Stonevoice has created SkyStone Video, a unique product that allows video communications between Skype video enabled clients and enterprise video solutions from leading vendors like Cisco, Sony, and Polycom.

Skystone video offers the following advantages:

• Video capabilities with the highest quality and simplicity
• Full convergence: audio or video call can be placed to anyone (PSTN or remote user with Skype) directly from the employee desk phone or from a video conferencing room and a simply as a standard call
• Software based:
  • It contains an embedded evaluation, in order to try it before buying (what you see and experience is what you get!)
  • It can be installed on any windows based PC or Server meeting the hw/sw requirements (no need to buy a costly imposed appliance)
• IP based: interoperable with IP PBX’s and Video Conferencing Terminals natively on IP, using standard protocols: SIP and H.323 (seamless integration and no need for extra hardware modules)

Features

• Completely software based: runs on any Windows Server
• Multichannel support up to 8 concurrent calls per server
• Per port licensing, regardless the number of phones or users.
• User-friendly and GUI based: fast and simple to define rules, routes, speed dials:

Skype to Phone features (web click to dial)
Phone to Skype features (speed dial)
Phone to Skype out features

• Call Detail Records (CDR) for billing
• Configuration backup/restore tool
• Supports DTMF relay for both Skype->VoIP and VoIP->Skype calls
• Embedded VNC engine to connect to console directly from the web interface
• Together with SkyStoneACD module to provide video call-center functionalities with web click to dial to a single company Skype account.
• International Standards compliancy:

VoIP protocols: H.323 and SIP
Audio Codecs: G.711, G.729(A)
Video Codecs: H.261, H.263
Video Rates: 128 Kbps up to 1,5 Mbps
DTMF modes: RFC2833
Live Video Resolutions: QCIF (176×144), CIF (352×288)

For more information, please visit http://skystone.stonevoice.com.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Digium and Skype have announced the availability of a new channel driver that will enable Asterisk users to access Skype features integrated with the features and capabilities of Asterisk. The new Skype for Asterisk Beta allows the creation of native Skype trunks inside Asterisk 1.4 or 1.6. The Skype wideband codecs that provide excellent call quality to Skype calls will be built into the module. This will allow the transcoding between Asterisk codecs and the Skype SYLK codec.

Beta testing for the Skype for Asterisk has started and it is limited to a small group selected to represent a broad cross-section of potential users and developers.

The new module requires a per-channel license fee, therefore it is not going to be an open source. The Skype module will be available through the Digium Asterisk Marketplace.

Click here for more information.

Popularity: 2% [?]

In a sign that ASUS is not stopping from delivering IT products aside from hot netbooks, ASUS has unveiled the world’s first Skype-Certified videophone called the AiGuru SV1.

The AiGuru SV1 videophone makes video calls easily by eliminating the need of a PC, allowing users to make unlimited VoIP calls right on the device, seeing the other party on the line in a 7-inch LCD display with 800×480 resolution. Other features include an  integrated webcam with 640×480 resolution and a WiFi connectivity.  The AiGuru can be connected to an Ethernet via router or it can accept connection via 802.11 b/g wireless. It has a rechargeable battery that can last for 20 minutes. Unfortunately, the device weighs 1.6 kilograms making it unsuitable for mobile operation.

The ASUS AiGuru SV1 will be on sale this October for about $299.

Popularity: 3% [?]

VoSKY launched the VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX, a Skype-certified, enterprise-grade SIP-to-Skype VoIP appliance that connects SIP-based IP-PBXs and SIP gateways to the Skype network. The VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX is designed to enable companies with SIP-enabled PBXs to add Skype trunks reduce telecom costs up to 90% and enhance business communications. This latest addition to VoSKY’s award-winning PBX-to-Skype gateway family is based on the company’s next-generation Linux platform and offers enterprise-grade performance and scalability.

The VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX can be connected to a company’s existing IP-PBX using SIP trunks to enable employees to make and receive Skype calls from their existing office phone without the need of computer or a VoIP phone.

Popularity: 2% [?]

VoSKY launched the VoSKY Exchange Pro VIT1/E1, an enterprise-grade PBX-to-Skype gateway based on VoSKY’s latest Linux platform. The plug-and-play appliance enables medium to large-sized enterprises to use 23 (T1 via ISDN) to 30 (E1)  simultaneous Skype trunks.

The  appliance is the first T1/E1 PBX-to-Skype gateway in the industry to get Skype certification, thereby ensuring its interoperability to all features and services of Skype. The VoSKY Exchange Pro VIT1/E1 can be interconnected to an enterprise’s existing PBX with T1 or E1 digital interfaces, without the need to replace an enterprise’s existing phone system or adding special phones to make and receive skype calls.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Skype 3.8 for Windows with major improvements in the audio engine has been released. Skype 3.8 version claims to have significantly reduced the background noise, less delay, fewer call drops, and fewer cut-outs, especially when all parties are using Skype 3.8 for Windows. There’s no need to change anything in the sound settings if you replace your headphones or microphone, Skype 3.8 for Windows takes care of it behind the scenes, according to Skype. The new version no longer displays profile images by default, although you can still see the hidden avatar if you click on it. The new version of Skype also includes a number of video-related bug fixes, Skype’s own UPnP implementation and other tweaks.

You may download Skype 3.8 for Windows here

Popularity: 1% [?]