Yesterday was the official launch of the Rogers One Number service, and I was on-hand for the analyst briefing hosted at their HQ in downtown Toronto.This was the second day in a row that Ronald Gruia from Frost & Sullivan was with me at an event - that's never happened before, and go figure, we both started working there the same day 11 years ago this week. Time flies, huh? I mention that because during the briefing we saw that the new service is dubbed RON for short. Had to smile, thinking maybe Ron is so influential they named this after him, but I don't think us analysts have quite that…
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Most Topular Stories
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Rogers One Number Service Launched - UC for Consumers
Jon Arnold's Analyst 2.0 Blog8 Feb 2012 | 4:48 am -
8x8 Celebrates 25 Years
VoIP Watch5 Feb 2012 | 10:58 pm8x8 has a birthday. They're now 25 years old. The company has had a lot of transitions, but the core to their business is a patent portfolio that puts things inside real time communications hardware and software. Here's a list of their milestones: 8x8 Highlights and Milestones: 1987 - 8x8 founded under the name Integrated Information Technology 1990 - Company establishes itself as a leading manufacturer of semiconductors used in embedded videoconferencing and videophone products 1990 - Bryan Martin hired as “Member of Technical Staff” and ultimately becomes CEO in 2002 1992… -
Why we are buying paidContent
GigaOM » Om Malik Archives8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amFirst the news: Yes, the rumors are true. We are indeed buying the assets of ContentNext Media from Guardian News & Media Limited. And no, we are not disclosing the terms of the deal, except that we are buying the entire group of properties — paidContent.org, mocoNews.net, contentSutra and paidContent:UK and that a representative of Guardian News & Media will join our board of directors as an observer. A few weeks ago when Paul Walborsky, CEO of GigaOM, came to the board and suggested that we should try and acquire paidContent, my fellow board members — Jon Callaghan (True… -
Why Steve Jobs had an FBI File
Communications and Technology Blog - Tehrani.com9 Feb 2012 | 8:50 amThe FBI just released the file on Steve Jobs and it contains information about hem being not the nicest person in the world and in addition lists the various drugs he used such as marijuana, hashish and LSD.I know what you are thinking... Why on earth would this man need an FBI file? After all, he was the man behind the personal computer - how dangerous is that? The reason it turns out is In 1991, Jobs was being considered for a post on President George H.W. Bush’s Export Council, an appointment that would not have required Senate confirmation.So that explains it. Still, it is worrisome to… -
Xbox 720: The pre-owned games debate
Techwatch: Tech News9 Feb 2012 | 2:20 amWe’ve heard plenty about the next Xbox, which many are calling the Xbox 720 for the time being. The console, which should be out in the autumn of 2013, is alleged to have six times the graphical firepower of the … Continue reading →
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Jon Arnold's Analyst 2.0 Blog
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Rogers One Number Service Launched - UC for Consumers
8 Feb 2012 | 4:48 amYesterday was the official launch of the Rogers One Number service, and I was on-hand for the analyst briefing hosted at their HQ in downtown Toronto.This was the second day in a row that Ronald Gruia from Frost & Sullivan was with me at an event - that's never happened before, and go figure, we both started working there the same day 11 years ago this week. Time flies, huh? I mention that because during the briefing we saw that the new service is dubbed RON for short. Had to smile, thinking maybe Ron is so influential they named this after him, but I don't think us analysts have quite that… -
Know Your Alternatives Event on Thursday - Last Call!
7 Feb 2012 | 7:33 amIf you follow me, you'll know about this week's Know Your Alternatives event here in Toronto. I've be posting about it off and on, and will be speaking on the SIP Trunking session, which runs at 11:30 during Breakout #3. I won't be hard to find, and will be there all day, so if you're coming, let's connect.As per their Twitter feed - @KYAlternatives - today is the last day to register, so get on that now if you still need to sign up. Otherwise, I hope to see you there on Thursday! -
MobileMonday roundtable - where's the innovation?
