Tag: hardware-and-technology

  • TalkFree Launches PickRoute VoIP Termination Service

    TalkFree, an international VoIP carrier, has launched PickRoute, an A-to-Z VoIP termination service for small and medium-sized businesses and resellers already utilizing a VoIP switch or IP PBX.

    By employing SIP Trunking, customers connect to the service and access TalkFree’s network and routing technologies and over 60 telecom carriers managed by the company’s Global Intelligent Routing software.

    TalkFree’s GIR continuously monitors network performance and makes automated route changes. According to Ona Stewart, director of buying and routing at TalkFree, the beauty of the GIR is that once you understand the trends of a country you can set the measurements for the route and it will change itself based on the data history. .

    “This ensures that our customers always have access to the highest-quality connections. It also allows TalkFree to manage a massive network with less manpower, which translates to better pricing for our customers,” she said.

    TalkFree operates primarily in the Middle East and Africa with targeted growth coming from Southeast Asia and rural areas of South America. They specialize in assisting local in-country communications providers by delivering a turnkey, plug-and-play VoIP “business in a box”.

    According to the company, its multiple access techniques ensure high-quality voice connections regardless of internet traffic volumes. All applications are managed in real time, in local language and local currency, and are supported by customer service experts who are available 24/7.

  • AT&T Releases Mobile Conferencing App for iPhone

    Mobile conferencing iPhone App from AT&T is now available on the App Store.

    It integrates multiple conferencing products including audio conferencing, web conferencing and video conferencing into a single UC application.

    The app includes the following features and functionality, depending on connectivity:

    • View whiteboard
    • Call Me and Dial In features that simplify audio setup
    • Interactive participants list: See/hear the other participants in the conference, their emoticons and mode of connection
    • Use emoticons to signal opinion
    • Alert other participants when stepping in or out of the conference
    • Use notes to chat with one or all participants
    • Answer polls
    • Host an event
    • Invite others to join an event

    According to Ron Spears, president and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions, converging communications technologies are driving business demand for integrated voice, web and video conferencing services, to reduce costs and speed decisions.

    “Collaboration across a broad sweep of individuals – employees, suppliers and partners, as well as across geographic and organizational boundaries – is a daily necessity. AT&T is bringing its Unified Communications capabilities to integrate voice, email, messaging and web conferencing in business apps that drive the productivity of businesses regionally, nationally and globally,” he said.

    AT&T Connect supports virtual meetings with both internal and external participants. The service can be provisioned to include standalone audio conferencing, multi-point video, regular/mobile phone and VoIP-based audio, application sharing, whiteboard/presentation, web touring, polling, reporting, recording and editing.

  • Toshiba Develops 21-inch Autostereoscopic HD Display

    Toshiba has developed a 21-inch autostereoscopic high-definition display for use in next-generation 3D monitors that enables the user to enjoy three-dimensional images without the need for special glasses.

    In recent years, a combination of increasing demands for more realistic images and evolving display technology has been the catalyst for advancements in the development of 3D images and pictures for various applications, and has enabled 3D technology to be put to practical use in the cinema and television industries.

    To date most 3D products have used special glasses to separate a picture into two images: one for the left eye and the other for the right eye. But the market has strongly desired a more versatile and glasses-free approach that could be used anywhere. This new product employs an integral imaging system (a “light field” display) to reproduce a real object as a 3D image that can be viewed without glasses over a wide range of viewing angles. Therefore, the display is suitable for 3D monitors used for advertisements and entertainment appliances.

    The integral imaging system offers a significant reduction in eye fatigue during long periods of viewing, and features a multi-parallax design that enables motion parallax, which cannot be achieved by systems using glasses. The multi-parallax approach results in images that change depending on the viewer’s position. In addition, the viewing angle is wide, and the resulting stereoscopic image is natural and smooth. In some previous integral imaging implementations, there have been issues raised relating to the loss of effective image resolution.

    In previous implementations, if the number of pixels in the display is kept constant and not increased, then the multi-parallax approach will reduce the effective resolution of the 3D display in an inverse proportion to the number of parallax positions. We have addressed this problem by applying LTPS (low-temperature poly-silicon) technology to develop an ultra-high-definition LCD module for this newly-introduced high-definition and large-screen 3D display.

    This 21-inch auto-stereoscopic high-definition display adopts a lens sheet to control reduction in surface luminance intensity, resulting in brightness comparable to standard 2D displays. The power consumption of the display is relatively low. The new 21-inch display is considered to be environmentally friendly with low power usage.

