 37signals: Basecamp / Highrise Review posted at NowSourcing. Brian’s review about the popular 37signals products - Basecamp (web based project management) and Highrise (simple, web based CRM).

Wilson ng presents Technology?s Role in our Lives posted at Reflections of a BizDrivenLife. Wilson asks, “If we see ourselves years into the future, and technology capability is not an issue, on what areas into our lives should technology come into place? Is it to eliminate pain? sorrow? grief? inconvenience? Will we use it to shield us from the ugly realities of life and for us to increasingly use it to attain ‘virtual’ happiness?”.

That concludes the 5th edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. Next edition of this carnival will be hosted here 0n 20 July, 2007. You can submit your posts here.  

Sagar :: Jul.06.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Welcome to the 4th edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. We have received 10 good posts for this edition. I hope our readers will enjoy these. Here are the posts in the order they were received.

Beno Varghese presents Google Sucks (Maps) posted at Beno Varghese dot-com. Beno says, “Every time I get directions to a destination using Google Maps, the drive time and miles that it displays is longer than what it actually is.”

Phil B. presents The Price of Progress posted at Phil for Humanity. What do you think would happen to the prices of large flat televisions if even larger TVs were not going to be made and the economies of scale of all manufacturers continued to increase?

Kevin Kozlen presents Pen Mightier than Keyboard posted at Marketing & AdBits Blog. A new pen and paper technology that may change the way we fill out forms or the way students take notes.

Paulo Tioseco presents The Next Generation of Internet Applications posted at Paulo Tioseco. The main reason for the success of Internet Applications is its client-server architecture. The success of this architecture is also the reason for its limitation — it will just remain client-server applications. Grid Computing transcends these limitations and presents to us another paradigm for creating Internet Applications.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Victory In My Battle Against Feed Scraping Content Thief 4Comedy.com posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog. Madkane emerged victorious in her battle against the one of the RSS feed scraping content thieves. The issue is technical. A must read for everyone.

Matt presents Microsoft Surface first sighted two years ago? posted at Surface Sightings. The recently announced Microsoft Surface apparently made a cameo appearance in a movie - two years ago.

Anja Merret presents Chatting to my generation - Powerful new invention posted at anja merret. Anja says, “This is my kind of invention. A team of scientists at MIT have demonstrated their, still in its infancy, new technology which has been called WiTricity.”

Only Three Notes presents Get a DeskTop posted at Only Three Notes. There are tons of good reasons why still you should prefer a desktop over a laptop. This is true that a laptop gives you the flexibility of carrying your computer wherever you go. Anyways, there are also equally good reasons why you should consider a desktop over a laptop if you had to decide between these two.

Jeremy presents Blue-Footed Booby Tooth posted at WTTF: Welcome to the Future. Here’s a funny cartoon for anyone that watches just how many bad ideas are generated by companies.

Brian Wallace presents AIM new bots again posted at NowSourcing. Explanation of the new chatterbots that started appearing in everyone’s AIM buddy lists.

That concludes the 4th edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. Next edition of this carnival will be hosted here on 05 July, 2007. You can submit your posts here.

Sagar :: Jun.21.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Greetings! Welcome to the 3rd edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. We have received 10 posts for this edition. I hope our readers will enjoy the posts. Without further ado, here are the posts in the order they were received.

Moses E. Miles III presents The Unseen Dangers of Wireless Networks posted at Three Sticks. Learn about the challenges and dangers facing wireless users both at home and in public and how to overcome those challenges.

Anique Akhtar presents Try Out a Registry Cleaner-Speed Up Your System posted at Computer and Softwares. The system’s registry keeps on growing automatically as programs are added and deleted. As the registry keeps growing it gets loaded with unnecessary information and data. This gradually clutters and fragments the registry over time.

Anna Farmery presents Podcast Freq: A-Z Of Podcasting - Part 12 posted at Podcast Freq. When you start podcasting you start with a goal. It is important that you set yourself yardsticks to measure your progress.

Steve Hansford presents To Vonage or Not to Vonage posted at The Techno Pages. The article discusses Vonage and whether it is still a wise choice.

Josh presents iRobot- Never Vacuum Again posted at iBuz. Great new and innovative way to take back control and gain time back in everyday busy lives.

Rosco presents A4 sized paper thin LCD Screen… posted at MadDump - The Dumping Blog. LG Philips have produced the first A4 sized LCD screen that can bend. Its thickness is only 0.3mm and can display 4096 colours, LG Philips have said that it is designed to be energy efficient and only needs power when the image changes…

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Captured By CAPTCHA posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog. CAPTCHA Humor.

Dr. Deb presents Robotic Pet Therapy posted at Dr. Deb. This post looks at the new technology of robotic pet therapy.

Steve S presents How To Introduce Gizfolio posted at How To Split An Atom. An interview with Brett Innes of Gizfolio, the future of internet job boards.

Praveen presents iPhone posted at Unix Simplicity. Apple has confirmed speculation and announced a new iPod/phone, called (of course) the iPhone.

That concludes the 3rd edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. Keep submitting your posts to the future editions of this carnival. Thank you for your contribution.

