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Sitecom has unveiled a router designed to provide a low latency and lag-free service online. The router uses StreamEngine Technologythat separates incoming data into five categories: game, VoIP, Movie,File Sharing and email.
Bandwidth is rationed accordingly, so the services that need massive amounts - i.e. gaming - get the priority treatment.
To top it all off, the box contains preconfigured application levelgateways for the most recent games and supports up to 300Mbps.
The Gaming Adapter goes on sale in August 2008 and its recommend retail price is £109.99
1. PARTY speakers from Parrot (Black Edition) Price: Available this summer for $150 Thisportable, wireless speaker system lets you listen to music - beamed -from your phone or PC. It's also got a built-in technology called NearField Communications (NFC), which allows users to pair it with a mobiledevice by simply tapping the two together. Unfortunately, there's justone NFC phone currently on the market, and it's only availableoverseas. 2. Calisto Pro Series from Plantronics Price: $280 Youknow the cellular industry has made it when home phones start lookinglike mobile handsets. This sleek landline telephone from Plantronics ismade for home use but comes with a Bluetooth headset that can also workwith a cell or VoIP phone. 3. S-Frame digital photo frames from Sony Price: $190 - $250, depending on size
You'llneed a Bluetooth adapter to transfer images from your cell phone tothis new picture frame. The frame's LCD screen can display images up to48 megapixels, and offers 10 slide show variations on top of clock andcalendar views. Two index modes let you preview several photos at once.
4. SUN headset by Iqua Thissolar-powered Bluetooth headset converts light into power, which meansyou won't have to worry about recharging the battery every night. Whileit's a bit large (due to the built-in mini solar panel), theeco-friendly SUN claims to get nine hours of talk time.
5. MBW-150 watch from Sony Ericsson (Music Edition)
Price: $40 ThisJames Bond-like, water-resistant gadget works in conjunction with yourhandset by vibrating each time you receive a new call or text messageand letting you control your mobile music. The one downside: The watchonly works with select Bluetooth-enabled phones made by Sony Ericsson.
Virtual laser keyboard from Golan Technology Price: $160 Thisfuturistic-looking portable device uses infrared and laser technologyto project a full-size, working virtual keyboard on any surface. Ituses Bluetooth technology to pair with both laptops and compatible cellphones for typing messages on the go. 7. V610 EasyShare camera from Kodak Price: $350 Usingembedded Bluetooth wireless technology, the V610 allows users to takepictures and beam them straight to their PC or a compatible printer.This small, 6-megapixel camera also comes with dual-lens technology anda 2.8-inch high-resolution color display.
The iPhone and iPod touch are almost indistinguishable devices exceptfor one major difference—you can make calls from your iPhone, and youcan't from your iPod touch. For the privilege of making phone callswith your iPhone, you have to pay $100 more upfront to Apple for thedevice itself, plus a minimum of $60/month to AT&T for the next twoyears. Let's say you didn't need that kind of firepower from your iPodtouch, but that you would like to use it make a phone call every nowand then. You can, and today I'm going to show you how to make VoIPphone calls from your iPod touch or iPhone using a freeware application called SIP-VoIP.
What You'll Need1.) A jailbroken iPod touch or iPhone. If you haven't already jailbroken your device, don't worry—it'll just take 45 seconds.
2.) iPhone headphones with mics don't work with the iPod touch, so if you're using an iPod touch you'll need a Touchmod mic.The Touchmod mics come in a variety of flavors, from the simple donglethat plugs into the syncing port to the headphone-and-mic combo thatworks much like the iPhone headphones. The hardware will set you backsomewhere between $50 and $60.
3.) The freeware SIP-VoIP application. Read on for details for installing SIP-VoIP below.
UPDATE: Just today (4/15) it looks like another VoIP app for the iPhone has emerged called Fring.Fring promises to work with both Skype and SIP accounts, but likeSIP-VoIP it's still young and not entirely perfect. I haven't tried ityet, but it might be a viable alternative to SIP-VoIP, and can be installed just as easily. Install SIP-VoIPAssuming you've got the hardware you need and you've prepared yourdevice, now it's time to install the VoIP application. If you don't yethave a mic, you can test that SIP-VoIP is successfully making callsbefore you purchase it.
