Innovation in 3D TV

Internet phones are not something new in technology and VoIP systems are becoming the new norm in businesses. For the average consumer, IP telephony was not really a necessity until the power of video conferencing was unlocked. Throw in television and it is like the other person is in the room with you. Now with 3D television, it is quite an effect. Vizio demoed a 3D TV which lets you get rid of the glasses and there is not just one sweet spot. With this TV, there are nine. As you move around the screen in a semi-circle, the picture pops in and out of 3-D, akin to pulling a lens in and out of focus. If you're not in a sweet spot, the picture doesn't completely blur and fuzz out. It just flattens out into 2-D. Even better, the system won't require any special content above and beyond the 3-D video that already exists. The technology isn't flawless. On Vizio's prototype, the picture is considerably less sharp than on other high-definition or 3-D displays. On-screen lines and fuzziness are pretty noticeable, and the 3-D effect doesn't always pop like you'd expect it to. Still, this kind of technology is creeping closer and closer to your living room. We've seen it in portable devices such as the Nintendo DS and the displays of 3-D cameras, but never yet in a full-size consumer TV.

Cons of VoIP Systems

Perhaps the biggest caveat to the VoIP is that you must have electricity and internet service to use it. So, during a storm when there is a power outage, your VoIP system is out, too (since routers, adapters, computers, and other VoIP devices need electricity to function). If there is high internet traffic when you are trying to place a VoIP-to-VoIP call, you may experience some degradation in the quality of your call and/or your service may be interrupted completely. One of the solutions that AB Soft can offer is a hosted VoIP service that operates in the cloud but it will not take care of the problem completely. With the basic VoIP package, emergency services are not a for-sure thing. If VoIP is your only form of communication with the outside world, you may want to consider an additional device to enable you to contact help if needed, though a cellphone is an easy alternative.
Countless applications and functions, combined with being cost-effective and user-friendly, make the VoIP a viable option for your 21st century communication needs.

Pros of a VoIP Service

If you have access to the Internet, then you can call, email, video conference with, or send a voice mail to anyone's email or phone. It doesn't matter if they are across the ocean or in the building next door, as long as your internet signal is strong, you don't have to hassle with remembering area codes, worry about long-distance charges if you chat for an hour, or wonder if you are going to be disconnected if a cloud drifts by. Your one assigned "local" phone number will allow you to call anyone, anywhere. VoIP comes as part of several different packages depending on your particular needs. Some options include: 3-way calling, caller ID, voicemail, automatic call forwarding, auto-redial, online faxing, automatic emailing of voicemails to your designated email account, a "virtual" receptionist greeting callers and directing them to the appropriate company rep, and even customized greetings for specific times of the year or after regular business hours. VoIP can be easily integrated with instant messaging, file sharing software, video conferencing, or any other internet-based communication. Multiple applications and devices can be integrated, layered, or streamlined to meet most every user's needs at the corporate or home office.

Flexibility

Making your own hours or working from your home can take a toll on you even if you have all those great communication services such as internet phones and internet fax. There has been research that pointed to people not really benefiting from making their own schedules. One of the biggest problems of this is the integration of work and home which can lead to stress because attention will end up being spread thinly and the person will not really be as productive as they could be if they were to go to a different place to work. The same goes when people come home, it is best to leave work back at the office so that you are able to actually be home and with your family. Companies should consider making schedules more flexible but not necessarily complete control because then there will be more harm done. There needs to self-discipline and family member cooperation for the flexibility to work.

Turning Off Your Smartphone

No one is expected to be on call at all hours of the day and night, and switching off after work is important, even if you are on a business trip. A study conducted last spring by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project found that while mobile phones were valued as a way to stay productive, there were downsides to being available at all times. The nationwide survey of 2,254 adults found that 44 percent of cellphone owners had slept with their phone next to their bed and that 67 percent had experienced “phantom rings,” checking their phone even when it was not ringing or vibrating. Still, the proportion of cellphone owners who said they “could live without it” has gone up, to 37 percent from 29 percent in 2006. Though, if you are at the point where you are hearing phantom rings and vibrations, something needs to be done or at the very least admitted. IP telephony has revolutionized the way we communicate and do business. Unfortunately it has also taken away the excuse that we are not available, and we need to bring it back. There needs to be a good work-life balance in order to stay productive in both areas.

Disaster and VoIP

As we have seen last week with the Amazon cloud outage and a couple weeks before that with the hurricane, cloud services can be knocked down either by huge service traffic or natural disasters. These are outages that left many companies with crippled telephone service and spotty cellphone coverage for days. In fact, the Federal Communications Commission reports that about 25 percent of wireless cell towers throughout the country’s Northeastern states were completely out of commission after the storm. Despite the loss of cell towers and the degradation of telecom infrastructure, many VoIP providers continued to provide uninterrupted service to its business customers across the East Coast. Traditional telecommunication providers depend on their major data centers for power which, in the throes of a hurricane, can lead to lost land line communications. VoIP providers, on the other hand, can route calls over IP networks as long as there’s an internet connection. While VoIP’s reliance on the internet promises better availability in times of trouble, Irvine says VoIP systems still need to be configured properly to ensure ongoing availability and redundancy patterns. For this reason, Irvine recommends that small to medium-sized businesses take advantage of hosted or multi-tenant VoIP solutions in which the vendor handles all of the PBX functions including routing calls via the internet.