Belgacom Combines Fixed and Mobile Internet

Belgacom Group is all set to launch an offer that combines mobile internet and ADSL. With this offer, customers can combine their ADSL service with the new offer Mobile Internet. With this, the customers will have the opportunity to use the internet anywhere, anytime with the mobile internet facility. Customers can use the mobile internet facility on their laptops too via the Proximus 3G network. This allows the customers to order Mobile Internet from Belgacom and make the payment via their Belgacom bill.
Mobile internet acts as a perfect supplement to high-speed Internet at home based on ADSL technology,. Users will connect to the Internet wirelessly on their laptop using a data card or USB modem. This will allow them to access their emails and other information on the internet in a fast and secure way.

Belgacom will launch the new service Mobile Internet for its ADSL customers on December 1. The company claims that the convergence of these products and services will provide more freedom and simplicity for customers, as well as attractive rates. Mobile Internet is being released in a “limited edition” and is available in two versions. The first one is the Mobile Internet 10 hr for €20.95 per month for 10 hrs of surfing in Belgium and the second on is the Mobile Internet No Limit for €34.95 per month for 2GB in Belgium.

The customers of Belgacom can pay for fixed and mobile service offers via a single bill. This allows them to order Mobile Internet from Belgacom and pay for it via their Belgacom bill. Mobile Internet can be combined with ADSL Go, ADSL Plus, VDSL Boost or a professional ADSL solution (e.g. ADSL Pro Compact, ADSL Office). The limited edition provides the Vodafone Mobile Connect data card or USB modem at €59.901 and they are compatible with HSDPA, Edge and GPRS.

Becoming a VoIP Reseller: best business opportunity

To survive in the world of high-end communication, one must opt for new opportunities. While shuffling pages of latest opportunities in communication industry with less investment, VoIP reseller rated more credit compared to any other profile. Well, becoming active VoIP reseller means holding huge potential for spreading call termination services across the world. They have to ensure that their services reach the end-user effectively. With this as job profile, number of voice over IP resellers are increasing as it has wide scope across the globe, for instance, even the remotest areas are also accessing VoIP calls. So, it can be said that it's the time to bid an adieu to traditional channel of communication i.e. Public switch Telephony network or PSTN and switch on to VoIP.
Scope of becoming a reseller is increasing; as earlier their services were opted by corporate houses and business organization only. But with the time and looking at benefits, reseller's services are also becoming popular among residential users. IP resellers builds pivotal link between the service provider and end-users. To become a reseller VoIP, one must have an established customer base in specific geographical areas, as well as a sound and efficient sales department. Moreover, one must also possess basic knowledge about Voice over internet protocol domain. Therefore, an individual is free from investment in infrastructural set-up. The work of a reseller is to avail and allocate some portion of VoIP switch from providers to the end users respectively. So, while availing portion of switch from voice over IP provider, any reseller must look into few features like:
1. Best quality of service to find appropriate ASR, ACD and PDD from any service provider.
2. Affordable rate with best quality of services
3. Availability of technical support round the clock i.e. 24x7x365
Lastly, relationship with IP provider and reseller is considered as a one-step opportunity to connect with the best carriers.
Source: tmcnet.com

VoIP is the next big hack

Sticking your head above the parapet and talking about security threats on Voice- Over-IP (VoIP) networks is a dangerous business. Peter Cox discusses his proof-of-concept VoIP hacking tool.
A recent Techworld news story on SIPtap, a proof-of-concept demonstrator I wrote to illustrate the problem of VoIP call eavesdropping, resulted in a flurry of postings accusing me of scaremongering. Most of the negative comments fell into one of three categories. Firstly that the eavesdropping threat would work only if encryption and other security controls were turned off; secondly that the issue of VoIP security was well understood; thirdly that securing VoIP network is really just the same as securing any other IP application. One posting included the comment:
“Many of the [VoIP] security precautions should already be in place if your network and IT environment is secure.”
On the plus side, the article generated as many positive comments thanking me for highlighting the eavesdropping threat.
So what is the reality? Are such stories just hype or are there a set of threats and risks unique to VoIP protocols and applications that merit special attention? To answer this it is necessary to draw some comparisons between VoIP and other network applications.
VoIP as its name suggests runs on an IP network. This means that it shares a common set of security threats and vulnerabilities with other IP applications such as web and email. These threats and vulnerabilities include all the IP network level threats that web masters and email administrators deal with on a daily basis; threats which are addressed with standard network security technologies and good network design.In addition to this set of network level threats VoIP applications also face a set of protocol and application specific threats and a set of content related threats.
The protocol and application specific threats stem from the design and implementation of the protocols and the services that VoIP applications deliver. VoIP protocols are complex. This is partly because VoIP aims to provide a real time communication service on an IP network and partly because VoIP protocols have to provide an interface to the standard phone system and mirror some of the features and facilities we have become dependent on after a lifetime’s use of both fixed and mobile phone services.
In addition virtually all VoIP applications provide a rich set of non-voice services such as video conferencing, presence services (providing information on a person’s availability and indicating the best contact options) and even Instant Messaging and paging services. Protocol and application threats include a range of flooding attacks and call disruption threats. Disruption threats include call termination attacks were a malicious attacker can simply cut-off a call and hijacking attacks where an attacker can take over a call. Many of these VoIP application specific threats have no direct analogue in any other network application.
Source: techworld.com

EFTel promises high speed internet on VDSL2

Rival ISP disputes claims

By Ian Neubauer
SYDNEY: Internet service provider EFTel is heralding the coming of VDSL2 (Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line), a new generation of broadband delivery the company says will be up to 400 times faster than ADSL.
Operating under the brand BroadbandNext, the network will be built on multi-service access node technology with an aggressive rollout scheduled to commence in February next year.
“Customers connected to BroadbandNext will enjoy benefits such as massively fast downloads, a wider range of service types, and improved levels of customer support from a smarted network,” said Eftel CEO Simon Ehrenfeld. “Apart from delivering superior services to customers, the rollout brings EFTel some freedom from the Telstra cost prison.”
EFTel is leveraging the service’s viability on the premise that VDSL2 is the technology best suited to the proposed FTTN (fibre to the node) environment of the future. FTTN is a form of optic-optic delivery that depends on copper or coaxial cable for ‘last mile’ delivery. A more advanced data delivery system is FTTH (fibre to the home), in which the optical signal reaches all the way into the end user’s living or office space.
But a spokesperson for rival ISP Pacific Internet said the fast delivery speeds of VDSL2 would be limited on copper—just like any DSL service.
“It’s a step in the right direction but it’s a small step toward the FTTH network that is being planned,” the spokesperson said. “And I don’t think there is any ratification for the VDSL2 standard in Australia yet—or hardware for that matter. I think coverage will be limited and EFTel is banking on VDSL2 to be ratified sooner rather than later.”
EFTel’s Enrenfeld said ISPs like Pacific Internet have a vested interest in the failure of the newer technology because they have invested heavily in DSLAM, which does not have an upgrade path to VDSL2. He also discounted the argument that copper was an inappropriate medium for high-speed data delivery.
“Once upon a time they said copper could only deliver 14 kilobytes, but now we have copper delivering ADSL2. How much we will get out of copper is an interesting question,” he said.
The Department for Broadband, Communications and Digital Technology confirmed no industry code or technical standards for VDSL2 have been ratified in Australia. However, the ministry confirmed a working committee had been established to incorporate the technology in line with international specifications and recommendations.
Source: current.com.au

Mining union urges target for carbon capture technology

THE powerful mining union will today call for a mandatory target of 5% of electricity to be generated from low-emissions coal technologies by 2020 to help tackle climate change and protect coalminers' jobs.
The Labor Government has already set an ambitious renewable energy target of 20% by 2020. But in a report to be launched today, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union will call for an additional target of 5% of electricity to come from carbon capture and storage, to ensure companies invest in the nascent technologies.
Carbon capture and storage involves capturing the carbon dioxide emitted when burning fossil fuels and burying it underground, usually in depleted oil fields or deep aquifers. Although there are projects in Australia that demonstrate the technologies, such as the $30 million Otway Basin project in Victoria, the method needs to be developed on a larger scale.
The union's national president, Tony Maher, said coal companies would not invest in the technologies, which are not now commercially viable, unless they had a guaranteed market share.
The report says: "We propose this target because it is abundantly clear that the first generation of these new carbon capture and storage power stations will not be commercially competitive with current power sources, and that an emissions trading system over the next decade will not in itself provide certainty to ensure their development. They need certainty that they will be able to sell their electricity."
The CFMEU is also calling on Australian coal companies to increase investment in carbon capture and storage technologies. It proposes that the industry increase its levy for new technologies from 20 cents per tonne of coal to $1 per tonne.
Mr Maher said multinationals such as BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata should be investing more. "They have a moral obligation because they have made s---loads of money out of the resources boom," said Mr Maher, who is representing the CFMEU, the ACTU and the Australian Government at the United Nations climate change conference in Bali.
"Global mining companies, which are largely based in this country, should bear the biggest burden of developing coal capture and storage."
The report also calls for the creation of a carbon capture and storage taskforce to focus the efforts of government, industry and researchers.
"While some call for extreme responses like banning coal altogether, the real challenge is to accept that developing nations, in particular India and China, will be reliant on coal for some time and we need to reduce the impact of this energy source on the environment," Mr Maher said.
Source: theage.com.au

