I haven't gotten any comments here, but this has certainly been one of the more active stories in conversation around the blogosphere the past week or so. Here two recent posts from Andy Abramson yesterday -

When Is Using Adobe Flash and Apple's Safari Hacking?

It's hilarious that the mainstream media is saying that using Adobe's Flash and Apple's Safari is "hacking" in the recent matter of my calling Laptop's News Editor Joanna Stern via Phweet and TringMe "hacking."

If that's hacking, I guess Apple and Adobe make hacker tools? Somehow I don't think so.

[Read Andy's full post]

Ok, so the ignorance is showing over at Wired of all places. To say that hackers have found a way to use the service for voice-over-internet protocol calls shows incredible ignorance and a complete lack of due diligence on the part of Dave Demerjian, the author.

Wired, shame on you for running this gross misrepresentation. You've shamed true hackers everywhere. And you've given my pal Andy a big head about his hacking skills. (Ok, that's not true).

I've spent almost three decades working in network security. A significant portion of my life. Hacking might be in the gray area in many ways as to whether it's good or bad, but what needs to be really stated here is that any innocent user clicking a Twitter link to a Phweet call could have done this. There was no hacking involved. Just two pedestrian computer users, both using them the way they were designed.

Andy's second piece says this -

From the Department of Stupid Is as Stupid Does-Aircell

I have to thank one of my readers who pointed out to me the fact that Aircell is already in the business of making VoIP work in the skies.
It seems they are already marketing SIP based phones for the business
aviation market selling against others with similar products.

They're also selling a voice ready in flight communications system and a Broadband DSL in the sky product, both
of which offer voice options, the former being Satellite based Iridium
and the latter being IP, meaning anything can likely work over it.

[Read Andy's full post]

I naturally had to click through to read the Aircell link. And I want to make sure we're fair to everyone (yes, even fair to the boneheads involved). Aircell does indeed do Satcom and Iridium type phones that have long been used in commercial voice service by airlines. But their web page clearly states or "a Wi-Fi SIP Cordless handset (available in 2007)."

Their Business Aviation Data page talks about 802.11b/g solutions "at DSL broadband speed" (not DSL). There's no mention of VoIP or voice services in conjunction with that service. It is clearly described:

Operating in Aircell Axxess' wireless environment, Aircell broadband allows you to check e-mail, surf the Web, tap into an office network and stay current on the latest news, all at DSL broadband speed.

There's no hint of voice in there. I'd say they aren't attempting to confuse their customers in any way, but they may be a tad behind the curve with how technology is used. In short, their marketing collateral may be a tad weak.

The last page I checked does mention voice services, but specifically describes their ST3100 as a satellite tranceiver (not VoIP) that provides access to the Iridium (not VoIP) network.

Let's not falsely accuse Aircell of misrepresenting anything. They're complicit as a partner in an ill-conceived solution that's been spinning badly for them. They're guilty of making it worse with sloppy responses. That's a fair statement. And to simplify things, Aircell is simply blaming the airline who's saying nothing.

So to my good friend Rich Tehrani, who spends almost as much time in the air as Andy, why not reach out to Aircell, American Airlines, Andy and a couple of industry technology experts and throw a timely panel discussion of this, including the players involved, at the upcoming ITExpo in Los Angeles? What better place to get all the right people talking toward a solution rather than pouring gasoline on the fire?

Technorati Tags: Aircell, VoIP, mobility, Andy Abramson, Rich Tehrani, ITExpo