skype

There have been several communication tools on Webware in the last few days. Joining the party is Yackpack, a messaging tool that lets you chat live as a group or swap recorded messages to group members, all within your Web browser.

Yackpack creates a visual chat room for you, with floating faces representing users. Playing and recording messages is handled through a slick and simple player that sits in the top right of the interface. Handling who you are and aren't talking to is as simple as clicking icons. Toggling all group members is managed with a single select … Read more

Hey TiVo, Slingbox, AppleTV, and everyone else who's trying to "bridge the content gap" between TV and broadband video--Joost might really pack a powerful punch. The start-up from the founders of Skype and Kazaa has been all over the news recently with new content deals, a Mac beta version, and an agreement in the works with Viacom to distribute programming from such cable mainstays as MTV and Comedy Central.

Last week, it was announced that the previously Windows-only private beta version of Joost would be available for Intel-based Macs. At the same time, Joost released new … Read more

It's really impossible to follow any tech blog these days without hearing something about Joost, formerly known as "The Venice Project," the mysterious online video start-up from the same minds that brought us Skype and Kazaa. There's been a lot of speculation, a lot of hype (usually involving the phrase "YouTube killer"), and a lot of hush-hush. That's because Joost, as I learned upon signing up for the private beta test, has a very strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Consequently, it's been difficult for me to address some of the more pointed questions … Read more

EJamming, which makes software that enables people to practice music together if their instruments are MIDI-enabled, is announcing a service that works for non-MIDI instruments too: drums, guitars, voice, violins, etc. The idea is to let musicians practice together even when they can't get together physically, or to let students and teachers work together remotely.

There are really interesting technical challenges to making this work. Not only do you have to transmit very high-quality audio, but you have to do it with extremely low-audio latency. The eJamming founders, Alan Glueckman and Gail Kantor, told me their audio processor and … Read more

Skype is set to launch a new version of its VoIP phone service for international customers in 24 countries. The new service, named Skype Pro, won't charge by the minute for its SkypeOut service, which lets computers call landlines. Instead, it will charge users a €2-per-month subscription fee and €3.9 cents-per-call connection fee.

There are some benefits to the new system over the old one: specifically, free Skype voicemail (which used to cost about $20 a year) and a large discount on a SkypeIn number at which regular phones can call you. All in all, it's a … Read more

-- Skype founders name new video start-up Joost. The once-named "Venice Project" now has a real name. The service, which has been in private beta since this summer, aims to bring free, high-quality Internet programming through a Web-based interface. (News.com)

-- Putting a squeeze on Net video. Internet media technology company On2 has some exciting new codecs that could mean streaming high-definition video on services such as YouTube and Google Video in the near future. (News.com)

-- DMCA complaint with YouTube dropped. A controversial DMCA complaint about a video on YouTube has been dropped after the … Read more

These are probably the greatest gadgets I've seen at all of CES. Massive HDTVs and supercharged game PCs are great, but they can't compare to products fashioned to look and act like the galaxy's greatest astrodroid.

Electronics company Nikko, best known for its remote-controlled cars, has announced a DVD projection system and a wireless, networked Webcam, both based on Star Wars' R2-D2. The nerd truly is strong in these ones.

The R2-D2 DVD Projector is a 480p home-theater projector that looks just like the beloved robot. The 20-inch-tall projector features built-in speakers, an iPod dock, a memory … Read more

-- Skype on a cell phone. You don't need a Skype-only handset or a bulky laptop to use Skype while traveling. Nokia has a Skype client built-in on its new N800 series. The good news is you can get your hands on the handset right away; the bad news is you won't be able to use Skype on it until June (Crave).

-- Yahoo launches Go 2.0. This new tool combines several of Yahoo's brands into a single mobile app. Most important is the new search tool called OneSearch, which is optimized for mobile phones. There'… Read more

Nokia has signed a partnership with Skype to offer Internet calling for its new N800 Internet Tablet smart phone.

While the phone will be immediately available in the U.S. and some European countries, Nokia announced Monday at CES, the Skype service will not be available until June. People can stay connected until then with the N800's instant messaging feature over WLAN, in addition to regular cell phone calls.

The N800 smart phone has 128MB RAM and 256MB of flash memory with two memory cards slots that will each take SD, MicroSD, MiniSD, MMC and RS-MMC cards of up … Read more