Yesterday I received an email from SightSpeed announcing

On May 24, 2006, SightSpeed will release the next version of our award-winning video calling service. This new release will include significant new beta features, including SightSpeed Phone Out, which you can use to make great quality, low-cost telephone calls from your PC or Mac.

Key Points:

• SightSpeed expands its voice capability from pure 'VoIP to VoIP" to "VoIP to PSTN" (Phone Out launched yesterday) and "PSTN to VoIP" (PhoneIn to be introduced soon).
• Rates for calls within North America are 2 cents per minute; rates to Europe start at 2 cents per minute but vary by country and modality (land line or mobile)
• Ability to make voice only calls (no video required)
• Improved video via a beta codec
• Enhanced Contact List Display options

I have followed SightSpeed since it was first introduced as a high quality video service at Fall Comdex 2003. From the initial press release:

SightSpeed Web matches the speed of the telephone, delivering audio/visual synchronicity at 30 frames per second through patented, human perception-based technology that is based on more than seven years of research at Cornell University.

SightSpeed has always been recognized for its video quality. It has also always had a VoIP capability for those who had headsets to use it as audio accompaniment to the video. Their "SightSpeed Pro" service offers additional features such as multi-party  voice and video conferencing for up to 4 participants. Unfortunately not many of my acquaintances were enamored enough to make it a viable communications service I could routinely use. And I did not find a real need to use their Video Messenger service; but that may just be me.

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by Stephen Klosky, Director, Federal Systems Engineering, Dataline, Inc.

I often demonstrate Skype and its capabilities to business associates. Crowding around a monitor is sometimes awkward. At my desk, I have a laptop, a docking station, and a second monitor which works well for me and one or two guests. For larger groups, I needed a better setup, so I decided to "Skypify" the nearby conference room.

Before

The typical setup in conference room before the upgrade was to take a portable LCD projector and connect it to any of the laptops in the office. The projector pointed at a whiteboard or a blank wall. This setup was functional, but had some drawbacks. Cords ran across walkways, image quality took some time to tune and setup correctly, there was no audio support, and there was no pc based VTC support.

I did have some gear available for the project. The IT department had purchased a Polycom ViewStation H.323 station with a TV for a monitor. This setup was on an A/V cart. This was attractive because the remote controllable camera could be used for the video part of Skype. Also, the mic pod could be used for the Skype microphone.

There were several network drops - 100baseT Ethernet ports available in the room. Additionally, there was a spare Windows XP Professional workstation available as well.

Shopping on a $510 budget

So, there were definitely some areas for improvement. My plan was to add a stereo for sound reinforcement, a USB video capture device for the video support, a ceiling mount kit for the projector, a wireless keyboard and mouse setup, a ceiling mount kit for the stereo speakers, a manual pull down screen for the projector, cables, mounting hardware and power strips.

I was on a non-existent / small budget, so, after a brief eBay session, I found the items I needed. Fortunately for me, I work for an office with quick approval processing and was able to get the upgrade approved in about an hour or so. After getting the approval, I went back to eBay and ordered up the gear. Here is a spreadsheet I used to track the gear.

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Lots of fun is to be had on wigi these days. A bunch of us have been playing with Ashod’s new 10 party video conferencing system. For me, it doesn't get better than this.

The latest version ( vwho4100x,exe) can be found here But that can change every few hours.

You need to register to join the foum to download. Takes about 1 minute.

Try it. For each participant my upload bandwidth is 120 kilobits per second and CPU is only about 15%. That is pretty phenomenal performance. The frame rate appears to be around 30 Frames per Second. Try it, you will never use Skype video again. I know you will, but I hope you will tell me and my readers why. Please leave us a comment.

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Here's three Skype products that aim to enhance your Skypeing experience that leaves me questioning exactly what I'm buying with Skype Certified. The three products are the VoSky Chatterbox, Jawbone Headset and the Motorola Wireless Interenet Calling Kit. Each provide a different angle on bettering the standard Skyper's headset and as you might expect each has their pro's and con's.

VoSky Chatterbox.

This simple USB device provides an easily portable plug and play speakerphone for Skype. It's simple to use and requires no additional software to be loaded. It has a volume and mute button on top and works probably as expected, as a low cost speakerphone. I'd liken it to the solution we had as kids when we could finally plug in a speakerphone box between the old phone and the whole family sat around. In principle great, in practice it left something to be desired. The Chatterbox is a little like this. It works. It's also no substitute for a decent headset. The caller on the other end of the line will know and possibly complain. Handsfree solutions curently work better with a good set of speakers and a proper stand mic. Locate them correctly and the caller won't get a any feedback. Many laptops work as good as the Chatterbox. If you feel the need try it. Just don't expect it to be a Polycom and ready for the office. For kids it may be more robust than a headset - read youngsters talking to Grandma.

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About to visit your family for a Chrismakah party and, on your way out the door, you realize: no gift. What do you do?

Introducting the Skype Journal Labs Last Minute Privacy Shield.