Sagar :: Jun.05.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Have you ever expected to see a presidential candidate’s speech sandwiched by racy video clips? A campaign rally brought to you by Facebook? From Web sites to Blogs to announcements to fundraising, Barack Obama is trying to utilize every aspect of the online community to boost his campaign.

Techies have probably noticed the freshman Senator from Illinois all over the Internet but where does he stand on issues such as technology education, efficient healthcare and clean energy? Obama has a bold plan to expand broadband access to everyone but his stance on net neutrality could come into conflict with that effort. Is Obama “poised to become the Technology President” like the group Obama for Technology claims? Can he move America further into the “digital age” or will his ideas fall flat? Only time will tell but here are a few things you need to know about where he stands.

He has a major online presence.

Senator Obama has a blog, a Flickr account and a strong Facebook following. He delivers podcasts and viral videos. Not to mention his own social networking site, my.barackobama.com.

Viral Videos

Obama announced his exploratory committee via an online video clip. His presidential campaign announcement is now ranked #2 on Brightcove.com’s Top 10 Buzz videos, between a porn clip and cover model’s video. He is currently utilizing the power of Brightcove by creating his own channel with a syndication function. This allows barackobama.com to host BarackTV, while at the same time providing clips that bloggers and websites can publish on their pages.

Facebook

Senator Obama spoke to a group of students at George Mason University who organized a “Yes We Can” rally for Obama. The organizers behind the event belong to a group on Facebook called Students for Barack Obama. According to CBSNews.com, the event “also drew supporters from other area colleges, as well as young voters from Michigan, Florida and Obama’s hometown, Chicago — all thanks to Facebook.”

my.barackobama.com

Obama’s website includes a social networking function. It’s much like myspace, but you’re not going to find any hot pink backgrounds or fairy cursors there. It’s all about Obama. Once registered, users can write their own blogs, raise money, locate events and join groups. The blogs are plentiful, ranging from advice for Obama, to why others should support him, to completely unrelated inanity. The site also contains various groups of interest such as Geeks for Obama and Obama for Technology.

Despite the massive online interest in Obama, there is still room for skepticism. Zack Exley of the Personal Democracy Forum is not convinced that Obama’s internet efforts are genuine. He’s concerned that Obama’s campaign has “delegated ‘the Internet thing’ to staffers…outside of the inner circle”. However, it is clear that in Obama’s campaign, no matter who is pulling the strings, they are taking “the Internet thing” seriously and using it to the candidate’s advantage.

He wants America to “compete in the digital age.”

In a speech announcing his candidacy for president, Obama expressed hope that ours will “be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age.” What exactly does this entail?

Bringing education into the 21st century

Obama has noted that “those on the other side of the globe are increasingly being educated earlier, longer, and with special emphasis on the math and science skills required for the industries of tomorrow.” That means that today’s kids now have to compete with the rest of the world or become obsolete. In response to this phenomenon, Obama wants to improve computer education. Moreover, he wants children to be able to learn how to design and build technology like PlayStations and websites, not just play on them.

Broadband Everywhere

Senator Obama, while speaking at TechNet, pointed out that the United States now ranks 10th in the world for providing people with access to broadband. In his campaign announcement, he made it clear that he intends to do something about that by “lay[ing] down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America.” When Chicago launched a municipal wi-fi network project, Obama sent Mayor Daley of Chicago a letter to commend it. He also offered Mayor Daley assistance in the form of Public Internet Channel, a project Obama works on that strives to make the Internet more accessible to everyone.

Of course, with broadband comes the option for VoIP. Although Obama has not made note of it, his plan to expand broadband opens up the possibility for more VoIP users. Keep an eye on him in the coming months to see if he makes light of this connection.

Obama has high hopes for bringing America into the “digital age.” It will be interesting to see how he plans to fund these projects. As the campaign continues, expect to see Obama expand on his views of technology education and, especially, broadband.

He supports net neutrality.

Obama has been integral in efforts to preserve net neutrality. He and other legislators have met with Google co-founder and President Sergey Brin to discuss the issue.

What is net neutrality?

According to SavetheInternet.com, there are telephone and cable companies that intend to manipulate the way data is moved by “deciding which web sites go fast or slow and which won’t load at all.” Net neutrality ensures that these companies won’t get their way.

Freedom to Podcast

Obama delivered a podcast (yes, a podcast) on net neutrality, noting that “it is because the internet is a neutral platform that I can put out this podcast and transmit it over the Internet without having to go through any corporate media middleman. I can say what I want without censorship or without having to pay a special charge.”

Congress Steps In

The issue of net neutrality has made it to Congress. Obama is a co-sponsor of the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, which works to protect equality for all content and applications. It also protects consumers from being forced to buy “bundled” services with their broadband connection similar to cable or VoIP.

Does this conflict with his broadband plan?

A group called Hands Off the Internet is overjoyed that Obama hopes to spread broadband access. But at the same time, they are not so excited about his policy on net neutrality. They note that net neutrality could block the “incentives for cable and telephone companies” that are needed to make the investment in spreading broadband. It remains to be seen if Obama can pull off both projects.

Net neutrality will, without a doubt, be an ongoing debate. Keep an eye on Senator Obama’s involvement with net neutrality legislation and watch what kind of impact it may have on his plans to extend broadband.

He wants to promote technology for healthcare.

