The Blog known as Skype-watch.com, Skype-gadgets.com.

2 new hidden emoticons in Skype

and .
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Jean Mercier says :"Interesting, because – if true - anyone could call my Skype account from any cellular or PSTN phone and reach me wherever i am online and running Skype"

"Interesting, because – if true - anyone could call my Skype account from any cellular or PSTN phone and reach me wherever i am online and running Skype" source.

It's far fetched to refer to Skype as a country... Skype is an application.

Is rebtel not giving such numbers already ?

Is this not the ENUM thing ?

Ask yourself if one woud consider skype as a market leader in VoiP. I would not, simply because it is not... I mean just look at the other players with stronger penetration in business and corporate channels... Depends also how you define market... But I don't agree with the fact that skype would be a market (not even close) on the VoIP market for business. Skype is an IM application with main focus on VoIP.

Skype focusses on individual non-corporate users. That's about it.

While talking to M. we come up with this example. outerspace is defined as a country (with the spacestation in it, since it needed IP v6) but skype that is not a country, that would be dumb... really.

See here some info on IP Allocation per country
----------------------

Country                                   Population  %Glb Pop.  IANA            6bone                Slack

Oman                                         2623000    0.0427%  2346:A660::/28  3FFE:FBA6:6000::/36  100.00%
Outer Space                                        3    0.0000%  2346:888C::/32  3FFE:FB88:8C00::/40  100.00%
Pakistan                                   144971000    2.3590%  2346:2000::/22  3FFE:FB20:0000::/30   95.90%

So for mr. Numerology, ask yourself which country has the largest number of fixed IP-addresses per population. That country would be outer space.

Panasonic KX-WP800 Skype VoIP phone with FON app with Wi-Fi router

Product Reviews" Panasonic KX-WP800 Skype VoIP phone: FON app with Wi-Fi router Product Reviews, UK - Mar 12, 2008 If you have ¥29800 (£144) then the Panasonic KX-WP800 Skype VoIP phone with FON app with Wi-Fi router."

I have never seen a sample of this. It is smart marketing of FON.COM and Skype. Okay, but market penetration of IM/VOIP is not something I would leave by attaching your logo to hardware manufacturers...

our years after the emergence of Skype, VoIP telephony remains an underdeveloped niche technology

O’Brien’s story can be summed up by this paragraph:

“A decade after being developed, and four years after the emergence of Skype, VoIP telephony remains an underdeveloped niche technology, industry experts said, one that is struggling to compete against the market clout of large phone companies, a labyrinth of new technical standards and consumer indifference.”

source.

Skype is not a good choice for businesses due to its poor call quality

Skype 'not right VoIP choice for businesses
Telappliant VoIP News, UK - Mar 26, 2008
The PC application Skype is not a good choice for businesses due to its poor call quality, an expert has said

Google has an open source VoIP client for the iPhone

Just got a tip from Scotland. Open source VoIP client for the iPhone right here : http://code.google.com/p/ivoip/

Skype to cooperate with 3G operators will reduce 3G operators revenues from voice communications.

Plucked directly from google, whatever it might really mean...

Taiwan market: Skype to cooperate with 3G operators to offer ...
DigiTimes, Taiwan - 3 hours ago
Skype plans to offer a mobile Skype service available on customized handsets in the Taiwan market and is negotiating cooperation with one or two local ...

"Considering the mobile Skype service will reduce 3G operators' revenues from voice communications, Skype has not talked about cooperation with Taiwan' top-three operators (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone Telecommunications), Lo pointed out. Since there are only five 3G operators in Taiwan, Skype's potential partner is either Asia Pacific Telecom or Vibo Telecom or both, according to industry sources."

Analyse Convergence Service Trends of Internet Portals, Fixed and ... Business Wire (press release)
all 9 news articles »

Product Reviews

Skype finally goes mobile, but is this enough for you to start ... Product Reviews, UK - 1 hour ago Thanks to Phones Review we have found out that Skype has finally gone mobile, what is

The speed I get out of my 99mont adsl streamyx line at home

Not too bad.... I am surprised. See the simple testing I ran below.

