Nokia Clarifies VoIP Plans for N-Series Phones

A couple of days ago, we wrote about how Nokia intends to remove the VoIP feature from new N-series phones due to mobile carriers being threatened by the more affordable rates offered by VoIP. However, Charlie Schick from the Nokia Conversations blog explains why the VoIP client from the N78 and N85 is gone.

According to him, it wasn’t because to pressure from mobile carriers. The real reason for this is that the code and programming interfaces of the VoIP client was simply improved for the next generation of S60 operating systems. When this happens, the client stops working, which means that developers need to re-do the apps.

It’s great to know that Nokia is still making VoIP cheap and accessible to their users!

Multi-Party Video Conferencing for Skype

I love how Skype’s voice conference feature allows me to talk to my friends from all over the world at the same time, but I’ve always wished they had video conference so we could see each other for once. Imagine how crazy and fun that would be! Apparently, someone else had the same idea and found a way to make video conferences happen in Skype. MeBeam is a multi-party video conference tool that allows you to do a video conference with up to 16 of your Skype friends right from the Skype user interface. You don’t even have to download or install anything for MeBeam to work!

1) Add mebeam to your Skype contacts list. (If you have Skype 4b, you might have to do this manually. skype:mebeam?add)
2) Send your contacts to mebeam to invite your friends to the call.
3) MeBeam will then Skype you a link to a web page where you can see and talk to each other.

Check out the MeBeam blog for the full set of instructions and a visual how-to guide.

Nokia Removes VoIP from New N-Series Phones

We loved Nokia for putting WiFi capabilities and VoIP functionality on their phones - but mobile carriers weren’t too happy about these new developments. Obviously people would rather make long-distance calls using VoIP rather than pay huge amounts of money to their carrier, which led to the rise of mobile VoIP softwares like Gizmo Project, Fring, and Truphone. Now it seems as if Nokia is kowtowing to the mobile carriers. The newest phones in the N-series, the N78 and N96, are no longer VoIP compatible. The new phones in the E-series, however, still have VoIP functionality since this is pretty much the only feature that makes users choose an E-series device over something like a Blackberry.

I think closing off the VoIP option was a bad move, especially since Nokia claimed to be open-source friendly. Instead of giving in to the carriers, Nokia should have remained flexible with their features because this is the only way they can out-innovate all their competitors.

New Sony PSP has Mic

Watch out for the launch of the Sony PSP 3000 this October! It’s got an improved color display and is better suited for outdoor use, but the newest and most interesting feature in the PSP 3000 is its built-in microphone, allowing users to make free calls through Skype using the device.

Two new versions of the PlayStation 3 will also be released soon - one with an 80GB hard drive and another one with 160GB for more storage for when Sony comes out with a movie and music download service in 2009.

Get iPhone 3G for cheap through Globe Loyalty Rewards

A lot of people have been complaining about the exhorbitant price Globe slapped on the iPhone 3G, but did you know that if you’ve been a Globe subscriber for years, you can get your iPhone 3G at a discounted price through Globe Loyalty Rewards? Dial 211 on your cellphone or visit the Globe Business Office at the mall nearest you. The discount you’ll be receiving depends on how long you’ve been a subscriber and how heavily you’ve used the service. My mom has been a Globe subscriber since the year 1999, and she’s getting her iPhone 3G for less than 20k. I thought that was already a great deal, until I found out that a girl at the Philmug forums is getting hers for a mere Php 2,400!

Reservations for the iPhone 3G ends tomorrow! Call Globe now and ask if you’re eligible for the Globe Loyalty Rewards.

For Existing Postpaid Subscribers
Please call 211 using your Globe handyphone to inquire about iPhone 3G offers available to you.

Globe Rolls Back iPhone 3G Prices!

Just a few days shy of its August 22 release, Globe finally realized that the priced the iPhone 3G a little too high. They decided to roll back the iPhone 3G prices to Php 37,599 for the 8GB one and Php 43,799 for the 16GB one - and added more freebies for both. The prepaid plans come with Php200 pesos worth of load for five months, and the 1,000 buyers of the phonekit will get Php 1,000 off the iPhone 3G.

Check the new postpaid plans (which you can compare to the old postpaid plans)

The iPhone 3G will be released by Globe on August 22, Friday. Check the iphone 3g prices and plans.

