One of the biggest issues I've seen over the years with voice services is codec mismatches. Not only do they impact how things sound, often times with conference calls they just make the calls sound odd and magnified by the effects of landline, VoIP lines and mobile networks not all speaking the same way to … Read more
Skype is buying GroupMe for a reported $85 million dollars. While a lot of conjecture exists around the why, I think that the former Startup Camp participant's value was in the fact that they really do handle SMS for groups and with Skype heading into a small group/small business mine field where the mobile handset becomes … Read more
Was it legal for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to turn off mobile network coverage in stations to prevent civil disturbances? Today, a few days after all the turmoil the perspective in the news is mixed. Some say the backlash is growing, while others question BART's right to simply turn the power off to the … Read more
Image via CrunchBase No question I fall into the category of early adopter. I've been using video for as long as there has been the possibility. CuSeeMe, SightSpeed (former client-exited to Logitech) and of course, Skype. Let's look past the deal with Comcast, which is being powered by Technicolor. Instead let's look at it from a … Read more
Kevin Tofel of GigaOm and PC Mag's Sacha Segan are having a multi-mode discussion on devices and networks that cross blogs and Twitter tweets. In one rebuttal Segan tweeted "@KevinCTofel I don't see why fixate on the iPhone. Verizon achieved growth in '09-early '10 with Droid." To which Tofel wrote and I quote: "The obvious … Read more
Image via CrunchBase Late yesterday (Wednesday August 3) Om Malik at GigaOm wrote a post entitled "So What Happens to ClearWire's WiMax Network?" Well over a lovely pasta dinner tonight (see my Nosh of it on my page over on Google Voice founder Craig Walker's new venture Nosh.me) i got to chomp on Om's post as … Read more
Skype's the Big Blog served as the news outlet letting Android 2.2 users know that their mobile client is now on par with Apple's iOS without saying so, as video, at least one on one video, is now available for most Android mobile phones. That's good news, as Skype calls actually are working on the … Read more
Data plans contracts are not really what they seem to be. As a matter of fact, only in mobile communications can we buy one service, and then have it change on us, even though we may have contracted for a certain level of service. Take for example the demise of the unlimited data plans for … Read more
A little birdie, who has been always right before, has whispered in my ear that Verizon Wireless customers with the Motorola Xoom will be able to upgrade them on August 11. That said, the lateness of the upgrade is as my source said is “Inexcusable.”
Image via Wikipedia Late yesterday (well for me as I’m in Philadelphia this week) Om Malik sent a note to Alec Saunders and me to give him our perspective on the Skype – Facebook video news of yesterday (another deal likely led by the recently exiled Christopher Dean of Skype) for his email essay newsletter … Read more