India is tapping potential of nano technology

Bangalore: Even though India started late on tapping the potential of Nano Technology it had picked up well and was on its way to catch up with rest of the world, C N R Rao, National Research Professor and Chairman, Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday. Speaking after announcing the launch of the first edition of the two-day Bangalore Nano 2007 beginning here tomorrow, Prof Rao said, taking into consideration the importance of the Nano Sciences, which offers over 8 to 9 billion dollar Global market, the Union Government had earmarked Rs 1000 crore to develop the technology
He said all over the world, Nano technology had become an important scientific and research activity, which can be applied in all sphers, including Physics, Chemistry, Health Sciences, Bio-technology, drug delivery system and materials industry. Stressing that it had already revolutionised some aspects of health care, Nano Technology also brought hope in cancer therapy, he added. He said that the developed countries have realised the importance and potential of Nano technology and have invested a lot of funds for its research. ''Germany has already developed infrastructure which can manufacture over 300 tonnes of nano materials'' he added. Prof Rao said India's first Institute of Nano Technology for which already Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre will start functioning two years from now. ''The Karnataka Government also has allotted 15-acres of land to set up the Institute'' he said. He said the commercial value of Nano materials would be around 100 billion dollar, if it was effectively applied in the field of chemical industry, textile, electronic, cosmetic, diagnostics and drug delivery system. Emphasising the need for collaboration between industries and research institutes in the application of the Nano technology, Prof Rao said venture capital funds can play a vital role in bringing industry and technology together. On the Bangalore Nano-2007, he said over 400 delegates from India and abroad, including, scientists, industrialists, policy makers and students, would deliberate on the subject which can offer infinite opportunities. M N Vidyashankar, Secretary Department of IT, Biotechnology and Science and Technology, Karnataka Government who was also present, said the European Commission had taken keen interest and would be participating in a big way. There will be exhibitions, poster display, seminars and lectures from eminent personalities on research cooperation opportunities in Nano science and materials research. A session was devoted to students in which about 400 students from over 12 colleges drawn from different parts of the state will take part.
Source: sify.com

VoIP firms must connect 999 calls

From 8 September next year, VoIP (voice-over Internet Protocol) providers will be legally obliged to let their users make emergency calls using their services.
The law is being changed to ensure that there are no vital delays in contacting the police, fire brigade, ambulance service or coastguard in an emergency.
Ofcom, the communications industry regulator, is pushing the law through after its research found that 78 per cent of VoIP users either incorrectly thought that they'd be able to make a 999 call using the service, or were unsure whether they could or not.
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: "As new voice services develop and become more mainstream, regulation must evolve too. In the future, consumers will be confident that if they can make calls to ordinary national numbers using their VoIP service then they will be able to call 999 or 112 in an emergency."
Ofcom has been considering changing the law in this area for some time, as Web User reported back in July.
However, some think that Ofcom has dragged its heels in getting this law pushed through.
Tim Wolfenden of price-comparison service uSwitch.com said: "It's disappointing that Ofcom has taken four years to complete this consultation. VoIP is predominately being used as an additional service to a landline and to date the ability to make 999 calls has not been guaranteed.
"By enabling emergency calls to be made, the number of consumers using VoIP as an independent form of communication will increase dramatically; it's just a shame that we'll have to wait until 2008 to get there," Wolfenden continued. Source: webuser.co.uk

VoIP Applications for Social Networking?

There are a few major reasons that businesses use Facebook instead of many of the other online social networking sites that are out there.

One is that there are such a vast number of people on Facebook that it is an excellent platform for social networking. Another is that Facebook has gained some credibility over the years for professional use as opposed to many of the other social networking sites which remain more for kids than adults. But one of the biggest reasons that business professionals use Facebook as their primary social networking tool is that it offers users so many different applications to improve their business practices. (Read "A dummy's guide to social networking" to find out why you should be using this tool in your business.)

Unfortunately, VoIP is not yet one of those applications.

Well, that's not entirely true. There are applications available for Facebook which include some aspects of VoIP technology. However, as was recently pointed out in an overview of those applications by VoIP News, there is no official VoIP application for Facebook professionals to utilize.

Why would you want to integrate social networking and VoIP? One of the main purposes of VoIP is to streamline your business in order to increase efficiency and productivity. Social networking should be a major part of your business life and since you should be doing a lot of online networking, you should do what you can to streamline your efforts.

Let's use an example of why VoIP would be great for use on a social networking site like Facebook. Imagine that you have developed a strong network of Facebook connections but they aren't people with whom you regularly do business. You write an article for your site that points to a new product you have just begun to offer. Using Facebook, you make an announcement about the article to every one of those connections. If a VoIP application were available, people in your network with an interest in the product could easily place a call to you to get their questions about it answered. This would clearly facilitate sales of the product.

As multiple services are integrated, this will become even more important. An article at Disruptive Technology last month discussed applications which allow for increased use of social networking sites on Blackberry phones. Additional phone advancements are making it more possible than ever before to do your social networking on your cell phone while you're waiting in lines or traffic. As phones add VoIP capabilities, your social networking and other aspects of business will begin to get even more streamlined.

Of course, Facebook isn't the only social networking site out there which is being used by business professionals. It's just the one that is most likely to see VoIP developments because of the fact that it allows use of so many different applications. As the trend grows, it would be nice to see streamlining of VoIP technology for use with other business networking sites as well.

Would you be more likely to contact a Facebook friend if VoIP services made it cheap and easy?
Source: pcworld.ca

Freedom VoIP System Deployed By West Brom

West Bromwich Albion Football club has installed an IP telephony system in order to benefit from lower call and maintenance costs. Employees will now be able to call internally, and between the club’s two sites, for free.
The Alcatel-Lucent VoIP system was installed by voice and data integrator, Freedom.
The flexible system can be scaled up when large numbers of calls are expected - when match tickets go on sale, for example.
This is achieved through an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, which tells customers their position in the queue and directs the call to the appropriate agent.
Freedom’s VoIP system replaced an existing legacy phone system, and has resulted in significant cost savings and greater efficiency.
Freedom is now the sole supplier of line rental, compared with five suppliers on the previous system. Source: voip-news.co.uk

The best and worst ADSL ISPs

The recent broadband survey gave users a chance to rate their service providers. Here are the best and worst ISPs in South Africa.
The recent Broadband Survey attracted nearly 1600 broadband subscribers from across the country. As part of the survey ADSL subscribers rated their ISP on issues like price, support and overall satisfaction.
The results showed a significant difference between the ratings for large ISPs and smaller companies. Smaller ISPs received an overall rating of 8.0 out of 10 while the large ISPs only managed a score of 6.2.
Best ISPs
Web Africa, winner of the ISP of the Year award for a second year in a row, was again praised by its subscribers for its great service and easy-to-use systems. The company received an overall score of 8.5 out of 10, leading with a rating of 9.2 for ease of use and 8.9 for billing.
Web Africa however faces stiff competition from other ISPs who are also offering innovative services and competitive prices. Cybersmart was placed second with an average score of 8.2, a mere 0.3 behind WebAfrica. Axxess and Imaginet both scored 8.1, placing them equal third.
Large ISPs
The large ISPs like Verizon Business, MWEB, Vox Telecom and Internet Solutions typically scored far lower than their smaller competitors. This was mainly due to less competitive pricing and a lack of comparable support.
Verizon Business and Vox Telecom were rated tops among the large ISPs with an average subscriber rating of 6.7 each.
Worst ISP
The spot for worst ISP was reserved for Telkom Internet, who with an average score of a mere 4.8 received significantly lower ratings than both larger ISPs and the average rating for all ISPs.
Telkom Internet scored particularly poorly on price and general service & support levels with ratings of 4.0 out of 10 in each of these areas.
Source: mybroadband.co.za

Taking VoIP Beyond Talk

New Unified Communications Demo Centre Open to Public,
Lets Business Test and Try Advanced Tools Before Buying

TORONTO, Dec. 4 /CNW/ - Quartet Service Inc., a leading information
technology outsourcing firm focused on the mid-tier corporate market in the
Greater Toronto Area, is delighted to host the grand opening of its Unified
Communications Laboratory (UC Lab).

DATE: Wednesday, December 5, 2007

TIME: 4 - 7 P.M.

PLACE: 1867 Yonge Street, Suite 102

PROGRAM: hors d'oeuvres, beer & wine, brass quartet, draws and more

"When VoIP is just voice you save money," says Robert Bracey, Quartet's
President and CEO. "But when you take VoIP beyond simply talk and mix in all
these new applications watch out, especially for agile small and medium-sized
businesses who traditionally get the short end of the stick when it comes to
emerging technologies. Not anymore."
Among the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) applications on display at
the lab:

<< - Integrating voice, data, video, security, and wireless into a single communications repository; - Turning Outlook into a single platform for all communications, including email and voicemail which means you can listen to your email messages and talk to your Outlook calendar to set appointments; - Transforming phone calls into videoconferences, and much more. >>

"We want customers to see and feel the power of these new tools," says
Mr. Bracey. "Our lab is a true demo centre where customers can try new things
like talking on their VoIP phone and then walking outside and seamlessly
getting connected to the wireless phone companies' networks without dropping
the call. Not only is it cool, but it also saves customers a ton of money."
Quartet invites companies with 30 to 500 employees to visit the lab and
experience the applications and advanced VoIP technologies from Cisco,
Microsoft and HP.
"With the resources we have in this high-tech hub, there's no limit to
what we can do blending voice and data into unique customer-tailored
configurations," says Mr. Bracey. "Size no longer matters when it comes to
getting the most advanced VoIP business solutions. This total connectivity
takes the hassle and complexity out of the equation."
Quartet is a Microsoft Gold Partner with infrastructure and information
worker specialization, Cisco Premier Partner in the VoIP category and
certified Blackberry Partner. It specializes in serving the growing call from
mid-tier companies for sophisticated technical services such as remote
management, disaster recovery and third-party IT infrastructure management.
Source: newswire.ca

InteleCom Signs VoIP Distribution Agreement With TechnoPlanet

INDIANAPOLIS, IN--(Marketwire - December 4, 2007) - InteleCom, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: IECM) is pleased to announce that TechnoPlanet Productions has signed a distribution agreement to market InteleCom's Internet phones and service through TechnoPlanet's 20,000 Canadian, 35,000 US, and 45,000 International computer, electronics and Internet orientated Value Added Resellers (VARS).

