Hasta La Gadget!

If you’ve never heard of the NetTalk TK6000, you’re certainly not alone — suffice it to say it’s an as-seen-on-TV product that converts a standard ethernet internet connection into a VoIP telephone cord. And to be clear, the new NetTalk Duo doesn’t seem to offer anything different than its predecessor, only a shiny bullet case, but that just makes it the perfect salvo across incumbent MagicJack’s bow. We can hardly wait to see how the latest chapter in the infinite long distance call saga will play out. However, on the off-chance you’ve been looking to Fire Your Phone Company(R), don’t wait, act now — peep the press release after the break for your ten percent discount.

Continue reading NetTalk reveals the Duo, we await MagicJack’s response

NetTalk reveals the Duo, we await MagicJack’s response originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yeah, seriously. While Aircell’s Gogo in-flight WiFi service has been blocking VoIP calling services (Skype being the most obvious example) from day one, it’s apparently not throwing the same brick wall in the face of Apple’s new standard. Our good pals over at TUAW managed to record a (relatively) solid two minute FaceTime conversation with an iPhone 4 owner, and only after you realize that said owner is a few thousand feet above the Earth’s surface does this all become a lot more interesting. We know for a fact that certain iPhone 4 owners have had difficulty with FaceTime conversations when using highly firewalled access points (like those found in hotels and corporate offices), but it seems as if seat 16A is cleared for transmission. For now, anyway. Head on past the break to peek the FaceTime ad that Apple forgot to make.

Continue reading FaceTime video call works beautifully on airplane’s in-flight WiFi (video)

FaceTime video call works beautifully on airplane’s in-flight WiFi (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Be it because you have no friends, or simply no friends with an iPhone 4, Apple’s got your back if you’re looking for a chum to test that curiously intriguing FaceTime feature. Just dial up 1-888-FACETIME (after cleaning yourself up a bit, of course) and hang tight, as a dapper Apple employee will be there in a moment to “show you the basics and a few advanced tips.” And don’t even try any of those late night shenanigans — the help line’s only open from 8AM to 8PM CDT.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

No one to test FaceTime with? Call Apple. originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get ready for the second major wave of video chatting — not only is Apple about to bring video calling to the masses with the iPhone 4, but Skype today announced the SkypeKit beta SDK, which devs can use the SDK to interface their apps and devices directly with Skype’s service starting tomorrow. That means there’s no need to run the Skype desktop app — it’ll just be integrated into whatever you’re running, like the recent Panasonic VIERA connected TVs with Skype integration. Once they’ve passed a UI certification, devices and apps will be billed as “plugged into Skype,” but don’t expect to see anything happen too quickly: the SDK is Linux-only at the moment, with Windows and Mac desktop versions forthcoming, and Skype will be testing apps and devices before they go live.

The new SDK can use H.264 hardware encoding to supplement the relatively slow ARM chips that will be running Linux in an embedded manner — like the Panasonic TV, for instance, which was developed using an early version of SkypeKit. We asked Skype about its SDK membership (which costs $20), and the other slight restrictions of the SDK, and they assured us it’s to keep fraud from happening (Skype interacts with your wallet in its paid services), “not to keep out people we don’t like.” There will also be a verification process for an as-yet-undefined cost, where Skype will go over any software or hardware released with the SDK. Additionally, Skype is open sourcing its Silk audio codec (which was recently added to its iPhone app), and they’re working with the IETF to make it an open, patent-free standard for use with anything, not just Skype. Check out the Litle Webbook running some custom Skype on video after the break. It’s in early beta right now, and will be pushed as an update in September, along with video functionality (it’s audio-only right now). We also have shots of the Grandstream GXV3140 making a Skype video call in the gallery below.

Continue reading SkypeKit beta SDK adds Skype to any application or device

SkypeKit beta SDK adds Skype to any application or device originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Skype 2.0 for the iPhone was released, our first reaction was: “It supports free calling over 3G, hooray!” That was, of course, followed quickly by: “It’s only free until August, boo!” However, there’s some slightly good news on that latter front, with free calling receiving something of a stay of execution. You can now stick it to the man until the end of 2010, at which point the whole “mobile subscription” thing comes into play. Why the delay, and what will you be paying for the privilege when the new decade really starts rolling? That we just don’t know.

Charges for Skype 2.0 calling on iPhone put off until 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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