Healthcare needs a tech facelift, plain and simple. Obama would like to engineer that. His vision could translate into a more advanced system and lots of jobs for techies.

Advances in Medical Information Technology

On his website, Obama notes that “a single transaction at a hospital still costs up to $25–not one dime of which goes toward improving care.”

Obama has committed to working on the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Efficiency Act, which aims to provide purchasing power to be used on developing technology in healthcare administration.

If Comcast can tell that you have an affinity for CuteOverload.com’s hamsters eating bits of corn, shouldn’t your new doctor have file information about your 20 year old tonsillectomy just as easily? It sounds like Obama is poised to provide the support necessary to get your hamster addiction and tonsils on the same level, cheaper.

He wants to turn our energy problems into opportunities for innovation.

Just about everyone these days is concerned about energy issues. If you’re not, well, what rock do you live under and where can we all get a car with your gas mileage? For everybody interested in energy conservation and a transition to a more efficient, technology-based economy, Obama has something for you.

Forcing innovation by using caps on carbon emissions

Obama has come up with a plan to reduce emissions. First, the cap for emissions will be lowered. If a business can’t operate under that cap, they have two options—(1) to purchase credits from other companies or (2) to purchase a permit, the funds of which will go toward investments in clean energy technology. Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defense, notes that this plan has the potential to “make winners out of innovators.” Winners being the ones laughing all the way to the bank, of course.

Investment in clean coal technology

Power companies are gearing up to build dozens of new plants that will use coal. The problem is, if they don’t use the right technology, they stand to create 60 billion tons of pollution. Makes your lungs twinge, doesn’t it? To combat this black and dusty future, Obama plans to implement “standards and incentives [to] ensure that these plants use available technology” that’s better for all of us.

Fuel-efficient cars as the future of auto industry

Obama believes that fuel-efficient cars are the future of the U.S. auto industry and he has a plan to support their growth. “Healthcare for Hybrids” offers auto makers healthcare savings in exchange for investment in fuel-efficient cars. This will help to give auto makers the tools they need to support their employees while working towards a future of fuel efficiency.

Flex fuel support

Senator Obama has introduced the American Fuels Act, which provides loans and capital to the biofuel entrepreneurs who have the best plans. Also part of this act is adding flex-fuel gas tanks to cars, which cost manufacturers an extra $100 per car. Obama plans to provide a $100 tax credit to cover the cost. And just to show us he’s serious, he wants to make sure that all new cars the government buys will be flex-fuel vehicles.

All of these energy plans and programs add up to a great opportunity for engineers and techies alike to create innovative plants and products. Even if you have no aspirations of the inventive kind, don’t feel left out. You’ll still get clean(ish) air and a smaller gas bill.

Obama has brought some tech-savvy ideas to his campaign. He’s used the power of the internet to his advantage and hopes to bring America into the digital age of education, healthcare and energy. Chris Lehane, a Democratic political consultant, wonders if Obama will be “the Google of the presidential campaign and redefine the model, or…ultimately sink.” It will be fun to keep an eye on him and see which way he goes.

Staff :: Jun.03.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Greetings! Welcome to the second edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technolgies. Here are the gems that have been selected to be featured on this edition.

John Ringland presents An Information Systems Analysis of Mind, Knowledge, ‘the World’ and Holistic Science posted at Toward a System Theoretic Metaphysics of the Nature of Reality. The article describes a mathematical algorithm that creates virtual universes and functions as a “general system simulator” that gives cyberspace a deep metaphysical foundation, making it potentially as rich and complex as our own reality.

Matthew Paulson presents Using Software to Help You Budget posted at Getting Green. Mvelopes is essentially a version of the “envelope” system, but brought into the 21st century. You can create categories for all of your spending, and whenever you spend money, you enter them into Mvelopes or let Mvelopes do it for you through online banking and it tells you how you are doing in each of your categories to make sure that you haven’t spent too much or too little in each category.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Stanford Media X: “Cells that fire together wire together” posted at Brain Fitness. Here you have a summary of the great Stanford Media X conference.

Barry Mahfood presents Nanofrontiers: A Vision of the Future posted at THE PRICE OF RICE - Transcendence in Bite-Sized Bits. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies is reporting on a recent NanoFrontiers Workshop, where Nanofrontiers: Visions for the Future of Nanotechnology made its debut.

That concludes the second edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. Keep submitting your posts to the future editions of this carnival. A link back would be greatly appreciated, as it will help in promoting the carnival on the web.

Sagar :: May.01.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Welcome to the Carnival of Emerging Technologies. Although response to the first edition of this carnival is average, I am sure that it will become more popular soon. Here are the posts that have been selected to be featured on this week’s carnival.

Mr Credit Card presents Review of Vonage VOIP Phone Service posted at Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog. According to the writer, Vonage offers the most value for the money. It was cheaper than Verizon VoiceWing. Comast does not have their phone service yet (it is still more expensive) and a couple of other VOIP services that are much cheaper are not so well known.

Clint James presents The 411 on Google’s 411 posted at Static Cure. Google released Google 411 this week to help counteract all of the relatively expensive information services that you are connected to after dialing the ubiquitous three digits.

