Jaxtr, the online VoIP service that also offers a social network, has launched out-of-network calling that will allow users to call phone lines around the world. The new service will allow users to call family and friends (even non-members) from their own phones for a fraction of the costs associated with traditional long distance calling. The company has also raised a $10 million Series B funding round led by Lehman Brothers Venture Partners. To use the service, users need to enter each international number they’d like to call on the site, which generates a unique local number for every contact. From then on, they can simply call the number from their phone as they normally would. The initial setup seems like a bit of a hassle, but it is significantly easier than using a calling card every time you need to place a call. Rates vary by country, and are generally much cheaper than standard call fees (many also appear to be lower than those found on similar VoIP services). The site is also introducing “Premium Memberships”, which offer digital voicemail through email and customized contact pages. These premium memberships are actually free, but are only granted to active members (the site declined to specify what exactly was needed to attain ‘active’ status). Members who don’t qualify as “active” should be able to purchase premium membership in the near future. These new features, especially the out-of-network calls, make Jaxtr increasingly competitive with other VoIP operators like Jajah, which has a number of very similar features. And while there might not be much that differentiates the two companies from each other, it is important to note the massive market for international calls, which can certainly support more than a few similar services. CrunchBase Information Jaxtr Jajah Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
Celebrity endorsements have been the norm for ages, but AT&T has taken this too far. I guess I understand the demographic they’re going for for the LG Shine, but, come on, seriously, a blond dimwit from Laguna Beach and her dumb boyfriend from an MTV show? The dbag did find a fun way to use that mirrored finish, though. via GeekSugar → Read More
http://qik.com/player.swf?streamname=0155e657a1494c409c26bb0790d7f641&vid=112155&playback=false&polling=false&user=stevegillmor&userlock=true&islive=&username=anonymous John Adams, Twitter’s new Ops Engineer (and apparently a descendant of the guy from the HBO series), said in a Twitter message today (where else) that he’ll soon be working to “fix twitter.” While I’m guessing that isn’t exactly how Twitter would like to have him describe his new job, we wanted to know more. So TechCrunchIT’s Steve Gillmor put a camera in his face and made him talk (link to video is here). Interview above, although he tones down “fixing twitter” to “working with the team to solving their problems”. Good luck John, and thanks for being such a good sport with the interview. I spoke with Twitter co-founder Biz Stone about Adams’ hire via email this afternoon. He begins on July 7, Biz says, and has worked previously at Apple, Inktomi, iFilm and others as a security and network engineer. They’ve also hired Rudy Winnacker from Google, where he has been a systems engineer for the past five years. CrunchBase Information John Adams Twitter Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
Jerry and Sue are still silent on the exec departures and rumored reorganization at Yahoo HQ, even as the stock price continues to tumble day after day. On the upside, though, from what we hear testing on the new logo is going well, and Yahoo Australia unveiled a new beta home page earlier today. Take the tour here. I actually like it. → Read More
The Australian is reporting that Google has beaten out a number of enterprise competitors to win a contract to host email for the New South Wales Education Department. The new deployment will be the largest Gmail custom setup in the world, and will be co-managed by Google and Telco provider Telstra. The contract win is another strong signal that Google are making strong inroads into the enterprise market, as we also saw at the Salesforce conference this morning, where the same Google applications were integrated into the force.com enterprise platform. Continue reading at Techcrunch.com >> → Read More
Over 16 months after first declaring its support for the OpenID authentication platform, Microsoft has finally implemented it for the first time, allowing for OpenID logins on its Health Vault medical site. Unfortunately, Health Vault will only support authentication from two OpenID providers: Trustbearer and Verisign. Whatever happened to the Open in OpenID? The rationale behind the limited introduction is that health is sensitive, so access should be limited to the few, most trusted OpenID providers. It certainly makes sense, but it also serves to underscore one of the problems inherent to OpenID: security. The text-based passwords found scattered across the web simply aren’t very good for protection. We’ve heard countless tales of hacked or phished passwords leading to identity theft – what happens when a user’s entire web presence (including financial and health data) is tied to a single password? It’s a recipe for disaster. To remedy the issue, a number of companies have come up with different ways to improve security. Trustbearer requires users to provide a physical ID “token” to verify their identity (users can order a $40 USB stick if they don’t already have one of the acceptable ID cards). Vidoop offers a free browser-based image authentication system that uses advertising to generate revenue. And so on. With every new security measure comes a new, subjective, stratification of the system. The promise of OpenID is a platform that “eliminates the need for multiple usernames across different websites, simplifying your online experience.” But by only accepting “secure” OpenID providers, Microsoft has demonstated that this system is by no means unified in its current form. Soon users will need to remember their “secure” OpenID, along with their “normal” credentials. And what happens when another provider comes along with an “uber-secure” ID, forcing users to remember yet another login? There are a number of companies besides Microsoft that could be criticized for their slow or poor implementation of OpenID – Google, which has become an OpenID provider through its Blogger property, has yet to implement the platform on any of its flagship services. But it seems that the platform itself may be even more deserving of scrutiny. What good is a unified login when its default form will only be accepted on the least private and secure sites? CrunchBase Information OpenID Foundation Microsoft Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
