Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Pudding Media Raises Privacy Concerns by Monitoring VoIP Calls
By Terrence Russell, September 24, 2007
The world of VoIP calling got creepier today with Pudding Media's plans to monitor phone calls on its service in an attempt to provide tailored ad content. The San Jose, Ca-based start-up has announced that it will offer free VoIP calls to those willing to let the company's voice-recognition software monitor the conversation for keywords. The tracked keywords will then be used to trigger targeted on-screen ads for the duration of the call.
"We saw that when people are speaking on the phone, typically they were doing something else," explained Pudding Media's Chief Executive Ariel Maislos, to the New York Times. "They had a lot of other action, either doodling or surfing or something else like that. So we said, 'Let's use that' and actually present them with things that are relevant to the conversation while it's happening."
However, this advertising pipe dream has its share of pitfalls. Although consumers are known for flocking to free web-based services, the concept of free VoIP calling is hardly new. For Pudding Media, running the risk of being singled out as the VoIP provider with the most Big Brother tendencies hardly seems like an advantage. Even though it is widely acknowledged that most web surfing is monitored in some way, most consumers still consider the monitoring of voice communications as a direct assault on privacy. Pudding Media has addressed some of these concerns by revealing that the keyword information is discarded after every call, but it will be up to consumers to decide whether or not that provides enough privacy.
Google weathered a similar storm with Gmail, due to its ability to monitor phrases used in email to tailor its text ads. But it's doubtful that a company with less in the way of street cred can escape the stigma that the search giant was able to partially side step. The key for a start-up of this size will lie in its ability to back its service with confidence and to be extremely transparent about privacy concerns and the technology involved in its voice recognition software. Until then, it's questionable whether or not consumers will see the proof in the pudding.
The world of VoIP calling got creepier today with Pudding Media's plans to monitor phone calls on its service in an attempt to provide tailored ad content. The San Jose, Ca-based start-up has announced that it will offer free VoIP calls to those willing to let the company's voice-recognition software monitor the conversation for keywords. The tracked keywords will then be used to trigger targeted on-screen ads for the duration of the call.
"We saw that when people are speaking on the phone, typically they were doing something else," explained Pudding Media's Chief Executive Ariel Maislos, to the New York Times. "They had a lot of other action, either doodling or surfing or something else like that. So we said, 'Let's use that' and actually present them with things that are relevant to the conversation while it's happening."
However, this advertising pipe dream has its share of pitfalls. Although consumers are known for flocking to free web-based services, the concept of free VoIP calling is hardly new. For Pudding Media, running the risk of being singled out as the VoIP provider with the most Big Brother tendencies hardly seems like an advantage. Even though it is widely acknowledged that most web surfing is monitored in some way, most consumers still consider the monitoring of voice communications as a direct assault on privacy. Pudding Media has addressed some of these concerns by revealing that the keyword information is discarded after every call, but it will be up to consumers to decide whether or not that provides enough privacy.
Google weathered a similar storm with Gmail, due to its ability to monitor phrases used in email to tailor its text ads. But it's doubtful that a company with less in the way of street cred can escape the stigma that the search giant was able to partially side step. The key for a start-up of this size will lie in its ability to back its service with confidence and to be extremely transparent about privacy concerns and the technology involved in its voice recognition software. Until then, it's questionable whether or not consumers will see the proof in the pudding.
Labels: VOIP
Monday, August 06, 2007
PeterZahlt Let You Call Several Countries for FREE
solokay
This Germany based VoIP provider PeterZahlt is giving away free calls from any Germany phone number to landlines and mobiles in Several countries. This is good news to our readers that are based in Germany as they could use this service to make unlimited no. of calls to lot of countries. Also people who are not resident in germany but have a germany call-in number can enjoy the free calls.
PeterZahlt is a web activated telephony service like jajah. It lets you use the web to initiate a call between two telephone numbers. Like most web activated telephony service it is very easy to use, all you have to do is go to peterzahlt.de (the site is in german but the GUI is easily understandable even if you cant read german), enter your telephone number, enter other party's number and click call (kostenlos telefonieren), your phone will ring and you will be connected to the person you want to call.
PeterZahlt is a advertisement based Free Calling service in germany and let you call the following countries for free : Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, USA and Canada (Landline Only), Australia, Singapore, Greece , Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, San Marino and the Vatican.
Calls with PeterZahlt are limited to 30 mins each call but you can make unlimited number of calls to the same destination. To try out peterzahlt visit their website at www.peterzahlt.
