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Vonage Mobile iPhone and BlackBerry apps available for download

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 5th 2009 @ 6:33AM

You remember Vonage right? The trailblazing VoiP company is still around and appears at first glance to have instigated a bit of coup in the battle for VoiP calls over AT&T connections. Unfortunately they haven't, at least not yet. See, the free Vonage Mobile app just added to the iTunes App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch has been approved for making international calls over AT&T's cellular network (take that Skype) in addition to WiFi. Unfortunately, we're not talking about SIP calls over EDGE/HSDPA data. Like the rejected Google Voice app, if you're out of WiFi range but still have voice service then Vonage Mobile will redirect your international call (entered directly into the App or selected from your address book) to a local access number in the US -- you're then using your AT&T minutes while being charged Vonage Mobile's discounted worldwide calling rates. The app is strictly pay-as-you-go for the moment and will not give free global calling to those who subscribe to Vonage's $25 per month Vonage World plan -- Vonage says that will come before the end of the year. The Vonage Mobile app for BlackBerry only works over your carrier's voice network while the iPod touch app only works over WiFi, naturally. Also, BlackBerry users will revert to Vonage's lower rates anytime they make an international call whereas iPhone users must launch the Vonage application first.

[Thanks, Ricky B.]

T-Mobile steps forward with LTE voice standard, faces uphill battle

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 8th 2009 @ 5:59PM

It's still a shockingly open question exactly how the world's carriers plan on transporting voice over LTE -- which is something everyone who loves 4G should be freaking out about, considering that it threatens launch schedules and interoperability among unlocked handsets. A vibrant array of possible solutions are currently on the table, including everything from SIP-based IMS (which is already approved by the 3GPP, helpfully) to the controversial thought of leaving legacy GSM and UMTS networks live for the sole purpose of running voice. T-Mobile International is putting its bets on VoLGA -- Voice Over LTE via Generic Access -- by participating in the VoLGA Forum, which has just published the second version of its specifications and aims for 3GPP consideration later this year. The technology routes circuit-switched (that is, old-school) voice over data packets, but the problem is that there are a bunch of companies proposing the same thing in slightly different ways; Nokia Siemens Networks, for example, is working on its own proprietary standard that'll go head-to-head with VoLGA. Currently, T-Mobile's the only major network actively participating in VoLGA's development, though it apparently has the support of every major infrastructure vendor except Nokia Siemens. Whether it's VoLGA or something else, let's hope everyone gets on the same page on the double before everyone gets too entrenched in incompatible technologies that make roaming difficult and handset variety lame.

Nokia makes VoIP a little harder in S60 3.2

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 26th 2008 @ 11:01AM

For Nokia, WiFi and VoIP have seemingly gone hand-in-hand for as long as 802.11 radios have been offered in S60 handsets. It makes sense, of course -- the internet is a great way to yap at little or no expense compared to plain old cellular voice minutes when a traditional WiFi hotspot is available, and Nokia was really ahead of the curve with jumping on the bandwagon and making sure that the capability has been available out of the box. Unfortunately, it looks like constant carrier pressure may have finally gotten the better of Espoo, with GigaOM confirming that 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 doesn't contain a SIP stack built-in the same way that FP1 historically has. That doesn't mean VoIP products are totally locked out, but it does mean that apps that rely on the native stack are out of luck until they've implemented a new stack of their own. Products like the N78 and N96 are affected by the buffoonery, while the E71, which uses FP1, is not -- a good thing, considering the corporate affinity for VoIP and the Eseries' business leanings.

[Via jkOnTheRun, thanks BFish]

HTC's HT1100 (Nike) with TouchFLO lives... on Japan's DoCoMo

by Thomas Ricker posted Aug 30th 2007 @ 4:40AM

There it is, the HTC HT1100, aka Nike, aka the Touch II WinMo 6 Professional slider we've been anticipating. This FOMA handset packs HSDPA (naturally, for DoCoMo) and GSM for international roaming while representing HTC's second handset to feature the TouchFLO interface. The QVGA display has been trimmed back to 2.6-inches while the sliding keypad chunks it up a bit to 112 x 51 x 16.9-mm / 130-grams. 802.11a/b/g WiFi, SIP support, Bluetooth, 2 megapixel camera (with a 1 megapixeler up front), FM tuner (?), and microSD round out the specs. So it's official, now we just need a release a bit say, closer to home.

UTStarcom's dual-mode GF210 clears FCC

by Chris Ziegler posted Dec 30th 2006 @ 5:48AM

What deep, dark secret lies within the casing of this perfectly unremarkable looking UTStarcom candybar? It's got dual-mode hardware, that's what. Yep, GSM -- US-friendly 850 / 1900, no less -- and WiFi, coexisting in blissful harmony to hook its user up with SIP-based VoIP at home and GSM on the road. It's a crying shame, then, that no amount of technological geekery would allow us to feel comfortable talking on the homely GF210. Hey, T-Mobile, would ya please hurry it up over there?

Orange launches "Unique" dual-mode service

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 26th 2006 @ 6:19PM

UMA appears to be picking up a nice head of steam both domestically and internationally; Orange is the latest to join the fray with their newly-minted service dubbed simply "Unique." As expected, the service uses Orange's wireless broadband router (the Livebox, pictured) to provide the VoIP connection at home, while GSM takes over out on the mean streets Orange's launch locales: the UK, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland. Up to six handsets will be supported per Livebox, which can all be routed onto a single bill -- a bill that should hopefully stay reasonably low thanks to unlimited landline and Orange mobile calling via VoIP. Launch handsets will be the Motorola A910, Nokia 6136, and Samsung P200 (a cousin of the Americanized T709), which (pardon our jaded humor) is three more handsets than we have in our hands right now for T-Mobile's stalled UMA launch.

