Conclusion of VoIP Today

Over the course of this semester, our group has unraveled the benefits of the Voice Over Internet Protocol. In discovering how Voice Over Internet Protocol affected our lives, we found it to be a useful tool for communication. Through out the commission of our blog, we followed three modes of Voice over internet protocol. The three modes were Skype, Facetime, and XBOX Live. Each of these three samples selected from our group were the most effective and popular forms of Voice Over Internet Protocol to be considered for use. Each of these applications were unique in their own way, and some of them were specialized for their own individual jobs. 

Looking at the benefits and growth of the VoIP applications, each company provides a similar product with slightly different features. Skype, Facetime, XBOX live, and Google Hangout use voice over internet protocol to allow users to communicate over the internet with different types of functionality. Each company taps into different consumer needs and market segments. Facetime is a good everyday mobile tool for people with an Iphone. Where as, Skype is great for making calls long distance calls overseas to connect with family and friends. Google Hangouts benefits business people who use Google features to email and connect with business clients. Xbox live appeals to gamers who wish to play games and chat or video with their opponents. So who ever you are, you can enjoy the perks of Voice over Internet Protocol in the application most suited for you.

Voice over internet protocol, although took time to fully be adapted in the market, has had over a decade to advance itself in usability and functionality. Voice over internet protocol has a lot of potential and could eventually replace landline phone systems with the further improvement of quality in packet switching.

VoIP and Xbox

Xbox Live Voice Chat

Introduction to Xbox live and Voice Chat

In the early 2000s Microsoft’s Xbox video game console started moving towards online gaming. In 2006 Xbox Live was launched, and the world of gaming would never be the same. Xbox live allows gamers from around the world, to enjoy a thrilling game using online servers and game channels. an attempt at this was done by the Sega Dreamcast, but the Dreamcast was on the decline by the time they came out with their internet model. The reason why we did the Xbox Live for a voice over internet protocol blog was because of the advancing technology of Voice chat. Voice Chat is a Voice over inter internet protocol that allows gamers to communicate with each other via the Xbox live. There are many great features that make it a piece of heavily advanced equipment. The Xbox Kinect made reascent more advanced changes.

      

Voice Chat Features

One feature, which has added to the gaming experience, is voice chat on XBOX Live. Using voice over Internet protocol, gamers are able to talk to each other while playing from the comfort of their own homes. Users typically wear an XBOX headset and microphone so that they will be able to listen and talk to others while playing their game together. This allows for players to be able to communicate with one another for numerous reasons, such as ways how to beat a mission, where the other team is at so that you can beat them, or sometimes to just catch up on old times.

Kinect

Xbox live’s first camera system, Vision, was released in 2006. Later, this system was replaced with Kinect. Xbox developed Kinect in competition with the Wii console.  Kinect is an interactive sensor based gaming system that also allows video chat. Users are able to video each other through an xbox live account and a Kinect or Vision system.  Microsoft reports that there are approximately 48 million Xbox live users. Kinect video offers a feature different from other VOIP’s such as skype and facetime. Auto Zoom: tracks your movement and centers you on the screen in real time. Xbox live accounts also allow you to add apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Skype so user can decide which VoIP is the best for them.

Facetime

Facetime is a way for Iphone users to communicate with each other through a live stream video chat. This voice over protocol product was created by Apple incorporated, for supported mobile devices running iOS and Macintosh users running OS X. The video version of Facetime is supported on any iOS device with a forward-facing camera and on any Macintosh computer equipped with a Facetime Camera, formerly known as an Isight Camera. I look forward to what apple has in store for the next face time upgrade.

Steve Jobs announced Facetime in his keynote speech on June 7th 2010 and the World Wide Development Conference. Steve Jobs also announced the supporting devices for Facetime at the same event the iPhone 4 and ipod touch 4. The name Facetime was bought from Facetime Communications who changed their name to Actiance. Facetime was released on June 24th 2010 on iOS and February 24th 2011 on Mac. Codenamed Venice, FaceTime is a complex accomplishment that includes many pieces such as networking for seamless interaction. Garcia and four other engineers were specifically assigned to this project, and various other teams worked on pieces related to the technology. Apple's core audio team did the audio backend, dealing with the microphone and speaker, Garcia said. The video codec team also was involved, as was the application team, "which draws pretty buttons and things like that," he said.

