Landline Phones

AT&T sets out video phoning

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Video conferencing has been growing rapidly in landline installations. Now, AT&T has set out plans for video conferencing via mobile phone. You'll be able to make a video call to any other user--as long as they have the right phone, the right plan, and the right carrier. Even with these limitations, it's an important step forward in wireless calling. Currently available in Atlanta, Dallas, and San Antonio, the 3G Video Share service will roll out to more than 160 cities beginning in late July. AT&T says it will make the service available alongside mobile TV capabilities on the network, and will expand the capabilities to many different handsets. The company also says that expansion to PCs is coming, for video between the desktop and the mobile user.

For more on mobile video calling:
- see this press release
- Read the news story at NewsFactor

The arrival of a landline/mobile phone

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:01:37 -0500

Consider the beauty of a phone that works both as a landline and as a mobile phone. Well, Motorola is the first to market with such a device: the C51. Unfortunately, according to a recent review, it just doesn't deliver on all its intended benefits. The best part is that the landline-mobile aspect works fine--it works just like a regular cordless phone using a Bluetooth-enabled dock that interacts with a wireless handset. The C51 also has a shared phonebook that lets you program one number in and have it stored in any phone within the system. The phone also boasts its own answering machine. Unfortunately, it fails in a few other aspects. The camera and intercom don't deliver the expected quality, and then there is the fact that you have to reboot the phone to get quality sound and reception. As the product review notes, the C51 still has a ways to go before it'll become 'the' wireless mobile device. Article

Skype debuts cordless phone

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 20:01:37 -0400

Skype is in the news once again, touting that it has developed a cordless phone that won't tie Skype users to a PC for their calling needs. The new devices will be built by Netgear and Phillips Consumer Products and will hit the shelves by the end of the year. The phone, called the Philips VOIP841, includes Skype software that allows users to make and receive calls through landline connections. But for all the hype regarding the new phone, industry experts are quick to note that Skype's entry into the market is quite late and the phone doesn't adhere to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). What's more, it's going to be a bit pricier than all the SIP phones already available. Will the Skype brand be enough to attract consumers and businesses? Article

QUICKLINKS: Wireless vendor takes on data criminals to protect customer info; WiFi takes a shelf at a top grocer; Wireless to o

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 19:00:50 -0500

> Wireless vendor takes on data criminals to protect customer info. Article

> WiFi takes a shelf at a top grocer. Article

> Wireless spend will soon overtake landline spend. Article

> The future is all about convergence with wireless. Article

Phone for VoIP and landlines

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 19:01:36 -0500

It had to happen sooner or later given the range of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks being deployed. Panasonic has announced a new cordless phone that promises to go from VoIP networks to traditional landline telecom networks without a hitch. All the user needs is a PC running Skype to access VoIP service. The phone can automatically identify and switch between Skype and traditional incoming calls, according to the vendor, which is planning a family of Internet calling-related products. Article

An economical alternative to BlackBerry use

Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:01:36 -0500

If the current legal wrangling involving Research in Motion's patent on its BlackBerry technology has you considering switching off the handheld platform to another user productivity tool, you might want to check out MailCall, a hosted service offering that turns text messaging into voice mail for access over a landline or wireless phone. The maker, Great American Technologies, says it's product will outlast today's popular handheld devices because those technologies tend to become obsolete quickly, whereas this service will continually upgrade itself. With a monthly subscription cost under $20, the start-up says its service is also a valuable way for small and midsize enterprises to provide necessary service to employees and road warriors. Article

QUICKLINKS: Mobile users unlikely to pay for search capabilities; Korea going mobile wireless by next year; Much more...

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 20:00:50 -0400

Mobile users unlikely to pay for search capabilities. Article

Korea going mobile wireless by next year. Article

Study: Asia/Pacific will lead WiMax subscription race. Article

Metric: Global hotspot count will hit 100,000 by year's end. Article

Japan investigating landline and mobile convergence. Article

Survey: Mobile users not too worried about security issues. Article

Samsung readying wireless services on WiMax for field trials early next year. Article

Mobile devices are moving into corporate mainstream. Article