Raj presents Wallet Meet Phone, Phone Meet Wallet at Chameleon TechnoBabble. Cell phones in North America will increasingly be used as wallets as mobile banking technology makes its way here. There are a number of ways that payments can be made, though the one likely to become prominent is NFC (Near Field Communications) technology.

Priya Jestin presents Hot, Hotter, Hottest: Top 50 Amazing VoIP Gadgets at VoIP Lowdown. The chunky telephones that characterized the days of Graham Bell have undergone a sea of change and evolved to become sleek, cool, compact and good-looking handsets today. VoIP handsets eliminate the need for separate microphones and headsets – they provide seamless integration with the call network, so much so that you hardly know the difference between a VoIP and traditional telephone call.

Pushpa Sathish presents Will RFID Conquer Outer Space? at RFID Lowdown. Are RFID tags robust enough to survive the extreme conditions in outer space? That’s what NASA is attempting to find out when Endeavour takes off to the International Space Station in July later this year.

That concludes the first edition of the Carnival of Emerging Technolgies. Keep submitting your posts to the future editions of this carnival. Thanks for your support and contribution.

Sagar :: Apr.15.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Here’s a good news for our readers. We are going to host the first edition of the “Carnival of Emerging Technologies” on April 15, 2007. We require interesting, useful posts on VoIP, Cellular VoIP, IP PBX, Wi-Fi, Wirelss Communications, New Technologies and other related issues. Feel free to submit your entries through the Blog Carnival Page.

Sagar :: Mar.27.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

They’re in your hand, on your head, around your ear, on your desk, on your lap, in your pocket, in your bag – wherever the eye can see, you’re surrounded by an ocean of gadgets. Yes, we live in a world that is increasingly revolving around smart mobile devices that are also called phones, portable music players that are a far cry in more ways than one from Sony’s famous Walkman of the 80s, compact computers that pack a punch in terms of power and speed, and accessories for each of these that are sometimes beyond the scope of our imagination. Gadgets have taken control - they’ve revolutionized the way we do business, the way we communicate, the way we socialize, in short, the way we live.

The Internet has spawned its own niche of gizmos, most of them related to Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP, the technology that’s driving traditional telecom providers up the wall in despair. Internet telephony providers are making rapid inroads into the telecom sector, aided and abetted by newer and more innovative tools that sell like hotcakes as soon as they hit the shelves. For every new gadget that sees the light of day, there are hundreds that fade away into the sunset and hundreds more waiting in the wings - that’s how endless this lucrative market is. And to show you a taste of what it’s like, here’s a list that features 50 of the most mind-boggling VoIP gadgets that are around today.

Handy Handsets…

The chunky telephones that characterized the days of Graham Bell have undergone a sea of change and evolved to become sleek, cool, compact and good-looking handsets today. VoIP handsets eliminate the need for separate microphones and headsets – they provide seamless integration with the call network, so much so that you hardly know the difference between a VoIP and traditional telephone call.

1. V653.Skype VoIP Phone with Skype Navigation: Connects to your computer’s USB port and allows you to make VoIP calls using Skype. Set your own ring tones to differentiate your callers!

2. USB Sky Phone with Screen Display: Another USB-enabled phone with its own sound card that allows you to record and save conversations to your computer. Advanced digital USB streaming audio is said to enhance sound quality while the LCD allows call detail display.

3. DualPhone 3088: From the Danish company RTX, this dual mode phone supports both VoIP and PSTN calls. All you have to do is connect the base station to either a broadband router or a modem.

4. Videophones 1000 and 2000: From BT in the United Kingdom, these phones are made for videoconferencing. They use a BT Broadband Talk account, and include automatic upgrades and built-in address books. The 2000 model comes with Wi-Fi capabilities.

5. Siemens OpenStage SIP Line: “The missing link that integrates cellular, the Internet and the wired desktop,” this family of phones comprises four models that support third-party applications that are based on Java, HTML, WML, and XML. The innovative TouchGuide and TouchSlider allow easy access to the menu-driven user interface and control over the speakerphone, handset and ringer volumes.

Wireless Wonders…

It’s becoming an increasingly wire-free world, made possible by the advent of the Infra Red and Bluetooth technologies. Tired of being tied to your desk? Longing to get out but still stay connected? Then these devices are right up your street!

6. Nokia N800 Internet Tablet: A high-end device, this smartphone provides the best of video conferencing technology using Internet telephony. Comes with a high-resolution widescreen display and integrated web camera. 

7. Cisco’s iPhones: These VoIP phones made headlines because of their name – they stole a march over Apple in the iGadget terminology. Apparently Cisco had registered the name iPhone as early as the 1980s. While the two giants fight it out in the courtroom, let’s take a look at the portfolio of phones from Linksys (a subsidiary of Cisco).

Linksys CIT400 Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Integrated Skype: The name says it all – this handset supports both VoIP and traditional telephone options. Best of all, you don’t need a computer to make calls using Skype.

Linksys Wireless-G WIP320 Phone: This one’s compatible with Skype and searches for Wi-Fi networks before it starts up completely.

8. Nokia E61: This state-of-the-art smartphone comes with both GSM and VoIP via Wi-Fi capabilities, a QWERTY keyboard, and OTAP. Over-The-Top-Provisioning allows automatic configuration through just one text message when you log in to your VoIPtalk account. Feature intelligent call forwarding that ensures you receive calls even outside Wi-Fi zones. 