I'm going to cover two different ways of installing SIP-VoIP. Thefirst and easiest method is with Installer.app, the program that isautomatically installed when you jailbreak your iPod. The second methodis more difficult, but it's good to have around in case you run intoerrors (which I did).
Method 1 - Install SIP-VoIP with Installer.app:First, since SIP-VoIP isn't found in Installer.app by default, you needto add the Touchmods repository to Installer. To do so, launchInstaller and head to the Sources tab. Now tap Edit -> Add, and typehttp://touchmods.net/rep.xml into the Add Source dialog. Hit OK, and Installer will refresh your sources, this time including your new Touchmods repository.
Nowgo to the Install tab and find the entry labeled Touchmods. Insideyou'll see an app called Touchmods SIP-VoIP. Go ahead and installSIP-VoIP by tapping the entry, tapping the install button, and thenverifying that you want to install this application from an "untrusted"source.
This is by far the easiest method for installing SIP-VoIP, but I hadtrouble with the latest version of SIP-VoIP (version 1.2) on my iPodtouch, so I had to install a previous version (1.1). Since you can onlyinstall the latest with Installer, I'll also demonstrate how to installolder versions of SIP-VoIP. I'd recommend trying it the easy way first,then moving to the following method if you have trouble. If you'retaking the easy route the first time around, skip to the Set Up an SIPAccount section below.
Method 2 - Install SIP-VoIP over SSH: To install previousversions of SIP-VoIP, you'll need to first install OpenSSH throughInstaller.app (you can find it under Install -> System). Now you'llneed to connect to your iPod using a desktop FTP client that supportsSFTP connections (like FileZilla for Windows or Cyberduckfor OS X). This will allow you to browse and copy files to your iPodlike you would if you could access the disk as an external hard driveon your computer.
Toconnect to your device from your computer, you'll need to know youriPod touch's or iPhone's IP address. You can find this by opening theSettings app, tapping Wi-Fi, and then tapping the blue arrow next tothe network you're connected to.
Now that you've got that, start up your FTP client of choice, enter the IP address as you server, and use root for your username and alpineas your password. Once connected, navigate to the Applications folder(just above the root folder). That's where your iPhone and iPod touchkeep all of their applications. From here it's a simple matter ofdragging and dropping the appropriate SIP-VoIP app to the applicationsfolder.
For this article, I'm using the 1.1 version of SIP-VoIP, which you can download here.Once downloaded, unzip the file and then drag and drop the SIP-VoIP.appfile to your Applications folder. Finally, restart your iPod or iPhoneand the new app should show up on your home screen.
Set Up an SIP AccountUnfortunately the SIP-VoIP app doesn't work with the most popular VoIP app Skype (it uses the SIPprotocol), which means you'll have to set up an account with anotherservice to use the app. Luckily there are tons of options out therethat can work with SIP-VoIP. I used a service called FreeCall, so that's what I'll highlight in my examples, but the Touchmods blog lists a handful of alternatives.
If you want to follow along exactly with my settings, head to the FreeCall signup pageand register for an account. After you register, you'll need to buysome minutes for your call time. FreeCall is an international service,so when it asks for your cell phone (to which it sends an SMSconfirmation), you'll need to include your country code; for example,it would look something like 0015555551234 if you're in the US. Theminimum purchase with FreeCall is 10 euros, which amounts to around$16. Once you've purchased some calling time with FreeCall, it's timeto enter your setup configuration in SIP-VoIP and start making calls.
NOTE: If you don't want to spend money off the bat, you might want to try signing up with a service like Gizmo5 (formerly Gizmo Project), which offers a small amount of trial credit. Set Up SIP-VoIP to Make CallsFinally,we're ready to set up SIP-VoIP with the SIP provider you registeredwith above. Launch the app from your iPod touch or iPhone's homescreen, then tap on Settings in the bottom right corner. You'll see avery rudimentary form where you'll enter the settings for the SIPaccount you set up above.
voip-dialpad.jpg" border="0" onLoad="SMR_resize(this);" />Ifyou used FreeCall like I did, enter your FreeCall username and passwordin the first two fields (other services will use the number they'veassigned you as the username), then sip.voiparound.comin the field labeled SIP-Server (see screenshot). There are morefields, but for FreeCall that should be all you need. Hit Save to saveyour settings—you may have to hit return on the iPod's keyboard todismiss it and see the Save button—and then tap the dial tab to head tothe dialpad.
