The "OPEN" SIP Softphone

Happy (Belated) Valentines day to all (well, at least, to those who had celebrated it) Anyways,I almost forgot to do this post today [insert "shockedisgusted" expression here]. I won't go too much into details why I would have "failed" to keep my promise of religiously doing my "every-Friday blogposts" but it involves 1)not really knowing what to write about, 2) some post-Valentine "blues", the dinuguan (pork blood stew) I ate today...and [insert more "shockedisgusted" + embarrassed expression here again] 3)watching a weekly Pinoy tear-jerker on tv just to...well, let's just say a girl is involve...which I have a uhmmm..."soft-spot" for; so, for the sake of "acting" I had to watch it and be "open" about it (although to be honest, I'd rather have "open-heart" surgery than watch the stuff)...Hey, Valentine's day was just yesterday (i'm entitled to some "mushiness" sometimes)...Speaking of "soft-spots"...I'd like to segue to one of our "softphones" which was recently customized and "opened"

To be continued (sorry!)...I'm still "reeling" from the show I just watched [inserting my head into something...]Sorry! ...ok enough of the "bad acting"...I'm continuing this from yesterday actually (I fell asleep after the show ended)...I had to "consult"...uhmm...my conscience and if I should continue to "compromise" my standards and do stuff I won't normally do just because....nevermind...I digress again...

Anyways, I've prepared some pics of our original SIP T2Free softphone (shown on the left) which is currently "locked" into automatically registering itself to our parent company Astarte. As you can see (generally), all the needed Options are already shown on the Menu e.g. Registration, Reloading (Credits), Call Records (CDR), Phonebook, Call Transfer and even a Webcam (which slides out) is cleanly integrated into a very "conventional" looking phone. It's design and outlook makes it much easier to use it intuitively as it looks very much like a cellphone. However, this design is currently only available for T2Free subscribers with active (861000) accounts and of course, iCall Anywhere's embedded 77700 series of SIP nos. Hence, it is still in an "exclusive and locked" state at this time. However, I will soon work out a system that will allow "free" users' testing for a limited period. In the meantime, those who would want the opportunity to test it out, please leave your email address in the comments section.

Moving on, as my blog title states, I will also be showing you the "Open" version of the same SIP Softphone as shown above. Except this time, the design has been altered (radically, I might add) to suit our clients' specifications and orders, which is: "Keep it Simple and Secure" (KISS)...i am tempted to poke pun on this but...anyways, as you can see on the right, it was even made simpler yet still fully functional (in fact, even has an added bonus) and as requested, secured with encryption. It's biggest advantage however over the more functional and integrated T2Free softphone is that it is able connect or get itself configured to connect to any SIP Provider that is able to provide it with its SIP Proxy IP address in the "conventional" format.

iCall4Service Web-based Softphone

Kung Hei Fat Choi to everyone! Whoever found their way to my blog that is...that's Happy New Year in Chinese. If anyone is "interested" to know its already officially the Year of the Rat in the Chinese Zodiac...if you are that "astrological", you also might well know, that the Rat was the first one to reach the Emperor in Heaven amongst the 12 zodiac animals...making this year (which in itself is considered lucky cause its a leap year and also it ends with an "8") re-cycle of the zodiac...a very auspicious time, or so I'm told to "restart" once life, love and luck too ;-)
Anyways, I digress, what I really need to start is this blog which I "promised" to update every Friday...well, I'm going to try to begin (and keep it brief too! ;-) yeah, right!

Last blog, I discussed the advantages of having our T2Free USB Softphone to carry around when one goes around traveling all over (which I hope to do like a rat this year) wherever but still wants to keep in touch with everyone else (colleagues, friends, relatives..mommy...and that special someone --- hey, gotta throw this in coz Valentines day is coming..) in a very easy and inexpensive, even free way of making unlimited long distance calls across the miles...Since the softphone can easily be carried around (duh! its a dongle), already complete with its own
soundcard, earphones and mic, plus no installation and configuration is required (just plug and call) it really becomes very convenient. However, what if people (say, customers) who don't know how to contact you (or knows how but doesn't want to make a long distance call ) wants to reach you? (or maybe they don't know you're online...) Well, the nice thing, and sometimes most often forgotten thing about VoIP softphones (especially, SIP, short for Session Initiation Protocol) is that it is very very flexible yet also very SImPle...especially when its in a softphone "mode". Ok, let me just simplify this a bit...SIP for VoIP (softphone) is kinda like HTTP for URL (browser)...when you want to "find" someone or something online you simply open your web browser and type in the URL (say google.com) and you get links...and click...voila! you get the person or info you're looking for (ok, too simplified) Well, when someone is on SIP...they can also be contacted or "called" just by opening a browser, type in the URL (in this case, http://www.t2free.com/ - coz that's we're linked at this time), look for the Call4Service floating applet thingie (it looks like a Web Softphone)..and voila! again choose and click on a "link" --say Customer Service, Technical, Accounting etc. (it could just as easily be people's names) and then instead of taking you to a webpage...an actual call is being made as it rings (you can even see the person on the other end with video-streaming webcam---well sometimes, the Chinese lady is kinda shy)...(oh I forgot, you the caller should have working speakers and a microphone (webcam, optional). Thereby, saving you - the caller/customer "airtime rates"...just think of it like calling a 1800 or 1900 ;-) number...toll-free! Ok, now you think..well, what if the other party (with the SIP softphone) is not "online" when you initiated the Click-to-Call (this incidentally, is used in http://www.ebay.com/)??? Again, SImPle...our T2Free softphones (when unplugged, basically not online) has the capability to forward calls to mobile phones, landlines, voicemail, and even voice-emailed..and well, maybe later on..via SMS (texting). Like I said, SIP is so flexible..especially when its on a softphone....