It's simple, affordable, and stylish. It shows you are plugged in to the public policy implications of our interconnected lifestyle. It demonstrates you care about your giftee's confidentiality, privacy, and digital identity. Recycled from recycled paper, so it is uberecofriendly. And it folds nicely on the way to the party.

Variations: You may decorate your privacy shield with stickers, colors, or a collage of other people's faces you cut from a magazine or download from the web. You may also choose bags of different sizes and from different stores: a Tesco bag says one thing, a Nordstrom bag says another.

Lessons Learned: 1. Do not attempt with plastic bags. Really. 2. Use a clean bag never used to carry fish.

I've been giving these out as gifts for the last week. Great for diagrams, doodles, maps, caricatures, tables, creative visuals, and all that other non-text stuff we use white boards for in meetings. Small enough to fit in a backpack (the size of a magazine), cheap enough to buy for all your friends (US$22.32 for a 10-pack), round corners for safety. Built for schools but no webcammer should be without one. Bundle, if you like, with dry erase markers and some baby wipes for cleaning.

Smile! You're on Skype!

Nothing makes up for bad lighting or last year's camera like lightbulb-bright teeth. These Crest Premium White Strips bring you whiter teeth in just two weeks! Just in time for the holidays!

You'll look better on Skype with Crest!

The phone rings and - suddenly you're on camera! Guys can get ready for formal calls with a good clip-on necktie. This Orange and Navy Stripe Clip-on Tie (extra long) goes with almost any shirt and clips in seconds! A great gift for college students looking for work and for telecommuters working in their pajamas. More options on eBay.

Today Santa Cruz Networks made available a new version of Festoon that integrates to either Skype or Google Talk.

It is free. Festoon is available for download here.

I caught up with Santa Cruz Networks’ CEO Itzik Cohen, former VP of Corporate Development at WebEx, on his mobile using SkypeOut:

SJ: “Okay Itzik, first Skype, now Google. Who is your next target for Festoon? And when?”

Itzik: “AOL is next, before year end.”

SJ: “I really liked seeing the same user interface for both Google and Skype. But I want a combined list. I don’t want to switch back and forth.

Itzik: “Bill, you are so damn impatient! First we will develop each community. Like I said, today Google, AOL by Christmas. Then Yahoo, then MSN for first half of 06. When that’s done you will get your buddy lists integrated! It is sure nice to have instant messaging clients with API’s!”

SJ: “I hear you have been busy trying to raise venture financing. What can you tell our readers?”

Itzik: “Not much at this point Bill. We are very, very close to closing. I have been at it night and day for three weeks. Our story of making video an immersive experience is resonating very well with investors just as our product is resonating with our users. I expect to be back leading a well funded team before the snow flies up in your neck of the woods.”

SJ: “Thanks for your time Itzik. I think you guys will do all right. Multi-user video, cross-platform and desktop sharing are my favorite features. Give me a call when the financing closes.”

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I keep getting Chat Messages requesting information to help people select a webcam. I keep recommending the Logitech 4000 Pro along with some words about why. Do people listen? Sure they go off listening to their wallet. (grin)

This picture should tell the story. Carlo bought a new webcam.

It is dark in Denmark. Carlo had to have a light shining in his face as well as the ceiling light. Very uncomfortable for him. So his natural colour becomes unnatural and the frame rate drops. Very uncomfortable for me.

With the new Logitech 4000 Pro webcam Carlo needs no extra lighting shinning in his eyes. His colour is natual and the higher frame rate means the pic is more fluid.

Of course next week when my new Logictech Fusion webcam arrives Carlo will be pissed as my technology trumps his again.

Our tests were carried out using the latest version of wigiwigi.

Flash your smile around the globe. This WigiWigi is the best video application I have tested. Others agree.

"It's great... cool... this is awesome, I love it", commented Adnan Topuz President of AdoSoft INC in Toronto, Canada.

"This is amazing, this is amazing, this is great stuff". Charles Power, CEO of a web dating site Friendsation

This screenshot tells part of the story. It is my fellow tester Johnny in Denmark who was helping me test today.

last week I wrote that Wigi was not ready for prime time. Wait before downloading. Wait no more.

I wrote this User Quidebook to help you get going. Download here.

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Logitech has announced a new family of webcams. I accepted an invitation to visit Logitech while I was in Palo Alto for Skype Night in California last week.

Karen Hoskins, a Public Relations Specialist at Logitech kindly hosted my visit. She hooked me up with Andrew Heymann, Senior Product Marketing Manager and Todd Hernandez, Software Marketing Dude.

I can best sum up the demo with this comment, “I want one NOW!”

I own a Logitech 4000 Pro. I have tested it against many other web cams both in the Logitech family and Creative Web Cam family. I have always been impressed with my 4000 Pro. But the new Logitech QuickCam Fusion left me speechless.

Two big breakthroughs made by this webcam family─
1. Light sensitivity
2. Wide angle view

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Choosing a WebCam

What web cam is best? That is a tough question. There seems to be no end of the number of web cams available with a wide range of prices from $10 to thousands of dollars fitting every imaginable application.

The word "ultimate" in the title refers only to supporting basic video picture quality while conferencing with Skype.

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