9. Auvi PHIP65 Dual Mode Cordless Phone: Built using the DECT technology which enhances sound quality and cuts down interference, this model comes with a Caller ID screen and speakerphone for hands-free conversations.

10. P-2000W_V2 VoIP Wi-Fi Phone: Built by Zyxel, this phone connects VoIP calls using 802.11b wireless networks.

11. TVP-SP4BK ClearSky Kit: The conference call VoIP solution from TRENDNet, this gadget comes with a Bluetooth dongle that provides clear calls up to 300 feet. Other features worth mentioning are the large LCD and button area.

12. Calypso C1250i WiFi GSM VoIP Cellular Phone: Billed as the world’s first mobile phone that supports both cellular and digital frequencies and the Wi-Fi frequency, this video phone allows you to take pictures and shoot videos besides providing video-conferencing facilities. Connects to the Inernet at high speeds.
 
13. EZLoop VoIP Wireless Phone:Supports voice and data on the same wireless backbone, can be tailored according to user needs.

14. F1000G and F3000: Wi-Fi handsets from Utstar that include support for three-way calling, call waiting, call transfer and 802.11b/g, SIP, SDP, RTP, DHCP and TFTP.

15. WLAN800I: This Wi-Fi set’s based on the Windows CE kernel and compatible with Skype, SIP services, MSN Talk and MSN Messenger. Connects to the Internet via an 802.11b/g wireless access point.

16. Kensington Vo200 Bluetooth Internet Phone: Listed on sites but not yet available for sale, this gadget fits nicely into your notebook computer’s PCMIA slot. Works only with Windows XP.

17. D-Link DPH-540 Wi-Fi VoIP Phone: Built with a cool clamshell design, this handset comes with a PsipTN-compliant tool that lets you make and receive free calls within the PsipTN network. Connects to the Web through a 802.11b/g network.

18. VP 6500 and 6000: These Wi-Fi handsets from Philips allow you not only to make and recive VoIP calls, but also stream TV to the 2.2-inch, 65,000 color screen. Calls get across using the WEP, WAP and WPA2 encryption protocols.

19. NetLink 8030 and 8020: This pair from SpectraLink claim to be “the world’s first 802.11a Wi-Fi phones.” They support 802.11a/b/g, WPA2 for increased security, text messaging through Open Application Interface (OAI), military grade shock resistance and programmable softkeys. The 8030 is water and dust-resistant and comes with rubberized grips for better durability and ergonomics.

20. AiGuru S2 VoIP Skype Handset: Set to appear later this year, this gizmo supports Skype and streaming from iTunes/WMP. The SideShow feature apparently allows you to check your mail on the display.

Mighty Mouses…

You’ve got to hand it to the guy who coined the term “mouse” for that thingamabob that helps you navigate your computer – he sure had great imagination. I mean, who would have ever associated a rodent with a computer? These devices are now being used for more than just manipulating your cursor and clicking to operate your system. Innovators are adding new-fangled features to the humble mouse to make them function as a phone and mouse – all rolled into the same small package. Whatever these VoIP mouses may or may not be, they sure are space savers on your desktop!

21. Street Mouse VoIP Handset: It looks like a car, but what it actually is is a computer mouse and VoIP handset rolled into one. Has its own “headlights” though, LEDs that light up when the phone rings.

22. Genius Navigator 380: A mouse that doubles as a clamshell phone when you wish to make or attend a call. Not only does it support GoogleTalk, Yahoo, MSN, QQ, Skype and AIM, it rolls all IMs into a single window. A cool accessory for the road with your notebook computer.

23. Sony VAIO VoIP Mouse: This one comes in a range of colors – you can pick your favorite. Claim to fame – the echo cancellation feature that provides crystal clarity in your calls! Supports Windows XP and 2000 only though, not MAC operating systems.

24. VM-01L from Skype-on: This is one trendy mouse – it has its own TFT display and buttons that are displayed when you flip it open. Comes with headphones that allow you to use the device as a regular mouse even as you talk away to your heart’s content.

Hip Headsets…

There are times when wireless headsets have people staring at you thinking you’re nuts to be talking to yourself, but these tiny earpieces are a boon when you need to both talk over the phone and keep your hands free for other activities, and keep the conversation to yourself of course. Some of them are now VoIP-enabled.

25. Sony Ericsson VoIP Kit and Headset: The HBH-PV705 headset from Sony Ericsson combined with a Bluetooth USB adaptor or a Bluetooth-enabled computer allows you to make VoIP calls using the VoIP Kit HBV-100.

26. Plantronics Voyager510 headset: Marketed as the first Bluetooth headset optimized for VoIP, this wireless device is one of the two products that Skype retails. Comes bundled with Skype software.

27. CY4638 VoIP Demonstration Kit: This demo kit for a VoIP headset combines a radio system-on-chip and signal delivery to provide a design that is easily replicated and can be marketed quickly.

28. nRD24V1 reference design: Just released by Nordic Semiconductor, this reference design for cost-effective USB dongle wireless headsets for VoIP applications “combines the company’s industry proven silicon with its applications expertise to provide a complete PC wireless headset solution” for VoIP.