Before you make your first call, you have to connect the applicationto the SIP server, so click the button labeled "connect to sip server"in the lower left. If all goes well, it'll connect without a hitch.(This is where I ran into some problems with version 1.2 on the iPodtouch. 1.2 connected without issue from my iPhone, but I kept gettingconnection error messages with 1.2 on my iPod touch. If you're havingsimilar problems, installing version 1.1 may help.) If it connectedsuccessfully, all you've got to do is dial your number (country codeincluded, depending on which service you go with) and hit the callbutton.
I actually stumbled onto a video on YouTube of a precocious kidusing a Touchmods mic with SIP-VoIP and FreeCall. There are several ofthese videos on YouTube—I particularly like this speaker phone setup. Check out his video below to get a better look at what the final result is.
Set up Inbound numberYour FreeCall account only handles outbound calls, but you're not outof luck if you want to add inbound functionality to your iPod touch.You can register your FreeCall SIP account with other services, like IPKall,to get a free phone number that will ring your iPod touch. (The onlycatch is that you're limited to a state of Washington area code). Iwon't go into details on setting up an inbound number, but you can findmore details from this post at the Touchmods blog. The SIP-VoIP app has been in development for a while, and thoughit's still not much to look at, it seems to be improving over time. TheiPhone and iPod touch 2.0 firmware will officially hit the streetssometime in June with support for third party apps through Apple, sowho knows what kind of VoIP apps we'll see when that time comes.
Whether or not we'll ever see Skype or another VoIP app officially supported for the iPhone (Apple says they'll allow VoIP over Wi-Fi),SIP-VoIP is already there. My experience with it has been hit-or-miss,and it's got miles to go before it's the friendliest app around, butwhether you'd like to make international calls for cheap or you justwant to want to reach out and touch someone from your iPod touch, thefolks at Touchmods and SIP-VoIP are already providing the tools to dojust that.
No, you don't get visual voicemail, text messaging, or a built-incamera, but you do get to make and receive phone calls from your iPodtouch—which in itself shows a lot of promise.
VerdictIf we had to sum up the S730 in one word it would be 'competent'.Sure, there is nothing here to set your hair on fire with excitement,but what there is a reasonable depth of basic functionality which willprobably appeal to the business rather than domestic user. The screencould be better - HTC is slipping a bit on this front across its range- and the same could be said for battery life. It could do with more inthe way of program memory too.
The successor to the S710, the S730 is a dull but hard-workingmember of the HTC clan. It's neither quite so ubiquitous as its bigbrother the TyTn II nor quite as fashionable as its sisters Touch, Dual and Cruise.
In appearance, the S730 is a pretty run-of-the-mill smartphone, withits traditional keyboard layout; 2.4in, 320 x 240, 65,536-colourscreen; and stout HTC-grey plastic shell. With its slide-out Qwertykeyboard, the S730 could be seen as a sort of TyTn mini-me. It doesmost of the same things, but at 106 x 51 x 19.4mm in size and 150g inweight it's a fair bit narrower and shorter, and a whole 40g lighter.OK, it's 5mm thicker, but you can't have everything.
HTC's S730: good size and good weight
In the hand, the S730 is a chunky yet comfortable device to hold.The keypad layout is a model of common sense while the centralnavigation pad is suitably sized, positioned and weighted for thumbuse. The only slight ergonomic 'erk' is that is if you tend to hold thephone in your right hand, it's a too easy to push the keyboard open. Wehad the same problem with the first generation TyTn, though in thatcase it was an issue for lefties as the handset slid the other way.
