One SIM to conquer all

I've been trialing Cubic Telecom's Pirelli Discus DP-L10 dual mode mobile/cell phone (Wifi/GSM) for the last several weeks. (yes that is the tire/tyre company!). Even helped some of the Irish startups on their Paddy's Valley trip. 

I don't have the ability to try their MaxRoam product (where most of his "advantage" currently lies) - not resident in EU and not really applicable in the USA. Maybe on my next Irish trip!

I've made several calls to US, Ireland and UK - both to landlines and mobiles and quality has been fantastic (even so that my wife didn't complain as she normally does on transatlantic calls). And as an Irishman that has worked back-n-forth across the pond many times I know how phone calls can suck! Most of those have been over a Wifi (WPA2) connection running VOIP. Its all pretty easy and painless.

David Berlind does a in-depth review ("If Skype was disruptive to telcos, then Cubic Telecom is their nightmare (and good for you") of the technology with plenty of comments on his ZdNet blog (Under the hood of disruptive technologies)

Its not quite in the FMC league (as it doesnt do any hand-off of a call between GSM and Wifi/ calls) but you can set preferences as regards having Wifi calls when service available (and hence 'free')

As David as pointed out there are LOTS of cost savings (and convenience) if you fit the right profile (in EU, travelling around and do a lot of calls on your mobile)

It has a WAP browser for accessing 'mobile aware' internet web sites. Its fine if u're after short/specific info but not (like most low end internet mobiles) the best user experience. Also the browser has some stability problems (not sure what OEM version its running); I'd prefer a more open plattform (Opera mini brow, OpenMako etc.) but for that u pay and need 2 get nerdy :)

There are some nice features such as ...

up to 50 local numbers of the user's choosing can be linked to a single SIM, making it affordable for callers to get in touch no matter where they may be.

via TechCrunch. They presented at the TechCrunch-40 in Sept 2007. Review here

As Damien has indicated ..

It's like those Skypeout numbers but all going to one account. Handy for those who want to have "local offices" in many countries but don't want a physical office there.

From Pat via TechCrunch-UK

..This model is unique, you can drop and add local numbers, these are fixed line numbers not my mobile numbers, you make a local call and the person receiving saves money, that’s the point..

From Tornado Insider

The SIM card allows users to allocate up to fifty local landline numbers from around the world to the user's phone. A businessman based in Dublin who travels regularly to the USA and Canada can allocate landline numbers from Dublin, New York and Toronto to his MAXroam SIM, meaning that he can be contacted cheaply and directly by colleagues and customers at any time. His Canadian customers simply call a Toronto number, and his mobile phone will ring wherever he is. His Irish colleagues simply call a Dublin number, and get connected straight to him - whether he's in Dublin, New York, Toronto or elsewhere

As they've been rushing this product out the door there have been some teething issues and hoping those are getting fixed. Some of the user's (access) web site needs improvement/polish etc.


I'll review Cubic's (Cork, Ireland)  strategy in more detail later and compare to TruPhone, Jangl and several of the other VOIP/mobile players that are out there. I know Pat Phelan has some great vision on where he is going with this (anyone say 'USA'?) and I'm not talking food (Pat used 2b a chef!).

I'll also try this via a GrandCentral front-end and see how it works and maybe a Celtrek#

Other links:
Engadget
A Cellphone Without Borders By DAVID POGUE- NY Times
final review with lots of comments
MuniWireless
Techcrunch
Celtrak/Global Roaming teams up with Cubic
review of phone/service by Bernard Tyers
Cubic phone review by Dameon Welch-Abemathy
VentureBeat review

More later ...

PS I had 2 send my phone back as 'knackered' (Irish technical term!) - why me -only one so far. Awaiting on new delivery (Hurry up Santa! aka Pat!)

PS #2 why is their no cheap US SIM's - using AT&T PAYG (25c/min - ouch!)

Lal

Where ave I been?

Just busy doing that work'n stuff.
Yikes several weeks and no postings - not that I've a shortage of things 2 write about.