    Furthermore, the display can be used in a vertical or horizontal position. When used in the vertical position, the user faces the upright screen from the front as a person would usually use a 2D monitor. However, when used in the horizontal position, the user overlooks the stereoscopic image formed by the display lying face-up, as one would overlook a relief model. Compared with the front view, the 3D images seen face-up from the bird’s eye view are more stereoscopic and realistic.

    Toshiba  will showcase this display in booth #631 at SID 2010 International Symposium, Seminar, and Exhibition, from May 25 to May 27, 2010, in Seattle, WA, USA.

  • Rubberduck’s Mobile TV Solution Now Supports HTTP Streaming

    Rubberduck, a provider of streaming mobile TV services, is upscaling initiatives in HTTP streaming.

    The HTTP streaming infrastructure is already completely integrated with the company’s technical platform, meaning that existing customers may now be served with the same levels of mobile TV carrier grade services.

    The company has now completed the first phase of an ongoing program to provide a new streaming infrastructure built around HTTP streaming, enabling a more robust and flexible live TV and video-on-demand service.

    HTTP, a web standard that has been around for some time, is now being widely adopted for video delivery to mobile devices. The use of this protocol for streaming has been adopted by Apple for their devices, including the iPhone and iPad Operating System.

    The protocol has also been pledged by the likes of Microsoft and Adobe, and with this move Rubberduck is ensuring that its customers can continue to deliver high quality web video to a new generation of mobile devices. In addition, new features such as ‘Step Back in time’, allowing users to rewind while watching videos, are now possible using HTTP.

    “We have been leading this mobile space with RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), and now we are able to extend our award winning capabilities to HTTP-based services”, said Erling Paulsen, CEO of Rubberduck.

    Rubberduck has supported iPhone streaming to date using a proprietary video player in its TV app but this will become unnecessary with the new streaming infrastructure as streams can now be accessed directly via the iPhone’s browser.

    The company claims that the launch of their white labelled iPhone app created specifically for telecom operators last year generated huge increases in our platform traffic. They ensure that they are now prepared for the increase that will surely continue as they roll out more HTTP streaming services.

    Related articles
    MWC 2010: Interview with Miguel Silva, CCO of Rubberduck
    The Channer: Bringing TV to Your Mobile Phone

  • certgate Launches Complete Security Solution for Smartphones

    Mobile security firm certgate is launching its complete security solution for smartphones at the Infosecurity 2010 fair in London. Based on the certgate Smartphone Protector, the new solution secures three dimensions: mobile device access, data in motion and voice communication.

    The company says it is the first security solution ever for mobile phones that provides complete protection for mobile communication on the basis of hardware-secured certificates.

    “Reliably defending all potential points of attack on a smartphone, it shields against spyware and malware, protects user data from loss and manipulation, stops unauthorised access to data communication, and even secures voice communication from any form of interception,” according to the release.

    The technology of hardware-based device protection and data encryption is at the core of a “top-security” project named ‘SiMKo2’, developed by certgate’s integrator partner T-Systems International, to provide secure mobile communication to the German Federal Government, public administration and selected enterprises. This solution – nicknamed ‘Merkelphone’ – will now be enhanced by certgate with a ciphony module running on VoIP.

    certgate claims their solution resists all spyware and malware attacks on mobile phones as well as ‘man-in-the-middle’ attacks. In the event of loss or theft, the certgate Smartphone Protector eliminates the danger of data being circulated or misused: the phone is absolutely inaccessible and its memory remains undecryptable, even under laboratory conditions.

    As it runs on off-the-shelf smartphones, the certgate solution is said to be cost-effective. “Enterprises can benefit from the growth potential and cost-savings of mobile business models without having to buy ‘crypto phones’ that come with a heavy price tag,” as the company claims.

    certgate’s voice encryption application, which is integrated in the smartphone’s normal GUI and directory of contacts, makes use of and is interoperable with SIP and RTP protocols. It works well in PKI environments and runs on a broad variety of Windows Mobile-based smartphones, with further platforms on the way according to certgate.

  • New SATA-II 2.5 SSD Introduced

    Accelerated Memory Production today announced the introduction of its exclusive new Sandforce Driven SATA-II 2.5” SSD,. A new generation of Solid State Drives that offers high capacity with faster transfer speeds and smaller form factors. The new flash-based drive delivers the benefits of a small form factor combined with lower power consumption compared to traditional drives with greater speed capability.

    The SATAsfaction Series can eliminate the performance bottlenecks associated with traditional rotating disk drives offering up to 30,000 random write IOPS.

