posted by Duane
What’s Coming To X-Lite?
Some of you have already downloaded the release candidate for our X-Lite 4.0 product below. We’ve gotten some great feedback so far, and expect that the number of people downloading it will continue to increase over the next week or so. We’re trying to set an official date for the launch sometime in the next few weeks, but the actual date will depend on open bugs and some timing with various other departments here. But it will hopefully be sometime in late September.
We’re currently working on a couple cool features, one of which is a media/entertainment center. From there, you’ll be able to search for local businesses, watch some online programming, and hopefully find some local ISPs or VOIP providers that will work for X-Lite. These features might not make it into the 4.0 release (although we’re trying), but something should be hopefully out in the near future. It’s still a work in progress, and we’re playing with what pages and information that will be included, but it’s going to provide an easy-to-update area for us that can put a lot of exciting features into. So stay tuned!
Pardon me for being blunt but…
A Media Center? In a Phone App?
…really?
…
… …really? Wow…
Jason
16 Sep 08 at 2:02 pm
Hi Jason. Well, to look at X-Lite or Bria as just a phone would be to undervalue what it is they accomplish. Most people used to look at cell phones as simply a way to make voice calls, but Apple has shown us the power, with the iPhone, of a generic communications device. Now, it’s the bar that everyone else has to be judged by.
X-Lite really stopped being a ‘phone’ back in 2004 when we added the ability to make video calls. Since then, we’ve continued adding new features such as IM and Presence, and wideband audio codecs. By upgrading to Bria, people also get H.264 video, G729 for reduced bandwidth audio, and a lot of other enterprise-grade features. In that regard, it’s really a tool that allows people to communicate and collaborate, and we’re hoping to build upon that with some of the new features.
The purpose of the media/entertainment section is to provide access to a bunch of different areas that we feel make X-Lite more exciting, and will help users connect with other people, or find local businesses/services with relative ease.
Duane
16 Sep 08 at 2:23 pm
There’s a difference between a phone, that web-enables you almost anywhere, and X-Lite. You’re right, the iPhone did great things for the US handheld market, I love mine and it’s capabilities immensely.
But X-Lite is a computer application that runs along side every other application you already have, many of which already do what you want to do with X-Lite.
It’s not about “no longer just a phone”, I applaud the graduation from voice, to voice and video. There’s also presence, IM, and everything else that is happening in the continuing VoIP world.
I just don’t see why you’d spend any time on these extraneous features (listings, indexes, and media), at all. It just doesn’t make sense to me. I’d much rather see this time spent furthering VoIP. Spend the time on any bug fixes instead, and continue to put in the time into specification review, and the standardization process in the community in general.
Don’t make X-Lite the exciting new Social Network. It’s completely unnecessary.
(All solely in my opinion, of course. This grand reveal just doesn’t make sense to me.)
Jason
16 Sep 08 at 4:43 pm
Well, it’s a large market, and we have a large, diverse user base — many people have written us and requested features such as social networking integration. Having a phone is one thing, but having something to do with it and people to call is far better.
I think you’re also reading a bit too much into the feature. We’re not spinning our wheels creating the next WinAmp or Facebook, we’re just enabling some technology that already exists, and trying to enhance the user experience for people using the phone.
Also bear in mind that our roadmap for X-Lite (which is a free product), differs from that of Bria and our other products, and the strategy involved is obviously different. If you want a carrier grade softphone that you can use in enterprise environments, Bria is your choice.
Duane
16 Sep 08 at 5:34 pm
can you send a text message using X-Lite? (sms?)
Lord
18 Sep 08 at 10:17 pm
It’s something we’ve put into Bria before, and it’s something we’re still considering for X-Lite. We don’t have a timeline on it though.
Duane
19 Sep 08 at 12:10 pm