Just in case u're bored - here's a list of things I'm gonna blog about (I keep a little short checklist)

vc stuff - http://waytooearly.firstround.com/

start a blog - http://www.troyangrignon.com/blog/Business

check commment I put on http://startup5.blogspot.com/2006/11/pulling-things-together.html

success startup http://blog.softtechvc.com/2006/02/tie_how_to_buil.html

funding http://blog.softtechvc.com/2006/03/why_startups_mu.html

f&F funding http://blog.softtechvc.com/2006/03/how_about_frien.html

fedex planes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzsXqawswPc

linux on mobile http://www.funambol.com/blog/capo/2006/11/mobile-linux-going-up-stack-with.html

funambol licence http://www.funambol.com/blog/capo/2006/09/hpl-version-10-is-here.html

intel web 2.0 http://news.com.com/Intel+unveils+Web+2.0+software+suite/2100-1012_3-6133294.html

http://www.suitetwo.com/

crowd/craig http://www.crowdspirit.org/blog/

note they have a backtrack at http://avc.blogs.com/a_vc/2006/12/2007_user_gener.html#comments

cto http://123suds.blogspot.com/2006/12/cto-patterns.html

http://silkcharm.blogspot.com/2006/12/job-350k-online-cto-new-business-unit.html

4 denver guys xbrl http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/2006/11/16.html#a1563

nav http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/2006/11/15.html#a1562

maskups http://blogs.zdnet.com/SAAS/?p=31

wifi cars http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/02/technology/02avis.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

copy prot http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0105.html#3

diy pc http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=396

uk passport http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=394

email blackmail http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=392

soa http://blogs.zdnet.com/service-oriented/?p=790

saas and small isv http://blogs.zdnet.com/SAAS/?p=246

dog alarms http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6146682.html

micro financing http://500hats.typepad.com/500blogs/2005/01/securitization_.html

crowdsourcing http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_25/b3938601.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/dec2006/id20061208_509041.htm?chan=tc&chan=technology_technology+index+page_software

also Amazon Mechanical Turk ?

4 seniors only http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2006/tc20061129_628050.htm?sub=techmaven

mycelery

 savvy seo

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2006/11/cyber_monday_hy.html#trackback

worse IT failures heres one - look at silicon.com, us gov audit office etc.
http://www.category4.com/blog/2006/10/03/the-worst-software-project-failure-ever

web makeover http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196513700

40k s/w hacking
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=4QINKOTSQSRKOQSNDLPCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=1968009
78

undertrained progs http://www.technologyreview.com/InfoTech/17868/page2/
...one serious problem is that currently, too many software developers are undereducated
and undertrained...

hictu/mobile sync .. http://lucafiligheddu.blogspot.com/2006/12/hictu-your-definitive-web-address-book.html

free int calls http://www.futurephone.com/inthenews.html

talkster voip http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/isp/2006/1218isp1.html

http://www.talkster.com/news.aspx

hullo voip http://saunderslog.com/2006/08/22/hello-hullo/

marketing http://www.churbuck.com/wordpress/?p=576

rails? http://stakeventures.com/

free calls UK http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=18341&hed=UK+Goes+Mobile+VoIP+Crazy%C2%A7or=Industries&subsector=Communications

grandcentral
http://venturebeat.com/2006/09/25/grand-central-gives-you-a-single-phone-number-backed-by-halsey-minor/

busta voip http://www.tmcnet.com/comsol/articles/2521-introducing-busta-browser-based-voip-mobile-phone.htm

ibasis pingo http://www.ibasis.net/News/PR2004/pr09152004.htm

voip http://www.splinter.net/

fritzblog http://www.avm.de/en/index.php3

http://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=5206

ajax phone http://my.opera.com/Think/blog/2006/11/28/demo-of-next-generation-ajax-mobile-ajax

openmoko phone http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35590

fly on demand http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36846

128GB Flash http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36841

voip background noise http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36715

phone speller http://www.phonespell.org/

IM http://www.berggi.com/BergieWebManagerUSA/English/indexV2.jsp

dual phone + skype http://dualphone.net/

dog collar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ffIyxiLxc&eurl=

heavier than air http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PJTq2xQiQ0&eurl=

snow effect trees http://homepage.mac.com/inertia_visual_media/.Movies/pearl-snowtl-short.mov

techstar http://www.feld.com/blog/archives/002136.html

seed funding http://www.newmanva.com/blog/2006/11/08/vcs-going-seed-stage/

small startup & $ http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/technology/09venture.html?ex=1320728400&en=550d24cae21caac0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

