Talk

Apr 27 2009

Gizmo In-depth

You can’t have a tech conversation about Skype without someone complaining about Skype’s closed network and proprietary protocols. Of course, it is in Skype’s best interests to restrict your calling to other Skype members to boost their user base. But does it make sense for you? Maybe not.

Gizmo Project is a soft-phone VoIP solution with add-on features, much like Skype. The difference is the open protocol. Gizmo uses SIP to allow calls from other networks. It also supports other open standards like Jabber. This “everyone can play” attitude means new possibilities in VoIP.

Chat (IM) with Google Talk users

Right now you can add your Google Talk contacts to Gizmo Project and enjoy text chat back and forth. Gizmo also supports other Jabber contacts. Even bigger news: both Google and Gizmo have committed to enabling voice calls between Gizmo Project and Gtalk.

gizmo1 Gizmo In depth

Gizmo is working to support Google’s libjingle (an open format used in Google Talk) and Google has said that they are looking to integrate SIP support (Gizmo’s voice protocol) into Google Talk. So, whether it will be libjingle or SIP that gets you there, you can look forward to Google voice calls in the future.

Take Calls from Analog Phones Free

SIPphone, the company behind Gizmo Project has a list of free SIP gateway numbers in major cities across the US. Dial the number, enter your Gizmo SIP number and your calls will ring to Gizmo.

gizmo2 Gizmo In depth

Gizmo has also teamed up with a company called CallWave to offer free Area775 call in numbers. You get a free Nevada area code number that will ring to your Gizmo Project client. If you want to transfer the call to a land-line or set up dual ring, you’ll pay $4 each time you answer a call on an analog phone. You can, however, set up your Area775 account to disable these features so you don’t risk spending a penny. The Area775 service is free but requires a Credit Card number.

It is also worth mentioning that Gizmo’s SIP sipport allows for free calls to other open SIP networks through peering.

Nearly a third of Gizmo Project users are Mac users. You don’t have to suffer Mac version feature lag (ahem, Skype) and won’t need an Intel processor to get full features (again, Skype, I’m looking at you). Below are some other application level features that make Gizmo great.

Map Your Chat

Okay, this is more novelty than function. But with the click of a button you can bring up a Google map connecting your geographic location with your contact.

Record Your Chat

gizmo3 Gizmo In depth

Again, with the click of a button you can record your call to a .wav file. Now you can record call-ins to your podcast without any audio-routing utilities.

Call from Adium

Gizmo lets you chat with Jabber and Gtalk users, but what about the rest? This plug-in integrates Gizmo voice calls into Adium. Adium may be the best mutli-protocol chat client, and now you can add Gizmo to the list of your connected accounts.

Gizmotar

This Tiger-only AppleScript allows you to use your own graphic in place of Gizmo Projects built-in avatars. This is a great tool, but hopefully Gizmo introduces this feature in an upcoming release.

It is time to hang up on your old analog phone. Gizmo Project is a great Mac friendly option with open protocols and network savvy. Your Mac is ringing, are you going to get it?

Brian

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Apr 27 2009

mini Land-line

Combining your mini with a USB Skype handset and Skype’s cheap call-out service can turn your mini into a virtual land-line with long distance calling rates no traditional phone company can beat. Forget paying a monthly fee. For about $4/month you can even buy a phone number for your Skype account and have people call you from land-line phones. And with more than 40 million members, you’ll be able to talk to tons of Skype users for free.

One word of warning: the phone service described here should not be considered a full replacement for your traditional phone line – as it does NOT support 911 emergency calling.

minilandline mini Land line

The Hardware

  • Mac mini (or any Mac with a USB port)
  • A USB Skype Handset like Hawking Tech’s Net-Talk USB Phone or Ipevo’s Free-1. Prices range from $30-$75.

Contrary to what you may read, the Free-1 isn’t the only Mac-compatible Skype phone. For the purposes of this tutorial I went with the Net-Talk because it has a display on the unit that allow you to use it without interacting with your Mac.

The Software

  • Skype mini Land line for OS X and a Skype Account.

Skype is a free download, and your account is free to open. To call out to regular phones you will need to purchase SkypeOut credit (in increments of $10) and to purchase a phone number by which land-line callers can reach you, you’ll need to buy SkypeIn at $12/3 months or $35/year.

Now, to put it all together – with Skype installed you are ready to install the Net-Phone’s drivers. Once you have granted the Net-Phone access to the Skype API (in Skype) you are ready to make calls from your handset. From the Net-Phone you can start Skype and make calls.

hnt1a mini Land line

From the Net-Phone you can navigate between Skype’s tabs, your contacts list and recent calls. Using the navigational wheel you can also view and select contacts and recent numbers and start calls. The handset can be used for free Skype-to-Skype calls as well as calls out to external numbers. Incoming calls from Skype users or external numbers via SkypeIn ring on the handset and can be answered just as you would your old analog phone (you must be logged in to your Skype account on your Mac to receive calls).

hnt1amini mini Land line

We should note that Skype requires an audio input – which out of the box the mini lacks. The Net-Phone satisfies this requirement and also makes up for this lack by including input and output jacks for microphones and headsets right on the unit. In addition to interfacing directly with Skype, the Net-Phone is recognized by the OS as an audio input and output. This means that while the dial pad may work only with Skype, the handset can be used with audio chat applications like iChat AV.

Hardware buttons for volume and mute are quite useful too. The Net-Phone complements new Mac silver-on-white hardware and the back-lit display is very readable. The handset makes Skype’s cheap calling easy and accessible. And, thanks to the power of VoIP you can take your Skype account anywhere and call from any Internet connection.

Please direct comments/corrections on the article to the author, brian AT macmerc DOT com.

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Dec 4 2008

Truphone app for iPod touch turns device into a mobile phone

iTunes 20081203 220218 Truphone app for iPod touch turns device into a mobile phoneHere I am, still ruminating over whether or not I should cave and get an iPhone at Canada’s exorbitant rates, when I get wind of this news: telephony company, Truphone has unveiled a FREE (2nd Gen) iPod touch version of its VoIP app. All I would need is a set of those earbuds with the built-in microphone like the ones they sell at Apple Stores for the iPhone, and I could make voice calls over WiFi.

The app is free, calls to other Truphone users are free as are calls to Google Talk users.

Is this going to stop me from getting an iPhone? Probably not. Most places that I can get free wifi (my house, my job, etc.), I also have access to a phone. I don’t think this application is going to lose Apple any iPhone sales, but it might sell a few more iPod touches to people would never have bought either device before.

[ Via TechCrunch ]

Note:

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