This Germany based VoIP provider PeterZahlt is giving away free calls from any Germany phone number to landlines and mobiles in Several countries. This is good news to our readers that are based in Germany as they could use this service to make unlimited no. of calls to lot of countries. Also people who are not resident in germany but have a germany call-in number can enjoy the free calls.PeterZahlt is a web activated telephony service like jajah. It lets you use the web to initiate a call between two telephone numbers. Like most web activated telephony service it is very easy to use, all you have to do is go to peterzahlt.de (the site is in german but the GUI is easily understandable even if you cant read german), enter your telephone number, enter other party's number and click call (kostenlos telefonieren), your phone will ring and you will be connected to the person you want to call.
PeterZahlt is a advertisement based Free Calling service in germany and let you call the following countries for free : Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, USA and Canada (Landline Only), Australia, Singapore, Greece , Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, San Marino and the Vatican.
Calls with PeterZahlt are limited to 30 mins each call but you can make unlimited number of calls to the same destination. To try out peterzahlt visit their website at www.peterzahlt.
Labels: VOIP
PeterZahlt offers Free Calls to many countries
voipguide
I was checking back on my Free Calling VOIP Providers database build over time and found this interesting VOIP provider in Germany. This is a great news for all our german readers. VOIP Guide will also look into a hack to make it work for other nations.
PeterZahlt which means "Let peter Pay" is a advertisement based Free Calling service in germany. PeterZahlt offers free Phone to Phone calls from Germany to over 25 countries namely Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, USA and Canada (Landline Only). They recently added Australia, Singapore, Greece , Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, San Marino and the Vatican.
This service Only works for Germany, however we will try to find a hack soon :-)
PeterZahlt offers free 30 mins each call. You can call the same destination again. You dont need to worry about using headphones. Lets see how you can call with PeterZahlt,
1) Go to PeterZahlt (Note: The site is in German)
2) Enter your number
3) Enter other party's number
4) Click Call (kostenlos telefonieren)
5) They will first call back on your number and then connect the other Party!
Talk for FREE for 30 mins. When the calls is cut, you can redial using the above steps.
As i said earlier, We are working on a hack to receive PeterZahlt calls in other countries and will post a solution soon.
I was checking back on my Free Calling VOIP Providers database build over time and found this interesting VOIP provider in Germany. This is a great news for all our german readers. VOIP Guide will also look into a hack to make it work for other nations.
PeterZahlt which means "Let peter Pay" is a advertisement based Free Calling service in germany. PeterZahlt offers free Phone to Phone calls from Germany to over 25 countries namely Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, USA and Canada (Landline Only). They recently added Australia, Singapore, Greece , Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, San Marino and the Vatican.
This service Only works for Germany, however we will try to find a hack soon :-)
PeterZahlt offers free 30 mins each call. You can call the same destination again. You dont need to worry about using headphones. Lets see how you can call with PeterZahlt,
1) Go to PeterZahlt (Note: The site is in German)
2) Enter your number
3) Enter other party's number
4) Click Call (kostenlos telefonieren)
5) They will first call back on your number and then connect the other Party!
Talk for FREE for 30 mins. When the calls is cut, you can redial using the above steps.
As i said earlier, We are working on a hack to receive PeterZahlt calls in other countries and will post a solution soon.
Labels: VOIP
Monday, June 18, 2007
Jangl Upgrades a Billion Phones Instantly, Adds Ability to Call Anyone Online, Worldwide, Anytime
Jangl Assigns a Phone Number to Every Email Address on the Internet
PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2007--
Know someone online you'd like to talk to on the phone, but don't have their phone number - or don't want to give them yours? Chances are you know their email address.
Now, that's all you need to call them, no matter where they are, for free.(1)
Jangl, Inc., the company bridging the web and the phone, today announced it is unveiling an easy-to-use service that lets you call anyone with an email address, anywhere in the world.
Jangl gives everyone - from social network friends and IM buddies, to auction or classifieds buyers and sellers, to bloggers, indie media, and their audiences - a more flexible, safe, manageable, and inexpensive way to talk by phone. The new Jangl service, available today in 31 countries, is the first to connect people online to people on their phones, without the need for headsets, downloads, or installations.
"We recognize that, right now, the web and the phone are two separate silos of communication," said Michael Cerda, CEO and co-founder, Jangl, Inc. "Today, we are introducing the kernel of a service that allows those silos to collapse. We're virtualizing phone numbers, and making them as usable, manageable and disposable as email addresses."
"Social networking is inherently viral ... and now it's ready to be vocal," said Cerda. "The human voice transcends email, IM, profiles and avatars, as the most effective and universal method of communicating: from meeting or re-connecting or falling in love, to buying and selling, or creating and sharing and learning, the voice is how people connect, and ultimately how real communities are built."
With billions of email addresses and over a billion mobile phones worldwide, the potential market impact for a range of industries - social networks, online media, and mobile communications among them - is staggering.