eu ok on OSS http://news.com.com/European+Commission+vouches+for+open+source/2100-7344_3-6150324.html?tag=nefd.pulse

startup 2eb 2.0 harder http://blog.tomevslin.com/2007/01/web_20_greater_.html

celtic tiger going http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/11/13/8393173/index.htm

chandler demise http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2007/01/21.html

bs http://coloradostartups.com/2007/01/21/big-or-bullshit-series/

free tutorials http://inpics.net/

real world angel stats http://www.5280angel.com/2007/01/01/2006-a-year-in-review-for-angel-investments/

pitch http://www.5280angel.com/2006/12/15/come-on-guys-practice-your-pitch/

10x returns http://www.5280angel.com/2006/12/05/the-challenges-of-acheiving-a-10x-return-on-investment/

oops - u're hacked http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/what-happens-to-your-computer-if-you-mispell-googlecom

skype cmds http://www.skype.com/help/guides/chat.html

http://share.skype.com/sites/en/2005/08/skype_chat_tips_and_tricks.html

esoft Broomfield http://www.esoft.com/company/innews.cfm

meetup demo's http://bouldertech.wordpress.com awareo, photovu,

cranstone http://bouldertech.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/session-3-peter-cranstone/

flikr goodies http://avc.blogs.com/a_vc/2007/01/the_seminal_web.html

joust http://www.wired.com/news/wiredmag/0,72506-3.html?tw=wn_story_page_next3

google n 270+ comments http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20070119_001510_comments.html

need power http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.10/cloudware_pr.html

iphone n cingular http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20070111_001476.html

new vc funding http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20061215_001334.html

why vista will sell http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20061208_001308.html

email not guaranted

voip sniffing http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20061201_001274.html

free does pay http://www.unionsquareventures.com/2007/01/siaa_preview_ke_1.html

http://www.unionsquareventures.com/siaa%20keynote%201-29-07.pdf

eu money http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6337273.stm

syncMyCal - google http://www.syncmycal.com/index.htm

goo sync http://www.goosync.com

startup http://www.entrepreneurshipweekusa.com

cal http://blog.jonudell.net/2007/01/31/calendar-cross-publishing-concepts/

3 door trick http://math.ucsd.edu/~crypto/Monty/montybg.html

zyb http://www.servicesmobiles.fr/services_mobiles/2007/01/here_are_4_ques.html

cornell http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/ee476/FinalProjects/

neg dilution from vc http://venturelaw.blogspot.com/2007/01/venture-capital-negotiating-ratchet.html

non competes -leave http://venturelaw.blogspot.com/2007/01/non-compete-clauses-canada-vs-us.html

hire smarter people http://ricksegal.typepad.com/pmv/2007/02/the_title_trap.html

venture debt http://www.wellingtonfund.com/blog/2007/02/14/wsj-article-on-venture-debt/

EU startups http://www.dailyii.com/article.asp?PositionID=2610&ArticleID=1041583&pagPageID=218&stage=True&zonZoneID=156

local search add in GetLisa http://www.useful-networks.com/

vc activity uk 06 http://www.thecoffeeshopsofmayfair.com/2007/01/2006_early_stag.html

times reader review http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/archives/2006/09/nytimes_reader.html

sony reader review http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/archives/2006/09/phony_reader.html

mmc http://www1.divitas.com/product/overview

carson with 4 day week http://strange.corante.com/archives/2006/09/24/eurofoo_working_a_four_day_week.php

paul G on USA http://strange.corante.com/archives/2006/05/17/xtech_2006_paul_graham_how_american_are_startups.php

EU startup http://localglobe.blogspot.com/2007/02/y-europe-can-seed-growth-of-its-new.html

new UI interface http://browsegoods.com/

ic prog'ers http://www.jobably.com/mail/programmer

photo/file mngm http://www.putplace.com/blog/

review FOWA http://www.argolon.com/2007/02/21/european-start-up-culture-panel-at-fowa/

barcamp irl http://bohanna.typepad.com/pureplay/2007/02/video_upload_fi.html
irl
http://businessadvisory.ie/

uk  http://www.vecosys.com/

guy in seattle http://asack.typepad.com/

irl startups on map http://www.frappr.com/
irishstartups?src=flash_map&sig=visitor_map&src_mvid=4515762&origin=other&ct=seemore

