VoIP News and Gadgets

Reuters UK, has reported that eBay has bought Skype by way of a press announcement on Reuters.

I think this will help eBay with revenue and a click-to-call/buy service which should boost value in the portal's(?) offering. They will also be able to leverage Skype's millions of users. I still think that in the big picture this was a mistake and they will find they could have accomplished the same technical goals using open standards technology for much less money and would be able to play nice with everyone else. Sounds to me like this is another case of the more money than brains syndrome.

Next stop, Vonage's IPO and I think there will be at least one other VoIP company which will get snapped up in a mergers or acquisition before the end of the year.

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Anyuser ImPhone USB thumb drive/VoIP phone - Engadget - www.engadget.com
"Much like with the Ezmax EZMP-4200P, the concept behind the Anyuser ImPhone USB memory stick is to keep you covered whilst on the go and in need of a way to make a VoIP call from some unknown quantity computer. Instead of needing to install Skype, the flash drive has integrated voice over IP circuits and software, so you can just plug it in and get immediate access to a software phone on the go. It would also cover you if the machine you get stuck with doesn’t have a line in, or can be convenient if it’s a desktop with line-in not easily accessible. Of course, it’s also useful as a regular ol’ file storage medium. These’ll be out in Japan in August for about $36USD, which we’re assuming is for the 64MB version (128 and 512MB versions also available)."

Skype Goes Mobile in Germany
Skype has partnered with German mobile carrier E-Plus, the first step in a strategy to extend its VoIP service beyond the desktop.

Beginning in October, Skype's software will be bundled with E-Plus' flat-rate data-subscription plan. Initially, it will be available on Motorola handsets, but other handset vendors are expected to be added.
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Enterprise VOIP Is on Fire
Enterprises around the world are going IP with their PBXs in a big, big way, according to a new Infonetics Research Inc. report (see Infonetics Reports on IP PBXs).

Pure IP-based and hybrid PBX systems accounted for more than half of new system sales in the second quarter and are expected to make up 92 percent of new PBX sales by 2008. That's a whopping $8.34 billion slice of the market. TDM-based PBX systems sales, meanwhile, will bring in only $760 million in sales by 2008, Infonetics says.
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X-Pro TAPI Integrates VoIP with Outlook
"Global IP Telecommunications, a development partner of softphone manufacturer Xten Networks Inc., introduced the X-Pro TAPI, a TAPI (Telephony API)-compliant software telephone which can be integrated with Microsoft Outlook.

'In contrast to other solutions, X-Pro TAPI supports real TAPI, which enables you to link professional Customer Relationship Management software with VoIP,' says Sal Luzzi, CEO of Global IP Telecommunications, Inc.

The neat thing about this VoIP softphone is that it can be integrated to Microsoft's Outlook. With the X-Pro TAPI add-in in place, MS Outlook users are able to click to call any member on the user's Outlook contact list. This feature also enables incoming calls to be referenced against the user's contact list. The add-in provides the user with a caller ID feature which actually links the number back to the user's Outlook contact profile."
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