Cisco Calls the Skype Kettle Black
I didn’t see this one coming – but it makes perfect sense.
Cisco appeals to the EU that Microsoft and Skype together may not be such a good thing for the industry, and thus appealed the approval of the merger to the EU. That isn’t in itself too surprising, until you consider that the EU and the US have already approved the deal, that the EU and US has already heard Cisco’s issues. There is a very good chance that the decision won’t be changed. But there is also the chance something comes out of it. There are two issues here: why did Cisco do this and is it a reasonable claim?
Why they did it largely falls into the nothing to lose category. It’s like challenging a referee’s call. There might be a small price, and it might be futile, but the call isn’t likely to come back any worse and there is a chance the outcome gets changed. But even if the EU makes no change in their decision, it slows down the merger. At the current rate of change, delaying things a few months is eternity. A lot can happen.
Consider how much has happened just since Microsoft announced the acquisition: Continue Reading →
Nest and HoneyWell
Nest hit a nerve.
Thermostats are not the most popular topic for high-tech and Internet blogs – but Nest hit a nerve.
Nest offers a thermostat for the home. Probably because it’s a San Francisco start-up, possibly because it has some leadership that once worked at Apple, or possibly because it has a nifty display – it became an instant darling of the high-tech blogosphere. It became the most boring got-to-have item in consumer tech. I love high tech gadgets, including thermostats, and have more than my share in my current home – more on that below. I found the Nest thermostat interesting, but hardly worth blogging about (initially). It took several characteristics of high-end thermostats and made it round and used a clever digital round display. I don’t believe it has any unique features compared to whats available on the market. This post lists several alternatives available.
I’ve heard people excitedly talk about the Nest thermostat. Continue Reading →
Family Plans are Best – For Shareholders
Remember when carriers charged for what you used?
Both Verizon and AT&T are expected to announce shared data plans shortly. Heralded as a boon for consumers, careful thought reveals it is more of a boondoggle. Shared use plans allow you to buy a block of data and then use that block across all of your devices. What’s wrong with that, right?
Shared or family plans are based upon the business model of forcing you to purchase a data plan that is way too big, and then having to use up the super-sized block by sharing it with all of your other devices. The benefit for the carriers is that you get locked into a single carrier. Continue Reading →
ITExpo Miami Best of Show
Last week was ITExpo in Miami – generally a good conference.
There was lots of news this year. I think the biggest story was Digium’s new phones (see here and here). I don’t think most people realize how impact-full these (well not these, but the next few versions) phones will be. The vast majority of the industry is heading toward standards compliant SIP phones and Digium (which started with standards compliant SIP phones) is moving toward proprietary SIP compliant phones. There is more to this story. The other big story is Shoretel acquiring hosted voice provider M5 – this one really did surprise me. I’m putting my thoughts together and will post shortly.
There was actually a lot of news coming out of Miami last week. I can’t cover it all, but wanted to recognize the best of show winners. This time, TMC awarded 11 Best of Show champions (at the last conference, TMC awarded 20 Best of Show Winners). This year’s winners are:
- Best Service Provider Solution – Intercity Networks
- Best Enterprise Solution – Infinias
- Best SMB Solution – Surf Comunications
- Best Contact Center Solution – Hold-Free Networks
- Best of Open Source – Xorcom
- Best Wireless/Mobile Solution - AudioCodes
- Best Cloud Solution– APEX VoiceCommunicatons
- Most Innovative Product – Plantronics
- Best On-site launch - XKL
- Best Development Tool – Inventive Labs
- Editors Choice Award – ABP Technologies (for Totus Solutions)
Congratulations to the winners. I am familiar with most, but not all but will certainly be looking into them.
Google Voice Offline
Evidently at least one of the engineers at Google Voice woke up and came up with a new feature…Offline Texting.
It was announced with the following blog post:
Sometimes the times that we’re offline can be our most productive times. However, whether on a plane or out of range of coverage, it’d still be nice to be able to draft text messages. With this new app, you can now compose new messages (single recipients for now) while offline and the app will automatically queue them and send them out when you’re connected again.
We hope you enjoy this new feature.
