Tag Archives: telephone

The Phone, Simplified

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Gotta love the simplicity of this minimal desktop phone by Younghwan Kim! Designed for the OCD professional with a perfectly organized desk, the phone at first appears to be a black, glossy block accent. Un-nest it from the base, however, and it will reveal a minimal interface with basic number keys and an simple LED screen. Its functionality is as minimal as the stark aesthetic, and that’s its charm!

Designer: Younghwan Kim

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(The Phone, Simplified was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Captioned Telephone Lets You Read What the Other Party is Saying During the Call

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Captionec Telephone

Do you have difficulty understanding what people are saying over the phone? You could blame your phone, but keep in mind that it could also be your deteriorating hearing. This could lead to a lot of frustration on both ends of the line, which is why the Captioned Telephone is such a godsend.

It’s a phone that displays what the other party on the line is saying so you can read and listen to it at the same time. That way, you can prevent misunderstandings, keep losses to a minimum, and avoid making mistakes that could cause a lot of hassles down the road. The phone uses the US Captioned Telephone Service, which is provided free of charge by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Keep in mind that you’ll need an Internet connection and a conventional phone service in order to access the system. The Captioned Phone is available online for $99.95, and a maximum of only two phones can be ordered per household.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Red Ferret ]

Flexible smartphone notifies owners of incoming calls by curling up

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 A new prototype of futuristic flexible smartphones was revealed by researchers from Queen’s University of Human Media Lab in Canada. The MorePhone, aside from having a flexible display, visibly...
    


FTC reveals $50,000 Robocall Challenge winners, alarms Rachel from card services (video)

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FTC reveals winners of its antirobocall contest

The FTC has managed to find two non-violent solutions to its Robocall Challenge, aimed at blocking auto-dialing telemarketers, thanks to winners Serdar Danis and Aaron Foss. The pair, who will receive $25,000 each, came up with variations on a system that would pre-screen calls before ringing your phone while allowing the FTC to blacklist known scammers at the same time. Google took a non-cash prize in a separate category with a scheme that would foil caller-ID spoofing often used by boiler rooms like the notorious "Rachel from card services" outfit, which has over a hundred numeric aliases. The FTC receives a whopping 200,000 complaints per month about the nuisance and screened nearly 800 submissions (see the More Coverage link), many of which show a certain, shall we say, passion for the topic. Check winner Foss' video submission after the break.

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Via: Huffington Post

Source: FTC

AT&T Wireless Home Phone goes prepaid, emulates landlines on demand

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AT&T Wireless Home Phone goes prepaid, emulates landlines on demand

We can't say that most attempts to replicate the landline experience with a wireless link have panned out -- Verizon Hub, anyone? AT&T is wagering that it can overcome some of that hesitance with new prepaid tiers for Wireless Home Phone. Those who plug their wired phones into the $100 cellular hub can now pay only for those times they want pseudo-traditional service, whether it's $20 per month for unlimited US-wide calls or $15 for 1,000 minutes of international long distance. It's hard to make a case for the new Wireless Home Phone option when many of us already have cellphones, but we can see its uses: think snowbirds or apartment dwellers who want a cheap, traditional phone option that will follow them around for a few months at a time. If you haven't (or can't) cut the cord entirely, AT&T may have the next best thing.

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Source: AT&T

France investigates Skype after it doesn’t register as a telecom provider (update: Skype response)

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France investigates Skype after it doesn't register as a telecom provider

You can't completely pigeonhole Skype when it serves both as a partial substitute for traditional phone service and an instant messaging service with voice and video on top. Unfortunately, French telecom regulator ARCEP doesn't trade in ambiguities. It's launching an investigation into Skype after the Microsoft-owned division reportedly ignored requests to register itself as a telecom provider in the country. The authority is concerned that Skype is offering phone service without following local laws, including requirements to offer emergency calls and avenues for legal wiretaps. We've reached out to Skype for its side of the story, although there's no certainty that ARCEP will have to take action, regardless -- Skype has long disclaimed that it's not a full phone replacement and won't work for true emergencies. If France asks for compliance, however, Skype may have to either solve a seemingly unsolvable problem or face withdrawing at least some of its services. We wouldn't count on always having VoIP in Versailles.