InteleCom, through its brand name InteleFone, provides Internet phone service (VoIP) for pennies a minute to customers anywhere in the world, in many cases saving up to a dollar or more per minute over regular long distance and international calls. The savings are even greater for International travelers using their mobile phones. The company's Travel InteleFone simply plugs into a USB port on a laptop or PC and allows customers to make calls over the Internet for the same low rate no matter what country they place the call from. All InteleFone calls initially travel over the Internet bypassing the local or national phone company in the country where the customer is located and can connect to any regular or mobile phone in the world. InteleFone to InteleFone calls are provided free of charge.

Unlike most VoIP companies that only provide service to broadband Internet customers, InteleFone also works with dial-up Internet service, giving InteleCom a global market universe of 1.25 Billion Internet customers, which is 900% larger than the 125 Million broadband Internet customer base.

"We are thrilled to work with TechnoPlanet Productions and their outstanding network of resellers. This new relationship represents a significant step forward in our global distribution efforts," stated Michael Connor, President and COO of InteleCom, Inc.

InteleCom previously announced that The Sakal Group, Israel's largest privately owned retail chain, will invest $5 Million with InteleCom, Inc., for a global joint venture to market the company's Internet phones and service in South East Asia, Central America and the Middle East. Sakal recently started sales of InteleCom's Travel InteleFone at its electronic stores and is committed to sell its current inventory of 21,000 phones prior to starting the joint venture. The details of Sakal's current sales efforts and plans were reported in Yediot Aharonot, Israel's largest newspaper.
Source: marketwire.com

Nokia Siemens Networks Press Releases

Network traffic will grow 100-fold by 2015, driven by bandwidth-hungry services like peer-to-peer file sharing, video and high-definition TV (HDTV). This presents intriguing opportunities – but significant scaling challenges as well.
Nokia Siemens Networks has a rich portfolio of highly efficient and flexible fixed and mobile broadband solutions to meet these challenges, and it will demonstrate them at the Broadband World Forum Americas 2007 in São Paulo, Brazil (booth 305). Nokia Siemens Networks will present solutions that help operators leverage their bandwidth investments and migrate to an all IP/Ethernet network, along with its leading broadband technology and related management and service offerings.
Building out bandwidth with fiberNokia Siemens Networks will show how its customers can flexibly adapt their networks to meet rising bandwidth demand with the help of its industry-leading copper and fiber solutions, which provide support for all access technologies and fiber architectures: fiber to the curb, building, or home. Deployment is optimized with hybrid Multi Service Access Nodes (MSAN), which can transport both optical and electric copper signals. As a result they support ADSL2+, VDSL2, SHDSL, GPON, Ethernet, TDM and POTS/VoIP over the H.248 protocol and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and CATV connections.
Melding fixed network and IP servicesTo bring quality of experience to the consumers, Nokia Siemens Networks is bringing two worlds together: the telecommunication and IT world. Convergence between the various network domains is achieved with the aid of network abstraction, enabling converged applications. Therefore the company provides the framework for leading-edge Service Delivery Platforms to consolidate the application platform landscape to reduce OPEX and to build a flexible creation and execution environment for new applications to generate new revenues with the fastest time-to-market. Nokia Siemens Networks provides comprehensive consulting and integration services, an extensive portfolio of architectural components, a broad ecosystem, and has a great track record with jointly more than 30 business-led service delivery projects implemented.
Extending broadband with the mobile WiMAX solutionNokia Siemens Networks’ end-to-end mobile WiMAX solution extends broadband services to areas where fixed broadband is not cost-efficient. This solution delivers a unified stream of voice, data and video over wide distances with wide bandwidth. The mobile WiMAX solution enables reliable connectivity to broadband services for consumers on the go, adding mobility to their user experience. For operators, mobile WiMAX minimizes network deployment and operational costs – thus enabling easier implementation and more efficient rollout – while at the same time offering new ways to enhance both customer satisfaction and profitability.
Leveraging the simplicity of EthernetProvider Backbone Bridging Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) is the new connection-oriented technology for Carrier Ethernet networks. PBB-TE lets carriers get the full benefits of their deployment of residential (triple play), enterprise VPNs and mobile backhauling services in their telecommunications networks. Carrier Ethernet ensures carrier-grade reliability, manageability, security, and scalability. Carrier Ethernet is rated as particularly cost-effective, significantly reducing equipment prices and network complexity.
Optimizing TV with complementing technologiesIn Sao Paulo, Nokia Siemens Networks will show how to capitalize on TV opportunities through its mobile TV broadcasting solution, which offers transmission of a great number of channels with enhanced video quality, while at the same time reducing operational expenses. Nokia Siemens Networks also demonstrates its preeminent IPTV end-to-end solution, which provides a unique bundling of entertainment and communication via an interactive multimedia platform for highly flexible use.
Adding value with a cutting-edge VoIP offerNokia Siemens Networks will also be demonstrating its VoIP solution for consumers and business customers, integrating business groups across the mobile and fixed domains. The demonstration will incorporate the Nokia E90 and E61 handsets as well as plain POTS phones connected via an IP DSLAM from Nokia Siemens Networks. The VoIP solution enables operators to offer an advanced hosted VoIP solution to any customer no matter what kind of in-house infrastructure the customer is currently using.
Source: techwhack.com

Apple nicked our Iphone technology

A NEW YORK based outfit claims that the fruit-themed toy-maker, Apple has nicked its visual voicemail technology and jacked it under the bonnet of its Iphone.
Klausner Technologies has filed a $360 million suit against Apple and AT &T.
Also involved are Comcast, Cablevision Systems and eBay's Skype for infringing its patent on "visual voicemail."
Klausner wants $300 million from the last three.
As you would expect, the case has been filed in the patent-holder friendly US Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The complaint involves US patent 5,572,576, which is the same one that Klausner used in 2006 against voice-over-Internet telephone service provider Vonage Holdings.
In that case the two sides settled out of court in October. Vonage now licensees of Klausner's voicemail technology for its Vonage Voicemail Plus service.
Apple's Newton PDA was safe because Jobs' Mob were covered under a licencing deal between Klausner and Sharp which made the beast.
According to Reuters, none of those sued have seen Klausner's allegations and therefore cannot comment.
Source: theinquirer.net

20 Mbps ADSL Solution

An ADSL Channel-Bonding solution was recently launched in South Africa promising speeds of up to 20 Mbps to customers.
Technology Concepts (TC) recently launched an ADSL Channel-Bonding solution where up to 5 ADSL lines can be bonded together to create a high speed link capable of significantly faster upload and download speeds than standard ADSL solutions.
This solution is not the same as ADSL load balancing where traffic is balanced between multiple ADSL lines to increase speed and offer some redundancy. It is rather a system where packets are sent simultaneously over all the ADSL connections and ‘reconfigured’ in the company’s data centre before sending them on to the Internet.
TC currently has servers in the Verizon data centre, but they are planning an additional server set at Internet Solutions for redundancy and a possible improvement in performance.
According to TC Managing Director Wayne de Nobrega this solution, which allows a maximum of five ADSL lines to be channel bonded, promises significantly higher download and upload speeds than current solutions.
De Nobrega says that TC provisions its own backhaul bandwidth – 100 Mbps local bandwidth and 100 Mbps international bandwidth over SAT3 – to ensure the optimal performance of the service.
The TC MD says that current ADSL services typically have bandwidth bottlenecks somewhere along the line which hampers the performance of an ADSL service. This is something which his company tries to alleviate with their offering.
De Nobrega points out that this product is not aimed at the consumer market but rather larger organizations looking at replacing expensive Diginet links.
Actual performance
MyBroadband had the opportunity to take the service for a test drive and the results were encouraging.
A standard Microsoft download using a system of 3 ADSL lines provided a relatively constant download speed of around 8 Mbps (1 000 KB/s).
A web based speed test – using Speedtest.net – produced a download speed of 8 196 Kbps and an upload speed of 854 Kbps. The similar SpeakEasy speed test using United States based servers gave a download speed of 2 353 Kbps and an upload speed of 768 Kbps.
According to De Nobrega the higher upload speeds – which are limited to 384 Kbps on current 4 Mbps connections – is one of the biggest advantages to business clients. De Nobrega points out that businesses often need to send large amounts of data and need a more symmetrical data solution than the current ADSL offerings in the market.
There were however a few tests that did not produce very impressive results. These included downloads from Apple.com and even the SAIX servers which generally ranged between 2 000 Kbps and 4 000 Kbps. Other local and international downloads, using a multi-threaded download manager and a 4 line ADSL solution, however showed speeds of close to 10 Mbps.
Streaming multiple videos from international servers at 1.5 Mbps did not pose any problem and multiple YouTube videos could be streamed without ever having to buffer.
Latency on the system was fair when accessing local servers and good when pinging international servers.
The average latency to Google.com was 226 ms while BBC was slightly better at an average of 205 ms. The US based Chessclub.com however produced a higher average of 349 ms.
Local ping times ranged between 51 ms for IOL and 46 ms to MyADSL. The ping time accessing a server in the same data centre as the TC point-of-presence was on average 20 ms.
Price
The price for the system is significantly higher than standard ADSL offerings, but De Nobrega points out that this product is definitely not aimed at home or SOHO owners. It targets larger companies who want to reduce their Diginet expenses.
A 2 port system, which channel-bonds two 4 Mbps ADSL lines, costs R1 450-00 per month excluding VAT. This increases to R 1 700-00 for 3 ports, R 2 150-00 for 4 ports and R 2 400-00 for the top-of-the-range 5 port solution.
Users of this system must also purchase Internet bandwidth from TC, and prices range from R 1 340-00 (ex VAT) for 10 GB to R 11 260-00 (ex VAT) for 100 GB.
A cheaper local-only solution, aimed at inter-branch connectivity, is also available at R 1 990-00 (ex VAT) for 100 GB. This traffic is however measured at both ends of the solution which gives an effective monthly usage of only 50 GB.
The users will still have to factor in the cost of the multiple ADSL lines to Telkom which costs around R 525-00 per month per line if the compulsory analogue line rental charge is included.
A 20 Mbps system, which makes use of five 4 Mbps ADSL lines, will therefore amount to a cost of R 2 624-50 to Telkom and R 2 736-00 to TC. This cost excludes bandwidth charges ranging from just over R 1 000-00 to over R 10 000-00 depending on usage.
De Nobrega says that while the initial cost may seem high when compared to a standard ADSL service, it is far cheaper than current Diginet solutions which many companies are using. Source: mybroadband.co.za

Klausner Sues VoIP Giants Over Voicemail Patent

New York — VoIP technology firm Klausner Technologies launched a legal broadside against three of the VoIP industry’s largest firms — Comcast, Cablevision and the eBay-owned Skype.

