ips

It was one year ago today that an unprecedented outcry against the Stop Online Piracy Act proved to Washington officialdom that sufficiently irritated Internet users are a potent political force. After Wikipedia, Google, Craigslist and other major sites asked their users to contact their representatives, the deluge of traffic knocked some Senate Web sites offline, and votes on both bills were indefinitely postponed.

The massive public outcry that, by some counts, involved more than 10 million Internet users concerned about the proposals' impact on free expression has turned the protests into a cautionary tale on Capitol Hill. Aides now worry … Read more

LAS VEGAS--As attendees arrive today for four days of innovative developments in consumer technologies, a related revolution is also getting attention at CES. At today's Broadband Unlimited conference, representatives of the communications industries and others were unified in calls for an accelerated transition from outmoded legacy copper phone lines to new networks that would treat all traffic as IP packets from end to end -- what has sometimes been called the "Internet Everywhere" network.

"If 'The Graduate' were being remade," according to Daniel Berninger, a pioneer in voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications and now … Read more

LAS VEGAS--A monitor's picture quality is its most important attribute, and sound quality (if it actually does sport speakers) rarely factors into the overall rating. That however may change once I get my hands on the HP Envy 27-inch IPS monitor with Beats Audio.

With the Envy 27-inch IPS monitor with Beats Audio, HP not only breaks the record for longest monitor name ever (to be honest, I didn't confirm that), but according to HP, it also marks the first time a standalone monitor has used Beats Audio.

The monitor's built-in speakers are angled upward and according … Read more

iPhone users in Canada can now use Facebook to make voice calls, the social network revealed today.

The company is testing the ability to make VoIP calls -- the same service Skype provides -- using its Messenger app. Those in Canada can start a call with a contact by tapping the "i" button in the top right corner and hit "Free Call." Users will have to update the app to the version available today to use the feature and the voice call uses existing data plans.

While Canadians can experience actual voice calls, Facebook is giving … Read more

The other day, in my post listing the best money-saving tips of 2012, I suggested ditching your landline in favor of a voice-over-IP option like MagicJack or Ooma.

But there's another option, one that lets you embrace the goodness that is Google Voice: Obihai's OBi100 VoIP phone adapter, which Amazon has for $39.24 shipped. It's been that price for a while now, but Google's recent announcement that free calling would continue through 2013 makes this worth another look.

The OBi100 works much like an Ooma or MagicJack Plus: You plug your existing cordless phone system … Read more

If you truly want to expand the functionality of your Android device, then this app is worth your attention. With IP Webcam your mobile device can easily turn into a useful Webcam for online Skype sessions or even a video baby monitor. This app delivers exactly what it promises, it's easy to use, and it functions without much hassle.

IP Webcam offers a pretty straightforward and functional layout. The setup is very easy and there are a few options in the main menu, such as which camera to use, and whether sound will be streaming or not. To stream … Read more

People who use Gmail to make free phone calls in North America will be able to keep doing so for another year.

Google said in a blog post today that it was extending free domestic calling through 2013. It also touted its cheap rates for international calls.

Launched in the summer of 2010 as an alternative to Skype, Google's calling plugin lets people make calls to any mobile phone or landline via the Chat section in Gmail. The service is available for a slew of countries (there's a list here, under "show all rates").

For a … Read more

A new lawsuit filed yesterday in Texas claims that a majority of Apple's products infringe on four patents held by EON Corporation IP Holdings.

The suit, filed by EON in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Tyler Division, targets both Apple's software services like iTunes and the App Store, as well as devices that connect to those services. That list includes the Apple TV, the iPod Touch, all iPhones since the iPhone 3G, and all generations of the iPad.

In its complaint, the Texas-based company says these devices infringe on one key patent … Read more

Your IP address gives advertisers, your ISP and even the police tons of information about you. If you want to hide your surfing behavior, Easy-Hide-IP can issue you a new IP address whenever you want a change. It helps you stay anonymous on the Web, but isn't a totally comprehensive solution like a VPN or more powerful proxy.

Despite touting easy setup, the download takes longer than most because of registration. You have to give up your email address and then wait for a product key before you can start using the program. Then, if you want more than … Read more