Smart Home Blog

MSI demonstrated its new landline-VoIP phone MS-9A31. It’s based on Android and supports DECT, video conference call and instant messaging. The phone sports large color touchscreen, two Ethernet ports, one USB port and a card reader. No word on price or availability yet.

The MS-9A31 looks very promised. It can be used not just IP phone in your home automation system but as control panel too. If MSI will allow to install third party applications it’d be the best phone for LinuxMCE (if the Android Orbiter will be released and the price won’t be too hight, of course). In any case, I think we’ll see similar devices from different manufactures soon.

Samsung joined to the Panasonic and LG announced Skype functionality on its HDTV series 7000 and 8000. But additionally a FREETALK TV Camera should be bought (on the Skype online store, for example) to have possibility make video calls. Samsung TVs with built-in Skype are already available in Korea and should be available in Europe soon.

Digium recently released the final version of the module for integration Skype and Asterisk. The implementation is done as an add-on channel driver. The module allows to Skype-to-Skype calls as well as supporting SkypeIn and SkypeOut. Additionally it offers set and retrieve online status, trunk calls between Asterisk servers over Skype, make and receive multiple concurrent Skype calls from the same Skype account. The price of Skype module for Asterisk is $66.00 per channel.

Personally I don’t see a big advantages of Skype over the SIP gates for voice calls. The SIP gates are cheaper and they give better voice quality. But the Skype module for Asterisk can be very useful in case of calling directly to the Skype accounts since Skype is a standard de-facto for business communications. In any case it’s good to have more choices for VoIP calls!

Skype recently announced a new module which integrates Skype functionality into Digium’s Asterisk software. It allows to Asterisk users make, receive and transfer Skype calls with multiple Skype names with low Skype global rates. Not bad, isn’t it?

The Skype for Asterisk beta can be downloaded from here

[via Skype Journal].

VoIP comes to our offices and homes. It gives the cheapest way to communicate with business partners, co-workers, relatives or friends in different countries. But the latest tendency is to use mobile phone to talk via VoIP and not via GSM/3G. So, now many operators offer VoIP service for mobile users. How to get right one?

The new blog Mobile VOIP Review will help to do right choice. You’ll able to read news and review of existing VoIP providers there. Additionally there will be posted comments of real users of those services.

[via Asterisk Blog]