The Chat Cable™ is an inexpensive, lightweight, portable computer voice headset. This airweight, high-quality earphone and microphone work with any desktop or notebook computer! You can now voice chat for free using Instant Messaging or VoIP software such as Skype®, MSN® Messenger, MySpace®, Yahoo!® Chat, AIM®, ICQ® and Google® Talk.
According to InformationWeek, The combo of voice over Wi-Fi and dual-mode handsets reduce reliance on cellular networks, but many businesses may not see enough payback to build out the infrastructure.
From CNet News Blog, "Looks like it's going to be a great year for Skype. Every time you open a magazine or a browser, there's a new device that integrates…"
From Ars-Technica, "What client do you use for instant messaging? According to a recent study by comScore Networks, there's a decent chance that it's MSN Messenger, which lassoed in 61 percent of worldwide instant messaging (IM) market share."
According to InformationWeek, about two-thirds remain ignorant of the technology, which Harris Interactive interprets as meaning that broad marketing efforts are working, but more needs to be done to reach people in particular demographic groups.
According to Gizmodo, Skype released a beta today of Skypecast, VoIP software that lets you conduct a live moderated conversation with up to 100 of your closest friends. It's a free preview, where you, as god of the Skypecast, get to control when people talk, and you can even eject obnoxious participants if you wish. Skypecasts can be held in two modes—open discussion, or one-way broadcast where you can open it up to questions and answers afterwards.
You can beef up security by taking measures including using a hosted IM service, enabling content filtering and blocking, and logging and auditing IM conversations according to InformationWeek.
From Kevin Maney's Blog, "There's a bunch of conjecture floating around about AOL using AIM to create a MySpace competitor. No need for the conjecture. That's exactly what AOL CEO Jonathan Miller told me when I visited AOL headquarters a couple of months ago…."
From Gizmodo, Designer Andre Minoli has created the hand-cranked Motorola PVOT phone, aimed at developing countries. It gives up a minute of talk time for every 25 turns of the crank, giving new meaning to the term "crank calls." All that cranking charges up a AA battery inside, powering a 125×125 dot matrix LCD controlled by a futuristic-looking "Eraser Shield" keypad.
Minoli's Motorola PVOT is a great design not only for developing nations, but it could come in handy for us developed countries, too, as we wind our way through Peak Oil and into World War III. If the phone's durable enough, it might even last until World War IV, which will no doubt be fought with sticks and clubs.
WSJ.com is reporting, Helio unveiled a cellphone service that targets affluent young customers with games, video messages, blogging and other entertainment.