We give the S730's slide-out keyboard top marks. The keys have aslightly rubbery feel and raised centre which combine to make it one ofthe best HTC keyboards we've used, and a quantum leap forward from theS710. The inclusion of two small LEDs to let you know the Cap and Fnkeys have been pressed is another nice touch.
When it comes to connectivity, the S730 has the bases well covered,coming with 3.6Mb/s HSDPA 3G, quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge, Bluetooth 2.0and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.
Incidentally, the S730 is also available as the O2 XDA Atmos.
Fring worked a treat, and in what seemed like seconds - but was infact about five minutes - we were chatting to our Leader, who wasallegedly working in Shanghai, via Skype Out. Fring also allows you toaccess pretty much all your VoIP and IM accounts from the oneapplication. Which is nice.
The two-megapixel camera is the same old, same old. And, as we'vecome to expect from HTC, the headphones connect through the mini-USBport. This makes HTC's own USB-3.5mm hands-free/headphones adaptorsomething of a must-have, and this is irritating partly because thesupplied phones are pretty nasty, but mostly because the thing isn'tbundled. No, it's a £14.95 accessory.
The 2Mp camera is the 'same old, same old' we've come to expect from HTC
Call quality proved to be well up to snuff, as did the handset'sability to find and keep hold of a Wi-Fi signal, while the built-inspeakerphone was both clear and loud, vital for those impromptuconference calls. 3G reception also proved to be more robust than onour recently tested Touch Dual.Battery life is entirely dependent on what you leave switched on. WithBluetooth and Wi-Fi going you can expect a dead battery in about sevenhours. Switch the Wi-Fi off and you are looking at about a full day ofaverage usage between charges.
By default, the BT Home Hub, which is manufactured byThomson/Alcatel, uses a weak algorithm to generate keys used forlocking down a Wi-Fi network. So weak, in fact, that Wired EquivalentPrivacy (WEP) keys can be predicted in just 80 guesses on average.GNUCitizen has written a program to automate the guessing game, but hasdecided not to release it for the time being.
document.write('\x3Cscript src="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/reg.security.4159/front;cta='+cta+';ctb='+ctb+';ctc='+ctc+';sc='+sc+';cid='+cid+';'+RegExCats+GetVCs()+'pid='+RegId+RegDT+';'+RegKW+'maid='+maid+';test='+test+';pf='+RegPF+';dcove=d;sz=336x280;tile=3;ord=' + rand + '?" type="text/javascript">\x3C\/script>'); <ahref="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/jump/reg.security.4159/front;dcove=d;sz=336x280;tile=3;ord=T@zLbtRk6jgAAE8eBqQAAACH?"target="_blank"><imgsrc="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/ad/reg.security.4159/front;dcove=d;sz=336x280;tile=3;ord=T@zLbtRk6jgAAE8eBqQAAACH?"width="336" height="280" border="0" alt="" />
It's been known for some time that WEP is not a reliable way tosecure a Wi-Fi network. But the GNUCitizen's research, which is basedon work by ethical hacker Kevin Devine, takes this understanding a stepfurther. It allows the router to be cracked without the use of specialhardware or software that's a hassle to configure and use.
The research also affects those using the much more robust Wi-FiProtected Access (WPA) to secure their BT Home Hub. Because thealgorithm uses a predictable means to determine the WPA, an attackercan easily determine the pass phrase (should the default encryption keyvalue be used).
I thought I might post an update, because there's been quite alot of progress made in this particular area of software design.
Trillian Astra is in invite-only Alpha testing (I haven't been able to get myself invited...) and is designed for cross-platform and multi-protocol use. I.e. on different devices (including the iPhone) and on difference IM protocols (e.g. MSN, AIM etc.). I use Trillian Pro at the moment, which is pretty decent. I connect to my MSN, Gmail and XFire accounts simultaneously. Astra will permit connections to: IRC, MSN, AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Jabber, XFire, MySpace IM and more.
PlayXpert is designed as an alternative to xfire with multi-protocol support (currently for MSN, AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Google Talk and XFire), including built-in Voip and also in-game chat. This looks pretty decent to me, and I've already signed up to be notified of its release. I do suspect, however, that it will hog resources.