Anyways, I'll be discussing these in more detail and with more pictures next time...I "smell a rat" ;-) our iCall4Service still hasn't re-appeared on our website: icallanywhere.com

VoIP gadget: USB Softphone Dongle

Well, as promised (mostly to myself) I'm back with my second post on this blog about VoIP (which for those of you not yet in the know stands for Voice over Internet Protocol) and for those who do know..well, its basically the more technical term for those using Skype, or Yahoo, or MSN or some other fancy instant messaging (IM) or "unified messaging" (UM) system that you can easily find, subscribe/register , download, and install to your computer to "make Internet voice calls"(provided that speakers and microphone are also installed on the PC your using it on)...again, only for those who know how to use it...Basically, however, the above IM systems I mentioned are mostly and primarily used for "internet chat"...not for voice calling...well, at least in my part of the world. Thus, some typing skills are usually required (unless of course, the other party doesnt mind waiting for you to find and type the letters "f" "c" "u" or "k"...hehehe ;-) or correspondingly, you dont know any "internet speak" like "LMAO", "BRB", "LOL"...etc.. And, as I also mentioned, user(s) would still need to download, install and be subscribed to the same IM service (usually) to begin any communication...so it begs the question(s): What if one doesnt know or types very slowly??? (like well, your grandmother for instance ---or like my Dad, my mom, aunts..and uncles...ok, people who were born before computers were invented and the Internet was some sci-fi thingie) Or, it could be that Yahoo Messenger (not very likely) or Skype or MSN is not installed on the PC you happen to use??? Or, what if the hardware required like a microphone or speakers (soundcard) is not available or is simply broken???

What then??? Then you'll need to make a voice call....You could say, well I can voice chat over Yahoo Messenger or MSN Messenger or Skype...but again...what if the other person you want to talk to is not in front of his PC?? Or he doesnt have any of the IM installed or doesnt have any microphone or speakers? Or he or she is simply offline...then you can't right??..you'll have to dial and call them some other way....Use your cellphone and make an IDD call? Hello??? Rates will be quite expensive. Find a payphone card service? Good luck! Text them! Well, probably, it'll be a lot cheaper...and if you're Filipino..this would work, but you wont have that "real-time" reply as you would talking to them over the phone....so what to do???? Hmmmmm....Let's give you a hand...

iCall's solution: The Softphone USB Dongle (as pictured on the left and on the right) Plankton and Sharkie (not included in design)
As you can see, it comes with its own earphone and microphone set (Stereo sound) as well as built-in soundcard. So if the PC you happen to use has crappy speakers or sound system, just plug in the dongle and you'll be able to listen to your music in stereo and in private. So that solves any "hardware" issues I mentioned above. Now what about "software"??? What do I use for an IM system?? Well, the usb dongle also comes pre-installed with its own T2Free Softphone (see below), which can make IDD voice calls to landline, mobile or other T2Free gadgets all over the world (internet access required of course). Just plug it into a usb hub and it will launch the softphone pictured below in a matter of seconds...then just dial...or you can also use its built-in Phonebook to store numbers you often call. Plus, it also stores missed calls, called numbers and numbers that called the Softphone. But wait, there's more! Like most IM applications, it has its own Webcam screen where you can not only view the person you're talking too...but also record the video (webcam hardware not included) if you wish to do so. And, with advance subscription services, you can also have calls forwarded to your mobile phone or landline (fees applied) for the times you're offline or when the usb is not connected to the internet. Finally, (and best of all) , since the softphone firmware is embedded in a USB drive, you don't need to download and install it...so you'll be able to use it any PC!*







*running WindowsXP or higher
Next week: Customized VoIP SIP Softphone for Webcalls.