Jangl Service Highlights:
-- Call anyone: Connect via your mobile phone with anyone in the world, for free, simply by knowing someone's email address.
-- Keep your real phone numbers private at all times.
-- Want to be called? Add a simple Jangl web address to your email signature to let people connect with you even when you're not online, or post a customized Jangl widget to your online profile.
-- Control your phone access and manage Jangl voicemails, numbers and relationships online.
-- Use any of your personal phones to connect - mobile, landline or VOIP.
New Jangl Features Available Today:
-- Jangl "Call Anyone." With "Call Anyone" simply enter someone's email address at Jangl's homepage to get connected. You'll be given a phone number - local to you - to call them. During the first call, you'll leave a voicemail, which Jangl then delivers via email. Once they receive that message, the recipient receives instructions to get a number - local to them - to call you back. This service still keeps your personal number safe, enables text messaging via SMS(2) and the easy exchange of voicemails, too. Plus, Jangl works on any phone - even if your phone doesn't normally allow you to call international numbers.
-- Jangl "Call Me" Link. Available to anyone - Jangl member or not - Jangl's "Call Me" link lets you place a simple URL in your email signature (or anywhere else online), giving anyone, anywhere "one-click" access to a private number at which they can reach you. Let your online friends connect with you whether you're online or not - and, as always, keep your real number safe while enjoying total control over incoming calls. Simply append your email address to a Jangl URL - http://callme.jangl.com - and start connecting.
-- Jangl Widget. Colorful, cool Jangl widgets - available to Jangl members - let people simply enter their phone number and instantly get a number to connect with you. Jangl widgets are easily posted on a profile page, contact page or blog, and are already widely in use at several top social networking sites.
-- Jangl Voicemail. Your Jangl voicemail can now be easily accessed and organized at Jangl.com, or via your third-party email account. Additionally, you can receive email or SMS notification of incoming Jangl voicemails.
-- Multiple Phone Support. Now you can use any phone with Jangl. Simply register all of your phones and use any of them to connect with others - mobile, home phone, and more.
-- Enhanced Management of Your Jangl. The Jangl control panel is more simple and powerful than ever. Access, organize and control your voicemails, numbers and relationships online. And, as always, screen or block callers as you see fit.
Jangl has witnessed tremendous growth in the U.S. since its official launch in November 2006. Most recently, Jangl widgets have been featured extensively on social networking site Tagged.com and blogging platform TypePad, and Jangl is experiencing organic adoption on several other top social networking sites. Moreover, Jangl continues to power online personals leader Match.com's MatchTalk service, which enables its members to talk on their phones without sharing their real numbers.
The new service is free now, during the official beta period, and is available in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Throughout this spring and summer, Jangl will announce new partner distribution and co-branded services with global leaders in consumer web services. To learn more about upcoming announcements, contact Jangl PR (tim@jangl.com) to be added to our news distribution network.
About Jangl
Jangl is the company bridging the web and billions of mobile phones. Jangl's service is distributed directly to consumers at Jangl.com and through partnerships with global leaders in social networking, digital media and communications, and dating and relationship communities. Jangl's management team hails from successful consumer and technology companies, including Skype, Redback Networks, Podshow, Microsoft, WebTV, Sprint Nextel, and Lucent Technologies. Jangl's investors include Cardinal Venture Capital, Labrador Ventures and Storm Ventures, which together have invested $9 million. Jangl is headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., and is available on the web at http://www.jangl.com and via telephone at 1.925.271.5050.
(C)2007 Jangl, Inc. Jangl is a trademark of Jangl, Inc. All other trademarks and servicemarks are property of their respective owners.All rights reserved.
(1) Free for a limited time. Phone carrier charges may still apply.
(2) Available soon.
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5408905.
--30--GM/sf*
CONTACT: Jangl, Inc.
Timothy Johnson, 1.925.271.5042 (Media)
tim (at) jangl.com
http://callme.jangl.com/tim@jangl.com
PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2007--
Know someone online you'd like to talk to on the phone, but don't have their phone number - or don't want to give them yours? Chances are you know their email address.
Now, that's all you need to call them, no matter where they are, for free.(1)
Jangl, Inc., the company bridging the web and the phone, today announced it is unveiling an easy-to-use service that lets you call anyone with an email address, anywhere in the world.
Jangl gives everyone - from social network friends and IM buddies, to auction or classifieds buyers and sellers, to bloggers, indie media, and their audiences - a more flexible, safe, manageable, and inexpensive way to talk by phone. The new Jangl service, available today in 31 countries, is the first to connect people online to people on their phones, without the need for headsets, downloads, or installations.