steps irl http://www.steps.ie/

irl cork guys http://www.sxoop.com/

google maps entry http://www.click2map.com/

barcamp irl http://www.argolon.com/page/2/

sligo guys http://www.infacta.com/asp/common/company_info.asp

open id at fowa http://simonwillison.net/2007/Feb/21/fowa/

startup uk? http://www.startupping.com/

irish site http://www.post282.com

irl http://www.weddingsbyadam.com/

irl mobile http://www.alatto.com/index.html

irl http://www.my-me.com/

irl http://www.cengal.com/

locator gps style uk http://www.loc8tor.com/products.asp

boulder guys http://www.collectiveintellect.com/blog.php

? http://blog.coworking.info/

ef grp http://www.efcolorado.org/

90% garbage http://jeffreybjordan.blogspot.com/2007/02/getting-truth-from-entrepreneurs.html

5 tips 2 raising $ http://brockblake.com/2007/02/21/angels-tips-to-raising-money/

$100k 4 utah http://brockblake.com/2007/02/21/100k-for-your-business/

unix on web http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/03/sfearthquakes_o.html

mysay IRL http://blog.mysay.com/

http://conferences.oreillynet.com/pub/w/50/launchpad.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/x180/405945591/in/set-72157594560771625/

it summit http://www.theitsummit.com/2007events/denveragenda.html

irishman (Simon Linscheid) on blogsled team http://www.canoe.ca/SlamNaganoBobsled/feb21_four.html




and in case u have got this far -- then there's the other stuff I just want to look at :)

http://earlystagevc.typepad.com/

http://www.startup-review.com/blog/about/index.php

http://www.carsonified.com/about/

http://www.technologyreview.com/InfoTech/

http://www.thejemreport.com/mambo/content/view/293/

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=4QINKOTSQSRKOQSNDLPCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=196800921

http://www.abbeynet.com/eng/tecno-sip.shtml

http://www.pcw.co.uk/itweek/comment/2151021/corporate-class-im-comes-price

http://kellyodell.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_kellyodell_archive.html#114509018116565285

http://www.svioklascontext.com/2006/04/marketing_remix_1.html

http://redeye.firstround.com/2006/07/one_of_the_toug.html

http://www.everythingissales.com/blog/

http://redcouch.typepad.com/weblog/

http://www.rapleaf.com/

http://www.compete.com/help

http://www.crv.com/AboutCRV/QuickStart.html

http://www.feld.com/blog/archives/002106.html

http://www.troyangrignon.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/20/2513809.html

http://www.troyangrignon.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/17/2507155.html

http://www.newparadigm.com/media/IntroAndOne.pdf

http://www.cooperationcommons.com/cooperation-commons/images/050_cschart.gif/view

http://www.troyangrignon.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/16/2505050.html

http://www.intellione.com/

http://www.bobparsons.com/WhenYouLoveSomething.html

http://blog.softtechvc.com/2006/07/gnomedex_6_shou.html

http://vcexperts.com/vce/news/buzz/archive_view.asp?id=382

http://venturebeat.com/

http://www.troyangrignon.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/16/2504601.html

http://www.troyangrignon.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/13/2497687.html

http://www.capgemini.com/ctoblog/

http://thinkature.com/

http://xobni.com/

http://jumpchat.com/

http://gigaom.com/2006/12/14/skyspace/

http://www.telepocalypse.net/

http://jeremiahgrossman.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-know-if-youre-logged-in-anywhere.html

http://www.kolabora.com/index.htm

http://carriers.icall.com/services.php

http://www.kolabora.com/news/2006/12/04/online_collaboration_tools_and_resources.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/technology/21pogue.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

http://loadedpun.com/category/tools/

http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/12/15/news-innovation/

http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/11/28/business_blogs_and_the_business.htm

http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/12/06/business_blogs_and_the_business.htm

http://annezelenka.com/category/software-development/page/2/

http://www.cobizmag.com/articles.asp?id=1400

http://www.boulderquantumventures.com/

http://www.advancedmd.com/

http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/1816/top-ruby-on-rails-tutorials

