Devicescape, a company which has participated on panels I’ve moderated for MuniWireless, continue to execute on their plan to be the simplest way to log on to WiFi networks, both public and private, with a client/server solution that automates how device log onto hotspots. Their latest move, an iPhone application to solve one pain point with iPhone users, reports Tidbits.
This is important because with T-Mobile/Starbucks and Apple working together to sell downloads of iTunes direct to the new iPods my guess is the new software will also be tuned to work on them as well. That makes adoption, usage easier and more pain free.
Ironically, the Naperville Sun has rerun the story I was quoted in about staying connected on the road. DeviceScape is one of the tools that helps make it possible.
The Dow Jones Newswire story about Skype not ringing up the numbers continues to make the rounds. This time in the Chicago Tribune. I think its time for eBay to make some serious moves over in the UK with Skype. Niklas has pretty much “checked out” and the team that eBay installed to run things weren’t telecom or tech folks. They need a new more well rounded leader who has corporate, telecom, technology and development experience who knows how to run a business in the 300 million dollar a year space who can lead them to the half a billion dollar or more size company they want to be. This isn’t Niklas who is best at starting and evangelizing.
I was briefed on Friday by Don Burns of YMax, the company behind MagicJack. At first blush MagicJack looks like the VoIPStick from i2 Telecom that made its debut a few years ago. But there is a lot more to it. YMax is a CLEC. MagicJack puts traffic on that network. They also bought SJ Phone so they have developers creating the software for a softphone and to embed additional QoS on the chipset that is inside the Magic Jack. The product is geared for mass market, and because the MagicJack has an RJ11 plug, legacy PSTN phone equipment works with it.
PhoneBoy spent time with Alec Saunders on Friday in Ottawa. The comment about VoIP not being in the news as much is so, so true. The bad news on Vonage and SunRocket contributed to that, but lets face it, the mass media isn’t interested in new developments the way the blogosphere is. That said, I’m personally committing to do at least two briefings a week with new companies and will be at DEMO starting September 23rd.
On the subject of Vonage, it looks like the Consumerist has them in their gun sights. I can’t believe how Customer Support/Service these days is more defensive than helpful. It costs Vonage more in bad press, ill will when they do things this way. At the end of the day it costs less to do it right. Make the customer happy. From what I can tell the consumer was happy with Vonage and had a problem with the telephone adapter. I recently had a problem with my CallVantage adapter. After getting to a tier two support person I had a new TA the next morning. Last week another issue arose. A five minute call fixed it. In my mind if the customer is willing to stay your customer do everything possible to keep them. My question to Vonage–Since your cost of acquisition is so high, why would you want them to walk when it cheaper to keep them?