Business is business, so it’s no surprise that the world’s mostsuccessful mobile maker knows exactly what makes the executive phoneuser swoon. Nokia has a long track-record of producing handsets thatmay not get consumers’ pulses galloping, but which absolutely bowl overbusinesspeople.
The E51 is Nokia’s latest of these. Its design is classic Nokiaunderstatement - a slim candybar phone with an elegant metal trim andback panel adding a classy feel to the package. The metal edging isavailable in three flavours: shiny silver, black or bronze.
Nokia E51: pushing all the right buttons for businesspeople?
It’s optimised for email, supports a wide range of popular pushemail offerings, and it features VoIP voice for low-cost calling overthe internet via Wi-Fi. High-speed data connectivity is facilitated byHSDPA 3G.
While the E51 has been crafted first and foremost with businessusage in mind, with plenty of office tools and personal informationmanagement features, Nokia does acknowledge that even business userslike their multimedia distractions. The phone has an MP3 player, an FMradio, a RealPlayer video player and a two-megapixel camera on the back.
A subtle pinhead pattern etched on the back of the casing is notonly aesthetically enhancing but also helps you grip the phone whenyou're tapping away at the numberpad. The E51 is a good size, measuringa long but slim 115 x 46 x 12mm. The metal casing helps push up theweight to 100g, giving it a substantial and well-balanced feel withoutbeing pocket-saggingly bulky.
130MB of internal memory is built in for content downloads, althoughfor extending the phone’s storage capabilities you can add Micro SDcards of up to 4GB in capacity, fitting them into a slot under the rearcasing.
The E51’s Wi-Fi and HSDPA capabilities means the Nokia Web Browserdoesn’t drag its feet. You can view web pages in their normal fullscreen format, with Mini Maps helping you negotiate the pages. Pagesare completed quickly on the high-speed data connections.
Available in three flavours: shiny silver, bronze or black
The camera on the back of the E51 is a standard two-megapixelshooter that produces average quality photos. This is unlikely to be aselling point of the E51 - its user interface isn’t particularlycamera-like, with most of the limited settings options listed in simplelist format.
The camera achieves better results in bright lighting conditionsoutside, while indoors images aren’t as crisp – there’s no flash tohelp matters in low-light conditions. Video can be recorded too, thoughat a maximum 320 x 240 (QVGA) resolution, and is again fairly averagemobile phone limited quality fare.
Nokia’s figures for optimum battery life suggests up to 13 days onstandby or 4.4 hours' talk time. We managed to get around three or fourdays of standby with an average amount of usage, although this declinedwith greater use of Wi-Fi, the music player and other power-hungryfeatures. Still, intensive business users shouldn’t find battery lifean issue here.
Verdict
The E51 has all the credentials to make the grade as a high qualitybusiness phone, but it has much more appeal than simply a work-dayhandset. It has a sharp and understated design and it's straightforwardto use if you want to access key features easily.
The phone’s display isn’t going to be large enough for some users,and anyone looking for a top-end multimedia cameraphone, GPS-equippedmobile or BlackBerry-style keyboard should look elsewhere. But the E51is a cracking handset that is more sophisticated than it looks, withexcellent business-grade features.
Although the outer dimensions remain unchanged, Nokia's CES booth isconsiderably larger in usable square footage this year compared to lastbecause some of its private meeting space has been jettisoned to alocation elsewhere in the convention. They've used the extra spacewell, too; in addition to several areas where passers-by can handle thelatest phones, there's a long, wrapping counter for demoing what Nokiacalls its "experiences" -- things like the Music Store, for example.Check out all the pretty colors in the gallery! Nokia's CES 2008 booth tour
Nokia is showcasing the industry's widestarray of wireless devices and is dedicating more exhibit space than everbefore to hands-on demonstrations of Nokia-branded and third-party wirelessapplications, services and mobile experiences. This increased emphasis is adirect result of the growing importance of software and services in thewireless industry, and reflects Nokia's evolution from a pure manufacturer ofwireless hardware into a true Internet company. Another area of emphasiswithin the Nokia exhibit is the environment, and how Nokia has been leadingthe way in developing and utilizing environmentally responsible businesspractices. Nokia's exhibit at CES 2008 is located in the upper level of theLas Vegas Convention Center's south hall, booth #30313.