7 Feb 2012 | 6:55 amLast night was MobileMonday Toronto's annual Meet the Analysts event at the MaRS Discovery District facility. I was invited to moderate, and fortunately, the weather co-operated. Last week I was at the ITExpo in Miami, and my flight back to Toronto yesterday came off without any delays - phew!Joining me on the panel was my Frost & Sullivan pal, Ronald Gruia, and Mike Abramsky from RBC Capital Markets. We were there to talk about our outlook for the mobile market in 2012, and we could have gone on a long time. The turnout was solid - I'd say about 200 attendess, and Jim Brown's team at… -
ITExpo - Day 1 - It's a Hit
2 Feb 2012 | 4:42 amThe 2012 edition of ITExpo East kicked off yesterday here in Miami. Some of us were here on Monday too, but the main program began on Tuesday. I've been pretty busy between briefings, ad hoc meetings and moderating panels, but the vibe has been consistent so far. Across the board, I think most people will tell you the event is working really well. The hallways are full with activity, the sessions are well attended, the content is great, and the breadth of subject matter is far too great for any human to consume. This last point is to be taken in stride, as all conferences struggle with going… -
Welcome Aculab - new blog sponsor
30 Jan 2012 | 6:26 amJust a quick update - notice anything different about my blog today? Aculab is now running a banner in support of their current campaign around Aculab Cloud.I've worked with Aculab off and on, and they're doing some interesting things with the cloud - you'll be hearing more about that shortly. The cloud, of course, is a big theme in 2012, and Aculab is going with the flow here, extending what's possible, not just for traditional customers, but also for reaching new customers who could not previously integrate telephony with their services or applications.Closer to home, as an analyst, I'm…
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VoIP Watch
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8x8 Celebrates 25 Years
5 Feb 2012 | 10:58 pm8x8 has a birthday. They're now 25 years old. The company has had a lot of transitions, but the core to their business is a patent portfolio that puts things inside real time communications hardware and software. Here's a list of their milestones: 8x8 Highlights and Milestones: 1987 - 8x8 founded under the name Integrated Information Technology 1990 - Company establishes itself as a leading manufacturer of semiconductors used in embedded videoconferencing and videophone products 1990 - Bryan Martin hired as “Member of Technical Staff” and ultimately becomes CEO in 2002 1992… -
Three in UK Simplifies PrePaid on for Unlocked iPhone Users
4 Feb 2012 | 2:41 amI needed to pick up a local SIM for a friend visiting the UK in a month or so, and the carrier of choice for me when it comes to a single country SIM in the UK is usually 3.Their plain language approach and, now a new 15 pound a month plan for voice--300 minutes, text-3000 and all you can eat data for 30 days, is just plain, dumb, simple.Buy the pack at a 3 shop, dial 444 on your iPhone, wait five minutes and your connected. Honestly, this is the type of plan AT&T needs to offer in the USA. Uncomplicated. No lines to wait in, no store check-in, just ask for what you want and go. -
Deskphone or Tablet? You Decide
2 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amYesterday the Medill Reports Ben Shamisso penned a piece regarding the war of attrititon between the legacy deskphone and their looming replacements-smartphones and tablets. In the story both CounterPath's SVP Todd Carothers and I were quoted. My view is centered around the concept of utility. People will simply get more use out of a tablet based communications hub than the standard desk phones. It one of the reasons why Cloud TC and Panasonic both are making desk phones based upon the Android OS. An iPad in a Gorrilla stand makes for a very good desk phone already. So will Android… -
Video Conferencing Is Heating Up, The Established Will Be Challenged
27 Jan 2012 | 8:56 amImage via CrunchBase Just as we're seeing Over the Top (OTT) in voice and data service impacting the legacy mobile operators and telcos, there's also a movement afoot thats going to challenge the legacy video conferencing providers like BT, Verizon, Glowpoint (I'm a shareholder) and the rest who have been in the business of white glove video conferncing services, operating exchanges or hosting bridging services. Yesterday pal Larry Lisser, who is known in the telecom industry as the person to go to to revive sales, penned a post supportive of disruptive Silicon Valley startup,… -
Read Martin Geddes Latest Post-Your Job My Be At Stake If You Don't
27 Jan 2012 | 7:04 amIf you haven't read pal Martin Geddes latest post on the Future of Communications entitled Peak Telecom, you are missing something that is likely either something you have likely said, thought, heard someone say in private or really wished you had. It's a stunningly brilliant piece of writing that leads you to wonder, "what is Martin going to say next" as you read through it. This post is every bit as important as Alec Saunders 2005 post entitled The Voice 2.0 Manifesto in my opinion as far as laying things out or the famed Pulver Purple Minutes post. It is worthy of your…
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GigaOM » Om Malik Archives
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Why we are buying paidContent
