Dave Michels posted a great summary about AstriCon 2009 on Pin Drop Soup:
http://www.pindropsoup.com/2009/10/astricon-update.html
Now that we’ve returned from the Phoenix sun, we’ll probably write our own summary in the future.
Archive for October, 2009
Asterisk Facelift and AstriCon 2009
Ty would be proud...
Are you ready? Tomorrow, Asterisk fans, fanatics, developers, users, and more will gather in Glendale, Arizona for AstriCon 2009. AstriCon, the official conference for Asterisk, runs from October 13 – 15.
This year, yours truly will speak (and very honored to do so) in a talk titled “Asterisk Applications – Unexpected Hurdles.” (summary below)
But wait, there’s more…
Just in time for AstriCon, Digium pulled a Ty Pennington on the ol’ Asterisk website. It looks amazing. Just a great way to start the conference!
I’m extremely excited to be heading West and cannot wait to share the information learned. Get ready for a great show!
About Asterisk
Asterisk is free, open source software provided under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Asterisk is the most popular open source software available, with the Asterisk Community being the top influencer in VoIP.
Why free? It’s just how Digium rolls. They really take that GPL open source to heart.
For more information, please check out:
Summary of Fred’s talk:
With Asterisk AGI programming, almost anything is possible. From phone based payment systems to providing real-time information, Asterisk makes it possible to bring information to anyone with a phone. Sometimes, even the simplest applications can have unexpected consequences. Building a real-time Parking Garage availability application in Ann Arbor, Michigan was met with great appreciation by residents but blocked by government who didn’t understand how Asterisk gathered data — interpreting it instead as a Security risk. The talk would explain that when building even the simplest public application, the designers should be familiar with public access laws and be able to articulate how their application gathers data. Freedom of Information will also be discussed.
Read the FCC Letter to Google and Google’s response
In case you’re living under a rock, here’s the 20 word or less version:
Google Voice blocks numbers that have high fees, such as free conference calls, etc. AT&T hates this. (17 Words)
So, remember how Google wrote that letter to the FCC complaining that AT&T blocked it’s voice app? Well, look at those tables and watch them turn. FCC now gets to play mommy/daddy to AT&T complaining about Google’s blocking of numbers that AT&T is required to connect. Read the rest of this entry »
T-Mobile Sidekick Data Lost, Perhaps Forever
T-Mobile, providers of the T-Mobile Sidekick smartphone, recently announced an outage blocking user access to address books, calendars, photos, etc. After more than a week of “working around-the-clock,” T-Mobile announced today that the user data will most likely never return.
In an announement released on October 10th, T-Mobile advised users: Read the rest of this entry »
Blackberry Desktop Manager for Mac Sync Error
Oh no... Sync Error
Recently, RIM announced the software that allows Mac users to do what Windows users have done for years — sync there desktop with their Blackberry. A long time in the running, those who used Blackberry and Mac had to rely on either 3rd party software, virtualized desktops, or hacks to sync their address book, calendar, etc. outside of a wireless corporate sync.
So, with software that’s only a week or two outside of Beta, new “undocumented features” aka Bugs are certain to pop up. And when they do, instead of navigating the endless IVR hell of your carrier (and then Blackberry), you can simply fix it yourself. Read the rest of this entry »
FOIA Friday Fun
Edward Vielmetti, who you may remember from the Asterisk/Parking piece, writes great blog posts. Whether on his personal site, AnnArbor.com, or numerous other blogs, Ed’s posts certainly capture my attention.
Recently, Ed started writing a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Friday series, detailing examples and stories from the world of Public Information. The article mostly deals with the Michigan FOIA, however parallels can be drawn for other states (such as Florida’s Sunshine Laws) and the Federal government.
It’s a great read. This week, Ed discusses how to write a FOIA request. Check out the post at http://www.annarbor.com/news/government/foia-friday-how-to-write/.
Allison Smith talks – Top Ten IVR Mistakes
You may not know her name, but you know her voice. For those of us working with Asterisk, we (for some reason) consider ourselves on a first name basis with her. Others know her as the Voice Over Lady, the Voice Gal, or The IVR Voice. In reality, her name is Allison Smith and, through the IVR menus she’s recorded, has one of the most recognizable telephone voices around.
When Allison Smith Talks IVR, You Should Listen
Through her blog, Allison recently wrote about the top ten mistakes consistently made in IVRs. It’s a quick read. It’s a good read. And, she’s got enough street cred that when she says it’s an IVR mistake, you should just say, “Thank you ma’am, may I have another.”
And when you’re done reading the Top Ten IVR Mistakes, check out The IVR Voice as well.