    “Because there are no moving parts with this drive,” amp inc. engineering specialists explained, “the new SATA-II takes up much less valuable real estate.” Reaction to the new product from manufactures and developers, they continued, “has been overwhelming.” The drives offer SATA 3.0 interface support, as well as faster read and write speeds, and high reliability. They also feature zero acoustic noise, and are far less prone to mechanical failure than traditional SATA solutions.

    New SATAsfaction Series drives are available in a variety of capacities, standard 2.5” and embedded specially designed for applications where compact size and robust performance are required in the Enterprise Market.

    According to Ms. Linda Deming, amp inc. development specialist, “data protection makes the SATA-II SSD an ideal storage solution for the server, embedded defense and mobile environment. “Due to its non-mechanical nature it has higher shock resistance and lower access time than a traditional rotating hard disk.” She continued, “Built-in ECC and EDC ensure error-free transaction for the most demanding applications.

    amp incs’ SSD also incorporates some unique features tailored especially for the enterprise market. These features such as data protection and low power standby make amp inc’s SSD a reliable and environmentally friendly source for storage.

    SATAsfaction Series SATA-II Features:

    • Supports SATA 3.0
    • ATA-7 Compliant
    • Supports native Command Queing (NCQ)
    • Supports PIO and UDMA-6
    • Advance power management
    • Built-in ECC function – 12 bytes/sector
    • Supports Trim
    • 22 pin SATA Plug Interface (7 data, 15 power)
    • S.M.A.R.T. Capable

  • Avaya Introduces New Products at Interop 2010

    Avaya today at Interop 2010 unveiled new data products that are specifically designed to support the growing needs of today’s bandwidth-hungry video and unified communications applications.

    These products address the main challenge that enterprises face today: how to cost-effectively add the bandwidth needed to position them for growth.

    The products introduced at this year’s Interop include:

    Avaya Ethernet Routing Switch 8800: helps enterprise campuses and data centers boost capacity to embrace UC, virtualization and unified wireless solutions. It is especially suited to support bandwidth-hungry video applications. According to Avaya, the solution provides more than a 150 percent increase in memory while using approximately 33 percent less power compared to existing 8600 options.

    Avaya Wireless LAN 8100 Series: an advanced Enterprise Class 802.11n wireless solution that “easily and seamlessly” extends UC applications to mobile users. Its ‘split plane’ architecture helps eliminate the inefficiencies and bottlenecks of overlay wired/wireless networks with a solution optimized for voice, UC and video applications. It provides a full 802.11n solution including a wireless controller (WC 8180), 802.11n wireless access points (WAP 8120), management software and partnerships for enhanced application support.

    Avaya Configuration and Orchestration Manager (COM): is a real-time, web-based, multi-user network configuration management solution. It is part of the Unified Communications Management (UCM) solution that can manage multi-user configuration, provisioning and troubleshooting for a wide range of enterprise technologies. Acting as a unified configuration management platform, COM delivers an extensible architecture allowing it to support pluggable device add-ons through data-driven development models and loadable software components.

    Avaya Advanced Gateway 2330: a flexible SIP gateway providing cost-effective, survivable voice services for branch locations. It can provide local branch connectivity to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) as well as SIP survivability in case of IP wide-area network failure or service outages. It’s also upgradable to support a full suite of routing and WAN services.

    According to Kevin Kennedy, Avaya President and CEO, the days of the ‘one size fits all’ network solutions are over.

    "The Avaya Data Solutions business is positioned to play a critical role in Avaya’s growth as we lead the industry to ‘Fit for Purpose’ data and SIP-based communications technologies that will redefine the IT value proposition and offer the best return on investment for business communications," he said.

  • RIM Introduces BlackBerry Bold 9650 and Pearl 3G

    RIM today announced two new BlackBerry phones: Bold 9650 – “a global smartphone for CDMA customers” and Pearl 3G – the smallest BlackBerry smartphone yet.

    Bold 9650 supports 3G (EVDO) networks in North America and (HSPA/UMTS) abroad and has a full-QWERTY keyboard, optical trackpad and built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g). It also includes 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB microSDHC cards, with a 2 GB card included.

    It comes with 2.44" 480 x 360 display, 3.2 MP camera (with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording), built-in GPS with support for geotagging, a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and support for the Bluetooth Stereo Audio Profile (A2DP/AVCRP), support for BlackBerry App World, full HTML web browser, streaming audio and video via RTSP, and 1400 mAhr battery (approx. 5 hours of CDMA talk time).