8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amFirst the news: Yes, the rumors are true. We are indeed buying the assets of ContentNext Media from Guardian News & Media Limited. And no, we are not disclosing the terms of the deal, except that we are buying the entire group of properties — paidContent.org, mocoNews.net, contentSutra and paidContent:UK and that a representative of Guardian News & Media will join our board of directors as an observer. A few weeks ago when Paul Walborsky, CEO of GigaOM, came to the board and suggested that we should try and acquire paidContent, my fellow board members — Jon Callaghan (True… -
Data without context is dirt
7 Feb 2012 | 7:39 amData, I believe is like plastic. You can use it to make wonderful things. However, like plastic, it can be a great polluter and create havoc on the environment. Or as I like to say, data without context is dirt. Brad Feld captured this dark side of data in his post, Three Magic Numbers. “Recently, I’ve noticed a cambrian explosion of data among several of the companies I work with. The number of different numbers being tracked daily is massive. When you walk into their office there are screens full of graphs on the wall. Everyone in the company has access to the trends over time across a… -
7 stories to read this weekend
4 Feb 2012 | 12:00 amWhat a week! Most of the world was obsessing over the mother of all IPOs — Facebook. So no surprise, I had to include some good writing on the subject. Of course, I have already started looking beyond the social internet and got some good pointers for that. NowStreet Journal asks, what would have Facebook S-1 (and IPO) looked like had it come out in the days when tech stocks were given the small stock treatment? Also: Why Facebook is failing, Why Facebook’s growth is slowing so much and Evaluating a big network, which isn’t the same as a big product. It is time to move on… -
We are all living inside the notification hell
3 Feb 2012 | 8:01 amEmails, tweets, notifications, text and instant messages, Facebook status updates, Path moments — all these are new tools of communication when taken together are notification hell. These notifications prey on human desire for a dopamine fix. And just as we are over-caffeinated, I think the 21st century is quickly making us over-notified. (I think this is my second new phrase of the week – the first one being aspirational escape velocity) The worst part is that there is nothing we can do about it. Apparently Tweeting and checking emails is much harder addiction to give up that… -
Zynga & its Facebook Problem
2 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amZynga has been trying its very best to diversify its business — with 93 percent of its sales coming from Facebook, it doesn’t have much of choice. Ben Schachter, Internet analyst with Macquarie Securities sent a note to his clients this morning after digging through the Facebook S-1. His take — it isn’t going to be a pretty fourth quarter of 2011 for the game-maker, who is still swimming in lukewarm waters since its public offering. The Bottom Line - The initial read-through for ZNGA is potentially a negative indication for ZNGA’s 4Q revenue estimate. Assuming…
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Communications and Technology Blog - Tehrani.com
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Why Steve Jobs had an FBI File
9 Feb 2012 | 8:50 amThe FBI just released the file on Steve Jobs and it contains information about hem being not the nicest person in the world and in addition lists the various drugs he used such as marijuana, hashish and LSD.I know what you are thinking... Why on earth would this man need an FBI file? After all, he was the man behind the personal computer - how dangerous is that? The reason it turns out is In 1991, Jobs was being considered for a post on President George H.W. Bush’s Export Council, an appointment that would not have required Senate confirmation.So that explains it. Still, it is worrisome to… -
Google+ Growth, Dropbox Killer: Google IS the Tech News
9 Feb 2012 | 8:04 amGoogle has entrenched itself is so many areas of tech they have become the technology news of the day. First off, Google+ growth has been nothing short of fantastic, in part because the company has altered search results to put more emphasis on this social network. Every SEO/SEM professional has had no choice in the past few months to get up to speed on the latest social network from the search giant. And this in part is the reason why it has half the unique visitors of Twitter according to web traffic tracking site Compete. In other unrelated news in the mobile market – hey wait, it… -
Rewards Network, the Social Restaurant Hub
7 Feb 2012 | 1:52 pmIn the last few decades it has become apparent that all companies are for the most part limited by their imaginations. Apple was thought to be a computer company but is now a leader in music, movies and phones. Amazon went from selling books to everything – even its servers are for rent via its cloud-computing solutions. Google went from search to purchasing Motorola Mobility and is well known for being involved in many projects from solar to self-driving cars and the television space. But an airline? Certainly they aren’t adapting to the new competitive landscape – after… -
Apple's Catering to the Press is Just Smart
7 Feb 2012 | 3:12 amAs a member of the press, I have had mixed experiences with companies looking for me to cover them. Quite often, a company sending me their products for review will be responsive if I have technical difficulties due to a product malfunction of some kind such as buggy firmware. This is smart business. Not all companies do this mind you. Some will just “send it and forget it” which is pretty stupid because a single poor review can cause sales to decrease dramatically and as a reviewer my goal is to give my honest feedback to my readers. So when I read an article titled One Way Apple… -
ITEXPO Miami 2012 Day 1 Analysis