I do run a hawking booster device, but I guess it does not really make a lot of difference. Still using my old Aztec streamyx adsl router box and benq-awl100 router I got 4 years ago. Still works. Maybe time for an upgrade...

maximize the number of people who have access to a PC

" how to get computers to the "next billion" customers in developing countries. The highest-profile effort to date, One Laptop Per Child, has run into a series of setbacks. Spearheaded by digital guru Nicholas Negroponte, the U.N.-supported program envisions equipping millions of children in Africa, Asia and Latin America with innovative US$100 laptops. But demand for the devices has been lower than expected, in part because they still cost nearly twice their intended price. Some people suggest perhaps the solution isn't to put hardware into the hands of every person, but rather to maximize the number of people who have access to a PC. That's the idea behind Paris startup Jooce (the name is a play on "juice," as in electricity), which has devised a novel software system that lets many people use a single machine as though it were theirs alone." source.

Looks interesting, but did you notice how skype is left out from the IM platform... Why would that be ?

Anybody thought of putting skype for free on the green laptops ?

site : http://www.jooce.com/

Virgin Mobile Usa.com taking on AT&T and Verizon

Sir R. Branson is no longer happy just turning upside down: the music and broadcasting industry, international and local aviation industries, space flights and world record ballooning. He has now decided to take on AT&T and Verizon http://www.virginmobileusa.com

If they want they can put their logo on my blog :).

Skype on Nokia Tablet N810

Soon 1 april fools day. What Skype joke would Phil be coming up with ?

Just wondering.... but certainly is very useful for telephone pranks. It's the perfect one time pad, so basically I keep smiling hearing those people talking about skype for business.... I can imagine why big corporation don't want to link their PBX to Skype with all those office terrorists....

Skype a haven for con artists, pornographers and spammers of all sorts ?

J.A. Watson has got some spicy comments for "the Skypejournal Cheerleaders". Saving the comments here before they get taken offline or change :

"J.A. Watson on Rumor: 3G iPhone to do video chat, but when? (25 March 2008 @ 02:54 AM):

1. You are dreaming if you think Skype is going to do anything remotely resembling what you have suggested. First, and foremost, THEY DON'T CARE WHAT THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE SUBJECTED TO. Period. They don't care. Second, doing so would require that they create something resembling a "Customer Service" department to handle such reports, and they have made it perfectly clear that they are not willing to invest the resources necessary for that, either monetary or human. Third, stopping this activity would require Skype to deny or cut off SkypeIn numbers, which would cost them money, and that is the ONLY thing they are interested in, bringing in money, in any way they can, from anyone one they can, no questions asked. That is why Skype is becoming a haven for pornographers, which Skype refuses to do anything about, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that they are being joined by con artists and scammers. "
   

Harsh comments with some truth in it. What is Skype going to do about it ? Related post on SJ.

Monty zijn afluister stopcontact. Waar gaat dat toch naar toe allemaal... and something about any computer running skype in auto respond mode being a potential listening device.

 DPL-Surveillance-Equipment.com and their listening box from hell.... (here is your free advertising, since it's a cool product)  keeps coming up with funny products like this one : " POWER STRIP HIDDEN AUDIO (CELLULAR-BASED) MONITORING DEVICE.  When used in the spy mode, you call (from anywhere) and conduct covert room monitoring without anyone knowing. Now Includes Sound or Voice-Activation!   
http://www.dpl-surveillance-equipment.com/11100615.html "

The central feature of this GSM--based solution is that it's a sophisticated, totally concealed bugging device.

It's not that I am selling this or advice to use it, but when people can insert sim-card into powerstrip to ring and hear what is going on that room, well then it's not really fun anymore. Anbody could be planting listening devices in rooms. What type of world are we exactly creating here ? Next time when you get a power strip for christmas, take another good look at it...."

Imagine if you could put a cellphone-number (which is what this does) into a powerstrip monitoring device and link it up to skype. You would then call a skype ID that forwards to a powerstrip with embedded cellphone and record all the conversation. It's virtually untraceable.

You could achieve the same thing with skype.exe running on a USB-clip inside a computer. It's spooky when you start thinking about it. Don't do anything stupid.. But just this : any computer running skype in auto respond mode is a potential listening device.

Here is monty his demo movie of this concealed bugging device on youtube. They do quite good viral IM and email-marketing also.