Kool Keyboards…

They’re being used to do more than just type these days; you get designs that are ergonomically perfect to prevent repetitive use injuries; some come with no letters on the keys (apparently helps in typing faster); and yet others are integrating VoIP handsets into their designs.

29. A4 Tech VoIP Keyboard: Compatible with Skype, MSN, Yahoo messenger, QQ and Net2phone, this keyboard comes with the phone to the right of the keys; also has an incorporated speaker, an Audio In/Out port that allows you to connect a headset, eight Office keys and five multimedia keys.

30. USB Keyboard and Skype Handset BKBU-SKJ109/SV: This product from Buffalo bundles the handset into the standard 109-key keyboard, which in turn connects to the system through both the newer USB 2.0 standard and the phased out USB 1.1 standard.

31. Laser KB-USBBKVPU USB VoIP Keyboard: Comes with a built-in USB sound controller that eliminates the need for drivers for your speakers and microphone. Ports for headphones and microphone are located within easy reach on the keyboard. Holds 116 keys including those for shortcuts to the Internet and MS Office applications.

32. Jasco’s GE Branded VoIP Multimedia Keyboard: Winner of the 2006 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award, this VoIP keyboard comes with hotkey software that allows you to directly control your iTunesO digital music.

Magnificent MP3 Players…

The iPod has turned the spotlight on Apple like never before. The portable MP3 player has spawned a new vocabulary for the geek set – from music to lectures, they’re all streamed straight to your ears, thanks to this snappy new gadget that’s a must-have for the hip-hop crowd. VoIP aficionados are cashing in on this cool tool’s popularity by creating MP3 players with in-built VoIP capability. Sing along with your favorite tune, or ring your favorite pal – it’s all possible with VoIP MP3 players.

33. Rimax Mystic: Pegged as the first MP3 that also serves as a VoIP headset, the Mystic retails in 512MB and 2GB sizes. Plugged into your USB port, it supports VoIP calls and also charges its batteries.

34. Median MX-400M: The music player that doubles as a VoIP mobile phone as well when connected to your computer, this product is powered by VoIP services from Callpia and MiraPhone. 

35. BOXON MP3 Player: This Korean gadget automatically connects to a VoIP application when you hook up to the Internet, and allows you to share text, music, photos and video clips with friends via a 1.71-inch full-color OLED display. The makers have also thrown in capabilities that allow you to read e-books, play videos and brush up your Korean with an English-Korean dictionary.

Advantageous Adapters…

Don’t want to buy a phone exclusively for VoIP use? Feel a bit silly using a mouse as a phone? Just too used to the regular keyboard to opt for one that incorporates a phone as well? Or just too fond of your landline handset to turn it in for a new model? All valid reasons for you to invest in adapters that convert your regular telephone to one that can be used for VoIP calls as well.

36. Packet8 Tango Video Terminal Adapter: This one does more than just let you talk using VoIP from your landline, it comes with a sleek built-in LCD screen that conjures up a videophone from your ordinary telephone.

37. VMNF300 VoIP Telephone Adapter/Router: Use this handy tool to make outgoing calls using VoIP and receive incoming calls via your regular telephone. There’s also a PSTN lifeline which uses your PSTN line to route VoIP calls when your power is out or when your Internet connection is down.

38. SkyQube and SkyQube Square: While the former works like an adapter to connect your landline to Skype, the latter allows you to make calls using your GSM network when you insert your SIM into it.

39. Lindy USB VoIP Adapter: This one comes with a microphone and headset and lets you use your computer’s speakers for other purposes. Compatible with both Mac and Windows, this adapter has a mute button that helps eliminate backtalk.

Marvelous Miscellaneous Mechanisms…

40. Laser VoIP Station with 6 Port USB Hub: Billed as a cost-effective alternative to using a Bluetooth headset, this tool can be connected to your USB port. Besides the 6 USB ports, it has plugs for a headset and microphone, and the built-in audio chip allows you to use your computer’s soundcard for other activities such as music or game sound effects.

41. IOCell PhoneDrive: This gizmo combines storage space and VoIP – it’s a USB disk that comes equipped with VoIP capability.

42. The Elegance: True to its name, this slender touch screen flat screen monitor from Igel hosts VoIP software from a flash drive plugged into a resident USB port; the application is powered by the thin client’s software. 

43. Actiontec Chatterbox: This Skype speaker phone is a USB-enabled tool that is touted as an entry-level application for conference calls. It also has a headset plug if you decide to keep the conversation private. Not too much voice clarity when more than one person talks simultaneously, but still enough if you don’t like headphones and microphones.

44. Vo300 Internet Speakerphone: From Kensington, this device has its own number pad to make dialing easier, one-touch access to Skype Voicemail and a backlit LCD that makes reading less hard on the eyes. The company is banking on the phone’s echo-cancellation feature to do the trick for them in terms of sales.

45. Logitech QuickCall USB Speakerphone: Though it looks like a pair of binoculars, there’s no doubt that this gadget is a VoIP speakerphone. The shape is apparently not for kicks, but serves a larger purpose – to remove the echo that’s a common complaint with VoIP calls. Apparently this is done using Logitech’s RightSound Technology. It uses two microphones - one on each side of the phone – to capture sound from a larger area.