2 Feb 2012 | 6:31 amTrade shows are in fact barometers of industry sentiment and mood and to gauge what the feeling is in the technology and communications spaces I turn to Jon Arnold's blog post about the first day here at ITEXPO.First off Jon is about as balanced as they come - even his compliments come with room for improvement weaved in. So I invite you to read his full post about the show so far - which again says a lot about where the rest of 2012 will be heading in our spaces.Across the board, I think most people will tell you the event is working really well. The hallways are full with activity, the…
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Techwatch: Tech News
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Xbox 720: The pre-owned games debate
9 Feb 2012 | 2:20 amWe’ve heard plenty about the next Xbox, which many are calling the Xbox 720 for the time being. The console, which should be out in the autumn of 2013, is alleged to have six times the graphical firepower of the … Continue reading → -
PC sales down 20% in the UK
9 Feb 2012 | 1:10 amThe UK market for PCs is looking decidedly rocky according to the latest figures from Gartner. The research firm, which doesn’t include media tablets in its PC stats as do some rivals, estimated a year-on-year decline of 19.6% in overall … Continue reading → -
Chrome for Android: The reaction
9 Feb 2012 | 12:36 amYou’re unlikely to have missed the fact that this week, Google has pushed out a beta of the Chrome for Android browser. This means that Android tablet and smartphone users can be officially Chromed up for surfing the mobile web, … Continue reading → -
Apple TV to snare 5% of HDTV market?
8 Feb 2012 | 3:14 amAt the end of last year, we heard a lot of rumours about Apple’s supposedly upcoming TV set offering (the iTV, as it has been referred to in the past). Speculation indicated that the HDTV will come in three sizes, … Continue reading → -
Samsung Galaxy S III: Thinnest phone yet?
8 Feb 2012 | 12:50 amThere’s been another rush of rumours about Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S. One piece of speculation, derived from OLED-Display.net, claims that the handset will be the thinnest phone ever at just 7mm thick. Apparently the firm has managed to find a … Continue reading →
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FierceVoIP
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Oracle makes $1.9B offer for Taleo to add more cloud services
9 Feb 2012 | 7:41 amThere is more M&A activity in the cloud space today as Oracle offered the Internet-based human-resources software company Taleo $1.9 billion for its business. The acquisition will help Oracle better position itself in the booming cloud services market. Just last month, Oracle acquired RightNow for $1.5 billion. Ovum's chief analyst, Tim Jennings, said in an email that this deal shows enterprises increasingly are likely to accept the Software-as-a-Solution model, and he said he believes the Human Capital Management (HCM) space will follow "in the footsteps of Customer Relationship… -
Google, Cisco find it's easy to be green
9 Feb 2012 | 7:08 amHow green is the valley? Well, according to GreenPeace, which just released its Cool IT report, which measures how Internet and telecom companies stack up vis-à-vis their technology, energy consumption and political advocacy, it's getting better behind increasingly eco-friendly Google and Cisco. Google got the the top overall score (53 out of 100), while Cisco (49 out of 100), Ericsson (48 out of 100) and Fujitsu (48 out of 100) followed shortly behind. The worst: Oracle (10 out of 100) at the very bottom, and TCS (11 out of 100) and Telefonica (11 out of 100) at the second and third… -
Polycom continues executive shuffle, names EA's Brown to dual CFO, COO role
9 Feb 2012 | 5:01 amPolycom (Nasdaq: PLCM), which last week added five new execs to its North American sales team, continued its executive makeover, announcing it has hired Electronic Arts (EA) executive Eric Brown to join the company as CFO and COO, replacing retiring CFO Mike Kourey. Brown, 46, will manage all financial, operational, and IT functions at Polycom, which are being consolidated under one leader for greater efficiency and scale as the company looks to accelerate its momentum. He'll report to CEO Andy Miller, who joined Polycom in May 2010. Kourey will retire from his position as EVP & CFO of… -
Cisco plans more M&As as strong Q2 tops expectations
8 Feb 2012 | 8:42 pmIt appears to be back to business as usual for Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO), which reported a 27 percent bump in second quarter earnings from a year ago, topped analyst's expectations and increased its quarterly dividend from 2 cents to 8 cents a share. The quarter included record revenue and comes on the heels of two previous quarters where Cisco outdid Wall Street's forecasts. The networking giant's EPS were 47 cents, up from 37 cents per share a year ago, on net income of $2.2 billion from $1.5 billion last year, handily beating analysts' expectations of 43 cents per share. Revenue was up 10… -
Radvision bests Q4 expectations; issues poor Q1 guidance
8 Feb 2012 | 6:36 amTelepresence vendor Radvision (Nasdaq: RVSN), which earlier this year upped its fourth quarter guidance, today reported strong revenue and profit numbers that beat analyst estimates. The company reported revenues of $21.8 million for the quarter, down 18 percent from the $26.6 million it reported in the year-ago quarter, but in-line with the $21.5 million to $22 million it anticipated. Earnings per share meanwhile, beat estimates by 15 percent. The company expected a loss of between 25-28 cents per diluted share on a GAAP basis, and 18-21 cents per diluted share on a non-GAAP basis, but…
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IP Carrier