Klausner claims the companies’ voicemail-to-email systems infringe on Klausner’s visual voicemail patents. The company has already successfully litigated against Time Warner (for its AOL Voicemail) and Vonage. Both companies currently license Klausner’s voicemail technology.

According to Klausner, damages and future royalties from the suit are estimated at $300 million.

The suit has been filed in a federal court in the Eastern District of Texas.
Source: twice.com

VoIP: How Free Can It Be

VoIP initially promised free calls everywhere, but somebody has to write the software, run the servers and pay the telcos to complete calls to landlines and mobiles, while users need to pay for a phone or a laptop and broadband.

Still, there are many providers of free PC-to-PC calls — Skype, obviously, is the best-known — and they keep coming up with new ways to get users closer to that holy grail of VoIP: free calling. There are enough services that allow free calling at least some of the time — whether via laptop, landline or mobile — that an energetic user should be able to duck paying for a phone call for months by switching services as those services’ restrictions dictate.

Ccube Inc. allows you to make and receive calls without anyone knowing your number. Post a Ccube widget or username on your Facebook, LinkedIn or other social-networking page, viewers click it, your phone rings, their phone rings and you’re connected — all without the caller knowing your phone number or whereabouts, since their Caller ID shows you only as a Ccube number. Ccube also promises 60 minutes of free nationwide (U.S. and Canada) calls per month and an additional 30 minutes for each person you refer to Ccube. This referral business is important to Ccube, which is primarily in the social-networking business. The service matches you with other people based on your (and their) stated preferences, and allows you to meet one another via VoIP. This also means that Ccube lets you block callers and edit feedback that others post about you, to prevent abuses.

Interestingly, Ccube also features voiceKey, a word you speak to authenticate yourself to the Ccube system. (This is not, apparently, voice recognition so much as word recognition.)

SMS software is also handy for making free cell calls, since the same protocols that allow instant text messaging can also carry voice traffic. Click4Me performs this trick nicely. You and whoever you want to call sign up with Click4Me and get Click4Me IDs; then you text Click4Me with “CALL” plus the recipient’s Click4Me ID, and the call connects. Click4Me also allows blocking of certain numbers or IDs and lets users get email or SMS messages showing missed calls.

ComBOTS AG connects your PC or landline phone with others around the world for free, or at least for nothing extra on top of your current broadband charge. ComBOTS’ Web site is unclear about whether you can originate calls using your mobile, but you can certainly use it to call mobile numbers from your PC or landline. Additional communication options from your mobile include file transfer, chat, text messaging and emoticons.

Damaka Inc. turns your Windows Mobile 1.0 smartphone or Pocket PC into a wifi-enabled phone, allowing you to make free peer-to-peer calls or call PSTN (public switched telephone network) or mobile numbers for cheap. Damaka Mobile also enables users to share video and text messages, transfer files with virus scanning, listen to voice mail and view call logs. Damaka also makes an enterprise version of its product that adds recording, videoconferencing and enhanced security and Quality of Service.

Gizmo Project is the best-known open-standards softphone project. It enables free or cheap calls worldwide — and its spinoff, SIPphone Inc., offers more complex, business-oriented tools using Gizmo’s protocols, including PSTN gateways, voice mail and SIP/PSTN network peering. Gizmo features Call In and Call Out (similar to SkypeIn and SkypeOut) typically for 1.9 cents per minute, plus IM, conversation recording and mapping of caller and receiver locations.

Google Talk comes in two flavors: a gadget to use from a Google site (with Flash 8.0) and a 1.5MB download. It integrates directly with a user’s Google Personalized Homepage, and the Google Talk application speeds setup by automatically loading contacts from your Gmail account. Unfortunately, the Google Talk client currently only works with Windows and with BlackBerry devices, although Mountain View promises Linux and Mac OS X versions in the future. Note that Google Talk does not connect with landline phones or mobiles.

If you’re on a Mac, iChat shares many of Skype’s features without using so much bandwidth, has excellent voice quality and integrates automatically with iSight video cameras. The new version for Mac OS X 10.5 adds more bells and whistles, which you can see in a demo here.

Jajah lets users make free PC-to-PC VoIP calls and a limited number of free calls to and from landline phones. You visit Jajah’s Web site, enter your phone number and the number you want to call. Your phone rings and you answer, after which the phone of the person you're calling rings to complete the call.

Jajah operates on an honor system that allows you about 1,000 minutes per month of free calls, thanks to other Jajah users paying for premium services (business accounts, calls to non-Jajah users, some foreign calls). Exceed that limit and Jajah will ask you to buy some premium services; if you don’t, you may be cut off. (Think you can just sign up again? Wrong: They have your phone number.) Works on Macs and with Microsoft Outlook.

Other companies are building applications that ride on top of Skype technology, including Mobivox. Register your Skype account with Mobivox and the company will list your Skype contacts as people you can call. You can then use local-access numbers to call them for free from your mobile (presumably connecting with them at their laptops). That said, if you and your callee are both in the Mobivox network, mobile-to-mobile calls are not only possible, but free up to 250 minutes per week. As with Jajah, it appears that those 250 minutes are underwritten by others’ purchase of premium Mobivox services, in this case international calling minutes. However, Mobivox’s operator app, VoxGirl, actually tells you whether a call is free before you’re connected.

PhoneGnome is similar to Jajah, in that Web-initiated mobile or landline calls to other PhoneGnome members are free within the U.S. and Canada. Calls are free regardless when both caller and receiver have a $60 PhoneGnome box, a wallet-size switching gizmo that automatically finds the cheapest way to route a given call (landline, VoIP, Skype or others). So if calls to non-PhoneGnome users aren’t actually free, it’s a good bet they’re traveling the lowest-cost route available at a given moment.

If you do a lot of international calling, you can use RocketVoIP for unlimited dialing to other RocketVoIP members for $19.95 per month (up from $10 per month not so long ago). This is the plan for heavy users, since the more calls you make, the cheaper they become per minute.

In addition, since it will usually be evening or the weekend on either the caller’s or the receiver’s continent (think U.S.-Asia, U.S.-Europe, Asia-Europe), wait until you’re on your mobile plan’s free night-and-weekend minutes, dial the RocketVoIP access number, dial the overseas number you want, and presto: free international calling from your cell with no charge against your mobile plan’s monthly total.

SightSpeed Inc. touts free PC-to-PC voice calling and videoconferencing, while a $4.95 per month Pro service adds video-mail recording and multiparty videoconferencing. It’s available for Windows and Mac, and its MySightSpeed feature allows browser-based voice and videoconferencing with non-SightSpeed members (note that both parties will need at least Internet Explorer 6; see demo here).

Ontario-based Softroute Corp.’s Vbuzzer allows free PC-to-PC VoIP-based calling, faxing and videoconferencing with low rates to complete calls to landlines and mobiles (typically 1.5 cents per minute to the U.S., Canada and China; 1.7 cents per minute to other countries). Unfortunately, Vbuzzer currently works only with Microsoft’s outdated Windows 2000 and XP operating systems.

Know of a free or inexpensive VOIP option not mentioned here? Leave it below in the comments.
Source: voip-news.com

Advanced Battery Technologies to Showcase Its Products

Advanced Battery Technologies to Showcase Its Products and Technology at The International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition in Anaheim, CA
Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (AMEX: GBT) today announced that it will be attending The International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition EVS 23 through its U.S. distribution entity CCT Power Company (www.cctpowerco.com). Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures, and distributes rechargeable polymer lithium-ion (PLI) battery cells.
The International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS) runs December 2-5, 2007 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Advanced Battery Technologies will be represented in booth 363. Organized by the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA), EVS is recognized at the global electric transportation industry's premier and largest forum for business, technology, policy, and academic leaders involved in electric drive technologies.
"We are extremely pleased to be participating in the premier forum for the global electric transportation industry. Advanced Battery Technologies has long been committed to creating cutting-edge battery technology for electric vehicles," stated Mr. Zhiguo Fu, Advanced Battery's Chairman and CEO. "Our battery technology was selected for use in vehicles to be used during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games due to its many important advantages, including high energy density, long life, enhanced safety features, customizable design, and environmentally-friendly materials. We're looking forward to increasing awareness of Advanced Battery Technologies' products and technologies at this important exposition," Mr. Fu concluded.
Source: money.cnn.com

Another way to do DSL line bonding? Should surprise BT

Quick phone call from an old friend of an old friend, saying that he thinks he's found a way of speeding up your internet connection: "We have found a way of doing data bonding, in software!" - and they call it SharedBand.

He promises more details in the post, but apparently, he's heard all about the Firebrick, which is the technique I use here at NewsWireless Tangles.

What the Firebrick technique uses, is a specially designed micro-firewall (from Watchfront) which lets you connect up to four ADSL lines into a single data pipe. It takes two Firebricks, with all four lines coming into the wall, and being bonded together as a single Ethernet connection.

To make this work, of course, you have to feed a single Internet connection into the other end. Watchfront does that: they provide standard ISP services. In their network headquarters, they have another Firebrick. Four outgoing ADSL lines (yours) are fed by the Firebrick; the packets are split up and shared out. And then the other firebrick, at your offices, puts them all back into the right order.

