Vonage

Is it time to pull the plug on home phone service?

I hate monthly service charges. They're why I don't own a TiVo, why I buy cars instead of leasing them (I drive 'em till they die), and why I'm thinking about ditching my home phone.

Like many people, I'm already paying through the nose for a pair of smartphones. There's not much I can do about those charges (though I did stop paying extra for iPhone text messages), but I can stop paying Vonage $34 per month.

I gave up on traditional landlines and started using VoIP years ago, switching first to SunRocket, then ViaTalk, … Read more

BOL 1079: Bing's still pooping his diapers

There's a little panic over the fact that Bing's market share dropped last month, but you have to remember, folks, Bing is young. Rafe puts it in perspective for us. Also, Kindle gets a price cut and goes worldwide, yo. That's big. What is also big is the keylogger network that's hijacking everyone's Web mail accounts. We can help you out with that, a bit.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 1079

Another Kindle price cut…and it goes wireless internationally http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/06/financial/f210208D88.DTL&tsp=1 … Read more

AT&T to allow VoIP iPhone apps on 3G network

AT&T on Tuesday said it has made the necessary changes to enable voice over IP iPhone apps to run on its wireless network.

Before Tuesday, VoIP apps would only work over a Wi-Fi network. In other words, if you wanted to use Skype to call a friend, you had to be connected to a regular Internet wireless network. Once you were out of range of that network, the call would end.

AT&T said it informed Apple and the Federal Communications Commission of its decision Tuesday afternoon. For its part, Apple was quick to react and make … Read more

BOL 1077: Analysts: Cyberproving the obvious

An analyst from Morgan Stanley asserts that Apple would sell more iPhones if it offered the phone on more carriers. Really? Wow. We also have an example of a church leader misusing the prefix "cyber." But that's not as crazy as IBM taking on Google. Or is it?

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 1077

Adobe pushes Flash video on mobile devices http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10367061-64.html http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/05/flash-10-1-announced-for-just-about-anything-with-a-screen-webo/

Vonage app available for iPhone, BlackBerry http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10367280-17.html… Read more

Ooma's next-gen 'free' phone system, the Telo, is finally available

You probably don't remember it, but way back in January, at CES, a little company called Ooma unveiled its next-generation phone system, the Telo, which combines DECT 6.0 cordless-phone technology with Internet-based (VoIP) calling. Well, after nearly 10 months of waiting, the Telo is finally landing in stores and is available for $249.99.

Ooma's claim to fame is that it sells VoIP phone systems that let you make free domestic U.S. calls and low-priced international calls. To help drive home the point that you don't have to pay for phone service, Amazon labeled Ooma's first product, which remains on sale, the Ooma Core VoIP Phone System with No Monthly Phone Service Bills.

Once you shell out the $250 for the Telo, you can make unlimited domestic calls for free, and such features as caller ID and access to online call logs are included at no additional charge. If you want to port your existing number, that will cost you $39.99, but if you want a brand-new number, you don't have to pay anything.

From a design standpoint, the Telo is sexier-looking than its predecessor and more importantly, improves on the feature set, as well as on the call quality.… Read more

Apple approves Vonage mobile VoIP app

Vonage announced Tuesday that its mobile voice over Internet Protocol app has been approved for use by Apple on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The Internet telephone service provider said it's conducting a beta test of the app and that general availability will be announced at a later date.

Last week Apple confirmed that Vonage's request for app approval was being held up by technical issues with the Vonage software. An Apple spokesperson told CNET News at the time that Apple was working with the developer to resolve the issue but would not elaborate on the nature of … Read more

Apple: Technical issues holding up Vonage app

This post was updated at 2:45 p.m. PDT with confirmation from Apple about the Vonage app.

Apple App Store approval of a Vonage mobile voice over IP app is being held up by technical issues with the Vonage software, Apple said Wednesday, confirming a report by Tech Trader Daily.

Vonage submitted an application for review and Apple is working with the developer to resolve the issues with the app, Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris confirmed with CNET News. Kerris did not elaborate on what those issues were.

The revelation comes as federal regulators probe Apple's decision to keep … Read more

BOL 1035: Gadget of the year 2006

CNET's Donald Bell previewed the Zune HD and it brought him tears of joy. But the rest of us think it's about three years too late. We also debate the need for Google to get into the video codec game and whether you need a Pico projector in your camera.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 1035

Google acquires On2 video compression company http://gigaom.com/2009/08/05/google-on2-deal/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10303488-93.html

…and sells off radio automation http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10303498-92.html… Read more

AT&T cuts cord on VoIP service

AT&T has pulled the plug on its CallVantage voice over IP phone service, according to letters from subscribers this week.

The service competed with other VoIP services like Vonage. VoIP services use broadband networks to place phone calls. These services are much less expensive than traditional landline phone services and cost between $20 and $30 per month. But even this price is proving too high for consumers who are cutting their traditional phones to use their cell phones or are signing up for voice services with their cable providers, which are bundling the phone service in with broadband … Read more