[MW Forums]

Voice over IP, or VoIP, is an emerging technology that allows you to use your broadband Internet connection to place and receive voice and videophone calls. By adding some desktop VoIP software tools to your Mac, you, too, can take advantage of Internet calling. more

[Moofo]

Voice Over IP is much more fun and reliable when using a hardware phone. In my experience, the techology in itself is not really user friendly yet, but it's slowly going there.
Softphones are nice, much nicer than they used to be, but still nothing beats an ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter) or a real SIP phone.

[DavidAtWork]

What's the likelihood of these applications adding desktop sharing to their existing functionality?

[kelake]

You have to pay to use iChat? I don't.

[cpoff]

Pay to use iChat just to text chat? No.
To use secure VoIP functionality? Yes.
Dot Mac. 99 bones.

[MacTel]

In reply to:

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Voice Over IP is much more fun and reliable when using a hardware phone.

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I hope so! I'm getting my Comcast VOIP installed in a few weeks. Free long distance to the U.S. of A. and Canada. Yippie!

[nittany4]

we have begun to use Skype to communicate with our Chinese/Hong Kong vendors here at the office. The PC users are all over me because of the lack of video on the mac side.
anyone have any idea when the OSX version of skype will support the camera in my MacBook Pro, so I can see my Chinese friends and more importantly shut up the Lemmings here in the office? /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
cheers
td
philadelphia

[jmincey]

"The PC users are all over me because of the lack of video on the mac side."
They should be all over the Skype developers about this -- that is the true target of their ire.
The Skype web site says that development on the Mac client continues, but it does lag far behind (at version 1.4) the Windows client -- a beta of which was released only a week ago at version 2.5.
I understand there will be a delta between the platforms because of market share, but the Skype delta is far too wide and is unacceptable.

[nittany4]

In reply to:

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They should be all over the Skype developers about this -- that is the true target of their ire.

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By all over me, I meant making fun of the mac, which I defend as it it were my child.... /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[entspeak]

I don't quite get why a service like Vonage doesn't get mentioned in a review of VoIP service.
I've been using Vonage for almost 3 years. Using a cable internet connection, I don't have to front for a land line. And it has the ability to program 911 for your address. I get free calls in the US, Canada and to landlines in most of Europe. I also use their softphone, which has been great for hotels and internet cafes. I wish I could get the V-phone... the little 256 MB USB Memory stick that they make that has their softphone built into it... Unfortunately, it's only available for PC.
I have had some minor issues in terms of quality on my Softphone. I've always attributed that to the aging iBook G4 that I have it installed on and using it via a wireless connection. Whenever I try to do anything else on the computer, the voice on the other end does a little digital stutter. But when I'm just using the Softphone and there's a good signal, I've had no problems whatsoever.

[macnews]

I was wondering why Vonage wasn't mentioned as well. I know the others are computer programs but the title of the article was "VoIP roundup...".
"Despite the benefits of VoIP software on the Mac, a traditional phone is still necessary in some situations." This has to be a runner up for understatment of the year. Unless we are talking uber geeks, which some could argue I am one, to really make VoIP more than just a geek thing you need a traditional phone. If I am a regular consumer - seeing the Vonage ads - I may think I could replace my phone line with VoIP. After reading this article, it seems to reinforce the notion VoIP is just for geeks to play with, when it can be so much more. Again, the headline "VoIP roundup. Is Internet phone service right for you" I want to know about call quality, wired vs wireless, ditching my traditional phone service, ease of use making AND recieving calls (can traditional phone service people still call me if my computer is off?), advantages (does my phone go wherever my laptop goes?), disadvantages (what if Vonage dies or Skype stops mac development), etc.
Please Jason could you and your staff expand on this? If you do I promise to renew my print subscription!
/forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[jmincey]

"I was wondering why Vonage wasn't mentioned as well."
I assume the answer is that the products reviewed all include (or consist solely of) software which runs on the Mac. This doesn't apply to Vonage.

[macnews]

"I assume the answer is that the products reviewed all include (or consist solely of) software which runs on the Mac. This doesn't apply to Vonage."
Sure, I can understand your point of view but the headline is misleading as it talks about VoIP "being right for you." VoIP is more than just software. This would be like, to me at least, having a headline stating "Is buying a Mac right for you?" and only talking about iLife or Mac OSX. There is so much more to getting a mac - hardware and software.
I did find the article interesting but far less useful than the headline suggested. It basically was a software review. While still needed, I personally wanted, and expected, more based on the headline. And nothing personal to the author, having worked in media I know you can't please everyone all the time but at least I can let MacWorld what else I would like to read.

[cpoff]

Internet telephony and VoIP: What's the difference?
This sidebar addresses most of the concerns about Vonage's status, and weighs the benefits/drawbacks of both methods.