Facetime is easy to use and accessible on all apple devices. Facetime helps families feel a little closer to home. When asked about Facetime a fellow student said "My grandpa was having his eighty fifth birthday party, and some of the family members were far away. The ability of face time allowed us to see them face to face. This was a very cool experience for my family because we were able to have a face to face communication with one of my cousins from florida and another of family member who was studying abroad in Italy." Facetime quickly gained popularity among users.

VoIP and Skype

Probably the most well known form of voice over internet protocol, is Skype’s text, voice, and videochat allows users to communicate with “peers” over the internet. Skype uses their proprietary VoIP network called Skype protocol. The main difference between Skype and other VoIP clients is that Skype uses a peer-to-peer model, which is different from the usual client-server model. The application also allows for phone calls to be placed to traditional phone networks. Calls between Skype users are free, but calls to landlines and mobile phones are charged a fee.

According to TeleGeography, the telecom data research company, Skype’s international traffic grew 36 percent in 2013. Last year Skype carried an estimated 214 billion minutes of international calls. In growth terms, it is now outpacing all the other global telecom companies. It is no surprise that services such as AIM and Yahoo Messenger are dying rapidly. The recent trend in mobile messaging apps is a factor that will continue to affect skypes market share. Facebook messaging system is a major player in desktop messaging, and in recent months they have made a push to integrate the same system in the mobile world. Skype has likely done so well due to a first mover advantage in the market. Skype is a highly demanded product on the market. Skype was bought by ebay for 1.4 billion dollars in 2010. Skype stocks then were offered to the general public by ebay in 2010. Later in 2011 Microsoft bought skype from ebay for 8.5 billion dollars. 

Skype’s competitive strategy is offering product differentiation and low cost. Skype has many different features. It is available on smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops and allows user to make international calls for free. Skype users are identified by special Skype names, and they are also listed in the Skype directory. Voice Chat allows Skype users to use their phones to communicate between pairs of users and conference calls are also available. Skype’s  Text chat client, allows Skype users to write text and use emoticons. Skype is easy to use and free to between users. This ease of access has allowed Skype's international traffic to grow.

Sources:

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/15/skypes-incredible-rise-in-one-image/

http://www.telegeography.com/products/commsupdate/articles/2014/01/15/skype-traffic-continues-to-thrive/

http://bgr.com/2013/05/23/skype-market-share-whatsapp-kik/

Voice Over Internet Protocol

What is voice over internet protocol (VoIP)?

Voice over internet protocol is the cutting edge technology that allows people today to make calls using internet connection. Voice is transformed into digital data that can be transmitted over a wireless connection. According to “The History of VoIP” on mainline.com, VoIP was first developed in 1995 when hobbyists recognized the potential benefits of making calls using an internet connection.

How is voice over internet protocol used?

By 1998 this discovery led to a shift in the market allowing users to avoid long distance charges by purchasing PC-phone services through a few small companies. Voice over internet protocol has become more available today. Voice over internet is usually free computer to computer via VoIP applications and softwares such as Skype and FaceTime. However, these companies charge for calls made to telephones and landlines. The popularity of voice over internet protocol has also spread to telephone companies such as Vonage or Suddenlink who now offer VoIP home phones. This type of telephone is called a digital phone. Consumer can now also utilize VoIP systems on their smart phone. Voice over internet protocol has made it possible for people to connect with each other in a much more global way. Voice over Internet protocol is useful but it has both advantages and disadvantages.

How does voice over internet protocol affect the way we do things?

This blog is a project assigned as an introduction to information systems that aims to help our group develop an understanding of how we use information systems in our daily lives. Our group will use this blog to explain how voice over internet protocol works and the value it has today by expanding upon current articles that show it's uses. With this information, connections will been drawn about voice over internet protocol’s advantages, disadvantages, and the overall effect of this new technology.