http://www.funambol.com/blog/capo/2006/09/hpl-version-10-is-here.html

http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2003/12/11/myths.html

http://ha.ckers.org/xss.html

http://www.continuent.org/HomePage

http://www.moveahead1.com/articles/articles.asp

http://www.knowledgestorm.com/prov_summary_51190.asp

http://www.inphasetech.com/articles/archives.php

http://www.winweb.com/products/

http://gilbane.com/ctoblog/archives/2006/08/movin_on_up_or_was_it_down_1.html

http://confusedofcalcutta.com/

http://virtuelvis.com/archives/

http://andrewbfife.blogspot.com/2006/05/non-vc-buzz-web-20-techcrunch.html

http://www.fluidata.co.uk/about/aboutus.htm

http://www.feld.com/blog/index.php

http://www.grid7.com/

http://www.jumpbox.com/vtiger-customer-relationship-management-jumpbox/

opendns

phishtank

clearcube

cheap blades

attask

e project

project.net

http://cricket.sourceforge.net/

http://www.opennms.com

http://www.thecoffeeshopsofmayfair.com/

http://zenopy.com/

http://www.bloggertalks.com/2007/02/alex-king-on-wordpress-development-the-community-and-the-share-icon-project/

http://pragmath.net/

http://www.arraystudio.com/

http://www.pervasivecode.com/blog/2007/02/20/tips-for-offshoring/%3Cbr%20/%3E

http://www.petercooper.co.uk/

http://dylanschiemann.com/

http://www.argolon.com/2006/10/15/the-outsourcing-adventure-part-1/

http://www.mediangler.com/about/

http://www.skynet.ie/

https://portal.zimki.com/login.html

http://www.teqlo.com/

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_55_piece_mobile_search_tool_kit.php

http://www.centraldesktop.com/

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/editgrid_online_spreadsheet.php

http://www.enrackados.com/blog/index.php

http://www.roam4free.ie/

http://www.1time.ie/

http://www.lijit.com/blog

http://onrails.org/articles/page/2

http://www.thealarmclock.com/euro/archives/2006/03/londons_zopa_takes_15m_to_move.html

http://www.thecoffeeshopsofmayfair.com/

http://brockblake.com/

http://www.launchutah.com/

http://www.5280angel.com/

http://juntopartners.com/

http://www.microbusiness.org/gui/content.asp?w=pages&r=271&pid=445

http://www.wengomeeting.com

Hah!

Lal

Players in IM/VOIP space

Livia Iacolare on Kolabora has an article on VOIP primer and shows the main players in that space (consumer).
This shows an instant comparision of the players regd features.

Talks about:

• Skype
  
• JaJah
  
• Gizmo
  
• Ineen
  
• Babble
  
• VoxWire
  
• iVocalize
  
• Google Talk
  
• Raketu
  
• MSN
  
• Yahoo
  
• AIM
  
• Vonage
  
• Wengo
  

I'd forgotten some of these and not heard about iVocalize b4. I'll look 2 do another post and try and collect all of the Voip Softphones and IM products out there (at least on the low-end consumer side).

Lal

Gizmo has 1c calls to US, 1.5c UK/IRL and free to Gizmo users - PC/Home/Mobile

Gizmo (open source SIP VOIP system) is now offering free phone calls (can be to PC, 
home# or mobile) from your PC to other Gizmo/SIP users.

"That call will be free provided (a) you both are active Gizmo Project users, which just means you make a few calls a week using the software and (b) are calling a qualifying number in one of the 60 countries for which the plan is offered.
...are only able to allow free calls to landline phones in 60 countries, and mobile numbers in 17 of those countries ...

Offering very cheap calls to US landlines (1c), UK(1.5c), IRL (1.6c)
Also offer a free incoming (US only) 775 area code thats routed to you.

Gizmo offer Instant Messaging and now part of IM Federation which is using Jabber as an IM integration gateway (allowing you 2 talk to other IM's via its XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence) Protocol. Trillian and Gaim have been doing this on the PC for years but require a new version each time Microsoft, AOL or Yahoo have their IM wars.

• Customize Voicemail Messages
  
• Gizmo Project and Google Talk are Now Connected!
  