Quote:
"Nokia is proud to be connecting more people around the world than anyoneelse as the world's leading manufacturer of wireless handsets, and the leaderin converged mobile devices. However, we are even more excited about thefuture of mobility, and how Nokia's new focus on services is setting the stagefor the transformation of the entire wireless industry,"
said Mark Louison,President, Nokia Inc. "Most importantly, Nokia is focused on achieving itsgoals in a way that looks not only at the future of mobility, but is alsomindful of the future of our environment as well." The leader in converged devices Further cementing its position as the global leader in converged devices,Nokia today introduced the Nokia N95 8GB, optimized for the Americas market.The Nokia N95 8GB builds upon the legacy of the successful Nokia N95 by addingan even larger display and built-in 8GB of internal memory while supportinghigh-speed HSDPA networks on the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands that are prevalentacross the Americas. Additionally, Nokia introduced a stunning limited-editionbright red version of the multiple award-winning Nokia N95 for the US whichincludes the full suite of highly acclaimed features that consumers across theglobe are craving. Only 5,000 units of this special red Nokia N95 will beavailable during first quarter of 2008. This new limited edition red versionof the Nokia N95, along with the current black and bronze versions, has anestimated retail price of $599. The multi-award winning business-class Nokia E61i, was today named the"Best Mobile Handset for Enterprise" by InfoWorld and will be among the fullrange of Nokia's converged devices on demonstration in the Nokia exhibit. Inaddition, Nokia will also be highlighting the eagerly anticipated,award-winning Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, the musically-inclined Nokia 5310XpressMusic and Nokia 5610 XpressMusic handsets and unique new mobileenhancements like the Nokia Power Pack DC-1 for easy recharging on the go andthe Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-902, which includes its own display for callerID and phonebook access.
Consumer experiences in the spotlight
More than half of Nokia's CES exhibit will be dedicated to demonstratingthe consumer experiences that are the driving force behind Nokia's transitioninto an Internet company. Some of the services and applications on displayinclude Nokia Maps; a fully-featured mapping and navigation application thatis available for Nokia's S60-based converged devices, Widgets; lightweight,web-based applications that deliver personalized content to Nokia devices,N-Gage; Nokia's advanced, connected wireless game service, and Nokia InternetRadio, which delivers an ever-growing selection of Internet radio stationsdirectly to any Nokia S60-based handset.
Along with these Nokia services, a number of exciting third-partyapplications will also be highlighted at the Nokia CES 2008 exhibit. Theseinclude SlingPlayer, which allows users to experience their home televisiondirectly from their wireless device via Wi-Fi or 3G networks, Rhapsody, theservice that transforms the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet into a virtual jukeboxwith millions of songs on demand, and Skype, the popular VoIP service that isnow available for the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet.
Driving responsible environmental practices
Nokia has long been the recognized leader in driving responsibleenvironmental practices, and at CES 2008, a number of these innovations willbe on display. The recently announced Nokia 3110 Evolve will be shown for thefirst time in North America. The device features a range ofenvironmentally-focused features including covers which are made from over 50%renewable bio-materials, reduced size packaging, and a new charger that uses94% less energy than required by Energy Star standards. With an eye to the future, the Nokia Eco Sensor concept will also be shownfor the first time in North America at CES 2008. The Nokia Eco Sensor conceptexamines how green technologies may be used in the future to create ever moresustainable devices. Inspired by the "three R's" principle -- reduce, reuseand recycle -- the concept explores a range of potential new materials andtechnologies such as printed electronics, bio-materials and reclaimedmaterials. It also looks at ways that mobile technology could employ mobilesensing to monitor and report on both the health of the user and thesurrounding environmental conditions. Within the environmental display, Nokia will also have a recyclingcollection point where CES attendees can drop off old mobile phones andaccessories for proper recycling. Visitors to the exhibit will also be able tosee some of the environmental services available through Nokia devices.
