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Microsoft Working on 'Vi-Fi': Brings Seamless Internet and VoIP to Vehicles
Posted by Sean Fallon at 3:30 AM on August 29, 2008
As if you didn't already spend enough time on the internet, Microsoft is looking to feed your addiction even further by developing a reliable "Vi-Fi" system for automobiles. The major problem that must be overcome is the fact that current Wi-Fi networks suffer hiccups in service as you pass through. This is especially true when moving out of the range of one base station and into another. To smooth the transition process, Microsoft and a team from the University of Massachusetts are working on building a network based around a base station anchor that is backed up by several auxiliary base stations in the area.
It's a rule as old as time: tell a bunch of geeks they can't do something, and they will find a way. Any way. Thus the 
The difference between what I would like to look at and what I would like to use makes for a a gap wider than the Grand Canyon, in this case. One button, no tactile feedback and no screen make this VOIP phone prototype little more than an electronic lollipop. But my desire to lick one increases with every glance. [
If you want to build a skyscraper 2,275 feet (693 metres) tall, you will face engineering challenges comparable to those of the Space Shuttle just because its sheer size. One of them is communications. When the 
This cute 800 DPI optical mouse with a built-in speaker slides out like a mobile phone to reveal a keypad for VoIP calls. It has an LCD display for Caller ID and switches between mouse and phone functions automatically. It also looks much cooler than 
A small VOIP company called iCall has ported their software to the iPhone, allowing users to reroute ongoing calls to their free VOIP service in a matter of seconds. The app actively scans for accessible Wi-Fi networks and prompts the user to transfer the call once connected.
Mobile Skype was previously only available on Smartphones like Windows Mobile, but they've just ported a Java version for all kinds of non-smart phones. Be aware that this isn't like the previous iterations and even Skype to Skype calls cost money (or use up your minutes), so there's no huge reason in using this to call someone you can easily call already. What it is useful for is calling overseas, since you use up regular minutes but only get charged SkypeOut rates instead of your exorbitant mobile phone international call rates. [
Skype's latest US$9.95 international subscription plan seems fantastic if you're calling relatives or friends in other countries really often. Just pay US$9.95 a month and you'll be able to ring up landlines in one of 34 countries (mobile phones are only supported in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the US and Canada), and if you buy three months' worth of credit before June 1, you'll get one month for free. Super useful for when you've got older folks in other countries who don't really know how to use a computer to Skype with. Or if you don't want them to see over video chat that you've gained some weight. [