• Instant Messaging (IM)
  
• Free Mobile phone and Landline Conference Calling
  
• Asterisk PBX Support
  
• SIP Number
  
• VoIP networks can reach your Gizmo account free
  
• Access Numbers
  
• Calling Other VoIP Networks
  
• Call Recording
  
• SIP Adapters
  

There are plenty of other cheap/free-ish VOIP type offerings out their, most using softphone but a few like Jahah (free calls on Xmas day) doing "other" offerings that are more mobile/cell friendly.

Lal

• 
  

 

JAJAH moves to ad-funded model; Announces European partnerships

 Alec Saunders has a nice piece about Jahah getting some major validation in the real world.

Two German companies (Pro7Sat1, Germany’s most popular TV station, and Bild-T Online, the most widely read newspaper in Europe), plus News Austria, the leading media company in Austria, will announce relationships with JAJAH. Starting tomorrow, everyone living in Germany, or Austria, will be able to make free phone calls anywhere in their respective countries 

If all this appears 2b gobbeldy-gook (as VOIP provided) then what part of FREE do u not understand.

Jahah allows u 2 call 4 free/cheap anyone via your mobile/cell-phone. They have free calls on Xmas day.
..You simply enter the number you wish to call, press call and… well that’s it really. Imagine, same behavior but the call is free, or up to 95% cheaper...  
Works on Symbian or those that can download Java apps.

It will be very interesting to c the response from the carriers/telco's once this gets user traction in those countries. I believe the rates in Germany are similiar 2 the UK so higher than they should be!

Awh! those telco walls are starting 2 crumple and Mr. Skype predicted that

Phone calls will be free within a decade.

I tried to comment via his (Alec) blog but posting just doesn't appear (needing moderation?)

Robin Good has a review of Jahah over a year ago.

Lal

Get IP PBX system using Mac Mini and iPod

 blue4S: 4S newcom turns the Mac mini into the world’s slickest IP PBX

Berlin-based 4S ...uses SIP for VoIP communication and runs on a Mac mini..., it is booted off an iPod Shuffle... “It is so compact that even on the smallest iPod Shuffle (512 MB) enough room is left for 4 full hours of music.”

Once the system is booted off the iPod shuffle, it can, of course, be installed on the built-in hard disk, leaving the user to enjoy the iPod Shuffle safe in the knowledge that it will also serve as installation media in case of emergency.

The blue4S entry level system consists of a Mac mini, the iPod Shuffle with the 4S IP PBX licensed for up to 250 users and 30 parallel calls, as well as five snom300 VoIP phones. It will be priced at 2,999.00 Euro...

“Conventional PBX systems at this configuration cost ten times as much”, says Harry Behrens. “Due to the flexibility of software vs. hardware and IP vs. TDM, it is also much more flexible and versatile, and the operating costs are a fraction of what users will be used to from their conventional TDM-based PBX”

The system provides a slick and intuitive configuration front-end, which is purely web-based and accessed by simply pointing a web browser to the IP address of the IP PBX.

With just a few clicks, the system administrator can configure inbound number blocks, users, extensions, outbound routing and advanced features such as auto attendant, voicemail, conferencing etc.

4S newcom will donate 51% of the proceeds of the first nine hundred and ninety-nine systems sold to the VoIP Competence Center at the Technical University Dresden. “We are an East German company and like to invest in the local human capital”, says Harry Behrens.

VOIP on the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet

 O'Reilly article by John Littler shows how to get VOIP (Sip) running on the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet.

His previous article discussed getting Linux running on it.

Now, if I only had one :)

VoIP Hacks book

 VoIP Hacks by Ted Wallingford from O'Reilly article

Some free PDF chapters including:

Hack 3: Wire Your House Phones for VoIP
Hack 11: Sound Like Darth Vader While You VoIP
Hack 40: Skype with Your Home Phone
Hack 55: Link Two Asterisk Servers with PSTN
Hack 96: Build a Standalone Voicemail Server in Less Than a Half-Hour

Cool Incoming Call Routing from UK company

 Found on Ewan MacLeod SMS TextNews blog

Blackfin(beta)  (not to be confused with DSP maker for VOIP boards) have a lovely Flash interface for creating incoming call routing for an office. Nice simple drag-n-drop buttons to connect/route main line thru IVR to individual people/depts. 
It also shows allowing follow-me

Nice.

Ya think some of the major telco's could have a simple interface like this and not need complicated (and trained) telecomm engineers to reprogram PBX's!