Posted by Yong Hoon Choi, Software Engineer
This is a tremendous revolutionary feature (in 2009). In 2012, the question is What else you got? When I receive a message will it say “You have mail!” ? Anything new in fax or Telex integration?
The new app has an Ice Cream Sandwich Look – of course few people know that look as few devices exist with it.
Is the Stylus Retro?
The Samsung Note is a smartphone tablet thing. It is either the largest smartphone or smallest tablet depending on your point of view. I saw it at CES, and it was advertised on national television during the Superbowl. The ad poked fun at the hipsters waiting in line at (presumably) the Apple Store to buy the iDujour – at least until they spot someone with a Samsung Note. But the reaction noticed on Twitter wasn’t the praise Samsung expected – many people felt there is no way that the next big thing could have a stylus – too 90s.
I disagree. It’s the way technology works – and once again everything old becomes new again. Just like the web is turning our desktops into thin terminals again and evidently Amazon is considering opening physical stores. Continue Reading →
TalkingPointz Uber TeleNewsfeed
One place to view all the news.
On this blog, Twitter, and Facebook, TalkingPointz is regularly posting news feeds from across the VoIP, UC, telecom industry. This is a work in progress and please let me know if you have any suggestions.
Current sources include:
- No Jitter
- UC Strategies
- Fierce Enterprise Communications
- Tech Target – Search UC
- Telecom Reseller
- Inside CTI
- Comms Dealer (UK)
I also add posts from TalkingPointz as well as interesting news items I come across.
Viewing this feed can keep you posted on what’s hot. I have not added vendor blogs, but open to it. The basic requirement is the content needs to be focused on business communications. That’s tricky – I’ve skipped or removed several feeds that don’t follow that rule. That’s why TMC is missing – complaints about political posts. Politics, wine, and most commonly general IT keeps a feed off the list.
Links are unedited and refer directly to the source. I plan to keep adding more, please send suggestions.
Digium Has Big Bells
Digium announces new phones. See my full post here. A few additional thoughts on Polycom, Aastra, and Snom – all three of which have been at every Astricon I’ve attended. Continue Reading →
Big Blue’s Sphere
LotusSphere is an odd name for an event about non-Lotus software. That was just one of the themes from IBM’s (presumably last) LotuSphere 2012, that it is killing the Lotus brand. Not that the show is dying – it’s a huge show. IBM has slowly been distancing itself from the name/brand Lotus – and replacing it mostly with IBM: IBM Notes, IBM Symphony, IBM Web Content Manager, Domino?, etc.
Moving away from Lotus intrigues me. Officially, the message is ‘out with the old.’ That the brand is associated with legacy. Really? How did “Lotus” get dated when “IBM” didn’t? IBM is associated with mainframes – Notes is associated with Groupware. Which is more social and modern? I never understood why the “Notes” server - which had a great brand – became the Domino server. I understand products have life cycles – but brand cycles should last much longer, and I think Lotus had some value.
The strangest part is IBM really needs a brand to wrap around its family of social products. There are a heck of a lot of products in its social strategy – some new products, but mostly renamed products and services. Continue Reading →
StartupCamp5
StartupCamp5 will be taking place at ITExpo Feb 1-3 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. I’ve attended the past four ITExpo’s and StartupCamps, but won’t be at this one. Feeling a bit wistful as so many people I know are heading that way. ITExpo is a good show – particularly strong for hosted service providers and VoIP heads. Lots of really technical people roaming the halls too.
But every year, the most excitement at ITExpo is around Startup Camp. Embrase puts on this event every year -and unlike all the other co-located events that take place there – StartupCamp doesn’t compete for the same audience. StartupCamp is the one event that runs in the early evening – after the exhibits and before dinner. As a result, it is one of the most packed events there – more so than the keynote presentations (although that be because of the free drinks). Continue Reading →
Meet Dave
Dave is a self-proclaimed Telecommunications Contemplator. Most industry professionals gravitate toward the role of Analyst, Consultant or Journalist, but Dave blends all three as a professional Contemplator. He shares what he sees with the vendors, service providers, and end users. Learn More