I've explained this trick to any number of people, and without exception, they've all patiently and condescendingly explained to me "it doesn't work like that, Guy!" and assured me I've been taken for a ride. "It can't make it any faster," they say. "It probably slows things down."
No, actually, it doesn't. It works wonderfully, and means a special advantage for uploading, because that's where ADSL always falls down. But with four ADSL lines, you get leased-line upload speeds. And on top of that, any of the lines can go dead, without your connection faltering.

So Sharedband sounds like a great idea, because, from initial information, it's the same thing but without needing the special purpose-built firewall; it works by reprogramming your ADSL modem/router.

More information when we get it. Web site at http://www.sharedband.com/ and make sure you type it in. I was told where it was, and, mishearing, went straight to shedband.com - which is entirely a different thing.

Initial reports say BT will be involved in marketing this. That, I have to say, I will need to see...
Source: newswireless.net

Christmas is on its way, let the REIN fall

REIN stands for, Random Electrical Impulse Noise, and it is very often the reason for those seemingly random disconnects on your ADSL connection.

This is the second Christmas since rate adaptive products from LLU providers and BT Wholesale have been used by millions of people in the UK which means the number of people who may see yet more disconnects over the Christmas period is a lot higher than in the past.

What many people may not know is that while a phone line will happily run a 0.5Mbps connection in the face of almost any form of random noise, run the same line at the maximum it will support and the safety margin decreases to the point that something as simple as a set of Christmas lights blinking on and off may be enough to cause disconnects, or slower speeds than previously experienced.

The moral is that if your ADSL starts to run slow and your Christmas lights are on, try switching them off and restart the ADSL modem to see if things improve. If they do, consider moving the Christmas lights. Things to avoid are running Christmas lights close to the telephone wiring, or plugging power transformers into the same power strip as an ADSL modem. It may actually be your neighbours lights that are the problem, so some delicate discussions could be required. If they have ADSL themselves, they may welcome some help in figuring out what the problem is.

In cases where the disconnects are not resolved by switching things off or moving it, then ensuring the telephone wiring inside your property is not picking up more noise than it needs to is a good idea. The simplest and fastest solution is to disconnect the ring wire on all your extensions and master socket. If you don't mind waiting for the postman to deliver it, fitting a dedicated ADSL faceplate to the master socket is a good project to keep you out of the shops. One final word, if you are using a flat ribbon type cable for connecting your ADSL modem, we would advise changing this for a cable that has twisted pairs. Twisted pair cabling is what BT use for the cable to your home and for BT installed extensions (unless your wiring is very old) and it helps to make the ADSL signal more immune to noise.
Source: thinkbroadband.com

BUYINS.NET: MLM, PWI, BTJ, HOKU, AANI, CARN Have Been Added To Naked Short List Today

BUYINS.NET, www.buyins.net, announced today that these select companies have been added to the NASDAQ, AMEX and NYSE naked short threshold list: Martin Marietta Materials Inc. , PrimeWest Energy Trust Trust Units, Bolt Technology Corp, Hoku Scientific Inc., media Networks Inc., Carrington Laboratories Inc. For a complete list of companies on the naked short list please visit our web site. To find the SqueezeTrigger Price before a short squeeze starts in any stock, go to www.buyins.net.
Martin Marietta Materials Inc. engages in the production and sale of aggregates for the construction industry in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Islands. It operates in two segments, Aggregates and Specialty Products. The Aggregates segment engages in the mining, processing, and sale of granite, limestone, sand, gravel, and other aggregate products used in public infrastructure, commercial, and residential construction industries. This segment also involves in the asphalt, ready mixed concrete, and road paving operations. The Specialty Products segment manufactures and markets magnesia-based chemical products for industrial, agricultural, and environmental applications; and dolomitic lime for use in steel industry. The company also develops structural composite products. Martin Marietta Materials was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. With 41.86 million shares outstanding and 7.84 million shares declared short as of November 2007, there is a failure to deliver in shares of MLM.
PrimeWest Energy Trust Trust Units through its subsidiary, PrimeWest Energy, Inc., engages in the acquisition, development, exploitation, production, and marketing of oil and natural gas. It primarily operates in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. As of December 31, 2006, the company's proved plus probable net reserves were 155,862 thousand barrels of oil equivalent, including 40,463 thousand barrels of light and medium crude oil; 3,461 thousand barrels of heavy oil; 596.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas; and 12,490 thousand barrels of natural gas liquids. It also owned approximately 2,126 gross producing oil wells and 1,636 gross producing natural gas wells. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. With 91.03 million shares outstanding and 271,900 shares declared short as of November 2007, there is a failure to deliver in shares of PWI.
Bolt Technology Corp engages in the development, manufacture, and sale of marine seismic energy sources used in marine seismic exploration for oil and gas industry worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Geophysical Equipment and Industrial Products. The Geophysical Equipment segment offers marine seismic energy sources and underwater electrical connectors and cables, seismic source monitoring systems, air gun signature hydrophones, and pressure transducers used by the marine seismic industry. The Industrial Products segment provides miniature industrial clutches, brakes, and sub-fractional horsepower electric motors, which are used in airplane video systems, hospital beds, barcode labelers, and banking machines, as well as in air conditioning systems, valve timers, vending machines, point of purchase displays, and business machines. The company also offers replacement parts for air guns and APG guns. Bolt Technology Corporation sells its geophysical equipment to marine seismic exploration contractors, and industrial products to original equipment manufacturers. The company was founded in 1960 and is based in Norwalk, Connecticut. With 5.72 million shares outstanding and 1.86 million shares declared short as of November 2007, there is a failure to deliver in shares of BTJ.
Hoku Scientific Inc. a materials science company, provides materials and components for the generation of electricity from clean energy technologies in the United States and internationally. It designs, develops, and manufactures membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, as well as develops custom monomers and polymers for MEAs. The company also develops photovoltaic (PV) modules for solar power systems; and polysilicon, a primary raw material used to manufacture PV modules. Hoku Scientific offers its products and services for the residential primary power, commercial back-up, and automotive hydrogen fuel cell markets. The company was incorporated in March 2001 under the name Pacific Energy Group, Inc. and changed its name to Hoku Scientific, Inc. in July 2001. Hoku Scientific is headquartered in Kapolei, Hawaii. With 16.8 million shares outstanding and 3.8 million shares declared short as of November 2007, there is a failure to deliver in shares of HOKU.
Amedia Networks Inc. a development stage company, engages in the design, development, and marketing of technology-based broadband access solutions for voice, video, and data services. It provides Ethernet-based solutions that are deployed with optical fibers or copper wires to offer voice, video, and data broadband services. The company's products include QOSTREAM PG1000, a premises gateway product that performs data, telephony, gaming, video, and local Ethernet switching functions; QOSTREAM PG1000H, a premises gateway product designed for outside deployment; and QOSTREAM AS5000, which is a distributed Ethernet aggregation switch designed to route data to and from the premises gateways. It also provides QoStream Director, which is a graphical and point-and-click network management system that provides capability for remotely managing and operating the QoStream product line from a remote network operations center; HG-V100, a home gateway designed to interface with a VDSL2 IPDSLAM; HG-V100 (Outdoor) that enables a carrier to mount the unit on the exterior of a building; HG-G1000, which provides the integrated functionality of an in-home broadband home router and an outdoor optical network terminal; and Broadband Entertainment Center platform that is designed to replace the computer as the media hub and central point of networking within the connected home. The company markets its products to telecommunications carriers, communication equipment companies, cable and video providers, governments, public utilities, and municipalities. It has a strategic alliance agreement with Motorola Wireline Networks, Inc. for the development of Internet protocol home gateways. The company was founded in 1994 as TTR Technologies, Inc. and changed its name to Amedia Networks, Inc. in 2004. Amedia Networks is headquartered in Eatontown, New Jersey. With 34.43 million shares outstanding and 2.97 million shares declared short as of November 2007, there is a failure to deliver in shares of AANI.
Carrington Laboratories Inc. is an ISO 9001-certified, research-based, biopharmaceutical and consumer products company currently utilizing naturally-occurring complex carbohydrates to manufacture and market products for mucositis, radiation dermatitis, wound and oral care, as well as to manufacture and market the nutraceutical raw material Manapol and cosmetic raw material Hydrapol(TM). Carrington also manufactures and markets consumer products and manufactures quality products for other companies. Manufacturing operations comply with cGMP standards. Carrington's DelSite Biotechnologies subsidiary is developing its proprietary GelSite technology which is designed to provide controlled release of peptide and protein-based drugs. Carrington's technology is protected by more than 130 patents in 26 countries. Select products carry the CE mark, recognized by more than 20 countries around the world. With 10.91 million shares outstanding and 397,900 shares declared short as of November 2007, there is a failure to deliver in shares of CARN.