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Google to Launch Cloud Service
9 Feb 2012 | 1:15 pmGoogle is rumored to be launching a cloud-storage service that would compete head-to-head with Dropbox, SugarSync and others. The search giant’s cloud service will be called Drive and it’ll not only be free to consumers up to a certain size limit but it will also be folded into Google Apps for enterprise customers. Google to launch cloud service -
Teens Text, Don't Talk (You Knew That)
9 Feb 2012 | 11:26 amIf it seems like American teens are texting all the time, it’s probably because on average they’re sending or receiving 3,339 texts a month, Nielsen says. Using recent data from monthly cell phone bills of more than 60,000 mobile subscribers as well as survey data from over 3,000 teens, The Nielsen Company analyzed mobile usage data among teens in the United States for the second quarter of 2010 (April 2010 – June 2010). Teens text, don't talk -
A4A Calls on the U.S. Government to Safeguard GPS, the Backbone of NextGen
9 Feb 2012 | 6:06 amIf you pay attention to any part of the global telecom business, you know that government and regulatory policies literally create, and can limit or destroy, any particular business plan, in any particular segment of the business. Spectrum allocations provide an excellent example. LightSquared and Dish Network both want permission to create new Long Term Evolution fourth generation mobile networks, but neither effort can proceed without authorization from the Federal Communications Commission.LightSquared has been battling the objections of the Global Positioning System industry, and now… -
Visa Introduces Suite of Mobile Services for U.S. Financial Institutions - MarketWatch
9 Feb 2012 | 6:06 amVisa has launched a suite of mobile services that allow financial institutions to offer their account holders mobile banking services, including account history and balances, as well as the ability to transfer funds between accounts and receive near real time transaction alerts on their mobile devices.Developed with Monitise, the new platform is available as part of Visa's card issuer platform, Visa DPS.Additional services are currently in development including mobile check deposit, mobile (NFC) payments, mobile offers, and support for V.me by Visa, Visa's digital wallet service. Visa… -
Because of Mobile, TV Now is a 2-Screen Experience
8 Feb 2012 | 2:25 pmDuring Super Bowl XLVI, 41 percent of Google searches related to “Super Bowl ads” made during the game were made from mobile devices. Nor is that sort of behavior unusual. About 45 percent of respondents polled by Nielsen who own both smart phones and tablets say they routinely multitask while watching television. Separately, Velti commissioned a nationwide U.S. poll that indicated nearly 60 percent of mobile users planned to look at, or use their mobile device, during this year's Super Bowl. The study, conducted by Harris Interactive, also suggested that 30 percent of viewers under…
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Dean Bubley's Disruptive Wireless
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There will be a pushback against user profiling, big data & analytics
8 Feb 2012 | 12:37 amWhen it comes to Internet or telecom companies and personal data and privacy, I think there are two classes of abusive behaviour that tend to annoy end-users:Revealing specific data-points without permissionOver-analysis of user behaviour during longer periods of timeThe first class is more "obvious" - we've seen outcries about abuses from companies such as Google (with its WiFi logging and Google Streetmap content), Telefonica O2 (revealing phone numbers to websites during mobile browsing) and Carrier IQ (logging all on-handset activity).But the second type is more insidious, yet leaves many… -
An update on @DApremium - the world's first paid Twitter channel. Now available with quarterly or annual subscriptions
1 Feb 2012 | 1:02 pmIt's now been six weeks since I announced the launch of @DApremium, my second Twitter stream - one which is available only to paid subscribers. (The original announcement with the background of the disruptive and ground-breaking concept is here).Since then, I've added 173 tweets to @DApremium, and signed up a couple of dozen followers; a mix of standalone paying Tweet-stream subscribers, and those who have obtained access bundled with purchasing the new Telco-OTT Strategy Report, or various consulting engagements.Firstly, it has been pretty exciting to see an entirely new business model come… -
BYOD trend means BYOSP (bring your own service provider)... and will driveTelco-OTT services
31 Jan 2012 | 6:12 amOne of the largest trends in enterprise IT right now is “BYOD” – standing for “bring your own device”. This is just a snappy acronym for what’s been happening for a while – employees using their own mobile phones, tablets or other products for work as well as in their personal life. Previously, it was given the less-cool name of “consumerisation of the enterprise”, although pedantically that also implies the use of consumer-grade services (eg Skype) as well as hardware.BYOD is important for a whole host of reasons relevant to enterprise CIOs and their suppliers – security,… -
Telco-OTT Strategies report now published
26 Jan 2012 | 2:56 pmThe report is now available.135 pages88 operator services mentioned4 service categoriesContent, video & portalsCommunications, social & identityCorporate & cloud ConnectivityComprehensive discussion of what "Telco-OTT" means, why it's inevitable, and key success factors for making it work. Covers everything from VoIP to femtocells to SaaS to IP-VPNs to portals to IPTV-anywhere.For full details or to order via PO/invoice, please… -
