Yesterday Skype launched the newest version of Skype, Skype 3.8 for Windows. According to all reports, and my own experience, this version of Skype sounds better than ever before. Given Skype's ongoing efforts to sound better than a phone call, that isn't suprising.

The main improvements can be found under the hood of the audio engine. In the real world, this translates to significantly reduced background noise, less delay, fewer call drops, and fewer cut-outs -- especially when both sides are using Skype 3.8 for Windows. And if you change your headset, headphones or microphone, there's no need to mess around with sound settings. That has proven to be a huge problem for me in the past, especially when using a USB headset. Skype 3.8 for Windows takes care of this behind the scenes...at last!

They've also done something for user friendliness that seems quite socially responsible.They've hidden the user's profile image in incoming authorization requests. Some people have been using offensive images, so Skype decided to put them behind a veil. You can still see the hidden avatar if you click on it, but no more objectionable images popping in your face without warning.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the upgrade on my end.

Download Skype 3.8 for Windows at skype.com/go/download
Technorati Tags: Skype, VoIP

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | VoIP | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the remainder of this week posting may be a bit light or at odd times. We're in the process of moving across town and the Internet connection may move unexpectedly. I'll be posting as I can, but things may be a bit crazy for a few days.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's an interesting story about a new deployment of WiFi in a 15th century facility. I'd love to read a case study and hear what they went through to put this solution together in more detail.

Michelin Starred WLAN For Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir

Extricom's Interference-Free(tm) Wireless LAN System selected for high-end guest services

London, UK - April 28, 2008 - Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, Raymond Blanc's 2 Star Michelin hotel and restaurant and home to the Raymond Blanc Cookery School, has completed the deployment of an Extricom Wireless LAN (WLAN) system, designed to deliver wireless mobility services to guests and business delegates throughout Le Manoir's 15th century buildings and gardens. Implemented by systems integrator G4 Networks, Extricom's WLAN system will also support the future migration of Le Manoir's back-office applications, including voice-over-WLAN (VoWLAN), on to the wireless network.

Meeting the demands of Le Manoir's clientele was a key driver behind the deployment of the WLAN solution. Gurval Durand, deputy general manager, explains, "Many of our guests are high level business executives. The services we deliver, including free wireless access, are designed to meet their high expectations and to make their stay as comfortable as possible. Every service or product at Le Manoir has to be top-of-the-range."

"Extricom's WLAN technology provides blanket wireless coverage throughout Le Manoir's grounds, allowing guests to connect and continue working wherever they choose to relax, be it in the gardens, lounge, or in the privacy of their own Suite. The seamless quality of Extricom's Channel Blanket(tm) architecture means guests can even roam between all three, without disruption to their wireless session."

Durand adds, "Furthermore, it also gives us the scope to explore new wireless applications as we seek to enhance our own communications strategy. For example, we're currently assessing the deployment of a VoWLAN phone system that would deliver greater mobility to our employees. Extricom and G4 Networks have given us the longevity and capabilities to evolve as we strive to deliver a first-class guest experience."

Besides meeting expectations for superior performance, systems integrator G4 Networks needed to deliver a wireless network that would neither detract from the aesthetics of the building nor disrupt the listed status of Le Manoir's landmark buildings. To do so, G4 Networks selected the Extricom EXRP-20 Dual-Radio UltraThin(tm) Access Points and mounted them all on the outside perimeter of the buildings, pointing inwards to ensure wireless connectivity within the building.

Dave Allen, director of G4 Networks, comments, "At Le Manoir, it's the details that make the guest experience, and they had no lesser expectations for their wireless LAN. WLAN is a key criterion when choosing hotel accommodation, but the real value-add is its
pervasiveness, its simplicity, and the performance quality."

"Like Le Manoir, Extricom's technology is all in the experience. Its mobility makes it ideal for enterprises that are looking for a far higher quality of service and, as wireless becomes the de facto standard for voice and data applications, its mobility capabilities offer a real differentiator."