Source: tradingmarkets.com

New technology captures the 'real' thing

SAN FRANCISCO -- The special-effects wizards at George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic once again are revolutionizing fantasy filmmaking.
No one else is doing motion capture -- the computerized creation of virtual copies of humans -- in the same lean, mean, on-set way that ILM staged it for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
"Not currently," says John Knoll, visual-effects supervisor for the franchise. "But I'm sure they will. It's only a matter of time. It's better to be the innovator and have people copying you than not."
As viewers, you may not even notice. But you will see the technique in action on the two-disc Limited Edition DVD which debuts tomorrow (there is also a one-disc offering). The Limited Edition is a treasure chest of extras, including behind-the-scenes visits on-set in the Caribbean and off-set in studios such as ILM.
The new motion-capture technique puts real actors on real sets with limited extra technology getting in the way.
"It is meant to be more production friendly," Knoll says. "The main thrust of it is to not intrude. You don't want the visual effects to be a burden on production.
"So, apart from the goofy grey suits (motion-capture actors have to wear them to activate computer sensors) and the fact that we've got two guys there with camcorders, it's just like shooting any other live action."
The results are more realistic, Knoll says.
"A lot of what acting is is reacting and when both performers are present, you get a higher level of acting.
"So, to have (Bill) Nighy in there with Johnny Depp, I just think the performances are better."
Source: winnipegsun.com

Samsung, Toshiba Agree to License NAND Technology

Samsung Electronics, the world’s biggest manufacturer of NAND flash memory chips, said Monday it has struck a deal with runner-up Toshiba to license its NAND flash memory chip technology.Under the deal, Samsung will give specifications of its integrated OneNAND and Flex-OneNAND chips to the Japanese manufacturer in exchange for Toshiba's single-package LBA-NAND and mobileLBA-NAND chips. Also, companies engaging in original equipment manufacturing (OEM) will have the choice to supply Samsung’s OneNAND or Toshiba’s LBA-NAND chips.``Suppliers will reduce potential risks of over-dependence on a single supplier for any of the selected chips,’’ a Samsung spokesperson said.The deal could boost the demand for high-end chips, increasing the portion of the fusion memory chip market, which is forecast to soar to $5 billion by 2010 from an expected $800 million in 2008. ``Samsung and Toshiba secured an additional priority on meeting the anticipated growth in demand for high-performance NAND flash in mobile and other consumer applications,’’ said Choi Yun-ho, senior vice president of the Flash Team at Samsung Electronics’ Semiconductor Business. ``We will release products based on the licensed specifications from 2008.’’ NAND flash chips are commonly used in pricey electronics gadgets such as car navigation systems, camera phones, MP3 players and other multimedia players.According to iSuppli, a market research firm, Samsung Electronics and Toshiba led the market with a share of 40.0 percent and 25.7 percent, respectively, in the third quarter, while Hynix Semiconductor ranked third with 20.5 percent.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr

The obstacles to next-gen networks

Broadband has been a huge success in the UK with more than half of all UK homes with a connection, at an average speed of four megabits a second (Mbps). But there are fears that the country is being left behind in the push towards next-generation networks.
The UK's current broadband network is predominantly based on copper wires designed for telephone calls, and in the coming years the hardware will reach its technological limits, putting a cap of 24Mbps download speeds on connections.
The technology, called ADSL, also suffers from issues such as falling speeds with greater distance from the exchange, noise on the line, limited upload speeds and slowdown when more people are on the network.
A future download speed of 24Mbps might sound fast, but other countries around the world are offering 40Mbps and even 100Mbps connections right now.
An extensive network of fibre optic cables has been touted as one solution but a UK-wide fibre to the home plan would cost £15bn to roll-out and some in the industry question the financial wisdom of such a network and whether it is needed at all.
Commercial incentives
BT, which operates the ADSL network in the UK, has said it would need government assistance or commercial incentives before it could commit to building a next-generation network.
The UK's sole cable provider, Virgin Media, is in the process of boosting its network in order to offer speeds of up to 50Mbps to 52% of the UK by the end of 2008.
Without proper investment in next-generation broadband, users in the UK could miss out on the internet's next major innovation, said Ian Fogg, an analyst at Jupiter Research.
"The next big thing on the internet - 2010's YouTube - may not work in the UK," he warned.
One of the biggest issues is that no-one is really sure what "the next big thing" will be. Even if the UK did have a next-generation network ready to be switched on, how would it be used?
In the US, fibre to the home networks are being used to deliver High Definition TV services but in the UK Sky and cable firms already offer HD programming, with Freeview earmarked for hi-def content in the next five years.
Others think that even if people did want high definition content delivered via broadband, they would not want to pay for it.
"The question is how to make money and I'm not sure the answer is good. Take HD, people have already paid out £2,000 for a plasma TV and they see that as paying for HD. They are not going to want to pay for the service as well," said Justin Paul, a development manager at telecoms equipment firm Alcatel-Lucent.
Faster upload
The faster upload speeds offered by fibre could spur community networks that create and share video content and more bandwidth is always appreciated by online gamers.
But gaming is not going to be enough in itself to recoup the costs of either upgrading cable or investing the estimated £15bn needed.
...
Source: bbc.co.uk

Biggest ADSL downloader

Internet Solutions has been offering uncapped ADSL accounts for a long time. We take a look at the biggest downloaders on their network.
Speaking at the recent MyADSL Broadband Conference hosted at Vodaworld, Internet Solutions’ General Manager for Internet Access, Alan Bacher, gave an overview of the top bandwidth users during September 2007.
The biggest downloader for September, on an uncapped 1 Mbps connection, used a combined total of 332 GB during the month. This consisted of 65 GB of uploaded data and 267 GB of downloaded data – close to the theoretical limit of a possible 332 GB of downloads on a 1 Mbps connection.
If this user had to pay per-GB rates for his data on the SAIX network it would have cost him in the region of R 18 000 at the discounted rate of R 55-00 per GB.
The top 10 users, which range between 332 GB and 232 GB per month, used a combined total of 2.69 TB during September. These users on average uploaded 46 GB per month and downloaded 224 GB per month.
The biggest downloader of them all
These users are however not the record holder, according to IS they have one individual who takes the cake. One of their subscribers – who was not limited to a 1 Mbps connection speed - previously downloaded more than 1 Terabyte of data in a single calendar month.
This can obviously put a tremendous amount of strain on any network, but what the IS engineers found more interesting was how it was possible for a single user to download that much information in a single month.
It emerged that this subscriber had 40 concurrent active connections to newsgroups open at any given time – downloading data for the full duration of the month. The 1 TB monthly download amount came very close to the theoretical limit of what is possible on a 4 Mbps ADSL connection.
Average monthly usage
Bacher revealed the interesting statistic that the majority of their uncapped users – on both their Business ADSL 512kbps & 1024kbps offering and their Business ADSL Fibre 512kbps & 1024kbps services – use less than 20 GB of data per month.
Only a small portion of their uncapped service subscriber base – typically under 10% - exceeds the 50 GB monthly usage limit.
Source: mybroadband.co.za

Free Calls to More Than 50 Networks Worldwide at Terrasip

Estepona (OPENPRESS) December 3, 2007 -- No. 3 of the ToP 100 VoIP providers in the world at www.myvoipprovider.com extends his offer for free calls.

What was formerly supposed to be only a pilot project will be continued.
Also after the trial period landlines can be called for free, as long as a member account at least has 1 ct credit, for example to Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Russia, United Kingdom, USA and more.

A complete list of free destinations is available on the TerraSip homepage.

Phonecalls with friends and family worldwide for free
Since ever TerraSip members make free calls to one another worldwide and at very low call rates when phoning non-members, without any commitment to a contract, no monthly fees, no membership charges, and no hidden costs. Memberships are free of charge as well.

No computer required for Internet Telephony
“Most users download the free Phoner, a comfortable softphone, for making calls from the computer,” says Susan Scheiber, responsible for Customer Service at TerraSip.

But apart from that, there is not necessarily a computer needed to do calls like other services require. Using special phones called IP phones, TerraSip makes Internet Telephony simple for users.

As an alternative to an IP phone an adapter enables the normal phone to be VoIP capable. At a push of a button the user determines whether to take advantage of free Internet Telephony or his normal service provider whenever making outgoing calls.

No VoIP phone required for Internet Telephony
Members using a computer but preferring making calls with a normal telephone can use the Phone2Phone service on the TerraSip homepage.
Phone2Phone connects 2 normal landlines or mobiles with one another at the low rates of VoIP, but without the necessity of any additional hardware, software, installation or configuration.

About the Companies:
TerraSip is a young, internationally oriented company operating throughout the globe, a private held VoIP Provider based in Spain with an international team of software developers in Germany, Spain, California, Romania and India. TerraSip offers cheap high quality VoIP telephony and value added solutions based on Voice over IP, such as Callshop Management Software, Free Call Buttons, Phone2Phone solutions, SMS -Service and more.

TerraSip’s main orientation is in the direction of mobile internet telephony: Voice over WLAN or VoWLAN for short.

TerraSip S.A., Avenida Espana 70, 29680 Estepona, Spanien
Contact: Susan Scheiber
Tel: +34 636982415
E-Mail: pr@terrasip.com http://www.terrasip.com

If you have any queries relating to this release please contact the company’s press department at pr@terrasip.com.
Source: theopenpress.com

Jajah Advertising: AdWords of the Future

The term "Google AdWords" probably means something to you. For many businesses, it means a stream of revenue that was unheard of ten years ago but which is critical to business success today.

But Web 2.0 is changing quickly and AdWords is only one option for online advertising today. Jajah is on the cusp of creating something quite similar to AdWords for VoIP, bringing advertising technology to the computer communications systems being used in the modern market.

Jajah has launched an opt-in advertising voice service, dubbed "The World's First Voice 2.0 Advertising Network", which will go live at the end of this month. Jajah users can elect to add advertising and get to share in the earnings that occur as a result of the audio ad. This reduces the already-low cost of the VoIP call. The business saves money by electing to use advertising and may even find that profits are being made. Doesn't sound possible? Neither did making money from AdWords.

Advertising is obviously an important aspect of any business. Since the development of AdWords, we have seen advertising change so that everyone involved can benefit. The user receives marketing that targets his/her shopping preferences rather than being bombarded with ads that hold no interest. The advertiser sees a boost in sales of products or services. And the platforms assisting with the ads, be it websites or the new VoIP technology, earn money off of helping to facilitate the transaction.

People have expressed concerns in the past about phone advertising. This is because no one wants their calls interrupted to be brought an "important message". However, the public is becoming more accepting of phone advertising with the changing mobile technology which has begun to incorporate targeted ads on Wi-Fi connected phones. Jajah is making the next leap by bringing this technology to VoIP.