Peak Telephony - why voice has to be about more than phone calls
24 Jan 2012 | 2:57 pmThis thread is from my Facebook page. The original poster is a 23yo friend, others range up to about 40-45yo. I thought it was worth a post as it highlights the reason why re-organising a trillion-dollar industry about something as near-obsolete as the 100-year old "phone call" is so dangerous.[Note: I don't know "Samuel" who defends the phone call, but by an interesting coincidence there's someone on LinkedIn who's a "technology analyst" with the same age & academic background].Ruth: Am I alone in really not liking talking on the phone? Or am I a bit weird? It's just that someone phoning…
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Unified Communications Strategies Blog
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UCaaS And Outsourced Agents For A Truly Virtual “UC Contact Center?”
5 Feb 2012 | 1:14 pmI recently attended a local presentation and roundtable discussion of a Frost & Sullivan study of “Total Cost of Ownership” and best practices for premise-based contact center solutions compared to those in the cloud. The roundtable was hosted by InContact, a global provider of hosted contact center technology, who also sponsored the TCO study. (http://www.incontact.com/) The conclusions of the study, not surprisingly, showed significantly lower TCO for the hosted, contact centers than comparable premise-based systems. Furthermore, TCO analysis showed that the cost savings… -
What’s In A Name? “UC,” “Lync,” and Now “Social Business”
20 Jan 2012 | 11:38 amIt’s all about branding new business communications technology in order to associate new products and, more importantly, new services in the marketplace. The trick is in the definitions of the brand and catching the interest of who in a business organization will be interested and responsible for new business communications capabilities. This is particularly tricky as both business processes and communications with people converge as software that all can exploit the Web as services. The biggest target used to be telephony for real-time person-to-person contacts, but as more consumers… -
It’s Time to Make “Unified Messaging” UC-Enabled
14 Jan 2012 | 1:28 amConsumers and business users are increasingly using message “texting” for person-to-person contacts, and automated business applications are targeting pro-active, time-sensitive alerts and “notifications” to multi-modal smartphone users. A recent study by Frost & Sullivan confirmed social media tools are being used more frequently than any form of conferencing. Sixty percent of C-level executives indicated that their mobile device was their primary means of communication for their jobs. So, it is time to pull messaging services and especially “unified… -
Apple’s Smart Bezel Will Make Smartphones Even Smarter
31 Dec 2011 | 3:35 pmFor my last post of the year, I want to highlight something else that Apple is bringing to the Mobile UC table. They have been notably successful in innovating the design of mobile devices (iPhone, iPad) and it looks like they are converging the user interface modalities even further with their latest patent announcement of the “Smart Bezel” and its Multi-Modal Human Interface (MMHI) Engine. http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/12/apples-revolutionary-smart-bezel-project-gains-a-new-chapter.html As long as I have been writing about the multi-modal benefits of UC for… -
Thanksgiving Week Evokes Thoughts of Hospitality in Unified Communications
26 Nov 2011 | 10:15 amIt’s been awhile since I’ve blogged about the hospitality industry, although I always pay attention to the telephony infrastructure (Ok, the phones in the room and behind the front desk) wherever I stay. I’ve seen a lot. There is a lot of old Nortel out there, particularly as they had a hand hold in the hospitality industry early on, for example. But more and more I’m seeing newer, higher end phone sets in rooms, along with newer entertainment options as well. Last July Mitel announced that the JW Marriott Indianapolis had selected and deployed Mitel’s Unified…
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TMCnet-News
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Persistent Systems' Acquires Openwave Systems' Location Business
9 Feb 2012 | 9:34 amPersistent Systems, a outsourced software product development (OPD) services company, recently acquired the Location business from Openwave Systems Inc. through its U.S. subsidiary. -
Persistent Systems' Acquires Openwave Systems' Location business
9 Feb 2012 | 9:32 amPersistent Systems, an outsourced software product development (OPD) services company, recently acquired the Location business from Openwave Systems Inc. through its U.S. subsidiary. -
ComSource Awarded Equipment Acquisition and Engineering Services Contract
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amComSource, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globecomm Systems, has been awarded a one year equipment acquisition and engineering services contract from a telecommunications service provider valued at up to $11.0 million. -
Photography Pioneer Kodak Exits Digital Camera Business
9 Feb 2012 | 9:25 amUnable to keep pace with the transition from film to digital technology, film photography pioneer Eastman Kodak Co. said that it will stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames. "Thus, marking the end of an era for a company that brought photography to the masses more than a century ago," wrote the Associated Press. -
Cloud Desktop Company Nivio Secures $21 Million in Funding
9 Feb 2012 | 9:19 amOn the heels of its U.S. launch at Macworld this week, cloud desktop company Nivio has secured $21 million in financing.
