Coming this Monday, Firefox 4 Beta 4 with GPU Acceleration

Mozilla said in its latest notes Firefox 4 beta 4 will release this coming Monday, August 23. The release will be the first to have built-in graphics acceleration for the regular web and, in Windows, will invoke Direct2D to use the video chipset to speed up rendering web code. The feature isn’t enabled by default .

Linux and Mac users don’t yet have a promise of using OpenGL for a similar speed increase. Acceleration is already present in Safari 5 and will come to Internet Explorer 9 when it’s available in a public beat on September 15.

All users should get tab sets, the tab management feature previously known as App Candy. The feature borrows the concept of a virtual desktop to create groups of tabs for certain tasks. It likewise takes a cue from Apple by using an Expose-style page to view and manage sets.

Beta 5 will be the last release with new features added before Mozilla freezes code and eventually moves to the release candidate stage. It’s not certain when a final build of Firefox 4 will be available, but one should be ready before the end of the year

Technorati Tags: Browsers, Direct2D, GPU, OpenGL

Digium Announces Skype for Asterisk

Digium and Skype today announced the general availability of Skype for Asterisk. Skype for Asterisk software provides a robust and cost-effective solution for connecting Asterisk-based business phone systems to Skype. Now businesses can take advantage of Skype’s low-cost calling to landlines and mobile phones and free calling to more than 400 million registered Skype users around the world.

Skype for Asterisk allows businesses to access the world’s largest community of people communicating over the Internet, natively encrypts all voice calls and lets companies manage their Skype user accounts via Skype’s Web-based Business Control Panel. Businesses already using an Asterisk-based phone system can add Skype as another complementary form of communications by downloading Skype for Asterisk, without additional costly hardware. Skype users can benefit from the advanced call features of Asterisk, including call transfer, interactive voice response, automated call distribution, flexible call-routing and many more.

Digium is the innovative force behind Asterisk, the most widely-used open source telephony platform, downloaded millions of times and used worldwide by software developers, resellers and systems integrators to create flexible, cost-effective phone systems for businesses. Skype allows individuals and businesses to make free voice and video calls, send instant messages, share files over the Internet and make low-cost calls to landlines and mobile phones.

“Digium has been using Skype for Asterisk for the past few months while the product has been in development,” said Danny Windham, CEO of Digium. “We created Skype accounts such as Digium Sales and Digium Support—a convention I suspect many companies will quickly adopt. Now, our customers all over the world can call us for free using Skype and our Asterisk PBX processes the inbound call just like it would a normal call. This is going to save Digium and our customers a lot of money.”

“The combination of Skype and Asterisk gives those companies that have relied on Skype the advanced call management capabilities of Asterisk, while Asterisk users get free calling to more than 400 million registered Skype users and low Skype rates when calling landlines and mobiles,” said Stefan Öberg, vice president and general manager of Skype for Business. “We believe the product will bring together two of the largest groups of users that value flexibility and cost savings in their PBX systems.”

Skype for Asterisk Features

Skype for Asterisk, which is compatible with the free and open source Asterisk versions 1.4, 1.6 and AsteriskNOW, as well as the commercially licensed Asterisk Business Edition, is unique in the market today. It is the only solution that integrates directly with Skype, enables multiple concurrent Skype calls from a single Skype account, and supports both G.711 and G.729a calling.

In addition, with the new software, customers can:

• Manage business Skype accounts with the Business Control Panel
• Get low Skype global rates on outbound calls (as low as 2.1US¢ per minute to more than 35 countries worldwide; connection fee and fair usage policies apply)
• Receive inbound calls to online numbers
• Route calls according to Skype profile fields, online status and privacy settings
• Streamline customer contact by allowing Web site visitors to place free Skype calls directly to their business with global click-to-call buttons

Pricing and Availability

Skype for Asterisk is available to download now for $66 USD per concurrent call from http://www.digium.com/skype or from Digium Authorized Resellers and Distributors worldwide. Skype for Asterisk comes with 90 days of installation support from the time of purchase.

Technorati Tags: Asterisk, Communications, Digium, Skype, Telephony, VOIP

Firefox 3.5.2 Fixes ICC profiles and Several Security Issues

Mozilla has released the an updated Firefox, 3.5.2, its multi-platform web browser.  The update addresses the issue where images with ICC profiles did not always render properly on all monitors. This has been a major issue for photographers, illustrators and other graphics professionals which require accurate color be displayed as intended.

On the security side the URL spoofing bug involving Firefox’s error pages and document.writehas been fix. Also addressed in the update; a bug related to crashes resulting in memory corruption, a SSL indicator bug, and an issue with data corruption connected to SOCKS5 replies.

You can click here to see to the other security issues addreesed.

Technorati Tags: Browesr, Color, ICC

Opera and Skyhook Wireless Bring Geolocation to the Web

Opera Software and Skyhook Wireless today announced their partnership to bring geolocation to the Web. Users can now simply choose to share their location with any Web site and get a range of information about related products and services around them. Whether it is local searching, social networking, geotagging photos, local advertising or discovering nearby content, geolocation is a key factor in creating a relevant and meaningful experience on the Web.

Traditionally, geolocation was considered as being only a part of a downloadable mobile application, but, with Skyhook’s Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS), any computer or mobile phone with a wireless adapter can take advantage of its advanced positioning technology and locate a user, making this service available to any Web site.

“Location is always relevant when someone is browsing the Web,” said Tatsuki Tomita, SVP of consumer products at Opera Software. “By embedding Skyhook’s technology into Opera and making it available through the W3C Geolocation API, we ensure that every Opera user gets the same, high-quality, location-based experience out of the gate.”

With the new W3C Geolocation Application Programming Interface (API), Opera will make Skyhook Wireless’ groundbreaking location platform available to any Web developer with just a few lines of JavaScript. For example, a popular coffee chain will write the necessary JavaScript code on their Web site, Opera will ask the user for approval, then the location will be submitted to the Web site servers and their service will display the coffee shop locations nearest to the user on a map.

“Making accurate and reliable geolocation available over JavaScript to any Web developer means Skyhook’s market leading platform will be in the hands of a whole new world of developers and we expect to see the explosion of location-based services on the Web,” said Ryan Sarver, director of consumer products at Skyhook Wireless.

A technology preview is available for download at http://labs.opera.com/.

Technorati Tags: Browser, Geolocation, Geotagging, Social Networks

AIR and Flash 10 Bring Success for Adobe

Adobe Systems announced today at Adobe MAX Japan that Adobe AIR and Adobe Flash Player 10 software, key components of the Adobe Flash Platform, are being installed in record numbers by consumers and companies around the world. In less than one year after its initial release, there have been more than 100 million installations of Adobe AIR. Additionally, Adobe Flash Player 10 was installed on more than 55 percent of computers worldwide in just the first two months of its release, and is expected to surpass 80 percent by the second quarter of 2009, far outpacing the installation rate of past versions of the software.

“Adobe is the leader in enabling people to express themselves and connect with others globally, through the distribution of our world class client software,” said Michele Turner, vice president, product marketing for the Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “The incredible traction we’re seeing with Adobe AIR and Adobe Flash Player 10 in such a short period of time is a clear indication that individuals and organizations across the globe rely on the Adobe Flash Platform for breakthrough interactive content, applications and video on the Web.”

Companies across a variety of industries have chosen Adobe AIR to deploy hundreds of applications that reach customers, partners and employees in new and engaging ways. The growing list of global brands using AIR includes the BBC, (RED)WIRE and The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. In addition, OEMs including Sony Japan are beginning to pre-install Adobe AIR on shipping computers, giving customers immediate access to the software. Companies such as Comedy Central, My Space, Toyota Motor Corporation and the AOL Games site are using Adobe Flash Player 10 to deliver highly expressive and compelling user experiences, stunning audio/video playback and virtually universal reach across operating systems.

The Adobe Flash Platform is a complete system of integrated tools, frameworks, clients and servers for the development of Web applications, content and video that runs consistently across operating systems and devices. Adobe AIR enables developers to use Web technologies to  design and build applications that extend outside the browser. In the last 12 months, there have been over 1 million downloads of the AIR software development kit (SDK), the free open source Flex framework and Adobe Flex Builder by developers building Web applications using the Adobe Flash Platform. Adobe Flash Player content reaches over 98 percent of Internet-enabled desktops, and over 80 percent of online videos worldwide are viewed using Adobe Flash technology, making Flash the No. 1 platform for video on the Web.

Availability

Adobe AIR and Adobe Flash Player 10 are available for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems as free downloads in 15 languages. For more information, please visit www.adobe.com/go/air and www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer.

Technorati Tags: Adobe, Adobe Air, Adobe Flash 10, Adobe Flex, Linux, Mac, Software, Windows

Getting Down to Business with Skype

With the economy today people are looking for ways to save money while strengthening their relationships with customers, partners and vendors. Communication is what keeps relationships happy and productive but maintaining them can raise costs when it comes to traditional phone service. There are telephone replacement services based on Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) like Vonage but most of those services just limit you to voice communications. What if you also want to have IM (Instant Messaging), video conferencing or the option of getting a phone number outside your local area or even in another nation? For the big boys, there are PBX services from Microsoft and Cisco that can address those needs but they are out of the price range for most home, small or medium size businesses. I have found Skype to be a solution that can level the playing field and address many communication needs.

Click play to hear Mark McKinney, Vice President of LuraTech, tell us how LuraTech uses Skype everyday to save money and improve communications with clients, partners and employees.

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What is Skype?

Skype is technically a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service that is designed for free computer-to-computer communication to anywhere in the world over the Internet. It also has instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing services. It is a free download for the Mac, Linux and Windows. You can communicate across platforms with IM, voice, video and file transfers. There are some add-ons for the Windows version, which are not available on the Mac or Linux platforms at this time.

For voice all you need is a microphone and headset connected to your computer to start talking. All computer-to-computer calls are free, whether they are IM, voice, video or even conference calls.

SkypeIn/SkypeOut …Your Mom Can Still Call You With Her Rotary Phone

The computer-to-computer communication is great but Skype has fee-based services to let you call landlines and cell phones too. Plus, you can even get telephone number(s) for people to call you while you are on Skype from traditional phones.

SkypeIn is the service to have a phone number attached to your Skype account. You just need to buy one or more phone numbers, which will be associated with your Skype user account. Then you can give the number(s) just like any other number.

This is very useful if you want to have a phone number in another area code or even another nation. I could have never afforded the cost of having a London phone number for people in the UK to call me at their local rates before Skype. Plus, if you are hunting down your dream job outside the area code you live in, it can be very useful to have “local” number for them to contact you at.

SkypeIn comes with free voicemail in the US, so people can leave you a message when you are offline.

SkypeOut lets you call landlines and cell phones. Skype Credits (pay as you go) are the first method of payment for outgoing calls which are billed at a per minute rate based on the country you are calling. You can buy Skype Credits in either $10 or $25 blocks. Skype Credits can also be used for SMS (text messages) and other Skype services. I have found many times that when you need to send an SMS to an international cell number, Skype can be cheaper than using your cell phone.

Skype Credit remains active for 180 days after your last use of a product or feature that uses those credits.

The other option is to pay a monthly subscription. Unlike most cell phones you get in the US, this does not require a long-term contract. For $2.95 a month there is a plan for unlimited calls to landlines and cell phones in the US and Canada. The Unlimited World plan at $9.95 a month gives unlimited calls to landlines in 36 countries. These monthly plans are also a great way to reduce your cell bill, since many coffee shops and hotels now have the broadband Internet you need to use Skype for voice calls.

No Emergency Calls With Skype.

Please know that Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone when it comes to emergency services calling, such as 911.

You Can Even Make Calls Without a Computer

You can still use Skype even when your computer is off.  Belkin’s Desktop Internet Phone for Skype allows you to make calls to other Skype users without a computer. It also allows you to call people who use traditional phone systems via your Skype SkypeOut. Just plug the phone into your network via an Ethernet cable.

Netgear’s WiFi Phone let you do the same via a WiFi G and B networks. It supports WEP, WPA and WPA2 WiFi security. It can also be used on the Cloud and T-Mobile HotSpots.

There is a special version of Skype for Windows Smartphone or Windows Mobile. I recommend an unlimited data plan and you will need a 3G network or access to WiFi to use the voice features of Skype. Also, some carriers do block VoIP on their 3G networks.

You can even use Skype for voice calls on the latest version of the Sony PSP (2000 series) hand held gaming system.

Video, When Text and Voice are Not Enough

The ability to cut travel by having face-to-face meetings via video conferencing is a big money saver. Just as Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, did an interview with Oprah via Skype rather than being on the set in Chicago.

With the latest release of Skype for Windows you can get very high quality if you have Core Duo 2 or a similarly fast processor, a high-bandwidth internet connection (384 kbps and above recommend by Skype), and a Logitech Quickcam Pro. I saw this in action for the first time back in January at CES, it was the first time I could hold a biz card to a camera and have someone else read it in a video conference using consumer level gear.