When you make a VoIP call, you normally hear a ring before the recipient picks up (as with any phone). Instead of the ring, you will hear the ad. The ad will be targeted to the details of your call. So if you're calling a client in Los Angeles from your office in San Francisco, you may hear an ad for a restaurant near you in San Francisco or for a great hotel offer in Los Angeles. The advertisements are short and sweet, you can take them or leave them and then your call is connected.

As a businessperson, this offers many benefits. The most obvious one is that you'll reduce your call costs and earn money if you're already using Jajah for your VoIP system. But even if you're not using Jajah, benefits could follow. You could be among the first to get in on advertising on the Jajah system. People all around the world could be hearing new audio ads with your message. It's a novel approach to advertising and forward-thinking companies are always seeing if novel can work in their favor.

Question of the Day: As a Jajah user, would you opt-in to allow advertising to further reduce your VoIP call costs?
Source: pcworld.ca

The guitar that tunes itself

The guitar that tunes itself - with the aid of robotic technology

As any amateur knows, learning to tune a guitar can seem as tricky and time-consuming as learning to play like Eric Clapton. Now guitar manufacturers Gibson are removing that hurdle by launching the world's first self-tuning instrument.
Using robotic technology, the £1,400 Gibson Les Paul can detect when a string has fallen out of pitch and correct it immediately. The manufacturer says it will reduce tuning problems for novices and professional performers.
Scores of famous musicians are already Gibson fans including Slash from Guns N'Roses, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Lenny Kravitz and Sir Paul McCartney.
The company expects its latest model to find a ready market.
Gibson Guitar's chairman and chief executive, Henry Juszkiewicz, said: "We expect the Gibson Robot Guitar to sell out within hours and have been taking reservations for orders as fast as we can answer the phone lines."
Mike Peters from The Alarm demonstrates the guitar today at its launch in London but it will not go on sale to the public until Friday at 400 Gibson dealers worldwide. A maximum of 10 will be available in each store.
The guitar uses a device in the bridge that monitors the pitch of the strings. Motorised tuners automatically adjust the strings.
The guitar is the first of its kind to have tuning presets which musicians can switch to by pushing a button as they play. If successful, it is thought other guitar manufacturers will follow.
The company, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee, was founded in 1902 by Orville Gibson, who originally made mandolins.
A giant replica Gibson guitar owned by McCartney fetched £60,000 at auction last month. At the same charity sale Ronnie Wood's guitar sold for £11,000, while Paul Weller's, designed by Sir Peter Blake, reached £8,000.
Source: guardian.co.uk

Hybrid computers will meld living brains

Scientist: 'Hybrid' computers will meld living brains with technology
Sounds sci-fi, but researcher says hybrids using living brains will be in autos, desktops in 10-15 years

December 03, 2007 (Computerworld) -- A scientist who successfully connected a moth's brain to a robot predicts that in 10 to 15 years we'll be using "hybrid" computers running a combination of technology and living organic tissue.
Charles Higgins, an associate prHe does see an ethical line, though. "Our goal is not to hook up primate brains to a robot," said Higgins. "There's the possibility, when you start to tap into brains, for all sorts of evil applications. There are certainly all these ethical issues when you start talking about human and primate brains."
Higgins said he expects that these future hybrid systems will take the form of a visual sensor that sits on the front of an automobile and keeps the vehicle from rear-ending another car. He also envisions them being embedded in military robots that can go into a hot zone, see the enemy and actually sniff out land mines. And hybrid systems could be used to make people with spinal cord injuries mobile again.
Will future desktops and laptops have organic parts?
Why not, said Higgins. "Computers now are good at chess and Word and Excel, but they're not good at being flexible or interacting with other users," he added. "There may be some way to use biological computing to actually make our computers seem more intelligent."
Right now, Higgins has successfully attached electrodes into a single vision neuron in the moth's brain. (Different neurons perform different functions like vision and the sense of smell. Humans have millions, if not trillions, of neurons. Insects have hundreds.) Now, Higgins is experimenting with connecting four electrodes into neurons on both sides of the moth's brain, expanding the visual image that the robot receives. "That should give me information about things moving on the left and right of the animal, at different speeds and moving up and down," he explained.
Higgins is also experimenting with tapping into the moth's muscles and olfactory senses. If he can work with the muscles, for instance, a strapped down moth trying to move in a certain direction would actually propel the robot.
"We're developing a lot of technology that could be used for prosthetic applications," said the researcher. "There are lots of people working on connecting functional brains to people who have nonworking limbs. You connect to the brain and send the information to a human limb or robotic limb. It's an area that is closely related to what we're doing.",
ofessor at the University of Arizona, has built a robot that is guided by the brain and eyes of a moth. Higgins told Computerworld that he basically straps a hawk moth to the robot and then puts electrodes in neurons that deal with sight in the moth's brain. Then the robot responds to what the moth is seeing -- when something approaches the moth, the robot moves out of the way.
Higgins explained that he had been trying to build a computer chip that would do what brains do when processing visual images. He found that a chip that can function nearly like the human brain would cost about $60,000.
"At that price, I thought I was getting lower quality than if I was just accessing the brain of an insect which costs, well, considerably less," he said. "If you have a living system, it has sensory systems that are far beyond what we can build. It's doable, but we're having to push the limits of current technology to do it."
This organically guided, 12-in.-tall robot on wheels may be pushing the technology envelope right now, but it's just the seed of what is coming in terms of combining living tissue with computer components, according to Higgins.
"In future decades, this will be not surprising," he said. "Most computers will have some kind of living component to them. In time, our knowledge of biology will get to a point where if your heart is failing, we won't wait for a donor. We'll just grow you one. We'll be able to do that with brains, too. If I could grow brains, I could really make computing efficient."
While the moth is physically attached to the robot at this point, Higgins said he expects that one day only the brain itself will be needed. "Can we grow a brain that does what we want it to do? Can I grow an eye with a brain connected to it and have it do what I need it to do? Can I engineer an organism and hook it into my artificial system?" he asked. "Yes, I really think this is coming. There are things biology can do so much better. Think of a computer that can be both living and nonliving. We'd be growing tissue that has no more intelligence than a liver or a heart. I don't see ethical issues here."
Source: computerworld.com

Verizon Wireless selects LTE for 4G wireless technology

BEIJING, Dec. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Verizon Wireless announced it would be using LTE (Long Term Evolution) as its fourth-generation (4G) wireless technology, which could do a lot for competition in the wireless world a few years from now, media reported Monday.
Verizon said that trials are expected to begin next year, and the full LTE rollout may come around 2010.
LTE is a new wireless standard that can fit more information into less bandwidth than the current 3G (third-generation) technology such as CDMA technology Verizon currently uses for voice.
It is seen as an upgrade of GSM, the most widely used mobile technology. It has been endorsed by the GSM Association, which coordinates the wireless standard used in most countries, and by AT&T.
It means that Verizon Wireless next network, Europe's next networks and AT&T's network will all be built on the same technology and in a few years, people will be able to be able to buy phones and switch them between the two largest wireless networks in the United States as well as carriers in most of the world.
Source: chinawiev.cn

Gotalk Attacks Engin With VoIP Package

Aussie VoIP provider, Gotalk, is launching a “direct Engin VoIP attack” in an attempt to cash-in on struggling VoIP provider Engin’s continuing bad luck.
With Engin poised to lose market share following a particularly gruesome year in which the company lost two CEOs, culled 29 staff, discontinued its plans to offer ADSL2+ and was forced to sell wireless internet provider Unwired after the acquisition proved too costly, Gotalk is ramping up its marketing and offering more call convenience from its Aussie Pack and World Pack VoIP plans.
The World Pack now allows customers to call 110 destinations which includes 30 countries for free, 30 countries for 20c per call, and 50 countries for 50c per call, for $9.95 per month when combined with the Aussie Pack or $14.95 per month alone.
"With Engin announcing drastic staff cuts and its abandoning of broadband ADSL, we believe their 77,000 customer base in particular is vulnerable and ready to move to a more attractive service provider – and we believe that with the plans we are announcing – plus the fact that gotalk already has one of the most cost effective ADSL service in Australia, we are confident gotalk is the one they will choose," said Gotalk CEO, Steve Picton.
When combined with Gotalk's ‘goVoIP Aussie Pack', the World Pack allows customers to make 100 calls, or talk for 3000 minutes each month.
Gotalk has also launched the ‘Biz World Pack', which includes all the same countries but comes with 200 calls, or 5000 minutes each month for $19.95 – pitched at business users.
Source: smarthouse.com.au

Verizon To Go GSM

Verizon's next generation of devices will run on the GSM network that will be used by AT&T and T-Mobile, meaning that in a few years, customers with unlocked phones will be able to move between the three providers without purchasing new equipment. Verizon currently uses a CDMA network along with Sprint, but last week announced that it would use the GSM-protocol LTE (Long Term Evolution) for their fourth-generation data services. Note, Verizon's LTE phones will not be backwards-compatible with the current GSM networks run by AT&T and T-Mobile. Both are expected to support LTE. And don't expect to see the new phones anytime soon...
The announcement also means that for the first time, Verizon will share a platform with its corporate parent, European-telecom Vodafone. Vodafone is expected to be testing LTE well into 2009. The 4G phones should be available by 2010.
It could just be us, but Verizon seems a little less evil lately. The decision to open their network coupled with the move to GSM will undeniably benefit consumers - unless, of course, Verizon lets their usual profit motive mangle their seemingly good intentions.
Source: consumerist.com