    Pearl 3G is as powerful as it is compact. Measuring less than two inches wide (50 mm) and weighing only 3.3 ounces (93g), it still manages to pack in support for high-speed 3G (UMTS/HSDPA) networks, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and GPS along with a 624 Mhz processor with 256 MB Flash memory.

    It also features 360×400 display, a 3.2 MP camera with flash, built-in GPS, an optical trackpad, dedicated volume and media keys, support for tri-band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks, voice activated dialing, Bluetooth2.1 (with Bluetooth Message Access Profile standard support), microSD/SDHD memory card slot (support for up to 32 GB), and 1150 mAhr battery ( approx. 5.5 hours of talk time on 3G networks).

    Pearl 3G will be available in two models and several colors. The 9100 model features a 20-key condensed QWERTY keyboard and the 9105 model features a 14-key traditional phone keyboard. Both include SureType software that can complete words as the user types.

    Both Bold 9650 and Pearl 3G are expected to be available from “various carriers” in the U.S. beginning in May.

  • Bluetooth 4.0 Ready to Roll

    The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) unveiled more information about its forthcoming Bluetooth Core Specification Version 4.0, with the hallmark feature of low energy technology. Bluetooth v4.0 is expected to be brought to market by the end of Q2.

    According to SIG, Bluetooth v4.0 is like three specifications in one – Classic Bluetooth technology, Bluetooth low energy technology, and Bluetooth high speed technology– all which can be combined or used separately in different devices according to their functionality.

    For example, sensors like those in pedometers and glucose monitors will run only low energy technology, thus saving power, cost and space within the device. Watches will take advantage of both low energy technology while collecting data from fitness sensors on the body as well as Classic Bluetooth technology when sending that information to a PC, or separately displaying caller ID information when wirelessly connected to a mobile phone.

    Mobile phones and PCs, which support the widest range of uses, will utilize the full package with Classic, low energy and high speed technology running side by side.

    As with previous versions of the specification, the range of the Bluetooth v4.0 radio may be optimized according to application. The majority of Bluetooth devices on the market today include the basic 30 foot, or 10 meter, range of the Classic Bluetooth radio, but there is no limit imposed by the Specification.

    SIG says that with Bluetooth v4.0, manufacturers may choose to optimize range to 200 feet and beyond, particularly for in-home sensor applications where longer range is a necessity.

    “Bluetooth v4.0 throws open the doors to a host of new markets for Bluetooth manufacturers and products such as watches, remote controls, and a variety of medical and in-home sensors. Many of these products run on button-cell batteries that must last for years versus hours and will also benefit from the longer range enabled by this new version of the Bluetooth specification,“ said Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.

    Bluetooth v4.0 was recently named one of the “10 Mobile Technologies to Watch in 2010 and 2011” by Gartner, Inc. Technologies chosen for the list were selected on their potential to evolve and impact short-term mobile strategies and policies.

    Specifically, Bluetooth v4.0 is cited to have significant impact on the fitness, healthcare and environmental control industries.

  • CounterPath Releases Network-Based Mobile Mashup Application

    CounterPath announced the launch of NomadicPBX, claimed to be the world’s first turnkey platform for enabling converged mobile and broadband SIP voice, messaging and presence services.

    The application is a presence-based, fixed and mobile voice, and instant messaging/short message service (IM/SMS) technology mashup with a select set of enterprise-ready features.

    According to the company, NomadicPBX gives wireless carriers and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) a cost-effective way to launch enterprise fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) services.

    It enables wireless operators and other service providers to extend their feature sets into small and medium enterprises, which currently account for one-third of all hosted VoIP deployments, according to a recent Infonetics Research survey.

    “The NomadicPBX’s network-based features let operators push deeper into the business market, creating new revenue streams and differentiating themselves based on innovative services rather than price alone,” says the company.

    Carrier customers that currently deploy CounterPath’s NCG platform and Bria client can use the NomadicPBX configuration to create services relevant to other market segments, too.

    The application uses presence for status updates and real-time management of call and message delivery across a wide variety of endpoint types, from PCs to feature phones to smartphones, all from any vendor. This flexibility means enterprises can integrate standard mobile network services into their enterprise communications architecture by leveraging their existing devices.

    Donovan Jones, President and CEO of CounterPath, said, “NomadicPBX is a game-changer that enables wireless carriers, MVNOs and other service providers to escape voice commoditization by offering a wide range of market-differentiating services that are an ideal fit for today’s increasingly mobile workforces.”