Google just took away one of the world’s largest Outlook/Exchange installations for 1.5 million students at Australian schools, and replaced it with Gmail. More information is here. The cost savings are substantial. The Outlook/Exchange platform involved a AU$33 million contract and took four years to go live, although it’s unclear why it took so long. The Gmail/Google Apps rollout, which is being completed by subcontractors, will cost just $9.5 million and should be live by the end of 2008. User storage will increase from 35 MB to 1 GB. This is being called the largest single deployment of Gmail in the world, we’ve emailed Google for a comment. → Read More
At least, so they say. Of course, I was skeptical of Psystar and their thing worked like a charm. The EFiX site is dying right now from traffic, but today was the planned release for the EFiX USB dongle, which supposedly allows you to install OS X on your Intel-based PC with no muss, no fuss, and no BIOS flashing. You just plug the thing in and go like hell. The site’s been updated somewhat but I get the feeling their servers are half-melted at this point and it’s difficult to tell what else has been added other than a few features under the expanded view for the dongle. There’s more details and video of an alleged install using the EFiX if you click below. [via Gizmodo] → Read More
By now you’re all familiar with the Palm Centro, so I’ll save all of you from having to read through a list of specs again. Today, Palm announced that an unlocked GSM version of the dainty smartphone is available on the Palm site for $299. Available for free beginning tomorrow for Palm Centro owners is Google Maps for mobile with My Location, which basically approximates your location on the map when you fire it up. Full release after the jump. → Read More
BGR, like he usually does, has word from Motorola insiders that a new flagship model is coming and that it will make or break the mobile division. Didn’t that already happen? “Alexander” as it’s being codenamed comes equipped with an 8-megapixel camera, GPS and few other goodies. Look for it to hit the streets in October. All other purported specs after the jump. → Read More
T-Mobile will be joining the various other wireless providers in providing prorated early termination fees. I use the term “prorated” loosely, as you won’t actually save any money until you’ve been a customer for a year and a half. At 180 days from the end of your contract, though, your early termination fee will drop from $200 to $100 and at 90 days, the fee will drop to $50. The new fee policy will begin on June 28th and will only apply to new customers or those customers that renew their contracts after June 28th. Full release after the jump. → Read More
A conversation with Dan Farber of Cnet about this mornings Salesforce event and new Google integration. Posts from Dan on Salesforce + Google are here and here. Listen to the podcast over at the Gillmor Gang site >> → Read More
Wanted Exclusive Trailer HDhttp://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf If you were one of the quick ones and got a ticket to the Angelina Jolie/Wanted screening tonight in San Francisco, drop everything and get on over there, ’cause it starts at 7:30 (the team will start handing out tickets at around 6:30). My guess is most of the people on the wait list will get in as well, but my apologies if you head over and are turned away. → Read More
The JVC Everio GZ-MS100 camcorder records DVD-quality video to SD and SDHC cards and features direct uploading to YouTube. It’s priced at around $350, which places it in between lower-end hobbyist camcorders and higher-capacity hard drive camcorders. → Read More
There’s a real ruckus about photographer Trevor Paglen’s project to document all those secret satellites. It makes you forget sometimes that there are plenty of legitimate, non-spy satellites up there doing lots of good work. For instance, NASA has just successfully launched the Jason-2 satellite, which will be set up to monitor ocean currents, weather patterns, and all that good stuff so we’ll have more and better data to use for prediction of storm systems, global warming hotspots and the like. If you’re interested in that stuff, there’s some more info here and video of the satellite separation here (upper right). Rock on, NASA. → Read More
This issue of whether technology enriches or impoverishes our intellectual capacity is by no means a simple one, and while my position is pretty much fixed, it’s good to read others’ opinions on the subject, whether in agreement or not with myself. This little post at TechDirt summarizes the side of the debate I’m on pretty well, and has some links to other, more in-depth examinations of the subject like this interesting article on the ways information technology is affecting the ways we interact with, well, information. The gist is that the question of whether technology makes us smarter or dumber is not really even a valid question — it supposes a legitimate judgment on the nature of intelligence which no one can make with authority. Instead, it’s more worthwhile to investigate how the ways in which we “know” things are changing. The concepts of a “backup brain” or cloud brain, or somewhat tangentially a collective consciousness are all salient to the discussion, and unfortunately there’s no Reader’s Digest version that gives an easy answer – the closest thing to a rational discussion of this are things like Neuromancer and Ghost in the Shell. It’s like the ancient Chinese curse/blessing: “May you live in interesting times.” These certainly are interesting times, but they sure as hell aren’t simple. → Read More