Now having looked at all this stuff, if you really need to listen to people, you could do cheaper, by simple plugging in a cellphone into a powersocket, right....  Or do it like this kid has found out... In the end it's all still about tapping conversation and probably illegal or certainly unethical. This does not mean that it does not happen.

Cool music movie

Skype highlights growth in conferencing among European SMEs

Skype highlights growth in conferencing  among European SMEs
Telecom Paper (subscription), Netherlands - Mar 28, 2008
A Skype survey among European SMEs reveals that over 50 percent of companies questioned are planning to increase the integration of conference-calling

What if you could control the (skype)world with your cellphone ? Or let's say shutdown computers via Skype ?

J.S.R. told me something about a program (not sure if this is a prank, but certainly funny) about something that would allow a person to call a skype in number and then turn of the computer on which that skype is running. It's technically possible and certainly funny. J.S.R. got the "evil" idea here.

• Some more video's here... quite interesting http://www.howcast.com/videos/680-How-To-Restore-Computer-Files
• and here :http://www.howcast.com/videos/1147-How-To-Get-Free-Inbound-Calls

Skype is safe. Thank you.

I was like thinking : how do I block in my network anonymous VoIP packages flying into my network. Block rogue things.

So you also know why I don't like to attach all sort of plugins to my skype.exe that could execute dos commands. And believe me this is possible.

I can feel a bluetooth blog coming up

trleleelelelelelele l

Hutchison 3G users hit 17.6M, mobile Skype growing

Hutchison 3G users hit 17.6M, mobile Skype growing
NetworkWorld.com, MA - Mar 27, 2008
The 3 Skypephone works much the same as normal Skype does on a PC, allowing people to make free voice calls and instant message other Skype users

Skype labeled as a non business product.

Skype is not suitable for businesses
One Stop Click, UK - Mar 27, 2008
The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service  Skype is ideal for students but not suitable for businesses, according to one expert. ...
Skype 'not right VoIP  choice for businesses Telappliant VoIP News
Voipfone highlights benefits of VoIP for SMEs VoIP News
Voipfone: 'Skype not suitable for SMEs' ihotdesk - IT News
all 4 news articles »

Facetime cracked Skype protocol to scan skype messages ?

ITProPortalSkype conversations not so secret any more
ITProPortal, UK - 7 hours ago
Much has been made of the fact that Skype's IP header format is notoriously difficult to decrypt, even by the Secret Services, so it comes as a surprise ...
FaceTime upgrades anti-spyware manager to scan Skype messages Computer Business Review

FaceTime Security Product Scans Skype's Encrypted IM
TMCnet - 13 hours ago
Features of this new product include support for Vista desktop, support for VMware, detection and blocking of malicious URLs entering the network via Skype ...
FaceTime Lures SurfControl Customers With More for Less Market Wire (press release)
all 4 news articles »  WBSN

FaceTime offers Skype IM security software
Telecom Paper (subscription), Netherlands - Mar 26, 2008
Version 3.5 can detect malicious URLs entering the enterprise network via Skype IM conversations. Traditional security  products cannot view Skype IM

Block Skype in the first place ...
NetworkWorld.com, MA - Mar 26, 2008
Why allowing a risky VoIP software to exist in your network in the first place. IM vendors should block messages that contains URL's. ...

FaceTime security product scans Skype's encrypted IM
PC World Magazine, Australia - Mar 25, 2008
FaceTime is the only company that has an agreement to develop security software with Skype, which is owned by eBay.

Big losses for HK based Media Company Tom Group. Company CEO Tommei Tong resigned

" Hong Kong-based media company Tom Group (2383.HK) announced 2007 financial results on Wednesday. The company recorded a HK$297 million loss for the year on HK$2.68 billion in revenue for the year. Net profit in the year-ago period was HK$32 million on HK$2.8 billion in revenue. The net loss included an impairment charge of HK$127 million for the company's wireless business and a HK$104 million loss for the Eachnet online auction business, which Tom Online took over from eBay in late 2006. Tom Group's Internet revenues, which consist mainly of revenues from Tom Online, a Tom Group subsidiary that the company took private in 2007, were HK$1 billion, down 20.8 year-on-year. Revenue from wireless value-added services, which Tom Group counts as Internet revenue, was down 22.8 percent year-on-year to HK$919 million. Tom Group reported 63 million registered users of Tom-Skype at the end of 2007.