46. Polycom Communicator: This Skype-certified device uses Polycom’s Acoustic Clarity Technology to provide clear sounds and voices; Ideal for VoIP use minus headphones and microphones.

47. Sky IPmate T-30: A plug-and-play adapter that allows you to forward your incoming Skype calls to or make VoIP calls via Skype using your mobile phone or landline.

48. Skype Hack: This experimental gadget allows you to enhance screen resolution of the 320 x 240 standard to 640 x 480 during video calls. Works only at your end, so the person at the other end will have to invest in one too. 

49. ARIO Q-bean: VoIP headset, wireless media remote and wireless headphones all rolled into one funny-looking gadget from LTB Audio. Comes with its own USB dongle that connects the bean to the computer via a Bluetooth-like technology that is proprietary to LTB.

50. Vonage’s Concept Router: Complete with an integrated touch screen LCD, this wireless router/VoIP adapter is just a concept so far.

Staff :: Feb.22.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

VoIP technology has the tech geeks buzzing. It has been touted as:

- the killer of telecoms
- a solution for the third world’s communication gap
- revolutionizing factor in international business

But despite all the buzz, and the predictions that everyone will be it using it by 2009, why does it seem that every time you make a phone call with Skype the quality sucks…or that your Vonage calls constantly get dropped…or worse, that teenage hackers are stealing your personal information and bringing down the whole network?

A VoIP network is susceptible to the usual attacks that plague all data networks:

…viruses, spam, phishing, hacking attempts, intrusions, mismanaged identities, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, lost and stolen data, voice injections, data sniffing, hijacked calls, toll fraud, eavesdropping, and on and on and on.

The only difference is, with other technologies people take basic steps to protect themselves. With VoIP, nobody is doing so. As a result, all we hear about in the mainstream media is how vulnerable and unreliable VoIP is. And let’s face it…until people start taking the steps to safeguard their networks, this technology isn’t going to go places.

So for those you geeks who want to see the technology get broadly adopted, (and maybe fulfill some of the lofty aspirations mentioned above) start by first protecting your own VoIP network, and then helping to protect those of your friends and neighbors. Pretty soon, we can dump the “vulnerable” label and start gaining some non-techie fans.

So without further adieu, here are 25 ways to help you get started.

