VoIP Finally Coming to Palm OS!

The MantraGroup is currently working on a mobile Voice over IP (VOIP) solution for the Palm OS. Their product, mobiVoIP, is currently undergoing a closed beta trial. When ready, mobiVoIP will enable many Palm OS devices to make voice calls over the Internet from a wirelessly connected handheld.

VOIP for Palm OSVOIP, or Voice Over IP (pronounced 'voyp'), is a new technology that lets you make phone calls over the Internet. When you make a VoIP phone call, you use a normal touch-tone telephone and dial the normal phone number just as you would any other time. The people on the other end (usually) can't tell that whether you are calling from a traditional telephone or a VoIP phone. The main difference is that the phone call travels over the Internet rather than through the local phone company's wires. mobiVoip takes it to next step allowing you to use your PDA and make VoIP calls http://ww.mobivoip.net/

The MantraGroup is currently working on stabilizing the product and adding additional features for mobiVoIP including background operation. A list of currently implimented features can be found here http://mantragroup.com/forums/showthread.php?p=212. Listed below are the features available with mobiVoIP 0.9.2:

* Ability to make PSTN calls over IP!
* Caller-ID [via SIP]
* Profiles Settings Dialog [for configuring user Account]
* Secure Account Authentication using SIP MD5 Authentication
* Network Settings Dialog [for IP address related settings]
* Automatic IP resolution [via STUN servers]
* Detecting Dynamic IP [when STUN is disabled]
* Codecs supported: G.711 and GSM 6.10 FR - choose your codec based on your connection speed! [GSM 6.10 FR for low speed connections > 60kbps, G711 for high speed connections > 160kbps]
* Call Timer [should be Enabled from Debug Prefs]
* Audio Configuration Dialog [use to save your bandwidth with voice activity detection]
* Calibration Test - estimate your environment noise and use for noise suppression!
* Noise Suppression - a great feature to save your bandwidth usage - use your connection only to transmit your voice!
* Setting for duration to Keep transmitting after silence [specified in multiples of 20mS]
* Dial, Hang-up & Redial - now with newer and larger button!
* Touch-tones [DTMF]
* Mute Speaker/Mic
* Lookup Phonebook - Dial right from your contacts!
* Bandwidth Test - a simple echo test to get an estimate of your bandwidth! [latnecy = time to hear your voice back/2; (as your voice makes a round trip)]
* Recommended Connections - WiFi, Bluetooth, EV-DO
* Treo 600/650 extras - Easy five-way navigation
* non-Treo extras - No worries of network disconnection on device entering sleep mode

The company has not yet announced a release date or pricing info.