x y zebra, Article about Intel enhancing Windows for telephony raises technical issues as well. If able to do telephony from a PC, do we need a separate telephony network or will the Intel scheme only work to another computer? As I understand FTEL's capability, one can make calls from PCs to regular phones or from regular phones to regular phones in areas where they have a gateway. Perhaps the Intel scheme would require the FTEL hardware to work in such a phone-phone situation? Am under the impression that Intel has come a long way in improving the clarity and reducing echo found on previous PC telephony attempts by using NCTI's Clearspeech software but am very unsure of how they could do it in other than a PC to PC environment. CAP
wired.com
Microsoft Aims NT Toward Telephony
Wired News Report
3:30pm 3.Mar.98.PST
Microsoft and its third-party developers are hoping to cash in on the explosion of interest in computer telephony with a handful of Windows NT 5.0 Net telephony add-ons and upgrades.
The new technologies, shown this week at the Computer Telephony Expo 98 in Los Angeles, will allow Windows developers to integrate telephony into their applications. A new version of the Microsoft Windows Telephony Applications Programming Interface (API), a platform that the company says offers coders "the freedom of network and device independence," is at the root of the Microsoft's plans.
As voice and data networks converge, developers are rushing to move in with applications that take advantage of the new hybrid. Previously, voice and data needed to travel on separate lines, but emerging technologies will allow conversations to travel on the same IP networks as Internet traffic does.
Microsoft says its improved telephony API adds support for quality of service, conferencing, enhanced media control, and other features for call centers and personal productivity. |
