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  • ESS Technology Offers Single-chip VoIP Solution


    ESS Technology has released a new chip for VoIP phones.

    By embedding two subscriber line interface circuits (SLICs) along with an Ethernet switch, ESS says the ES9701 will provide a high level of integration at a low cost for both VoIP adapters and applications.

    Included in its features is a 32-bit RISC processor, an AES encryption module and an LCD display with keypad interface.

    The ES9701 also comes packaged with a VoIP phone/adapter reference design as well as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) stack.

    Robert Wong, the firm’s vice-president of marketing and worldwide sales, said the ES9701 enables rapid development of VoIP phones and adapters at the lowest system cost."

    "Finally, we can have affordable VoIP for everyone," he said.

  • Broadsoft Strengthens Position With Sylantro Purchase


    VoIP applications provider, BroadSoft, has acquired competitor Sylantro Systems for an undisclosed sum.

    BroadSoft provides VoIP application software designed to enable service providers to deliver hosted telephony and multimedia services to businesses and consumers.

    It recently launched a hosted unified communications service in conjunction with Microsoft.

    Sylantro offers server software for hosted IP communication services across fixed, mobile, and cable networks.

    Sylantro’s Synergy and Web services software provide a platform for creating converged services for businesses and consumers.

    The company recently announced compatibility of its Synergy platform with Amazon Web Services’ Elastic Compute Cloud.

    The deal is being seen as a way for BroadSoft to eliminate a competitor while building its market position in VoIP applications.

    BroadSoft provides VoIP applications to eight of the top 10 and 14 of the top 25 largest carriers worldwide, including Korea Telecom, KPN, SingTel, Sprint, Telefonica de Espana, Telstra, T-Systems and Verizon.

    Sylantro customers include AT&T, China Netcom, QWEST and Swisscom, among others.

    BroadSoft said it intends to support Sylantro’s Synergy platform through its direct sales force and authorized Sylantro and BroadSoft partners.

  • Skype Users To Get Access To Boingo Wi-Fi Network


    Boingo Wireless has agreed a deal that will allow Skype users to access more than 100,000 Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide, and pay using Skype Credit.

    The feature, called Skype Access, will be embedded into Skype as a core feature, first in the Skype for Mac 2.8 Beta software just released and then in versions of Skype for other operating systems sometime in 2009.

    The new application lets users connect to a Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot with a single click and to pay per minute only for what they use.

    Skype Access actively scans for available Boingo hotspots and presents a pop-up dialogue box displaying the price per minute to use the Boingo network using Skype Credit.

    Boingo’s Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy apply and access to all Internet services will be provided on a simple, per minute billing basis.

    Boingo offers Wi-Fi hotspots by combining more than 100,000 locations from more than 150 leading Wi-Fi operators into one worldwide network spanning 90 countries.

    Luis Alfonso Serrano, vice president of network strategy for Boingo Wireless, said the agrrement meant Skype users will be able to access hotspots around the world via the Boingo Network for their Skype calls.

    "Boingo provides digital nomads – no matter where they are in the world – with an easy and fast way to get online," he said.

    By sharing one authentication and enrollment process, one download and one payment method, the Skype-Boingo collaboration clears a path between one of the most popular communications platforms on the Internet with the world’s largest network of Wi-Fi hotspot operators.

    In addition to Skype credit and a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop, users must have Skype for Mac 2.8 Beta installed and running.

    Prices will vary based on location and currency. There are no connection fees or monthly charges for Skype Access.

  • Young Lead Shift Towards Internet TV Viewing


    Internet television viewership is increasing rapidly in the US due to better content and improved viewing quality, according to Move Networks.

    The Internet TV service provider has released figures showing it streamed more than 100 million hours of high definition content and over 180 million total hours of content in 2008.

    It experienced 100 per cent growth in the number of people watching Internet television delivered via Move’s adaptive streaming technology – up from 25 million unique viewers in 2007 to 55 million unique viewers in 2008.

    Not surprisingly the shift to Internet viewing is even more dramatic among younger viewers.

    According to Move, 70 per cent of the college-age demographic have watched television online and 55 per cent watch more than half of their television programming via the Internet.

    Move Networks streams 60 per cent of the US’s most popular television shows and 11 of the top 20 primetime TV shows, including Fringe, Lost, Gossip Girls and Ugly Betty.

    The company also streams an average of 600 live events every month, including concerts, political conventions, educational series, sporting events with Fox Sports, the NFL, ESPN and more.

  • HTC Announces North America Version of S740


    HTC is bringing out a North American version of its S740 slider.

    The S743 will switch from the previously Europe-only HSPA 3G to a dual-band 850MHz/1,900MHz link suited to AT&T in the US and Rogers in Canada.

    That apart, the phone will be identical with a lateral slide-out QWERTY keyboard and hardware keys for directions and numbers in place of the touchscreen fitted to the similarly-styled Touch Pro.

    A 3.2-megapixel camera and microSDHC-dependent storage also carry over from the regular S740.

    HTC plans to ship the Windows Mobile 6.1 phone within the first three months of the year as an unlocked, unsubsidized device.

    Pricing hasn’t been announced but expect it to be be high without carrier discounts.