Update: A Skype spokesperson answered back, and the company's view is clear: it doesn't believe that its service fits the definition of a communication provider under French law and thus doesn't have to be registered. Skype adds that it's been talking with ARCEP and plans to keep that up in a "constructive" fashion, although there clearly hasn't been much progress on that front. Read the full response after the break.

[Image credit: Alexandre Vialle, Flickr]

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Via: New York Times

Source: ARCEP (translated)

Build a better payphone: NYC hosts public design challenge to reinvent public telephones

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Build a better payphone New York City hosts public design challenge to reinvent public telephones

New York City's SmartScreen payphone refits may be revitalizing a handful of its 11,000 public kiosks, but the information scrubbing touchscreens lack a key communication feature: a telephone. With its existing payphone vender agreements due to expire in 2014, the city sees an opportunity to revitalize its communication infrastructure, and is asking the public to help them build the payphone of tomorrow. There's room for hardware innovation -- the city says most payphone locations can be augmented with fiber connections, opening the potential to expand functionality beyond basic voice calls.

Designers are challenged to propose solutions that enhance local aesthetics, utilize sustainable power sources, combat vandalism, account for emergency scenarios, ensure accessibility to disabled persons and, of course, generate at least as much revenue for the City of New York as contemporary payphones. Entrants have until February 18th to submit their prototypes and designs, and 15 semi-finalists will have to face down a panel of judges in March. Want to get started? Check out the project's home page at the adjacent source link, and dig in -- the city is offering resources on payphone locations, WiFi service metrics and a Collabfinder page to help prospective designers find a team.

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Source: Reinvent Payphones

BT lets site visitors add features to landlines with only a phone number and postcode

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BT site

If you're subscribed to BT's landline phone service, you may want to keep an eye on your bill in the near future. The British provider recently patched up a website issue that showed account holders' full names, but attention is being drawn to an approach that lets visitors add paid features like TV service using only an account's phone number and postcode as credentials. When both of these are potentially in the public eye, that creates understandable concerns that a rogue agent could hike someone's rates without consent -- even the email address BT uses to confirm changes is only chosen on the spot, which could keep the change a secret early on. BT so far contends that the light security is for "customer convenience," although we've reached out to verify whether or not that will continue to be the company's policy going forward. In the meantime, those still on the carrier's traditional phone service will want to be careful about giving out their number to strangers; while the risk isn't extreme in practice, there's no need to hand someone the keys to the kingdom.

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Via: The Verge

Source: The Register

Luxury Android

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In a world of cookie-cutter smartphones, the BeoSmart stands out from its counterparts as a truly unique design that hones in on the style and quality of the Bang and Olufsen audio and Leica camera brands. The exterior casing is reminiscent of the Leica M series cam fit with synthetic leather as well as a high powered B&O speaker at the center that serves as the focal point of the design. Finally, an exclusive-feeling Android phone!

Designer: Hugo André Costa Vieira Fernandes

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(Luxury Android was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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FTC offers $50,000 prize for stopping illegal robocalls, we could have used this a few months ago

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FTC offers $50,000 prize for stopping illegal robocalls, we could have used this a few months ago

Robocalling is considered a plague in the modern phone world, especially during an election year -- and while you likely won't get rid of all the pitches from political candidates anytime soon, most of the commercial calls are outright illegal. The Federal Trade Commission has devised a unique contest to help cut back on those law-breakers without having to chase down every shady debt relief offer. It's offering a $50,000 reward for the cleverest solution to blocking the banned variety of robocalls. The only requirement is that you be an adult US resident: if you can invent a surefire remedy in your basement, the FTC wants to hear from you. Entries will be open between October 25th and January 17th, with word of a winner around April 1st. We're hoping that the champion has a truly effective cure in use before long, because we'll undoubtedly have reached our breaking point on robocalls by... oh, around November 6th.

[Image credit: SarahNW, Flickr]

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FTC offers $50,000 prize for stopping illegal robocalls, we could have used this a few months ago originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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