1. Restrict all VoIP data to one Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN): Cisco recommends separate VLANs for voice and data; this helps prioritize voice over data and also keeps traffic on the voice network hidden from those connected to the data network. VLANs are also useful in protecting against toll fraud, DoS attacks, and eavesdroppers listening in and taking over conversations. A VLAN is an effective closed circle of computers that does not allow any other computer access to its facilities; with the lack of a PC to launch attacks, your VoIP network is quite safe. Even in the case of an attack, the disruption caused is a minimum.
2. Monitor and track traffic patterns on your VoIP network: Monitoring tools and intrusion detection systems can help identify attempts to break into your VoIP network. Scrutinizing your VoIP logs can bring to light irregularities such as international calls made at odd hours or to countries your organization has no ties with (toll fraud), multiple log-on attempts like in a brute-force attempt to crack a password, or a surge in voice traffic during off-peak hours (voice spam).
3. Lock down your VoIP servers: Servers should be secured physically against both internal and external intruders who can intercept data using sniffing techniques, either within the LAN or at the ISP when data travels over the Internet. Since VoIP phones have fixed IP and MAC addresses, it’s easier for attackers to try to worm their way in. Which is why Gary Miliefsky, founder and CTO of NetClarity, recommends locking down IP and MAC addresses that allow access to the administrative interfaces of VoIP systems, and putting up another firewall in front of the SIP gateway. This will restrict incoming access to IT administrators and prevent hackers from getting in.
4. Use multiple layers of encryption: It’s not enough to just encrypt the data packets that are sent out, you have to encrypt call signaling too. Encrypting voice packets prevents voice injections where interceptors can insert their own words into the conversation, giving it a whole new meaning. Steve Mank, CEO of Qovia, cites two common methods of encryption - the Secure Real Time Protocol (SRTP) which encrypts communication between endpoints, and Transport Level Security (TLS) which encrypts the whole call process. Encryption of voice traffic should be supported by providing strong protection at gateways, networks and hosts.
5. Build redundancy into VoIP networks: Be prepared for the day DoS attacks or viruses threaten to bring your network crashing down – create a network that tolerates failures by setting up multiple nodes, gateways, servers, power sources, and call routers, and hooking up with more than one provider. Don’t stop with just putting the infrastructure in place; run frequent trials to ensure that they are working well and are ready to take over when the primary network fails.
6. Put your equipment behind firewalls: Create separate firewalls so that traffic crossing VLAN boundaries is restricted only to applicable protocols. This will prevent the spread of viruses and Trojans to servers in case clients are infected. The maintenance of security policies also becomes simpler when each firewall is considered separately. Choose networking and security vendors who support both the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the International Telecommunication Union’s H.323 protocol. Firewall configurations have to be created so that the appropriate ports open and close when necessary.
7. Update patches regularly: The security of a VoIP network depends on both the underlying operating system and the applications that run on it. Maintaining patch currency for both the OS and VoIP applications is imperative in protecting against threats from malware. A study from Forrester Research urges companies to make sure they provide “added security measures for IP telephony, without assuming that vendors will respond to each and every risk that appears with patches for installed products.”
8. Keep your network away from the Internet: The University of Houston is a pioneer in this security approach – the institution has put its call manager and network out of direct access from the Internet; its IP PBXs are in a domain separate from its other servers and access is restricted.
9. Minimize the use of softphones: VoIP softphones are prone to hacker attacks, even when they are behind corporate firewalls, because they are used with an ordinary PC, VoIP software, and a pair of headphones. Also, softphones do not separate voice and data, and are vulnerable to the viruses and worms that normally infect a PC.
10. Perform security audits on a regular basis: Running checks on administrative and user sessions and service activities can help bring irregularities to light. Phishing attempts can be thwarted, spam can be filtered out so it doesn’t clog the network, and intruder attacks can be stopped.
11. Evaluate physical security: Make sure that only devices and users who are authenticated and pre-approved gain access to your network by limiting access to the Ethernet ports. Administrators are often fooled into accepting softphone devices that are not permitted on the network because hackers can easily imitate IP and MAC addresses by plugging into an RJ44 port.
12. Use vendors who provide digital security certificates: When IP phone vendors provide digital certificates to authenticate devices, users can ensure that the conversation is secure and is not being broadcast to other devices. The phones load digitally signed images to ensure that the software loaded is authentic. Verisign has been a pioneer in providing authentication certificates for wireless IP phones, in an effort to prevent “tapping” (illegal eavesdropping) and “spoofing” (illegal tampering) of conversations.
13. Secure your gateways: Configure gateways so that only those who are allowed access can make and receive VoIP calls. Lists with authenticated and approved users can ensure that others are prevented from using the lines to make free calls. Protect gateways and the LANs behind them with a combination of an SPI firewall, application layer gateways (ALG), network address translation (NAT) tools, and SIP support for VoIP soft clients.
14. Manage servers separately: VoIP call servers are often the targets for attackers because they are the heart of any VoIP network. Critical weaknesses inherent in the server include its operating system, and the services and applications it supports. To minimize the chance that hackers get at your VoIP servers, manage traffic to them separately from VoIP signaling and call traffic.
15. Sort SIP traffic: Looking through your SIP traffic and checking for abnormal packets and traffic patterns that are different from the usual will help in cutting short sessions that are not genuine. Anomalies in the syntax and semantics of SIP and events that are irregular and out-of-sequence indicate that attacks are taking or likely to take place.
16. Examine call setup requests at the application layer: VoIP calls are susceptible to hijacking by outsiders who gain access to the network. Set up appropriate security policies so that only those call setup requests that conform to them are accepted.
17. Isolate voice traffic: For external communications, rely on a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Separate your voice and data traffic to prevent unwanted ears from listening in on your conversation. According to Kevin Flynn, senior manager of unified communications for Cisco, the biggest problem for organizations is “bad stuff from the data network getting on to the voice network.” He recommends blocking PC port access to the voice VLAN.
18. Use proxy servers: Protect your network even beyond firewalls by using proxy servers to process data that comes in and goes out. Authentication and integrity are ensured when signaling messages travel between user agents and SIP proxies by integrating SSL tunnels with SIP proxies.
19. Run only applications that are necessary to provide and maintain VoIP services: The very fact that VoIP applications use data that is encrypted could lead to them being used to launch DoS attacks. Attackers can hide behind the cloak of encryption to avoid their activities from being monitored.
20. Configure applications against misuse: Prevent your network from being used to perpetrate toll fraud, phishing scams, and illegal calls by preparing a list of permitted caller destinations.
21. Add endpoint security layers: Use network admission techniques and IEEE 802.1X port-based network access controls to keep out devices that are not authorized on your LAN or WLAN. Network Access Control (NAC) applications are available from Cisco - Network Admission Control (NAC), Microsoft - Network Access Protection (NAP), and TCG - Trusted Network Connect (TNC).
22. Restrict access according to certain criteria: VoIP network administrators can set up strict admission criteria to prevent access to devices that are potentially unsafe – when they are found to be infected with viruses or worms, when they do not have the latest patches, or when they do not have the right firewalls. These devices can be redirected to a disparate network that makes them compliant and then lets them onto the main network.
23. Avoid remote management: If possible, it is better to stay away from remote management and audits; but when necessary, use Secure Shell (SSH) or IPsec (IP Security) for the purpose. Access your IP PBX from a system that’s physically secure.
24. Use IPsec tunneling rather than IPsec transport: Tunneling and transport are two different encryption modes that support secure exchange of packets at the IP layer. The use of IPsec transport encrypts only the data while hiding the source and destination IP addresses. This prevents administrators from finding out who initiated the call when they analyze traffic.
25. Secure your VoIP platform: VoIP platforms that support the clients are built on operating systems that should be “hardened” to protect the integrity of the networks that run on it and keep out cyber attacks. Disable services that are not absolutely necessary and use host-based methods to detect intrusion.

Securing a VoIP network is an uphill task, especially when you consider the lack of standards and procedures in place. How secure a network is depends on the right choice of both hardware and software. Without a doubt, VoIP communications can be made more secure and reliable than regular PSTN interactions if the appropriate security measures are in place. So get out there and make the changes to your own networks…

andyhagans :: Feb.10.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off