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Doro ip700wifi VoIP Phone

There aren’t many VoIP handsets out there that has all the necessary features for clear communication while you’re away from the computer. Doro’s been in the telephony industry for over 30 years now and their user-friendly consumer electronic products make communication easier and more convenient for users. The new Doro ip700wifi VoIP phone looks like a normal cellphone but its WiFi connectivity allows you to make VoIP calls wherever you are, even if you don’t have a PC or laptop with you. So long as you’re registered to a legitimate VoIP service, you can make calls anytime, anywhere in the world.

Base don the latest voice transfer technology, SIP 2.0, the Doro ip700wifi can support several SIP accounts. This means that you can receive calls or make calls from home or work. Other practical functions include automatic logging on to WLAN, WLAN search, color display, vibration signal, and a phone directory with 100 numbers. There’s also Voice Activity Detection, Comfort Noise Generation, and Echo Cancellation, guaranteeing crystal clear conversations. All software updates can be made through WiFi.

The Doro ip700wifi costs $222.

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VoIP for the iPhone Coming Soon!

Wouldn’t it be great if iPhone users could call each other without using up their cellphone minutes? Global IP Solutions must have thought so, because two days ago they released a software development kit (SDK) so developers can come up with a VoIP application for the iPhone. Although we already have Truphone, the first and only iPhone stand-alone VoIP app, developers will probably push the limits of VoIP possibilities for the iPhone using Global IP Solutions SDK. Their SDK can be used to create stand-alone VoIP apps or integrate VoIP into chat programs, games, and social networking. It’ll be really interesting to see what game developers will do with VoIP because if they do it well, the iPhone will be a sure competitor for gadgets like the PSP and Nintendo DS.

Don’t start downgrading your plans just yet - the SDK can only build VoIP apps that will work over Wi-Fi, not through the Edge or 3G network.

Top Softphones for Mac OS-X (Part two)

Last week, we featured several Mac softphones that users might want to try as alternatives to Skype and iChat. Here are a couple of more softphones with features that would appeal to Mac users.

WengoPhone
WengoPhone is a great, open source softphone alternative to Skype, SightSpeed, or Gizmo. Besides basic VoIP, it’s quite a number of convenient features like the ability to chat with your contacts on Y!M, MSN, AIM, and Google Talk. Like other softphones, WengoPhone also lets you make free calls to other WengoPhone users, cheap calls to landlines or cellphones, and free Mac-to-Mac (or PC-to-PC) video calls. WengoPhone is also available for Windows and Linux.

Ventrilo
What I like about Ventrilo is that it allows you to make group conference calls, which makes it easy to hold group communications like the kind needed for online gaming. It’s full of additional features and sound options, such as special sound effects and surround sound positioning.

TeamSpeex
TeamSpeex is another VoIP softphone designed especially for multi-player online gamers. It’s also available for the PC but Mac users might be a little disappointed that its Mac version doesn’t have some of the features in the PC version. Still, it’s a great way to integrate VoIP into your gaming life and definitely makes communicating with your team easier and faster.
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Top Softphones for Mac OS-X

VoIP is practically indispensable today and it is estimated to have around 32.6 million users by the year 2010. Despite this, it seems as if software developers have a bias for PC’s over Macs - until recently anyway. There is a large market for Mac users and it seems like VoIP providers are working on giving Apple lovers the technology they need.

Besides iChat and Skype, here are some of the top softphones for the Mac OS-X.

LoudHush
LoudHush is a Mac-only softphone that works within Asterisk PBX. This means that you’re going to need an Asterisk account before you can use LoudHush. It’s very user-friendly and easy to use, and it’s definitely going to work on your Mac. Unique features include a fixed-call recorder and a missed call indicator.

Gizmo
Those who are used to Skype might enjoy using Gizmo since it has similar plans and allows you to call anyone regardless of what OS the receiver is using. One feature you might like is the plug-in for Adium, which allows you to call anyone within Adium through your Gizmo account. While there isn’t any video conferencing here, Gizmo can be used together with SIP-based VoIP services.

SightSpeed
SightSpeed is a little more like Skype. With video conference, calling, free unlimited calls between SightSpeed users, cheap calls to cell phones and landlines, SightSpeed is great for people who video-conference often. However, it’s not the most Mac-friendly as it doesn’t integrate with other applications.

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