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Holy Kaw!
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Bear and wolf, friends for life [video]
9 Feb 2012 | 2:12 pmAll too often we lose track of our friends from childhood, but this bear and wolf appear to be BFFs despite the differences. Full story at YouTube via io9. Can’t we all just get along? Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Can dessert for breakfast help you lose weight?
9 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pmNew research suggests that, in the early morning, you can have your cake and shed pounds too A new study from Tel Aviv University finds that eating a small dessert as part of a balanced breakfast can actually help you shed unwanted pounds. Staying skinny and eating chocolate? Here, a brief guide to what sounds, frankly, impossible: Full story at The Week. Photo: CC by ::paqman:: All the top stories from The Week. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Romance survey [infographic]
9 Feb 2012 | 12:02 pmVia Hotels.com. Infographics to put you in the mood. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Do aliens go invisible by 'going green'?
9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 amAs we discover more and more planets around other stars, the Fermi Paradox is becoming, well, more paradoxical. The Fermi Paradox simply asks the question "where are they?" Our Milky Way galaxy is so big and so old -- and we are estimated to be accompanied by at least 100 billion planets -- that aliens should have visited us by now. Instead, when we peruse the heavens, we are faced with the Great Silence, which is one of the biggest challenges to modern astronomy. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Photo credit: Fotolia Permalink | Leave a… -
Mysterious sounds reported around the world
9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 amPeople around the world have reported hearing strange sounds from the skies over the past month. Sometimes they describe it as a hum or low rumble; other times it’s a whine, thump, or even a melody. Often the sounds have been recorded and posted online, fueling rumors and conspiracy theories. One blogger wrote, "either the world is ending, aliens are landing or everyone is getting hoaxed. Or, possibly, there’s an actual scientific explanation for the mass amount of YouTube videos capturing bizarre sounds that are being heard around the globe. Are we witnessing the beginning of a…
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the joy of sox
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Valentine Speaks, Hill Throws Second Session, Lester Mum
9 Feb 2012 | 12:48 pmRich Hill threw his second bullpen session since undergoing Tommy John surgery last June.Everything is going according to schedule. There's a long way to go still. Right now I'm throwing three-quarters sidearm. Prior to this I'd been throwing straight over the top. So we'll see as we progress what the team wants me to do.Jon Lester, Aaron Cook, and Ryan Sweeney are also in camp. Lester has declined to speak to reporters until the official date for pitchers and catchers to report (February 19).Bobby Valentine on talent and luck:[Y]ou need luck with talent. Sometimes it's not the best team that… -
Ortiz Arbitration Hearing Set For Monday
8 Feb 2012 | 7:32 pmAlex Speier reports that the arbitration hearing between the Red Sox ($12.65 million) and David Ortiz ($16 million) is scheduled for Monday. The two sides could, of course, settle before that time. The Red Sox have not gone to arbitration since 2002, when then-GM Dan Duquette could not come to an agreement with pitcher Rolando Arrojo.Scott Atchison, who turns 36 on March 29, cleared waivers and was assigned to Pawtucket.Evan Drellich presents an organization overview with a peek at MLB's ranking of the Red Sox's top prospects:The first four names - and five of the first seven - on MLB.com's… -
What Do The Yankees Smell Like?