Tom Group also announced on Wednesday that company CEO Tommei Tong resigned effective March 26. Tong will be replaced by current Tom Group COO Yeung Kwok Mung. Also, Wang Lei Lei, former Tom Online CEO and an executive director for Tom Group, was named Deputy Chairman of Tom Group, while Angela Mak was named CFO of the company." source : Eachnet Businesses Drag Down Tom Group; CEO Resigns

I guess that the 63 mio skype did not really want brought in the huge expected revenues... Maybe the money is in the long tail, but how long and where is that tail, and now that the body has been weakened and beaten, is there even a tail to look for ? Maybe when the head of a much hyped internet company is chopped of, then the tail automatically falls off ?

blog depression ?

Interesting story and link I found here at the nonist blog. In pdf format. Something about blog depression. download the pdf to disseminate | or preview it here.

Useless Inventions right here.

a protective collar against heavy splatting noodle slurping. more stuff like that on source : http://thenonist.com/index.php/weblog/permalink/chindogu/

Skype user have become a global target for spam and spim

Hudson writes "Recently, Skype Journal wrote a controversial piece about how Skype has recently become the target for spam and spim. Other journals have been following up with me-too harangues, and I must agree with them that Skype IM spam/spim is a rapidly growing problem. The following piece is not a rehash of those problems but a description of some potentially even more evil spam attacks in Skype." source.

I'll repeat it here : anybody can be anybody without authentication on the skype cloud. over and over. it's not "safe" from certain perspectives, it is unmanageable. Leave it alone, I would say, it works. It's a global chatsystem. I wonder if Meg and Niklas still use it ?

Commerce IM ? Not sure what this is about...

"At CommerceIM.com, we believe these very tools can be monetized and used for greater social and economic benefits. When users are no longer limited to their Buddy List in making their IM calls, a whole new commerce IM horizon will be unveiled.  We have developed a complete framework with one patented and two patent pending solution system. Together, these innovations will form a solid foundation for the future of a true Commerce IM. " http://commerceim.com/

Skype will always be something controversial and that is why we love it...

While FaceTime provides malware prevention for Skype VoIP and chat software we still see VoSKY Launching the Industry's First Integrated Web Click-to-Call. Just read VoSKY and AltiGen partner for Skype Extension Anywhere. On top of that checkout the Zipcom Skype certification as mentioned on 2008 Taipei Computex --- Skype Enterprise Series Product.

I just have one fundamental unanswered (at least by Skype) question : how can a cloud where anybody can be anybody (over and over) be safe for ( I am not even using the word secure) for a business....

I do agree that VoIP has 'enormous potential' for SMEs but security and proper implementation in such environment will be something to look at closely. I think it will be just a matter of time before we read about some major abuses an hacks.

The whole world can talk for free. I still love the slogan.

  

A country code for VoIP calls ? Not a bad idea.

" The revelation at the recent eComm2008 (Emerging Communications) Conference in Mountain View, Calif. attracted surprisingly little attention. In a presentation, Voxbone SA co-founder and CEO Rodrigue Ullens described a plan to provide VoIP users with real phone numbers. Calling each others' numbers would let the users talk to each other for free, no matter what VoIP service they used. Eventually, they would even be able to receive calls from the PSTN (public switched telephone network). To make it happen, Voxbone, which is based in Brussels, Belgium, had accomplished something remarkable: It had persuaded the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) to designate a country code for VoIP numbers. That is, it had turned the VoIP community into a country." source.

The horror of "Instant Message Advertising on Skype (TM)"

The best information comes to me via Skype Chats of people I know and people that trust me. Now this one sounds a lot like spam invading the skype-space ... and I wonder how skype will stop it... and how skype will protect it's audience. Read this (quoting it here for future archiving purpose incase it get's taken offline).

Apperently the domain http://www.ummsoft.com/ (see who is) is registered under :

Domain Name.......... ummsoft.com
  Creation Date........ 2007-06-04
  Registration Date.... 2007-06-04
  Expiry Date.......... 2008-06-04
  Organisation Name.... WADAX Webhosting Service.
  Organisation Address. 2-2-1-7F Edobori
  Organisation Address. Nishi Ward
  Organisation Address. Osaka City
  Organisation Address.