Use of free technology

an Indian tribe shows us the way
MANILA, Philippines--YES, THE Amazon Indians do better than us in using Google Earth, Global Positioning System (GPS), and other technologies in protecting their rainforest and preserving their history and cultural traditions.
I recall having read about this in a travel magazine, so I logged on to Google for more information. The Surui Indians and other tribes are aided by improved satellite image in keeping tabs on loggers and miners.
"Google Earth is used primarily for vigilance. Indians log on and study images, inch by inch, looking to see where new gold mines are popping up or where deforestation is occurring. We offered the Google Earth team a list of coordinates where it would be helpful to have sharper images," said Vasco van Roosmalen of the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT). But they also use them in cataloguing medicinal plants, hunting grounds, ancestral cemeteries and sacred sites. "We want people to know that these territories are not just empty swaths of green as seen by satellite, but the homes, supermarkets, museums, libraries of a people who depend on these areas for their survival."
Wondering if we could do the same in our country, I clicked on Google Earth and zoomed in on the vast Subic and Bataan forest to check. Not quite, while I could see clearly the airport and buildings in Subic and had fun looking for the rooftop of my house, huge areas of the Bataan forest were shown as a haze. And they were not real time images--there was not a trace yet of the ongoing Subic-Clark-Tarlac Road construction. I am sure the Government or the World Wild Life Fund can ask Google Earth for updated and sharper images just like ACT did for the Amazon Indians.
I also went to the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) to ask how we use the satellite images. My findings: we have infrared maps which can be a powerful tool in protecting our environment but we are not aware how the DENR or the local officials use them. To begin with, they cover only certain areas and are not updated. I asked for comparative images of Penablanca in the Sierra Madre or that of the Samar forests where a timber cutting permit to a logging company has been opposed by environmentalists. There was none. It was only the Bataan forests that had images taken both in 1989 and 2002, but none in 2007 or in other years. Still, in comparing the snapshots, the images show graphically what had occurred over the 12 years around Mt. Natib and Mt. Mariveles, a job for which air or ground surveillance would be both expensive and ineffective given the breath and depth of the forests.
The infrared images show the thick vegetation in crimson color. Since it takes a trained eye to spot the changes, I asked the helpful officer of Namria to point out the areas of degradation by encircling them in the second photo. She did. Like a man's balding head, I could see the hair on the nape and sides being shorn upwards. I could also detect some clearing on the crown like an initiation of what would soon be a cleric's tonsure.
Wouldn't these and similar images of the country's protected areas serve the cause of environment protection if posted yearly in the provincial, municipal and barangay halls, and published in national and local newspapers rather than kept in a government archive? More eyes watching--by the public, the NGOs, etc.--will put pressure on the DENR officers and local officials from the provincial down to the barangay level to protect their watershed. A performance-based evaluation which can be done more objectively with the images than with any self-serving report from the forest rangers or ground patrol should be welcome to DENR Secretary Lito Atienza. This can be our practical contribution to the Conference on Climate Change held in Albay by Gov. Joey Salceda. While the Philippines is not in the league of the United States, Europe or China in carbon emission, it is one of the most threatened of the world's biodiversity hotspots. And since, according to Conservation International, deforestation is responsible for one-fourth of all green house gas emission--more than double the amount from the world's cars and trucks--it is in forest conservation that we can contribute to the fight against global warming.
The Amazon Indians have shown us the way. Whether in harnessing the benefits of satellite, cyberspace or the airwaves, we can emulate them on how they employ technology. Our officials want to spend P16 billion for the National Broadband Network (NBN) and P24 billion for Cyber Education, while the Amazon tribes will make use of satellite services for their rainforest protection free. And Google Earth is more than happy to help because they reap good publicity.
We read that the DOTC, while having abandoned the ZTE deal, is still bent on spending money for a national broadband network by inviting the telcos to bid. But I thought the issue is precisely whether or not the government needs to have a dedicated connectivity given that communications backbones from the private sector, as confirmed by both SMART and Globe in a recent Senate hearing, already serve 98 percent of the population? And with respect to the use of technology in education, why spend P18 billion of a total P24 billion Cyber Ed budget for a separate connectivity alone? Why not make use of the other NBN--the Government NBN 4 station--to telecast the lectures of the so-called expert teachers? An hour a day, and five days a week lecture telecast not only to students in schools but to the out of school youth and adults in the homes should fit in the station's program. If the content quality is anywhere close to the USAID-supported Knowledge Channel which has successfully penetrated even Mindanao, maybe this distance learning program would even help push the government TV channel's rating one notch up! And in the areas not reached by NBN 4 broadcast, there are the 1501 strong cable TV operators who can be asked to play the DVD copies in their community channels for free. Finally, to the very few remaining schools too remote to be reached either by regular or cable TV--well, no problem--why not just send them DVD copies of the lectures?
Is this an Indian tribe solution? Maybe, but that's what we need!

(The article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines. The author previously served as SBMA Chair and Administrator and three-term Representative of the First District of Bataan. He was the principal author of the BOT Law. Feedback at mapsec@globenet.com.ph)
Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: business.inquirer.net

Uncork latest technology to expose wine fakes

A distinctive bouquet of scandal
In November, I attended a wine tasting in Los Angeles held by a man named Bipin Desai, a theoretical physicist who is also one of the world's most seasoned old-wine collectors. The event featured two fabled chateaux, Cheval Blanc and Yquem, and included nearly 30 vintages from each. Most of the wines came straight from their makers, but Desai had acquired a handful of the rarest bottles from private sources. One of those, a 1947 Cheval Blanc, was suspiciously full — wines lose liquid over time through evaporation — so he excluded it from the tasting. The 1921 Cheval Blanc didn't look right, either. "We're 50-50 sure it's truly authentic," Desai announced, and let the roomful of collectors, each of whom had paid thousands of dollars to attend the tasting, decide whether to open it.
Thirty years ago, sommeliers never bothered to question the provenance of old wines. Now they have no choice. As the price of premium labels exploded over the past two decades, fakes have annexed a growing swath of the "old and rare" market. Old-wine auctions steadily lost credibility among the most serious connoisseurs, but only in the past year, as the result of a lawsuit filed by a rich Florida collector named William Koch, did the problem of counterfeit wine seep into general awareness. Koch's suit, now pending in federal court, charges that a German wine dealer who calls himself Hardy Rodenstock peddled forged wines, including a famous cache of Bordeaux purportedly from the collection of Thomas Jefferson, four bottles of which Koch bought through two other dealers.
There are more fake bottles on the market today than ever before, to hear Sotheby's wine chief Serena Sutcliffe tell it, but the sensational Rodenstock case sparked a misperception: that the problem is pervasive. In fact, the current controversy concerns old and rare wines almost exclusively. These bottles fetch the highest prices, and therefore the greatest profits for counterfeiters. But there is another explanation, and it bodes well for the wine-drinkers of tomorrow: Technology makes it almost impossible to get away with faking new vintages. Science and standardization — the modern ills bemoaned in nostalgia circles as corrupting the world of vinous individuality — may be the very things that preserve that world and consumers' confidence in it. So the Rodenstock case, potentially the biggest counterfeit wine scandal in history, could also be the last.
Consider the wines in question. Bottles like these, supposedly dating from the 18th century, come cloaked in the fog of wine prehistory. Before 1923, most of a vineyard's harvest was bottled not by the chateau but by merchants, so two bottles of the same wine could legitimately look very different. For years, chateaux liberally opened old wines, topped them off and recorked them with a fresh cork — a practice that allowed forgers to hawk bogus wines in bottles with official imprimaturs without raising suspicion. Counterfeits could be low-tech and still persuasive. A lone perpetrator with the right kind of cork-puller could easily carry out small-scale fraud.
The situation is different now. In 1923, leading chateaux cut out the middlemen and started bottling their own wine, ensuring that bottles contain what their labels advertise. Modern chateau records are more complete, and leading winemakers have tightened recorking rules.
Modern vintages became even harder to fake in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the leading Bordeaux chateaux decided to fight forgers head on. Chateau Petrus, the cult winemaker in Pomerol, began printing labels with codes that are visible only under ultraviolet light. Yquem, in Sauternes, began using stronger glue for its labels. Margaux, in the Medoc, uses a laser to etch a serial code onto the neck of each bottle.
These measures have also spawned a small industry of counter-counterfeiting technologies. Last summer, four leading Napa Valley wineries announced that they would start using a system developed by Kodak that allows them to mark labels and bottles with an invisible code that can be read by a handheld device. Hewlett-Packard has also gotten into the game, teaming up with a label-maker to incorporate scannable codes into wine labels.
The possibilities don't end there. Among a raft of other technologies now marketed to winemakers are seals with an air-bubble "fingerprint"; bottles, labels and corks with botanical DNA; nanotech tracers embedded in bottles or labels; and radio-transponder chips implanted in corks. Other technological innovations make it harder for fake wines to go undetected on the back end. Owners of questionable but expensive collections are understandably reluctant to sacrifice one bottle to determine the authenticity of the others, but a nuclear physicist at the University of Bordeaux has devised a noninvasive radiometric method that accurately pegs any wine made since 1953 to the year of its origin. Now you can have your wine and date it, too.
Koch recently filed a second lawsuit, this one targeting a California collector named Eric Greenberg, alleging that he knowingly consigned wines that another auction house had previously deemed fakes, as well as the retailer Zachys, which passed Greenberg's bottles along. This suit, as well as Koch's earlier and threatened future ones, put auction houses on notice that "caveat emptor" will no longer fly as a defense. And Russell Frye, a collector who tag-teamed with Koch and filed a lawsuit against a California retailer on the same day that the suit against Rodenstock was filed, has just launched the first Web site that directly combats wine forgery. Among other features, www.WineAuthentication.com includes a registry where members can record their purchases of rare wines, a wine-authentication service, photos of suspect bottles and a list of the 10 most frequently counterfeited wines.
At that recent California tasting I attended, everyone, not surprisingly, was for uncorking the 1921 Cheval Blanc. So we did. Desai and several other experienced tasters insisted that it was the real thing. But Christian Navarro, the sommelier for the event, told me that he'd tasted the wine 15 to 20 times and that this one was "not even close" to the genuine article. There was no way to resolve the matter definitively — a problem that shouldn't trouble the oenophiles of 2091, as they savor dusty bottles from the revered 2005 vintage, digital scanners and ultraviolet pen-lights in hand.
Wallace is the author of the forthcoming book The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine.