SnapperTalk

Frankly I don’t use Skype much anymore, and now use SIP for most VOIP calls, but I wrote previously about a hack that allows you to run multiple Skype accounts simultaneously. It wasn’t great but it worked.
There is now, at least for Windows, a slightly more elegant solution to running more than one Skype account simultaneously that doesn’t involve creating multiple Windows logins. It’s free and you can download the Skype Launcher software here. It still opens up two Skype windows but the whole process is pretty painless and now supports auto-login too.

Inmarsat has brought out a new handheld satphone aimed to compete with the popular Thuraya models.
The Isatphone is a dual-mode satellite/GSM phone also capable of data use at 2400bps (satellite) and 9600bps (GSM). With these specs I don’t see it comparing that favourably to the Thurayas, especially the newer models such as the SG-2520, but it’s always good to have more competition and choice in this already narrow market.

Isatphone
Isatphone handset details
Isatphone brochure [PDF]
Isatphone coverage map [PDF]

Wifi as a means of picture transmission has come a long way since its inception. Whether it’s simple internet connectivity at a WiFi hotspot, to filing from a hotel, all the way to sophisticated wireless editing systems used by wire agencies at major sports events, one of the problems is always getting a good signal at a distance from the transmitter.

Many agencies use external antennas on their laptops at such events in order to improve the signal and reduce interference, usually in a pair to achieve antenna diversity. These systems are indeed effective, but usually require specific hardware with external antenna connectors, and are fairly expensive for the average user.

That’s why I was quite interested to see a new product being brought out by Buffalo - the Wireless-G High Gain USB 2.0 Adapter (model# WLI-U2-SG54HG). Instead of separate wifi cards and external antennas, this product is an all-in-one device that plugs into any USB port, requires no additional power, can attach to the back of the laptop screen with suction cups, and is priced at just under $50.

One thing to remember about all types of high-gain device is that while high-gain can help with receiving data from the access point, the access point still has to receive data from the user, so transmission power is also a key factor, and I can’t find any specs for this device. Time will tell whether this is hype or actually useful (I haven’t used it) but Buffalo does have a decent track record on high-gain wireless devices. Senao is another company that makes decent high performance wireless gear. If you have a real need to compare the technical performance of different WiFi adapters, SeattleWireless is the place to go.

According to this press release the new and catchily-named Thuraya SO-2510 satphone (at left) is now shipping. They’ve dubbed it “the world’s smallest and lightest satellite phone ever made”, although Globalstar have just come out with a pretty small one - the equally memorable GSP 7100.

Either way it looks pretty nice and can be found at retailers like GMPCS for around $800-$900. Probably more interesting is the Thuraya SG-2520 (at right) which should also be coming out sometime soon.

Thuraya have released more details including pictures of their next-generation handsets, which they say will be available in October 2006. The SG-2520 is clearly the most appealing handset for photographers, given its data abilities.

The SO-2510 handset (left) is designed to be the smallest handset available yet - weighing in at just 150g and measuring 118 x 53 x 18.8 mm. It is satellite-only (no GSM) and is said to support GPRS. This is interesting because it implies Thuraya will begin offering GPRS type functionality over its satellite link - and therefore pricing based on the amount of data transferred, rather than per-minute pricing as now.

The SG-2520 “smartphone” handset (right) is designed with an advanced feature-set in mind. It has a 1.9 inch 262,000-pixel colour screen, Tri-Band GSM functionality for global coverage, GPRS data abilities on both satellite and GSM, 1.3 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom, built-in advanced SMS, MMS and Email applications, SD memory card slot, GPS navigation capabilities, and Bluetooth, Infrared (IR), and USB data connectivity.

Both models have user-interfaces in 10 languages including Arabic, English, Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Spanish, Russian, Urdu and Turkish.

The specifications of the SG-2520 give an idea of what sort of data speeds one may be able to get with the new handset:

GPRS capabilities - Satellite mode:
Downstream: up to 60 Kbps*
Upstream: up to 15 Kbps*

GPRS capabilities - GSM mode:
Downstream: up to 85.6 Kbps*
Upstream: up to 42.8 Kbps*

* Depends on the operator network configuration and radio access technology used.

Looks good to me…

Most people would agree that spam is annoying. But when you’re on the road with a slow connection e.g. a satphone, it becomes more than that - it slows you down in getting the email you do actually want, hinders your work, and to top it off you’re paying for the bandwidth to download the spam. One of the primary ways that you’ll receive spam is via web forms that unnecessarily demand your email address and then sell it to spammers. The practice of using disposable email addresses to counter this has been around for some time but usually requires you to check for mail sent to the disposable address on a website.

Enter Jetable - a website and service provided by the French Association for the Promotion of the Non-Commercial Internet. You simply go to the Jetable website, enter your real email address, a time limit for the disposable address, and it generates a random email address to use on the web. Any mail then sent to this address within the time limit specified is then forwarded to your real email address. It’s simple and it works. And for users of Mozilla FireFox, there’s an extension that automates the whole process.

Whilst on the subject, registration on many websites can be bypassed entirely by using the Bugmenot website, or the Bugmenot extension for FireFox users.

Voice-over-IP (VOIP) usage such as Skype and SIP continues to take off in a big way. There is already lots of hardware to make using VOIP more user-friendly - USB-handsets such as the Cyberphone K, cordless phones such as the Dualphone, and retro-handsets such as those from Hulger. Or of course you can just use a microphone and headset as many people do.

In my mind, the real killer product will be the one that frees the user from needing a host-computer running the VOIP software, and is portable. The spread of Wi-Fi access points all over the world, or in your home, combined with a portable VOIP handset, promises the opportunity of free global calling on the move.

One way you can do this is via a mobile phone/PDA running an operating system like PocketPC or Windows Mobile, that also has Wi-Fi capability, on which you can run your Skype or SIP client - for example some of those from QTek or i-mate. What is really needed is a dedicated VOIP Wi-Fi handset. Netgear announced its intentions down this route with the Netgear Wi-Fi Skype phone, but so far it seems to be stuck at pre-order status, and it also has some major deficiencies such as only having the notoriously hackable WEP encryption, not the increasingly common and more secure WPA. There’s also the nice-looking Linksys WIP330, but it only supports SIP, not Skype. There’s a WIP330 review here.

The Register reported yesterday on a new device seen from an apparently little-known company called BCM, that on the face of it delivers everything you could want. It looks pretty similar to the product listed here by the Taiwanese manufacturer MPN. The Register claims it is compatible with Skype, SIP services, MSN Talk and MSN Messenger on any 802.11b/g Wi-Fi access point, runs an OS based on the Windows CE kernel, is chargeable from a USB port, and has 60 hrs standby time. The MPN site also lists an optional module to have that, and also GSM cellphone functionality, all in one device. No sign of it for sale yet, but if some company can bring out a product along these lines, it will sell in a big way I’m sure. There’s apparently another picture of it here.

Whereas with AOL and other instant messaging clients such as the excellent Trillian you can sign-on with multiple user accounts, Skype has never been able to do this, limiting you to one username at a time. Here’s a useful hack I came across here that gets past this limitation if you are running Windows XP Pro.

1. Have two admin-level user accounts on your machine e.g. “user1″ & “user2″
2. Have two Skype accounts e.g. “skypename1″ & “skypename2″
3. Login as user1 and create two shortcuts to the Skype application. Name the icons “skypename1″ & “skypename2″ to remember which is which.
4. Open up the first shortcut as you would do normally and sign-on with “skypename1″. Click the box saying “Sign me in when Skype starts”.
5. Right-click on the second shortcut, and choose “run as” from the contextual menu.
6. When the “Which user account do you want to use to run this program” window pops up, click the 2nd button labelled “the following user” and beneath it select user acount “user2″ and enter the password of that account.
7. A second instance of Skype will open up. Sign-on with “skypename2″ and click the box saying “Sign me in when Skype starts”.
8. Now, all you have to do to run Skype with either or both skype accounts is to click the appropriate shortcut(s).

Clever…

Note: Doing the same on Mac OS X is a bit more difficult, but there is a solution - see this thread in the Skype forums:

With a new beta version of Skype for Windows out yesterday - 2.5.0.82 - I thought it would be worth pointing out one of the new version’s very useful features: Skype SMS. Now you can send SMS messages to any mobile phone in the world directly from the Skype application. They’re not free, so you’ll need a SkypeOut account, but they are pretty reasonably priced - complete rate-list here - and unlike a lot of the free web-to-sms gateways, it seems like it will work for all countries even the more obscure ones. You get to choose whether the recipient sees the message as coming from your Skype username or from your mobile number.

Wipe that “I’m slinging the latest Canon EOS1D MkIIN round my neck” look off your face as you smugly pass those cameraphone-toting punters in the street - they may just be shooting bigger files than you. As if the cameraphone market wasn’t ridiculous enough, Samsung comes out and unveils a 10-Megapixel cameraphone.

I know it’s not the same, but still…

Those hankering for that retro-feel in their modern communications - whether it’s by mobile-phone, Voice-over-IP, or satphone - might want to take a look at the Hulger P*Phone. It’s a 1970s/80s-style telephone handset that one can plug into all sorts of devices. For use with a laptop or desktop computer e.g. for making Skype or other VOIP calls, get the Y*Cable coiled lead so it can be plugged into the headphone/microphone sockets. The company has some nice answers to those that ask - Why?

UPDATE 30/11/05: Hulger have now brought out two new models - the Penelope*Phone and Pip*Phone - both in wired and bluetooth versions. All their products are here

Thuraya has announced the next-generation of handheld satphones that it says will become available in early 2006.
Here’s a few excerpts from the full press release about the new cellphone-sized handsets:

“The sleek and stylish satellite phone combines satellite, GSM and GPS, with built-in GPRS, MMS and JAVA features. The GPRS feature allows an always-on access to internet. Users will be able to download and upload information using Thuraya’s satellite network anywhere in the coverage area. Similarly, the GPRS capabilities can also be enjoyed on the GSM mode.”

“Additionally, the new satellite phone has a tri-band GSM system that allows it to operate on different GSM networks (900, 1800 and 1900 MHz) and it also has many high-end GSM features such as a built-in camera, video, a high resolution colour screen and a multi-language support.”

“The new phone comes in three versions: a satellite-only version designed for those requiring mobile connectivity in areas beyond terrestrial networks, and a Satellite/GSM version that is geared towards existing GSM users requiring mobile connectivity and roaming in areas beyond terrestrial networks. Both come with superior GPS navigational features that allow users to find locations and reach destinations safely and quickly. The third version is a satellite modem that is designed for integration and use with other devices.”

They haven’t released any pictures that I could find, except a brief glimpse in this advert on their website and Thuraya CEO Yousuf Al Sayed describes them in this video.

If you’ve ever wondered exactly what it is up in space that you are pointing your satphone to - Wired has a good article all about the new Inmarsat-4 satellites that will provide the next-generation of BGAN coverage for satphone users.

Since the switch over to the new Inmarsat-4 F-1 Satellite BGAN satphones can now be used all the way down to South Africa which is good news. But the switch has also left a gaping coverage hole over parts of West Africa (plus northern England and Portugal) that will only be filled once the Inmarsat-4 F-2 satellite becomes operational over the Americas sometime in 2005/2006. Until that happens, it seems that you will not be able to use BGANs in these West African countries:

Western Sahara - Mauritania - Senegal - Mali - Guinea - Gambia - Guinea-Bissau - Sierra Leone - Liberia

U.S. satphone outlet GMPCS has published a pdf flyer comparing some of the different models of new BGAN satphones expected later this year. In it, they reveal their approximate pricing (and at this stage it is likely just that) of the different models, which are all (expectedly) a fair bit more expensive than the current regional-BGAN satphone… but then they do a whole lot more, and much faster.

AddValue Wideye Sabre: Approx. Price: $1,795
Nera WorldPro 1000: Approx. Price: $2,550
Hughes HNS-9201: Approx. Price: $3,550

Hughes Original R-BGAN: Approx. Price: $499

I wrote previously about the next generation of BGAN satphones, and now Nera has announced the availability of their unit - the Nera WorldPro 1000 - and it looks like a good one with detachable antenna, detachable cellphone-style handset for voice calls, and small size and weight.

Shame about the cheesy name, but the Project Gizmo Voice-over-IP solution seems to have the possibility of becoming a worthy competitor to Skype. The functionality is very similar with PC-PC, Call-out, and Call-in functionality, plus voicemail etc. It has a recording functionality, no text-instant-messaging as yet but does have a beautiful interface.
The big difference is instead of adopting a proprietary protocol as Skype has done, Project Gizmo is built to use the industry-wide SIP standard, so it should integrate nicely with all the SIP-compliant hardware out there. The question that faces all potential Skype competitors out there is whether they can compete against a system that already has a large existing userbase, is user-friendly, and works well.

Gizmo Project CEO on why Skype bad, Gizmo good
The Register article
Om Malik article
Chris Holland article
Simon Perry article

The final date for switching over R-BGAN satphones to use the new I-4 satellite has been brought forward. This means that you have just one week from July 9th -16th 2005 to upgrade the RBGAN software on your unit and change the settings. Instructions are here and the new software/firmware upgrade package is here.

! Warning: Do not upgrade your unit before July 9 !

The date for the start of Regional BGAN transition to the Inmarsat-4 (I-4) satellite has been set for Saturday, July 9, 2005. What does this mean for end-users?

There will be a much greater coverage area including almost all of Africa (not just above the equator as now) and most of Asia too. It also means that some users may have to upgrade the software in their R-BGAN terminals in order to continue using the service.
Note the warning - “Do not complete the upgrade before the specified date otherwise you will lose service”.

Extended coverage map
Extended coverage map - more detailed [PDF, 429kb]
Instructions on how to make the transition and upgrade terminals

Inmarsat is currently conducting in-orbit tests of its recently-launched “Inmarsat-4 F1 satellite” located above the Indian Ocean (see a flash video of the launch). The Inmarsat-4 satellites herald in a new era of advanced satellite communications, with new satphone units and service availability expected in late 2005.

The new units will have capabilities far beyond today’s current offerings and would seem to combine the advantages (such as voice capability) of today’s GAN units such as the Thrane & Thrane M4, with those of R-BGANs, and offer speeds up to 432 kbps - 3 times that of existing R-BGANs.

The satellites themselves offer advanced features such as:

• IP packet-switched data services:

Up to 432 kbps data speeds
Background class - with variable data rates depending on demand
Streaming class - with guaranteed data rates

• Circuit-switched services:

Basic telephony (4kbit/s toll quality)
Data (64kbit/s ISDN)
Multimedia (64kbit/s, H.324/m)
Supplementary services (e.g. call forwarding)
Short Messaging Services (SMS)
Voicemail
Pre-pay

Satphone retailer GMPCS has lots of information on the new satphone hardware - with units being designed by Hughes, Thrane & Thrane, Addvalue and Nera. The satphones look well-designed and offer (depending on model) Ethernet, USB, 802.11 WiFi, ISDN and Bluetooth interfaces, SIM card security, data and voice capability including ISDN voice and data, and data speeds up to 432 kbps. Capabilities - and detailed specs via PDF downloads - for the new satphones are here:

Hughes HNS 9201 BGAN Satellite IP Modem Unit
Addvalue Wideye Sabre I Satellite Modem
Thrane & Thrane Explorer™ 500
Nera WorldPro 1000

Coverage will be provided by two satellites - the F1 over the Indian Ocean covering Europe, Africa and the Middle-East, and the F2 providing coverage of the Americas. Coverage in the Americas is due to commence in Q1 2006 after the launch of the second satellite. Details can be seen on this coverage map.

NOTE TO EXISTING SATPHONE USERS: The F-1 satellite goes live on May 28 2005 - This will entail a brief service outage in the IOR across all Inmarsat services (excluding RBGAN) and all Land Earth Stations of between 30 minutes and 2 hours starting at 20:00 GMT, after which service should seamlessly and automatically be restored.