  • iTunes To Be DRM-free As Song Pricing Altered


    Apple is to start selling digital songs without copy protection software from iTunes along with over-the-air download songs for the iPhone.

    Announcing the changes at the Macworld Expo trade show in San Francisco, Apple marketing exec Phil Schiller also detailed plans to roll out variable pricing on digital songs at iTunes with songs priced between USD $0.69 cents and $1.29.

    Along with the new price points, all tracks on iTunes will be digital rights management or DRM-free by April.

    DRM has proved a controversial topic with music fans and record labels alike.

    It was designed to prevent fans from illegally sharing digital downloads on file-sharing services.

    But it also prevented many fans from moving their own songs between devices and became increasingly unpopular.

    Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs, publicly called on major record labels to drop DRM in February 2007.

    In exchange, labels have been asking that iTunes agree to sell songs at variable prices. Currently, iTunes sells all individual songs at USD $0.99 cents.

    Apple also announced details to allow iPhone 3G and iPod Touch Wifi users to buy songs while on the go, over the air through its popular App Store.

    The changes mean a 30 per cent price rise for tracks from big name artists record labels – which will make more money for the record lables.

    They will also mean consumers will be able to buy older and lesser known artists’ tracks for less.

    The fact that iTunes downloads are in the AAC file format means there will still be restrictions on where they can be played despite being DRM-free.

    In what was a fairly dry keynote, Schiller also announced the new 17" MacBook Pro – priced at USD $2,799 for a glossy screen, 2.66 GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive, glass trackpad and backlit keyboard.

    Expected to be Apple’s last Macworld keynote the company also showed off some software and hardware updates.

    The expected update to the Mac mini never materialised – nor did Jobs, who is treating a "hormonal imbalance".

  • SlingPlayer Coming To The iPhone


    The Macworld trade show in San Francisco is to get a glimpse of SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone.

    SlingPlayer Mobile enables users to watch any program normally viewed on a home TV set on the iPhone using a standard broadband network connection.

    It will also allow iPhone users to control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while away from home.

    Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, said SlingPlayer Mobile was ideally suited for the iPhone’s large touch screen display.

    "I know iPhone users are eagerly anticipating the application’s availability," he said.

    SlingPlayer Mobile will be submitted to Apple for testing and approval in Q1.

    It will be compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch.

    No pricing details have been released as yet.

    Sling Media is also unveiling a prototype of the new SlingPlayer for Mac HD which allows Slingbox PRO-HD users to stream HD content to their Mac desktop or laptop computer.

    The new SlingPlayer for Mac HD is a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that will be available for free from Sling’s video entertainment web site later in Q1.

    Mac customers will be able to use either Safari or Firefox web browsers to get both HD streaming and Live TV within Sling.com.

  • Amazon Video On Demand Brings New-Release Movies To Roku


    Roku has agreed a deal that will give its set-top box users access to Amazon’s video on demand (VOD) content.

    The agreement means owners of Roku digital video players will be able to instantly purchase, rent and watch digital movies and TV episodes from the Amazon service.

    Currently the Roku player only supports Netflix.

    Amazon’s VOD service has more than 40,000 commercial-free movies and television shows, including instant access to new release movie titles.

    Rental prices range from USD $0.99 to $3.99 per view.

    The deal with Amazon, which will kick in during Q1 2009, is part of an effort by Roku to widen its content offering.

    Tim Twerdahl, Roku’s vice president of consumer products, said Roku owners should expect more content to become available in the first half of 2009.

    “We’re looking to create an open platform for a number of different business models and content types,” he said.

    With Netflix providing a subscription-based model and Amazon a transactional one, Twerdahl said the company was now working hard to get ad-supported video on the Roku player.

  • LG Broadband HDTVs To Stream Netflix Movies


    LG Electronics has announced the first broadband-enabled HDTVs with Netflix streaming software embedded directly in the set.

    The new LCD and plasma “broadband HDTVs” will be able to show Netflix’s library of movies, TV episodes and HD content directly on the set without needing an external device.

    The HDTVs will join the Korean companies LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, the first high-def format player to stream movies instantly from Netflix.

    LG is also preparing five new models of Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems for 2009.

    Netflix members pay from USD $8.99 per month for unlimited instant streaming and unlimited DVDs from a catalog of more than 100,000 DVD titles in more than 200 genres.

    LG Electronics and Netflix will demonstrate the broadband HDTVs this week at the CES in Las Vegas.

  • Samsung Promises Thinnest Ever HDTV


    Samsung is to unveil a flat-panel HDTV measuring a waif-like 6.5-millimeters at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

    The TV set is reported to be between 6.5mm and 7mm across its width and has an LED (light emitting diode) backlight.

    There are suggestions that the TV tuner is not actually in Samsung’s set – located instead in a base station.

    That aside, if the dimensions are confirmed it would be the thinnest LCD TV yet demonstrated.

    Currently that accolade is held by Philips, which unveiled an 8mm prototype LCD television at the IFA electronics show in Berlin last year.

    At the same event Sony showed a 9.9mm set that is already available – making it the thinnest LCD TV in retail stores.

    Samsung has a news conference for Wednesday at which the TV set is expected to take centre stage.