7 Feb 2012 | 3:33 pmWanna smell like the Yankees?On February 21, you will have your chance. That's the day the team will introduce two "official fragrances" called, creatively enough: "New York Yankees" and "New York Yankees for Her".(Note the overt sexism where what should be called "New York Yankees For Him" is simply "New York Yankees".)Mike Silva, New York Baseball Digest: "Yes, every team has non-baseball related products. You have checkers, chess, teddy bears, etc. with the team logo. None of the 29 other teams believe they are bigger than the game where they create a fragrance and have a bourgeois… -
Happy Birthday, Babe!
6 Feb 2012 | 8:17 amBabe Ruth - known as the Colossus when he played with the Red Sox - was born 117 years ago today. -
Nick Cafardo Still Refuses To Do Even Minimal Work
5 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pmFrom today's Sunday Notes column:Boras sees openings for [Johnny] Damon. The Yankees could use a DH type. The Orioles signed Wilson Betemit, but please . . . Betemit, who hit eight homers with two teams, over Damon, who hit 16 homers for Tampa Bay?So Nick's entire argument for Damon's DH potential is that he hit twice as many home runs last year as (please) Betemit. Unfortunately for his readers, Nick did not take 30 seconds out of his entire week to find some extremely basic stats:Damon BetemitHome Runs 16 8Plate Appearances 647 359PA/HR 40.4 44.9Slugging Percentage .418 .452And even though…
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Over the Monster
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Thursday Red Sox Notes: Rich Harden, Oil Can Boyd, And More Keith Law
9 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmEarly this morning, Peter Gammons reported via Twitter that Rich Harden was taking the 2012 season off to attempt a comeback in 2013. Harden underwent surgery last week to repair a torn shoulder capsule that he has pitched with for years. That's not a minor injury, and surgery is no guarantee of a return -- ask Mark Prior about shoulder capsules some time -- but given the way Harden has bounced back-and-forth from the active roster to the disabled list over the years, it was time to give the procedure a shot. This also sheds light on just what it was the Red Sox were scared off by, when the… -
Red Sox Top Prospect Voting #7: Jose Iglesias Makes His Return
9 Feb 2012 | 10:03 amI'll be honest, I did not see this one coming, but Jose Iglesias has edged out Matt Barnes for the sixth spot on our top prospects list by all of one vote. Iglesias has had a rough time of it at the plate since making the move to America. After a season which saw him hit to the tune of just .285/.315/.357 in his debut with Portland, Iglesias was never-the-less given the bump up to Pawtucket, where he struggled badly, seeing his OPS dip to just .554. Still, there's some reason for hope with the bat. To begin with, Iglesias only just turned 22 last month, meaning he spent the year as one of the… -
Roy Oswalt: Still Not Signing With The Red Sox. Yet!
9 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amRoy Oswalt is closer to signing with the Red Sox today than he was yesterday. But not because of anything the Red Sox or Oswalt did. This has more to do with what the Rangers, Cardinals, and depending on how you feel about rumors, the Reds did not do. The clock is ticking on Oswalt's off-season, and eventually he might have to stop being so picky about how close to home he is or isn't. Nick Cafardo has the latest in nothingness on Oswalt: Regarding Oswalt, a major league source indicates that the 34-year-old righthander's priority is geographic, not financial, meaning the Red Sox are offering… -
Iglesias, Middlebrooks,and the Impact of Good Defense.
9 Feb 2012 | 7:06 amThe Red Sox have two players almost certainly starting at the AAA level who have excited scouts and prospect writers and who may impact the 2012 season. The system’s top prospect in John Mayo’s MLB top 100, Will Middlebrooks is a third basemen who raked through two minor league levels last season while playing good defense at third base. Shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias didn’t rake by any conventional interpretation of that term, but his glove alone has kept him in the top 10 of Red Sox prospects. At just 21 years old, he could be a long term answer at shortstop and put an… -
The Over The Monster Podcast - Episode 39 - Jim Bowden Might Mistakenly Give Us Lots of Money
9 Feb 2012 | 6:05 amWas there any doubt that when you combine the Over The Monster Podcast with The Platoon Advantage, you'd wind up upsetting somebody? On this week's episode of the OTM Podcast, Matt Kory and Marc Normandin are joined by Bill Parker from The Platoon Advantage and Baseball Prospectus to talk baseball. Other topics may or may not include: TwinsFest 2012: Attended! Marc's computer: Broken! The Minnesota Twins: Mentioned! Concussions: Discussed! Jim Bowden: Pined after! Not really! The Prince Fielder contract: Dissected! The future of human civilization: Solved! Carson Cistulli's style: Shamelessly…