"We recognize that, right now, the web and the phone are two separate silos of communication," said Michael Cerda, CEO and co-founder, Jangl, Inc. "Today, we are introducing the kernel of a service that allows those silos to collapse. We're virtualizing phone numbers, and making them as usable, manageable and disposable as email addresses."
"Social networking is inherently viral ... and now it's ready to be vocal," said Cerda. "The human voice transcends email, IM, profiles and avatars, as the most effective and universal method of communicating: from meeting or re-connecting or falling in love, to buying and selling, or creating and sharing and learning, the voice is how people connect, and ultimately how real communities are built."
With billions of email addresses and over a billion mobile phones worldwide, the potential market impact for a range of industries - social networks, online media, and mobile communications among them - is staggering.
Jangl Service Highlights:
-- Call anyone: Connect via your mobile phone with anyone in the world, for free, simply by knowing someone's email address.
-- Keep your real phone numbers private at all times.
-- Want to be called? Add a simple Jangl web address to your email signature to let people connect with you even when you're not online, or post a customized Jangl widget to your online profile.
-- Control your phone access and manage Jangl voicemails, numbers and relationships online.
-- Use any of your personal phones to connect - mobile, landline or VOIP.
New Jangl Features Available Today:
-- Jangl "Call Anyone." With "Call Anyone" simply enter someone's email address at Jangl's homepage to get connected. You'll be given a phone number - local to you - to call them. During the first call, you'll leave a voicemail, which Jangl then delivers via email. Once they receive that message, the recipient receives instructions to get a number - local to them - to call you back. This service still keeps your personal number safe, enables text messaging via SMS(2) and the easy exchange of voicemails, too. Plus, Jangl works on any phone - even if your phone doesn't normally allow you to call international numbers.
-- Jangl "Call Me" Link. Available to anyone - Jangl member or not - Jangl's "Call Me" link lets you place a simple URL in your email signature (or anywhere else online), giving anyone, anywhere "one-click" access to a private number at which they can reach you. Let your online friends connect with you whether you're online or not - and, as always, keep your real number safe while enjoying total control over incoming calls. Simply append your email address to a Jangl URL - http://callme.jangl.com - and start connecting.
-- Jangl Widget. Colorful, cool Jangl widgets - available to Jangl members - let people simply enter their phone number and instantly get a number to connect with you. Jangl widgets are easily posted on a profile page, contact page or blog, and are already widely in use at several top social networking sites.
-- Jangl Voicemail. Your Jangl voicemail can now be easily accessed and organized at Jangl.com, or via your third-party email account. Additionally, you can receive email or SMS notification of incoming Jangl voicemails.
-- Multiple Phone Support. Now you can use any phone with Jangl. Simply register all of your phones and use any of them to connect with others - mobile, home phone, and more.
-- Enhanced Management of Your Jangl. The Jangl control panel is more simple and powerful than ever. Access, organize and control your voicemails, numbers and relationships online. And, as always, screen or block callers as you see fit.
Jangl has witnessed tremendous growth in the U.S. since its official launch in November 2006. Most recently, Jangl widgets have been featured extensively on social networking site Tagged.com and blogging platform TypePad, and Jangl is experiencing organic adoption on several other top social networking sites. Moreover, Jangl continues to power online personals leader Match.com's MatchTalk service, which enables its members to talk on their phones without sharing their real numbers.
The new service is free now, during the official beta period, and is available in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Throughout this spring and summer, Jangl will announce new partner distribution and co-branded services with global leaders in consumer web services. To learn more about upcoming announcements, contact Jangl PR (tim@jangl.com) to be added to our news distribution network.
About Jangl
Jangl is the company bridging the web and billions of mobile phones. Jangl's service is distributed directly to consumers at Jangl.com and through partnerships with global leaders in social networking, digital media and communications, and dating and relationship communities. Jangl's management team hails from successful consumer and technology companies, including Skype, Redback Networks, Podshow, Microsoft, WebTV, Sprint Nextel, and Lucent Technologies. Jangl's investors include Cardinal Venture Capital, Labrador Ventures and Storm Ventures, which together have invested $9 million. Jangl is headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., and is available on the web at http://www.jangl.com and via telephone at 1.925.271.5050.
(C)2007 Jangl, Inc. Jangl is a trademark of Jangl, Inc. All other trademarks and servicemarks are property of their respective owners.All rights reserved.
(1) Free for a limited time. Phone carrier charges may still apply.
(2) Available soon.
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5408905.
--30--GM/sf*
CONTACT: Jangl, Inc.
Timothy Johnson, 1.925.271.5042 (Media)
tim (at) jangl.com
http://callme.jangl.com/tim@jangl.com
Labels: VOIP