PR Newswire wrote:
About Nokia Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation andgrowth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes awide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music,navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility throughthese devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services forcommunications networks.
Skype, a free internet communications program, is coming to the PSP according to CES news on Sony's website.
No specifics were given, but Sony indicated that PSP gamers would be able to use the VoIP service to "call friends, talk trash to fellow gamers or catch up with acquaintances."
It is uncertain how Skype will fit in with previously announced plans for the PSP's Go! Messenger service developed in conjunction with BT. Go! Messenger will offer video calls, instant messaging, voice chat and voice messaging in Europe; Skype will likely serve only North America.
Last year, Skype announced a collaboration with Logitech to deliver video calls over the Internet. It is possible that a similar service could take advantage of the PSP's USB camera which has been released in Japan and Europe but not yet in the US.
Requests for comment from both SCEA and Skype were not immediately answered.
Sony is expected to reveal more details at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show which takes place next week, January 7-10, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Now that the startling mystery of VoIP has been cracked wide open on the iPod touch, it was only a matter of time before other, related mysteries were broken apart and inspected. One such case involves the process of getting the sound of your voice into the formerly-audio-out-only device, which must be accomplished via the use of some type of audio-in microphone dongle, which now -- thanks to one clever man -- has been hacked for VoIP-on-touch purposes. Using the hideous, yet cheap, Macally iVoiceIII audio recorder add-on for 5G iPods, and the simple soldering of a jumper to the board, you can be chatting away like a madman (provided you've got some WiFi) on your touch. Check the read link for the simple steps, and get ready to stick it to the man (his name is Mr. Steve Jobs, by the way) once again.
Since the advent of voice chat in online gaming, arguments and insultshave become just another part of the game. Curse words, racial slurs,and even threats are muttered with increasing frequency over the likesof Xbox Live, Ventrilo, TeamSpeak, and the countless other voice-chatprograms and platforms. But, when does the line get drawn betweengame-related rudeness and the law? It's hard to define, to be sure, butone Maryland university student has learned the answer, as a comment hemade during a game landed him in jail.
During a game of Call of Duty 4on his Xbox 360, Allieu Shaw—a student at Frostburg State University inMaryland—happened to make a comment that he was going to "shoot up theschool." Allegedly, this comment was followed by a description of whathe planned to do. Another gamer in the room took the comment seriouslyand phoned the authorities.
Working together with Microsoft and the local internet serviceprovider, Maryland police managed to find Shaw by early the followingmorning and showed up at his dorm to arrest him. Shaw is reportedlyfacing "two misdemeanor counts of disrupting a school operation... witha maximum penalty of a year in jail and a fine up to $5,000" and hasbeen suspended from school.
A word to the wise for those who get upset when losing: use the mute button and bite your tongue.
Ever had problems over in game VOIP?
The linked article already makes the comment I wanted to make:
Quote:
Heapparently doesn’t know how to trash talk, either. “I’m going to shootup a school†just seems like an odd phrase to throw out there whenyou’re trying to taunt an opponent. Maybe it made a bit more sense incontext but I doubt it, considering how inane the average chatter invideo games is.
Can't say I believe he deserves to go to jail, but he at least needs a good punching in the face.
I've heard alot of trashtalk and none of it ever took the form of even a vague real world threat.
"Shootingup school" is definitely something that would get my attention, asopposed to the usual flood of omnidirectional profanity.
If he didn't mean it then he has received a valuable lesson in not being an idiot out loud.
Remember Marian, the guy who's building a preamped mic mike for the iPod touch? Today he writes that touch hacker eok has ported Samuel's SvSIP to the iPod. SvSIP uses the SIP protocol to connect to other participants and to allow you to talk over WiFi. I tried porting SIP myself and didn't get very far.
Marian writes that eok has been able to both send and receive calls and promises screen shots as soon as possible.
Code:
12:57:57.091 pjsua_app.c Call 0 state changed to INCOMING
12:57:57.092 pjsua_app.c Incoming call for account 0!
From: "Cxxxxxxx Txxxx" xxxxxxxx@xx.xxx.xx.xx>
To: xxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx>
Press a to answer or h to reject call
voip