[Via Shiny Shiny]

Paragon shows dual-mode "hipi-2200" Smartphone

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 23rd 2006 @ 1:09PM

We're, like, so over flush metal keypads, but we're going to let it slide just this once. Looking to bring a little more spit and polish than the original dual-mode hipi before it, Paragon Wireless' new hipi-2200 ups the ante with the inclusion of Windows Mobile 5 -- in a far more refined-looking package, to boot. With the exception of the lack of 3G (or even EDGE, for that matter) and the pedestrian 220 x 176 display, the spec sheet reads like a dream come true for Windows Mobile fans: 2-megapixel cam, microSD expansion, quadband GSM, SIP-based VoIP with seamless handoff, and a claimed 100 hours of standby with both GSM and WiFI radios turned on. Best of all, Paragon says the hipi-2200 is FCC certified, making a US release at least plausible. Likely? No, but we can dare to dream.

[Via Mobilewhack]

ROK Viper lights up VoIP over Bluetooth

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 8th 2006 @ 12:51PM

Carriers like to throw around the term "unlimited mobile-to-mobile" from time to time, but we don't think this is exactly what they had in mind. ROK's "Viper" VoIP client uses a handset's Bluetooth link to hook it up to a PC sporting a broadband Internet connection, which in turn connects it to any other handset with Viper installed. Better yet, Viper contacts are shown with their availability in a buddy list format -- but the best part? It's all completely free and covers platforms Skype doesn't. Compatibility is limited to a handful of Nokia handsets running S60 right now, but word on the street has ROK releasing on Java and Windows Mobile clients before too long.

[Via Tech Digest]

Nokia, SingTel collaborate on VoIP solution

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 4th 2006 @ 3:58PM

It appears that another carrier has decided to give VoIP its warm, loving embrace. Nokia will be supplying Singapore's SingTel with its E60, E61, and N80 Internet Edition handsets, all of which support both GSM and WiFi; add some SIP-compliant VoIP into the mix, and you have yourself a nice little dual-mode solution. SingTel hasn't announced pricing, but plans on offering a flat-rate service enabling its customers to hop on the VoIP bit from any hotspot, including SingTel's own Wireless Surf Zones. There's no mention of handoff capability between networks, but if the price is right, we'll let it slide -- just don't go wandering off while you're hitting up the WiFi.

[Via Slashphone]

Nokia re-ups N80 with "Internet Edition"

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 1st 2006 @ 12:15PM

Take a garden variety N80, stuff it full of applets with an affinity for packet data, and re-release it as the N80 Internet Edition. That's exactly what Nokia has announced this week, bundling the venerable 3-megapixel N80 slider with a range of new software -- you get Yahoo Go for Mobile, Flickr, some Amazon-branded goodies, Nokia's enhanced web browser, improved app management through a "Download!" client, and most importantly, SIP-compliant VoIP, perfect for use with the N80's WiFi support. If you're worried that the street value of your existing N80 has just dropped significantly, fret not; the Internet Edition hardware is identical to the existing model, though it'll be available in "patina bronze" and "pearl black." Sadly, we've confirmed with Nokia that the new model come in only the "global" variant, meaning that although you get quad-band GSM, no UMTS 850 or 1900 is in the cards. If you can get over the lack of good ol' American 3G, look for the N80 Internet Edition to drop stateside some time in Q4.

Hampton Articulation adds SIP-compliant VoIP to Palm devices

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 24th 2006 @ 4:04PM

What's better than a Skype client for Palm? A VoIP client compatible with any SIP provider, that's what. Hampton Software has released Articulation, which appears to be the first true provider-independent client for any Palm 5.x device with a mic and speaker (though rumor has it the 700p doesn't quite make the grade yet due to sound issues). The app may not have superstar looks, but the feature list is nothing to sneeze at with support for the GSM codec on low-bandwidth connections, echo cancellation for speakerphone use, touch tones for automated menus, and pretty much anything you could expect from a lightweight VoIP setup. If anyone gives this a whirl on their 650, be sure to hit us all up with the rundown in comments!

[Via VoIP & Gadgets Blog]

"Black Diamond" WM5 Smartphone runs $300,000

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 22nd 2006 @ 12:23AM

If you're having a hard time justifying dropping a cool million on your next phone, might we turn your attention to the "Black Diamond," brought to us by Swiss manufacturer VIPN. Penned by Singaporean designer Jaren Goh, there's little question that the glossy black candybar is gorgeous -- but whether it's $300,000 gorgeous is another question entirely. Details are slim, but we know that the Windows Mobile 5 device should be rocking quadband GSM, WiFi, 128MB of memory with SD expansion, a 2-inch display, and a 400MHz XScale all wrapped up in titanium and diamonds. The touch sensitive keypad is Chocolate-esque, completely disappearing when not lit, while SIP is thrown in to keep your GSM usage minimum when you're in WiFi range (not to suggest anyone owning this phone is looking to save a few bucks). If we've piqued your interest, it looks like you've got until early 2007 to save your pennies, but keep your eyes peeled -- production is limited to 5 (yes, five) units.

Cingular to offer video sharing while talking

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 3rd 2006 @ 5:40PM

Cingular's announced that it plans to launch a new service "within the next year" that'll let users share videos while talking on their cellphone, something that you may remember was being tested earlier this year. Assuming Cingular hasn't gone on a completely different route, the service will make use of what's known as the IP Multimedia Subsystem (or IMS), which is a UMTS implementation of (SIP). It's nifty to be sure, but we're guessing Cingular will have to make the service really affordable for most people to be able to justify adding yet another expense to their monthly bill.

[Thanks, Mack S]