Information, Knowledge, Science & Technology

VoIP Article : According to blog.searchenginewatch.com Google is being sued by Rates Technology for patent infringement over the VoIP portion of the Google Talk program. Rates Technology says that two patents they hold (awarded in 1995, 2001) for minimizing the cost of long distance calls using the Internet are being infringed upon by Google Talk. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of New York. The parties will meet with Judge E. Thomas Boyle in early February.

TMCnet.com : Chilean internet telephony provider RedVoiss has launched a free VoIP service it hopes will compete with Skype, RedVoiss CEO Alberto Mordojovich told BNamericas. The service called SippyPhone consists of software that is installed on the PC and communication is possible by a microphone or through a handset. The difference with Skype is that SippyPhone uses standard initiation protocol (SIP), while Skype uses a proprietary protocol, Mordojovich explained. While this makes SippyPhone more flexible as it can be interconnected with other IP voice services such as Vonage, the quality of Skype may be slightly better as it uses greater broadband width, Mordojovich said. "We believe that in the long run, SIP is going to be the dominant technology worldwide... Skype is going to have to compete against all the other companies similar to RedVoiss throughout the world that use SIP," the executive said. Nonetheless, the free service does not mark a move away from the paid se...

Gameshout.com : Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder has purchased $4.4 million worth of shares for VOIP and Internet-based telephone services in Japan. The purchase brings Gates' total ownership in friend and fellow billionaire Warren Buffett's company to 3,990 Class A shares, according to a filing Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Gates paid $88,600 to $89,100 for the 50 shares bought Thursday, the filing shows. Gates, who became a Berkshire director last December, owns stock that's worth $353.5 million based on Tuesday's closing price. Microsoft, Softbank will offer telephone services in Japan. Microsoft Corp. and Softbank Corp. will jointly offer Internet-based telephone services to corporate customers in Japan. Microsoft's Japanese unit, Tokyo-based Softbank, and its Japan Telecom affiliate will sell a package that includes Internet phone, e-mail and Internet access starting in spring, the companies said in a faxed statement Monday.