Security and Privacy

Skype has always had encryption for the IMs, voice calls and file transfers based on the industry standard AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Skype uses 256-bit AES, which is used by U.S. Government organizations to protect sensitive information.

You may have seen some reports in the media about a security and privacy breach for Skype. That was not Skype but Skype’s Chinese partner, TOM. TOM provides a version of the product that meets China’s laws. The Chinese government has been monitoring communications in and out of the country for many years. Not just Skype but e-mail, cell phones, etc.

The take away is Skype-to-Skype communications are secure and private as AES. If the AES is ever broken, Skype will not be the only company to have issues; it is a widely used standard.

But if one or more parties are using the co-branded TOM-Skype client software, your security and privacy may be at risk due to Chinese laws. You can only be as strong as your weakest link. Even if you have an IM or call with someone in China using the co-branded TOM-Skype client software, the privacy concern is only for that call or IM. Once you are back to Skype to Skype communications you are back to full strength.

You can read the Skype president’s addresses on the Chinese privacy breach here.

Skype Means Business

I was first introduced to Skype by colleague from the UK, way before you could buy Skype credits in dollars, back then it was just Euros. This was long before eBay bought the company. While it has changed a great deal since those days, a big change this year has been way Skype has been getting positioned more and more to the business audience.

The Skype for Windows-Business Version makes it easier to deploy and manage Skype within larger business networks. This version uses the Windows Installer (commonly known as MSI), which makes it easier for your Windows network admin deploy Skype and set Windows’ group policies on to multiple machines.

Then there are Skype toolbars for Internet Explorer, Outlook and Microsoft Office to make it easier to make calls or send SMS messages. With the Office toolbar you can see when the author of a document is online and communicate with them. You can even send the file you are currently working on to your contacts.

The Business Control Panel is a free web tool that helps you buy and allocate calling credit to phones and mobiles, online numbers, and access other useful paid features across multiple Skype accounts your business may have.

One of the most exciting developments is the beta version of Skype For Asterisk, which will allow small and mid-sized businesses to integrate Skype functionality into Digium’s Asterisk PBX software. If you’re an Asterisk user, you’ll be able to make, receive and transfer Skype calls from your Asterisk phone. If you are thinking about updating your PBX, this is something to watch, it could be a game changer. You can read more about what this means at Stefan Öberg’s blog. He is vice president and general manager for Skype Telecom and Skype for Business.

There is more to learn about Skype and they have a great web site from which you can learn about the features not covered here. The good thing about Skype is you can start using for free and grow your usage as you get more familiar with it. A Skype ID is something every smart professional should have on his or her business card.

Technorati Tags: Advanced Encryption Standard, AES, Belkin, Cloud, Digium, Logitech Quickcam Pro, LuraTech, Mark McKinney, Microsoft Office, MSI, Netgear, nternet Explorer, Oprah, Outlook, PBX, PSP, Skype, Skype for Business, Sony, T-Mobile HotSpots, TOM, VOIP, WiFi, Windows Mobile, Windows Smartphone

Corel LinDVD Now Supports Ultra-Mobile PCs

Corel Corporation announced that Corel LinDVD now supports ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) and mobile internet devices (MIDs), as well as streaming media and a wider range of standard and high-definition video and audio encoding standards. LinDVD is the Linux playback software based on the same industry-leading video technologies that underlie Corel WinDVD.

“Corel has made a strong commitment to the Linux community, providing LinDVD as a true universal media solution for MIDs, as well as a robust video and disc playback software for traditional Linux-based PCs and UMPCs,” said James Carrington, Senior Director, OEM and Strategic Product Marketing, Digital Media at Corel. “With support for products on the market today and those that will be introduced in the future, LinDVD offers unmatched video and audio quality, delivering an easy-to-use, full-featured playback solution for Linux users. Linux-based UMPCs and MIDs can now provide users the ability to watch streaming video and movies on-the-go, making it easier to create their own digital lifestyle - all with LinDVD.”

LinDVD with support for UMPCs and MIDs is available starting today to OEMs worldwide. Earlier releases of LinDVD are currently shipped on certain Dell PCs featuring Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system and the Linux-based ASUS Eee PC.

Technorati Tags: ASUS, Corel, Eee PC, LinDVD, Linux, MID, Mobile Internet Devices, Ubuntu, Ultra-Mobile, UMPC