Extricom's patented and award-winning Interference-Free(tm) WLAN System represents the next generation of enterprise Wi-Fi, with a fundamental shift in architecture from "cell-planning" to a Channel Blanket(tm) topology. The technology eliminates the co-channel interference that plagues traditional WLAN systems, to deliver seamless and zero-latency mobility, robust, "wire-like" client connections, greatly increased capacity, and the ability to design for a guaranteed and predictable level of service for all users. All this, without the iterative and costly RF cell-planning of traditional solutions. The result is a high-performance yet simple solution for powering the data, voice (VoWLAN), and video applications requested by organizations.

About Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, www.manoir.com

About G4 Networks, www.g4.co.uk

About Extricom
Extricom is the premier provider of enterprise-class infrastructure solutions for converged voice, data, video and RFID. Its innovative Interference-Free(tm) architecture offers a completely different experience for the system owner and user: lower total cost of ownership; significantly greater security, bandwidth and coverage than traditional WLANs; seamless mobility with no AP-to-AP handoffs; elimination of RF cell planning and co-channel interference; and performance guarantee for both connection rate and bandwidth. Founded in 2002, Extricom is privately held, with strategic investors that include Motorola.

For General Inquiries: www.extricom.com. EMEA Media/Analysts: Charlotte Sandy, Cohesive Communications, +44 1291 626200, extricom@cohesive.uk.com.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | Mobility/Fixed Mobille Convergence, News and Trends | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been watching Agito Networks closely the past few months. Today at Interop in Las Vegas they announced some new, innovative business-class enterprise fixed mobile convergence (eFMC) functionality in the latest version of their RoamAnywhere Mobility Router.

With Agito's RoamAnywhere Mobility Router enterprises have a stateful high-availability eFMC architecture available to them, which ensures high-performance, business-class resiliency and availability for mobile voice. Continuing to enhance users' voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) experience, RoamAnywhere also natively integrates with Cisco Systems' Unified Wireless Network family. Another industry first, RoamAnywhere supports identity-based mobility with enhanced native integration with Microsoft Active Directory and LDAP.

AGITO NETWORKS INTRODUCES NEW BUSINESS-CLASS FEATURES TO ENTERPRISE FIXED MOBILE CONVERGENCE MARKETPLACE
RoamAnywhere's Industry-Leading Stateful High Availability, Native Integration with Cisco Unified Wireless Network Family and Active Directory/LDAP Further Address Enterprises' Mobility Needs

INTEROP LAS VEGAS 2008, Las Vegas, Nev. - April 28, 2008 - Agito Networks, Inc.Ô, the company pioneering new technology in enterprise mobility, today from Interop Las Vegas 2008 announced new, innovative business-class enterprise fixed mobile convergence (eFMC) functionality in the latest version of its award-winning RoamAnywhereÔ Mobility Router (http://www.agitonetworks.com/products).

RoamAnywhere will be demonstrated in Agito Networks' booth No. 2266 this week at Interop Las Vegas 2008, and in the Agito Networks suite in the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

With Agito's RoamAnywhere Mobility Router, for the first time enterprises have a stateful high-availability eFMC architecture available to them, which ensures high-performance, business-class resiliency and availability for mobile voice. Continuing to enhance users' voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) experience, RoamAnywhere natively integrates with Cisco Systems' Unified Wireless Network family. Another industry first, RoamAnywhere supports identity-based mobility with enhanced native integration with Microsoft Active Directory and LDAP.

Voice is a mission critical enterprise service, and Agito's RoamAnywhere Mobility Router delivers the richest enterprise-class mobile voice features found in an eFMC product today.

"Here at Anthony Marano, we need in-building wireless coverage, seamless handover to cellular, and some specific PBX functions delivered to the multiple types of handsets we use, all due to our large facility which has very poor cellular coverage," said Christopher Nowak, CTO of the Anthony Marano Company. "Agito has native integration into our PBX and a very elegant technique to ensure perfect hand over, by providing the handset with enterprise site knowledge of where handoffs need to occur. We see a solution like this giving us the improved voice mobility we need to enhance the responsiveness and productivity of our key sales, purchasing and management staff who are dependent on synchronous communications."

RoamAnywhere is the industry's first complete eFMC solution, combining both the "Network Layer" and the "Application Layer" approaches to FMC to increase mobile worker productivity and reduce cellular expenses. By integrating into enterprises' existing PBXes without tampering with the desk phone like other solutions require, Agito Networks provides Application-Layer FMC features such as a single enterprise phone number and voicemail for a user's desk phone and mobile phone, and key enterprise desk phone features extended to users' mobile phones.

At the Network Layer, RoamAnywhere delivers the industry's fastest, sub-100ms automatic location-aware handover between WiFi and cellular networks. Fast, automatic handover enables enterprises to provide their mobile workers low-cost in-building coverage, with drastically reduced cellular expenses and no requirement for cellular data plans. Administrators have greater visibility and control into mobile usage with granular identity-based reporting and CDRs, and mobile policies that adapt to users' locations, including Agito's patent-pending battery savings policies. Unlike other eFMC solutions, RoamAnywhere is an enterprise-ready appliance built for deployments of all sizes, scaling from 10 to 1000 simultaneous users.

"Customers have validated that Agito Network's location-aware technology has finally delivered on the promise of eFMC," said Pejman Roshan, Agito Networks vice president of marketing and a company founder. "Quickly responding to customer demand, the addition of these new enterprise-class features gives enterprises the confidence to fully mobilize their workforce."

RoamAnywhere's new High Availability functionality is delivered in a two-unit redundancy configuration. With other eFMC solutions, an outage will drop all mobile calls. Agito already uniquely protects enterprises' critical business voice applications with its hybrid, non-blocking architecture that follows the industry best-practice of separating control traffic from data/voice traffic. Now, multiple RoamAnywhere appliances in High Availability mode provide non-stop voice availability, with stateful failover across the RoamAnywhere Mobility Routers. Agito's High Availability does not require intervention from users or administrators and is transparent to mobile users in calls.

Agito's location-aware technology seamlessly integrates with Cisco's Radio Resource Management functionality available in Cisco's Unified Wireless Network family. Cisco's Radio Resource Management dynamically optimizes WiFi RF settings to provide the best possible WiFi coverage and capacity. Legacy, static, signal-strength-based eFMC solutions are vulnerable to these dynamic WiFi channel and power changes, significantly degrading voice quality. The RoamAnywhere Mobility Router works hand-in-hand with the Cisco WiFi infrastructure, ensuring a business-class voice experience for mobile users.

Agito's RoamAnywhere Mobility Router also supports native integration into Microsoft Active Directory and LDAP. Native integration enables enterprises to leverage centralized user and group management. RoamAnywhere takes advantage of centralized user/group management for zero-touch client provisioning, deployment, and administration, as well as for mobile access to corporate directories. RoamAnywhere's suite of integrated identity features benefits enterprise users with a standard identity profile for mobile voice and data access, and benefits enterprise IT staff by easily extending their centralized identity system to their mobility infrastructure for access management and monitoring.

The award-winning RoamAnywhere is the industry's first and only business mobile convergence platform that uses RF-based, location-aware technologies to reliably mobilize and enable voice over 802.11 wireless LANs (VoWLAN) and data applications, while remaining agnostic to enterprise customers' choices of mobile carriers and equipment vendors. It uniquely fuses 802.11 wireless LANs (WLANs), enterprise IP telephony, and the carrier cellular network, improving mobile worker accessibility and responsiveness to increase mobile worker productivity. Agito's innovative, patent-pending location-aware technology allows enterprises to mobilize voice by taking full advantage of their 802.11 WLAN deployments as a low-cost alternative to cellular networks for in-building enterprise mobility.

RoamAnywhere's patent-pending, RF-based location aware technology ensures that in-building calls stay on the enterprise WLAN (using VoWLAN), to reduce cellular expenses and eliminate dropped or poor quality calls. Agito's patent pending sub-second, automatic handover of calls between WiFi and cellular is transparent to users. Instead of relying primarily on signal strength to determine routing between WLAN and cellular networks like prior-generation products, RoamAnywhere takes into account a variety of important networking metrics. These include network cost, load, reliability, delay, battery life, call or session quality and location.

Pricing and Availability
North American pricing for the RoamAnywhere Mobility Router starts at approximately $10,000 for the 2000 Series, which scales to support 100 simultaneous users. Pricing starts at $28,000 for the 4000 Series, which scales to support 1,000 simultaneous users. Functionality announced today will be available in Agito Networks' new release later this quarter.

About Agito Networks
Agito Networks is the award-winning technology leader in enterprise mobility. Its product, the RoamAnywhere Mobility Router, is an innovative enterprise fixed mobile convergence (eFMC) platform enabling enterprises to extend voice and Unified Communications to cell phones. RoamAnywhere is the first and only network appliance that fuses enterprise wireless LANs, carrier cellular networks, IP telephony and location technology to mobilize voice and data applications, while remaining agnostic to customers' choices of carrier and equipment vendors. Agito Networks enables low-cost in-building voice coverage, reduced cellular costs, improved enterprise visibility and control over cellular usage, and better accessibility and responsiveness for mobile workers. VON Magazine named Agito Networks a Top Innovator Award winner, while RoamAnywhere has received numerous industry awards, including earning a CTIA Emerging Technology Award and receiving Product of the Year honors from Unified Communications magazine and Internet Telephony magazine. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., the company is venture backed, led by Battery Ventures. Go to http://www.agitonetworks.com for more information.
###

Agito Networks and RoamAnywhere are trademarks of Agito Networks, Inc.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | Mobility/Fixed Mobille Convergence, News and Trends | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday we had the pleasure of sitting in on a wireless seminar sponsored by Strata8 Networks in Bellevue. It was a great session, and lit a fire under me to get more engaged in understanding what Strata8 is doing.

Gerry Purdy from Frost & Sullivan and Andy Wilson, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Strata8 did a really nice job with this luncheon learning seminar.

I met with Andy after the session and we'll be getting together in the next few weeks to do a podcast briefing. And in the meantime, I'll do a detailed writeup next week on why this picocell technology holds huge promise for enterprise business.

Special thanks to our friend Leigh Fatzinger for bringing the session to our attention and seeing that we were invited. It was time well spent.
Technorati Tags: Strata8 Networks, mobility, picocells

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | Mobility/Fixed Mobille Convergence | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's some news that caught my eye this morning. I'm dashing out the door to a seminar, so I'll put all the interesting releases in one post and leave you to explore at your leisure this morning.

First SPIRIT DSP

Plustek selects SPIRIT's VoIP Conferencing solution

MOSCOW, Russia - April 24, 2008 - SPIRIT DSP, the world's leading provider of voice and video software engines, announced today that Plustek, a Taiwanese manufacturer of telecommunication equipment for enterprises, has licensed its TeamSpirit® 3.0 Conferencing Engine as the core for its corporate conferencing system Plus@com PC2000.

The Plus@com PC2000 combines instant interactive communication functions with live video. Plus@com delivers whole corporate coverage with the flexibility and reliability to support multifunction applications, such as instant messaging, real-time audio-and-video meetings, call transfer, chatting, data sharing and more.

SPIRIT Conferencing Engine is the best choice to build VoIP-based conferencing systems with high voice quality. The technology may be used to arrange conferencing sessions counting dozens to thousands of participants. The engine comprises a set of modules and interfaces meeting development requirements for both rapid integration and flexible control.

"SPIRIT enables application developers and equipment makers to create reliable multipoint conferencing systems. We are glad Plustek has appreciated the high performance and scalability of our solutions," stated Alex Kravchenko, VP Sales of SPIRIT. "With continuous wins from numerous mobile OEMs, SPIRIT remains the strongest provider of embedded voice and video products in the enterprise segment."

Webber Tseng, Product Manager of Plustek mentioned, "With SPIRIT's conferencing solution, our product will allow companies to instantly launch secure interactive online meetings from PC to PC with unprecedented speed and quality. The remarkable functionality and the ease of integration of SPIRIT's products permit us to provide our business customers with an optimal conferencing solution exactly when they need it - today."

About SPIRIT
SPIRIT DSP (www.spiritDSP.com) employs 140 professionals, and has been in the international software licensing business since 1992. A bootstrap company, SPIRIT has been profitable for 15 years. For the last 10 years, SPIRIT's focus has been on voice and video communication software products. SPIRIT counts among its customers Adobe, Agere, Arima, ARM, Atmel, Blizzard Entertainment, BT plc., Cisco, Compal, deltathree, Flextronics, Ericsson, HP, HTC, Huawei, Importek, Korea Telecom, Kyocera, LG, MediaRing, Microsoft, NEC, Nortel Networks, NXP, Oracle, Paltalk, Polycom, Quanta, Radvision, Reigncom, Samsung, Siemens, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Trinity Convergence and Veraz, and among 200+ other communication OEMs and software vendors. SPIRIT communication software is used in over 80 countries and powers more than 100 million embedded voice channels. SeeStorm is a SPIRIT affiliate for synthetic video conferencing.

TeamSpirit is a registered trademark and IP-MR is a trademark of SPIRIT DSP. All other trademarks and/or registered trademarks are registered to their respective owners.
###

Symmetricom Realigns to Better Serve Core and Growth Markets
Leverages Synergies and Brings Additional Operational Efficiencies to Organization by Combining Telecom Solutions and Quality of Experience Assurance Divisions

SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 24, 2008 - Symmetricom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SYMM) today announced it is streamlining certain complementary solutions into a single division to better serve and leverage sales opportunities in its core telco, cable and wireless markets. The combination of the Telecom Solutions (TSD) and Quality of Experience (QoE) Assurance divisions will leverage technology, product and sales synergies and be led by current TSD Executive Vice President and General Manager James Armstrong.

Symmetricom's President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Steipp commented, "As virtually all communication service providers migrate to IP and next generation networks to support the enormous growth that is anticipated in video, voice, and data services, they look to industry leaders like Symmetricom for the most cost-effective and innovative solutions. This new approach simplifies how we work with telecom and cable customers in order to more broadly address their needs to ensure the performance and availability of core networks as well as the interoperability of next generation applications."

Timing and synchronization go hand-in-hand with quality assurance in next generation communication networks that deliver advanced video, telephony, mobile and wireless services. Symmetricom's timing and synchronization products continue to play a critical role in advancing the deployment of these new services and the addition of video quality monitoring solutions enable the company to more quickly and deeply penetrate core target markets.

"We recognize that more and more of our customers value comprehensive solutions that we deliver which range from enabling technologies such as timing to service assurance products such as video quality monitoring," said Paul Chermak, executive vice president, global sales and support for Symmetricom. "We see new market opportunities rapidly emerging and with the full breadth of the mission-critical solutions that we offer, our customers are able to realize immediate value across multiple next generation services."

About Symmetricom, Inc.
As a worldwide leader in precise time and frequency products and services, Symmetricom provides "Perfect Timing" to customers around the world. Since 1985, the company's solutions have helped define the world's time and frequency standards, delivering precision, reliability and efficiency to wireline and wireless networks, instrumentation and testing applications and network time management. Deployed in more than 90 countries, the company's synchronization solutions include primary reference sources, building integrated timing supplies (BITS), GPS timing receivers, time and frequency distribution systems, network time servers and ruggedized oscillators. Symmetricom also incorporates technologies including Universal Timing Interface (UTI), Network Time Protocol (NTP), Precision Time Protocol (IEEE 1588), and others supporting the world's migration to Next Generation Networks (NGN). Symmetricom is based in San Jose, Calif., with offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.symmetricom.com.

# # #

Aerohive Networks Introduces 802.11n Product Portfolio
Controller-less Architecture and Smart PoE Technology Accelerate Migration to 802.11n; Dual Homing, Ethernet Aggregation Increases Resiliency, Bandwidth

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 24, 2008 - Aerohive Networks, creators of the "cooperative control" wireless LAN (WLAN) access point (HiveAP), today announced a portfolio of 802.11n HiveAPs. The portfolio includes the attractively designed dual-radio HiveAP 320 for indoor use, the metal-chassis dual-radio HiveAP 340 for indoor-industrial use, and the waterproof three-radio HiveAP 380 for outdoor use. Each product has two Gigabit Ethernet ports that provide power-over-Ethernet (PoE) using Aerohive's patent-pending Smart PoE technology. Aerohive's cooperative control architecture eliminates the need for costly centralised network controllers, enabling Aerohive to provide a resilient 802.11n solution for the cost of most vendors' 802.11g solutions. More information about the new products and the company's cooperative control wireless LAN architecture is available at www.aerohive.com.

Cooperative Control Unlocks the Power of 802.11n

Aerohive's controller-less wireless LAN architecture is ideal for 802.11n networks because it eliminates the need to deploy the expensive, high-capacity controllers that are required to handle the increased throughput of 802.11n. Removing controllers from the network also eliminates the bandwidth bottlenecks, latency, and jitter that result from backhauling traffic through a controller. Resiliency is also increased when the single points of failure found in controller-based architectures are eliminated. The result is a scalable wireless LAN that can support high-performance, mission-critical applications.

"The wireless LAN in our Emergency Room environment runs mission-critical applications," said John Gaede, director, information systems, El Centro Regional Medical Center. "We evaluated three other leading WLAN vendors and chose Aerohive for our .11n deployment because of the Aerohive architecture's benefits of scale, resiliency, and ease-of-use. Of all the systems we evaluated, Aerohive also had the best performance, the least packet loss, and the best coverage. Cooperative control is the wireless LAN architecture of the future."

"The problems generally associated with centralised network controllers
- cost, capacity, performance, and availability - are exacerbated in an 802.11n environment," said David Flynn, chief executive officer, Aerohive. "By contrast, the benefits of our unique, controller-less architecture become even more apparent in 802.11n deployments. Every organisation interested in 802.11n needs to reconsider their WLAN architecture, and when they do, they will see the compelling advantages of Aerohive's cooperative control architecture."

Cooperative Control, Smart PoE Technology Accelerates Migration to 802.11n

The Aerohive cooperative control architecture makes it easy for enterprises to upgrade their wireless access points to 802.11n on an as-needed basis. Aerohive 802.11n HiveAPs may be seamlessly deployed along with 802.11a/b/g HiveAPs. Aerohive also enables easy migration to 802.11n from autonomous or "fat" access points. If 802.11n HiveAPs are deployed on the same subnet or VLAN as an enterprise's fat access points, network users can even roam between the HiveAPs and their old fat access points, which is often not possible with controller-based 802.11n deployments.

The new HiveAPs also facilitate the transition to 802.11n by providing flexible support for legacy network switches. Aerohive's Smart PoE technology automatically detects the level of Power over Ethernet (PoE) being delivered by the connected switches. Most legacy switches can provide a HiveAP with full power via a single 802.3af PoE connection. If required, HiveAP services can be automatically reduced to fit within the delivered power envelope.

When the HiveAP's dual gigabit Ethernet ports are connected to two PoE ports, the HiveAP is always fully powered. If the HiveAP is connected to two separate switches, it can optionally support dual homing for increased resiliency. If the HiveAP is connected to two ports on the same switch, the HiveAP provides Ethernet link aggregation for increased bandwidth if the switch supports link aggregation. A single PoE+ or 802.3at connection will also fully power a HiveAP. When two PoE+ connections are available, the HiveAP will also support redundant power and data resiliency.

Resilient 802.11n for the Price of Other Vendors' 802.11g

Aerohive's resilient 802.11n wireless LAN solutions cost approximately the same as competitors' 802.11a/b/g resilient solutions. The Aerohive cooperative control architecture, with its inherent resiliency, eliminates the need for costly network controllers and backup controllers. In addition, critical features, such as wireless mesh capability, security, and QoS, which are commonly separately licensed, are included in HiveAPs at no additional charge. Aerohive's 802.11n HiveAPs are priced approximately the same as competitors' 802.11n access points. As a result, solutions that require network controllers will nearly always be more expensive, often 200%-300% more expensive, than an Aerohive controller-less solution.

Pricing and Availability

The HiveAP 320 indoor access point and HiveAP 340 indoor-industrial access point will both be available in July. The HiveAP 380 outdoor access point will be available in the fourth quarter of 2008.

About Aerohive Networks
Aerohive Networks' cooperative control enterprise wireless LAN architecture provides all the management, mobility, and security of controller-based architectures without the cost, capacity, performance, and availability issues associated with controller deployments. The architecture also scales easily to support 802.11n. In addition, Aerohive solutions provide the reliability and scalability necessary for mission-critical networks and are optimized for voice over wireless LAN
(VoWLAN) applications. Aerohive was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. The company's investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Northern Light Venture Capital.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | | Permalink | Comments (0)

This caught everyone's attention in the VoIP and Unified Communications space this morning.

I resigned from Pulvermedia

Just wanted to share the news that I have resigned as a director from PulverMedia.

And I am not able to say anything else nor can I address any questions about this.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been slowly working up to a podcast briefing with the folks at Strata8 Networks. Tomorrow I'll be attending this seminar at the Hyatt in Bellevue, WA to get a little more insight. The rise in wireless technologies certainly fuels the expansion of unified communications as we watch all network services converge into a ubiquitous "service in the cloud" of the future.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more about Strata8 Networks in the future. And if you're at the seminar, please say hi.

REMINDER: YOUR FREE LUNCH SEMINAR IS TOMORROW! APRIL 24TH, 11:30AM-1:00PM, BELLEVUE HYATT. Thank you for registering for the Controlling Enterprise Wireless Expenditures lunch seminar, sponsored by Strata8 Networks. In this information-packed 90-minute lunch seminar, you'll hear industry experts explain the current paradigm in enterprise cellular purchasing, usage and spending. In addition, you'll learn how forward thinking enterprises are combatting the growing problem of "Wireless Creep", and in the process reducing their total communications costs by as much as 15%-25%. Every attendee will receive a FREE copy of Frost & Sullivan's latest research titled "Management of Costs for Enterprise Wireless". In addition, all attendees will be entered into a drawing for a FREE Apple iPod Touch to be given away at the end of the session (must be present to win). Directions to the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue can be found here. Look for signs in the Hyatt lobby stating: "Strata8 Wireless Expenditures Lunch Seminar". If you have questions or would like to bring a friend or colleague, please contact Mark Bloom, via email or by phone: 206-210-1036.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | Mobility/Fixed Mobille Convergence, Strategic Direction and Planning | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a story I've elected to overlook until now.

SightSpeed, a company I really like, is launching SightSpeed Light on MySpace. I've been encouraging my friends at SightSpeed to shift more toward business and away from the consumer roots they grew out of. They've been making moves to business solutions, but this release seems completely counter to that and ill advised.

While MySpace is a large network, popular with the millenial set to be sure, is releasing a free service on MySpace a viable plan for profitable business for a company like SightSpeed. If this is a proof of concept release, to test out SightSpeeds viability and potential in the social media world, again, why MySpace> The business dollars for the future certainly aren't there. Why not Facebook where college and business people are found more and more these days? A free proof of concept on Facebook makes sense. MySpace just doesn't.

I got email this morning from my friend, SightSpeed CEO, Peter Csathy that indicates this is the first of a series of announcements. I'll be watching for the rest. And I'll be hoping for news that strengthens SightSpeed's offerings and potential. This one is, for me, unfortunate and a step off the right track.

SIGHTSPEED LIGHT TO LAUNCH ON MYSPACE
SightSpeed Brings V-Mail and V-Chat Widget to the World's Largest Social Network

BERKELEY, Calif.-April 22, 2008--SightSpeed Inc., the leading provider of Internet video communications, today announced it has launched SightSpeed Light on MySpace (www.myspace.com/359330835), the world's most popular social network. SightSpeed becomes the first company to offer integrated video mail, public video posting and free video chat for members of MySpace in a free, easy-to-use, no-download app called SightSpeed Light. Empowered by MySpace's newly announced Developer Platform (http://developer.myspace.com), SightSpeed was able to easily build, test and ultimately deploy SightSpeed Light.

SightSpeed Light makes video conversations with MySpace friends livelier, whether they're real-time, face-to-face chats or threaded posts created by friends recording and posting video messages.

SightSpeed Light captures and creates video messages as posts, creating extended video conversations that are face-to-face, but not necessarily in real time. These threaded conversations start with someone creating and posting a SightSpeed video of themselves about any topic. From there, anyone else in that person's MySpace friends group can respond and add his or her thoughts. SightSpeed Light organizes the thread automatically, thus creating a video conversation, all without leaving MySpace.

MySpace first introduced its Developer Platform site on February 5, 2008, beginning a one-month application development period allowing companies, including SightSpeed, time to build and test their applications in a secure environment before going live to the MySpace community.

On March 13, 2008, MySpace launched the public beta of the Application Gallery (http://apps.myspace.com), enabling broader testing of approved applications by allowing public installation. MySpace members can now discover and add new applications from a variety of categories, including SightSpeed Light, to both their home and profile pages.

"Bringing SightSpeed Light to MySpace provides users with communications functionality currently not available in any other form on MySpace," said SightSpeed VP, Marketing, Eric Quanstrom. "SightSpeed Light allows MySpace users--especially those Gen Y-ers who grew up texting--to use video just as easily as they use text. And, all without leaving the familiarity of MySpace."

As with all MySpace Developer Platform applications, SightSpeed Light will be able to safely access publically available profile information including a user's friend list, interests, photos & albums, video, as well as status & mood. SightSpeed Light will have real estate in five places within MySpace including:

• A MySpace application profile (users can "friend" the apps)
• Access to embed applications on the user homepage (inward facing--for you to see)
• Access to embed applications on profiles (outward facing widget--for friends to see)
• An application gallery listing
• A canvas page

"SightSpeed Light is a great example of the way we intended developers to use the MySpace Developer Platform to create innovative and useful tools for our users," said Kyle Brinkman, vice president and general manager, MySpace Developer Platform. "Our end goal is to enrich our users' experience through unique and engaging applications, like SightSpeed Light, and we look forward to watching the MySpace Developer Platform continue to evolve."

For more information about the MySpace Developer Platform, please visit http://developer.myspace.com.

SightSpeed Light for MySpace can be accessed here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=359330835.


# # #

About SightSpeed
SightSpeed Inc. is the award-winning provider of Internet video communications for both the business user and consumer. The company offers the broadest portfolio of industry-leading Internet video communications services, including SightSpeed Light, SightSpeed Free and SightSpeed PLUS, the most widely praised consumer-focused video chat services, which turn a PC or Mac into an easy-to-use video phone to communicate with friends and family around the world; and SightSpeed Business, the world's first high-quality, cost-effective and hardware-free videoconferencing service for all businesses (including SMBs). SightSpeed's services are SIP-based and standards-compliant. The company's revolutionary human perception-based technology is patented and based on more than ten years of research and development originating out of Cornell University.

Founded in 2001 and based in Berkeley, Calif., SightSpeed is a privately held company funded by The Roda Group, best known for launching Ask Jeeves and PolyServe. For more information about SightSpeed, visit www.sightspeed.com.

About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first ranked web domain in terms of page views (*), MySpace is the most widely-used and highly regarded site of its kind and is committed to providing the highest quality member experience. MySpace will continue to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their creativity and share their lives, both online and off. MySpace's international network includes localized community sites in the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Latin America, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Brazil and the United Kingdom. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS) (NYSE:NWS.A) (ASX:NWS) (ASX:NWSLV).

(*) Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, December 2007. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to http://www.comscore.com.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | News and Trends, Video | Permalink | Comments (4)

While this doesn't apply to unified communications in any way, many readers here are also personal friends, or may become friends as we cross paths at industry conferences and such. Since sharing our personal lives with blog readers is something I feel is an important part of all we do, I thought I'd share this here because I know there are many readers who follow our work and life together.

Digg it!

Sphere it!

Del.icio.us

Reddit!

Newsvine

Posted by Ken Camp | News and Trends | Permalink | Comments (0)